The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lesotho

  • Steinmeier ends Africa trip as first German president in Lesotho

    Steinmeier ends Africa trip as first German president in Lesotho

    German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is concluding his four-day trip to Africa with a visit to Lesotho on Saturday.

    Steinmeier’s visit is the first by a German president to the small mountainous country, which is situated within South Africa.

    The trip follows an invitation from King Letsie III, extended during a visit to Berlin last year.

    Steinmeier’s visit to Lesotho comes off the back of discussions in South Africa with President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday.

    Since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, Lesotho has suffered from political instability.

    Read Also: PHOTOS: Tinubu hosts German President Steinmeier at the Villa

    Justice, public services, and security agencies suffer from corruption and abuses of power, with crucial reforms systematically undermined by political elites, analysts say.

    Many villages remain accessible only on foot or by horse.

    The country heavily relies on its large neighbour South Africa and due to limited employment opportunities, many inhabitants have sought work in South Africa for decades, particularly in mining.

    Lesotho’s economy primarily depends on agriculture and the export of textiles, diamonds, and water.

    (dpa/NAN)

  • Massive diamond recovered from Lesotho mine

    Massive diamond recovered from Lesotho mine

    A 910 carat diamond was found in the small Southern Africa nation of Lesotho, the fifth-largest gem-quality diamond ever found, diamond miner Gem Diamonds Limited said in a statement on Monday.

    “Gem Diamonds Limited is pleased to announce the recovery of an exceptional quality 910 carat, D colour Type IIa diamond from the Letseng mine in Lesotho.

    “The diamond, the largest recovered from Letseng, is believed to be the fifth largest gem quality diamond ever recovered,” the company said.

    Lesotho is a small, impoverished country surrounded entirely by South Africa.

    A rough diamond from Botswana, believed to be the biggest uncut diamond found in a century, sold for 53 million dollars in September.

    NAN reports that in November 2015,the world’s second-largest gem quality diamond has been discovered in Botswana, the Lucara Diamond firm says.

    The 1,111-carat stone was recovered from its Karowe mine, about 500km (300 miles) north of the capital, Gaborone.

    It is the biggest diamond to be discovered in Botswana and the largest find in more than a century.

    The 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond was found in South Africa in 1905 and cut into nine separate stones, many of which are in the British Crown Jewels.

    “The significance of the recovery of a gem quality stone larger than 1,000 carats, the largest for more than a century… cannot be overstated,” William Lamb, the CEO of Lucara Diamond, a Canadian diamond producer,

    Lucara says two other “exceptional” white diamonds – an 813-carat stone and a 374-carat stone – were also found at the Karowe mine.

    “This has been an amazing week for Lucara with the recovery of the second largest and also the sixth largest gem quality diamonds ever mined,” Lamb said.

    The stone is yet to be evaluated, but commodities and mining analyst Kieron Hodgson, told AFP news agency that “the potential to be one very expensive diamond.”

    NAN

  • ‘Exiled Lesotho journalist Mohloboli receiving death threats’

    *Amnesty International seeks petitions against intimidation

    Exiled investigative journalist Keiso Mohloboli has been receiving death threats and intimidation online after publishing a Facebook post, according to a statement by Amnesty International.

    The statement said Kesio Mohloboli, an exiled Lesotho investigative journalist, received death threats on Facebook on 10 June.

    It reads: “Keiso Mohloboli published a post on Facebook and a Facebook account user operating under the name “Lawrence Kori” commented on her post threatening her and explicitly saying that death was very near to her and she would die soon.

    “The account is believed to be operated by Lesotho’s National Security Services (NSS) and is used to monitor Facebook posts of people considered to be persona non grata. Sources in the Lesotho Military Intelligence have confirmed that the account is operated by the NSS and that the threats should be taken seriously.

    “Keiso Mohloboli has been extremely hesitant to report the death threats and intimidation to authorities given that she has been in exile in South Africa since July 2016. Keiso Mohloboli fled Lesotho after being arbitrarily arrested and interrogated in relation to an article she published in the Lesotho Times and after her editor was shot and seriously injured.

    “Please write immediately in English, or your own language:

    *Urging the Lesotho authorities to take immediate measures to end continuing death threats and intimidation against Keiso Mohloboli and to ensure her safety and protection ;

    * Calling on them to conduct thorough, impartial, independent and effective investigations into the allegations of death threats and intimidation against Kesio Mohloboli and bring those suspected to be responsible to justice in trials which meet international standards of fairness ; and

    *Calling on them to ensure that journalists and other media workers are able to carry out their work without fear of threats, intimidation, and harassment and guarantee the integrity of journalists and media workers against attacks or threats.”

    The statement said petitions should be sent before July 24 to: The Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Defence and National Security Dr. Mampho Molaoa, Ministry of Defence and National Security, along Kingsway, Opposite National Library, P/Bag A166, Maseru 100, Lesotho, Fax: +266 22-310518, Email: ntebalenghae@gmail.com.

    Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Correctional Services, Ms Mapulumo Mosisili, Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Correctional Services, LNDC Block C, Level 3, Kingsway, Maseru 100, Lesotho, Fax: +266 22310365 and Office of the Government Secretaries, Ms. Lebohang Ramohlanka, Phase I Government Complex P.O. Box 527, Maseru 100

    Lesotho, Fax: +266 22 310 102.

    According to the statement, Keiso Mohloboli worked as an investigative journalist for the Lesotho Times newspaper, the only independent investigative journalism publication in the country.

    In Lesotho, the right to freedom of expression is under attack. Journalists working in broadcast, print and social media in particular are facing physical attacks, arbitrary arrests and harassment.

    Lesotho has been characterised by consistent insecurity and political crises.

    On June 23, 2016, after publishing an article in the Lesotho Times, which alleged that Lesotho Defence Force head Tlali Kamoli was to receive an exit package of R50 million, Keiso Mohloboli was interrogated at Maseru police headquarters and asked to disclose her sources.

    The following day she was arrested and interrogated along with the newspaper’s editor, Lloyd Mutungamiri. On July 5, 2016, Lloyd Mutungamiri and Lesotho Times Publisher Basildon Peta were interrogated. Basildon Peta was charged with criminal defamation.

    The charges arose from a column that satirised Tlali Kamoli. On July 9, 2016, unidentified gunmen attacked and seriously injured Lloyd Mutungamiri in his drive way.

    Lloyd Mutungamiri had been charged with criminal defamation in September 2014 for reporting police corruption. Keiso Mohloboli has since fled Lesotho.

     

  • AYC qualifier: Ebola: Lesotho pull out of Nigeria’s game

    AYC qualifier: Ebola: Lesotho pull out of Nigeria’s game

    Lesotho have pulled out of this weekend’s final 2015 African Youth Championship(AYC) against Nigeria after they expressed concerns over the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the country.

    “We have contacted the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and copied the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that we will not be coming for this game,” Lesotho Football Federation official Limtho Mokhethi told AfricanFootball.com on Friday.

    The Senegalese officials appointed for the game have already arrived Kaduna, where the match will be played.

    CAF are now to decide on the overall winners of this final qualifier. The 2015 AYC will be staged by Senegal from March 8.

  • Zuriel meets Lesotho PM on girls,ecomonic issues

    Zuriel meets Lesotho PM on girls,ecomonic issues

    In continuation of her campaign for Girl-child education in Africa, Zuriel Oduwole, the 11 year-old African Child Ambassador, Documentary Film maker has visited with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Lesotho Government, Hon Thomas Thabane, in a private meeting.

    She was very welcomed by Prime Minister Thabane, who congratulated her on her very achievements and accomplishments at such a very young age. At the meeting, Zuriel spoke about the need to develop a clear but simple program for the continued education of the continents Girl Child, and the opportunities it opens up for their future.

    Other subjects Zuriel spoke about was the country’s very good political stability, and the Lesotho Economy, and what she saw as a good opportunity to develop the water resources of the country.

    Prime Minister Thabane agreed with her, indicating they were already exporting their water to South Africa, and are looking at other markets for their precious  resources.

    Zuriel, who is an honorary Ambassador for the First Lady of Tanzania and the Global brand Ambassador for Ethiopian Airlines, has now interviewed 12 statesmen in the course of making her case for educating Africa’s Girl Child.

    They  include eight current African Presidents, an African Prime Minister and Head of Government [Lesotho], the last two former Ghanaian leaders [Presidents Jerry Rawlings & John Kufuor], and the Prime  Minister of Jamaica and head of that Islands Government – The Most Honorable Portia Simpson Miller.

    Last month, New Africa Magazine listed her as one of Africa’s 100 Most Influential People in 2013, for her campaign on Girls Education. She was the youngest person in that listing, which included three African Presidents, two of whom she has already interviewed; – Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, and Joyce Banda of Malawi.