Kananelo Boloetse
There’s a playful yet telling phrase: “Ha ho le monate le mpitse,” which translates to “Call me whenever there is a party.”
It is a line that captures a certain zest for life, a love for celebration that’s deeply ingrained in our youth culture. And who can blame us? Events like the Cleketseng, the Vodacom All White Fashion Festival, Letofe Lifestyle Festival, Econet Apica, and the ever-popular ‘Maletsunyane Braai Fest bring vibrancy, attract tourists, and give us moments of joy in a world that often feels heavy.
Corporates like Vodacom Lesotho (VCL), Standard Lesotho Bank, Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL), and others deserve credit for fueling these gatherings, they’re a boon for the tourism sector and a chance to showcase Lesotho’s unique spirit.
But here’s the rub: too often, it feels like our corporates are living by that line, ha ho le monate le mpitse, a little too literally. When it comes to sponsorships, they flock to the party, creating a stampede to attach their logos to festivals while initiatives that could truly move Lesotho forward languish in the shadows. The noise around these entertainment events is deafening, yet the silence on more impactful opportunities is equally striking. It’s time we ask our corporate giants to also invest in something deeper, something that builds not just a good time, but a better future.
Lesotho has the potential to be a hub for transformative discussions on agriculture, health, and economic innovation. Other countries organise major conferences that shape policy and attract investments, South Africa has the Mining Indaba, Kenya hosts the Agritech Expo, and Rwanda has become a leader in digital health summits.
Meanwhile, our brightest minds, our most ambitious entrepreneurs, and our policy leaders are forced to pack their bags and travel beyond our borders to be part of these groundbreaking conversations. While others are busy hosting, we remain mere guests, outsiders looking in. Our own backyard remains barren, devoid of similar platforms.
We are battling some of the most pressing challenges of our time, food insecurity, a struggling healthcare system, and alarmingly high mortality rates. Reports suggest that suicide is on the rise, yet we see little effort from the corporate sector to tackle these crises head-on.
It is deeply concerning that a country facing severe food insecurity does not host a single large-scale annual event dedicated to agriculture. Our healthcare system is overburdened, yet we lack a flagship event where policymakers, healthcare professionals, and industry leaders gather to find solutions. Where are the nationwide suicide prevention campaigns? Where are the mental health awareness conferences?
Take water, for instance. Lesotho is known as the “Water Tower of Southern Africa,” with our highlands supplying rivers and dams that sustain millions beyond our borders. It’s a resource that’s both a blessing and a responsibility.
Imagine an annual Lesotho Water Summit, an event that draws engineers, policymakers, environmentalists, and investors from across Africa and the world to discuss sustainability, infrastructure, and economic opportunities tied to this precious commodity. It could position Lesotho as a thought leader, create jobs, and attract investment. But right now, there’s no such event. Not a whisper. Meanwhile, the festivals roll on.
This imbalance isn’t just a missed opportunity, it’s a misalignment of priorities. Look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a framework that’s taught in classrooms worldwide. At its base are the essentials: food, water, shelter, and safety. Only once those are secured do you climb toward self-esteem and self-actualisation, where parties and cultural expression find their place.
Lesotho’s corporates seem to have flipped the pyramid upside down, pouring money into the top tier while the foundation crumbles. Hunger persists in rural areas, education systems struggle, and infrastructure lags, yet the corporate chequebooks open widest for entertainment.
Don’t get me wrong, festivals matter. They boost tourism, support local businesses, and give artists a stage. The ‘Maletsunyane Braai Fest, set against the stunning backdrop of one of Africa’s highest waterfalls, is a perfect example of how Lesotho can shine. But if that’s all we’re known for, we’re selling ourselves short. Tourism alone won’t lift us out of poverty or address systemic challenges like unemployment and underdevelopment. We need balance, a mix of celebration and substance.
So, what could this look like? Corporates could back an annual Education Forum, bringing together teachers, students, and experts to tackle the literacy crisis. Or they could partner with regional bodies to host a Renewable Energy Conference, leveraging Lesotho’s water and solar potential. These aren’t pie-in-the-sky ideas, they’re practical steps that align with our resources and needs, building a legacy beyond the next party.
My criticism isn’t that corporates are doing too much for entertainment, it’s that they’re doing too little elsewhere. Vodacom, Econet, Standard Lesotho Bank, and others have the resources and influence to shift the narrative. They can still sponsor the braais and fashion shows, but they should also be the ones saying, “Ha ho le monate le mpitse,” to initiatives that matter more in the long run.
Imagine the pride we’d feel if Lesotho became a hub for water innovation or a training ground for Africa’s next generation of Data Scientist and Machine Learning Engineers—all because our corporates dared to dream bigger.
It’s time to stop chasing the party and start building the future. Lesotho deserves more than a good time, it deserves progress. Our corporates can lead the way, if only they’d answer a different call.
Some might argue that corporates do not organise events, they invest in events that someone else has dared to start. The logic being that those who want meaningful events should take the initiative and corporates will support them if they see value. But here’s the truth: There are people who are trying to organise the kinds of events mentioned here, but they have gone from pillar to post seeking sponsorship in vain.
Let us not even dare think that Basotho lack the creativity to organise such impactful events, they do. But those who hold the financial power do not give them the attention they need.
Someone else might argue that corporates only invest in events that guarantee a return on investment (ROI) and reinforce their brands. But who said that mental health conferences and economic summits cannot create ROI or build corporate brands?
Who decided that Sunday Groove / Lifestyle Sundays and Pyjama Parties are more profitable investments than a Lesotho Tech Summit or a Renewable Energy Forum? The truth is, the corporate sector is playing it safe, following the crowd rather than leading in ways that could make a long-term impact.
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