Nkoane Sekhofa
The mountain kingdom of Lesotho has long been a paradox: a constitutional monarchy with a veneer of democratic governance, yet perpetually teetering on the edge of military-driven chaos.
Today, under Prime Minister Sam Matekane, a former businessman who campaigned on vows of meritocracy, prosperity, and depoliticising the security forces, the nation’s democratic aspirations are unravelling.
Instead of reform, Matekane’s government has deepened the military’s grip on power, raising alarms about a slide toward authoritarianism masked by hollow rhetoric.
When Matekane’s Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party swept elections in 2022, it was hailed as a break from Lesotho’s cycle of political instability. Matekane, a self-made millionaire, positioned himself as an outsider capable of curbing corruption and modernising the state.
Central to his platform was the long-stalled Security Sector Reform Programme (SSRP), a blueprint to professionalise the military and police, clarify their roles, and hold abusers accountable.
Yet two years on, the SSRP remains shelved. Instead, Matekane’s administration is now prioritising extending the tenure of military loyalists, notably Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela, the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) commander, whose term was controversially prolonged despite reaching mandatory retirement age.
This is not reform; its entrenchment, the military is not being depoliticised rather it is being empowered as a political actor.
There is a clear pattern. Last year, the heads of the LDF, police, and national security service appeared jointly on national television to declare they would “not tolerate” parliamentary efforts to oust Matekane via a no-confidence vote – a brazen threat against legislative democracy.
The move, unprecedented in Lesotho’s recent history, drew condemnation from civil society. When security chiefs publicly threaten elected representatives, it is a coup against democratic norms. This is militarisation without tanks.
Matekane’s supporters defend his approach as pragmatic stabilisation. They are in pains on social media, saying security is the foundation of development and implicitly adding that the PM is ensuring institutions can function without interference. Letsoela’s agents are already in charge of the DCEO.
But such arguments ring hollow to Basotho. Unemployment hovers near 45 percent, poverty afflicts half the population, and the government’s austerity measures have slashed social spending. Meanwhile, Matekane’s focus on consolidating security alliances has overshadowed governance.
So, he promised meritocracy but delivered militarism. The nation voted for change not to have 100-year-old Generals!
Lesotho’s backslide carries implications beyond its borders. As Southern Africa grapples with democratic erosion, from Zimbabwe’s entrenched autocracy to Mozambique’s insurgency, Lesotho risks becoming a cautionary tale. The SADC, which mediated past crises here, has remained muted, prioritising stability over democratic scrutiny.
For Matekane, the path ahead is fraught. With elections due in 2027, his reliance on military backing may secure short-term survival but jeopardise long-term legitimacy. As the saying goes: “You can’t build prosperity on a foundation of fear.”
The question now is whether Basotho and the international community will hold Matekane to his promises or allow Lesotho to become another democracy subsumed by the men in uniform.
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