Lesotho Roundup: Digitalisation agenda, MCC scorecard, tourism festival

Lesotho shines on MCC Scorecard

Lesotho has positioned itself to potentially receive a financial aid of up to $300 million. The United States Ambassador Maria Brewer commended Lesotho's commitment to democracy and the rule of law, emphasizing the country's outstanding scores of 98 per cent on political rights, 89 per cent in civil liberties, and 85 per cent on control of corruption, Local media The Post reported. “It is wonderful to witness Lesotho successfully once again passing the scorecard…These improvements signify Lesotho’s commitment to strengthening democratic governance and economic freedom...the latest results are an improvement from last year’s score where it scored 14 out of the 20 indicators,” she is quoted by the Post.

Opposition makes security demands

Lesotho's opposition parties have demanded the dismissal of the heads of the country's security agencies, alleging their unconstitutional interference in civilian politics. The opposition presented this demand to Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, who heads the Southern African Development Community's Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation, local media Sunday Express reports. The opposition contends that Lesotho Defence Force Commander Mojalefa Letsoela, Commissioner of Police Holomo Molibe, and National Security Service Director-General Pheello Ralenkoane must be removed due to their public stance against a no-confidence vote. In response, Prime Minister’s Press Attaché, Thapelo Mabote, said, “Since they discussed the matter with President Hichilema and have not told us about it, it is as good as rumour to us. As such, we cannot comment on it,” he told the Sunday Express.

China supports Lesotho

The Deputy Director of the Hubei Provincial Health Commission in China, Liu Dongru has said that nine members of the 17th Chinese Medical Team are actively contributing their expertise to various health facilities across Lesotho. Covering specialities such as obstetrics, gynaecology, internal medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, acupuncture, anesthesiology, and radiology, the Chinese Medical Team has been instrumental in Lesotho's healthcare for 26 years, local news The Public Eye reports. Dongru said, “This year marks the 60^th anniversary of the dispatch of Chinese medical teams to foreign countries and also the 60^th anniversary of Hubei Province dispatching foreign medical teams…Since 1997, China (Hubei Province) has been dispatching medical teams to the Kingdom of Lesotho. Over the past 26 years, a total of 184 health specialists in 17 batches have been dispatched.”

Digitalisation Agenda

Lesotho has assumed the chairmanship of the African Union's Bureau of Specialized Technical Committee on Communication and Information and Communication Technologies (STC-CICT). Lesotho's Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology, and Innovation Nthati Moorosi has been appointed as the Chairperson, the Informative News reports. “I depend on your support to perfect the work ahead. I have already tasted the support of the commission in this role, which [had just] I assumed… I assure my commitment to moving the work of the Bureau forward from where it is now. The dynamic nature of the ICT sector demands continuous dialogue and cooperation. I encourage you all to maintain an open line of communication, share your insights, and collaborate within the confines of this committee,” she is quoted by the Informative News.

Tourism Festival

Lesotho has launched an annual tourism event to promote the nation's culture and attract tourists to the Southern African nation. The Lesotho Tourism Festival Lifestyle Experience(LETOFE) is backed by the collaborative efforts of Standard Lesotho Bank with Alliance Insurance. The annual event, scheduled for December 23 at the Thaba-Bosiu Cultural Village, located in the capital of Lesotho, The Post reports. Standard Lesotho Bank CEO Anton Nicolaisen said that “This festival is arguably one of the biggest music festivals that Lesotho holds and we are pleased to continue as the headline sponsor of this event that brings moments of jubilation and friendship,” he is quoted by the Post.