In May 2024, the government outlawed 12 Famo music groups, with Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police Minister Lebona Fabian Lephema declaring them illegal entities.
A week later Mahlape Morai, then acting as Lesotho Mounted Police Service commissioner, told the media that it was a criminal act for journalists to publish interviews with the banned music groups. Watch it here
Famo is a music genre that originated in Lesotho, featuring singing backed by an accordion, a drum, and sometimes a bass.
It began in the drinking dens of Basotho migrant labourers in the 1920s.
But over the years, the music has come to be associated with gangs primarily linked to illegal gold mining in Lesotho and areas in South Africa bordering the mountain kingdom.
Sam Matekane has since declared war on Famo gangs, calling them terrorists.
In 2021, Lesotho’s murder rate was the 6th highest in the world. It was partly blamed on the rise of Famo vigilantes.
Famos have become a prominent feature in Lesotho’s social and political spaces.
The All Basotho Convention (ABC) party of Nkaku Kabi is accused of supporting Famos because they allegedly fund the party.
Last week, Kabi condemned Matekane’s government for declaring Famos to be terrorist outfits.
Kabi’s main argument was that the music of the Famos is directly linked to the culture of the Basotho.
Lesotho Tribune recently reported that In the High Court of Lesotho, some of the villagers from Liphakoeng in Leribe district through their lawyer Advocate Zwelakhe Mda KC had written to the Attorney General, Commander Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Minister of Defense and National Security claiming damages for torture, unlawful arrest and imprisonment. The villagers are suing state for M25.5 million.
Things took a nasty turn this week (Weds 31 August) in a parade which was organised by government of Lesotho to officially welcome the troops which were deployed in Mozambique for the SADC sanctioned peace keeping mission.
Speaking at this event, deputy commander of Lesotho Defense Force said he was disappointed that lawyers would take up cases from tortured victims yet the army had arrested those people for murder, general Matobakele went further to lambast the courts presiding officers for “hearing” such cases.
General Matobakele concluded, “…ha o tšoara batho bao ba bolaeang ba bang ba ea matha ba ea lekhotleng bo tlo qosa sesole, ebe motho eo a eang lekhotleng le eo a okamelang nyeoe bona ba phela kae? Kapo entse ele hore re ke ba chakele le bona, tle ba tsebe ho utloa ka letlalo?” Loosely translated [When you arrest those responsible for the killing our people, they run to the courts of law to arraign the army, making one to ponder; where do the perpetrator and the judge live? Or should I pay both of them a visit and give them a hiding?]
Lesotho Tribune sought a reaction from Hon. Lekhetho Rakuoane, leader of the Popular Front for Democracy (PFD) and this is what he had to say, “As a person, I don’t like to argue with them [LDF], but I would like to have this on record; these issues should be examined by relevant parliamentary portfolio committees, and I want to hear from those responsible in parliament.”
In response to whether the LDF should be “fighting crime” Hon. Rakuoane said, “re kase bone se ntse re pitikisoa e le ntho e moo ea batho ba innocent se ba kenelletse?” Loosely translated: would the army not torture innocent civilians?
Hon. Rakuoane added, “we need to establish standard operating procedures for the soldiers. It should clearly state things they are not allowed to do, such as harassing people…”
“…The practice in countries that respect democratic governance is to establish standard operating procedures for the armed forces.”
Hon. Rakuoane concluded by saying, “as an example, the police have a habit of harassing people. Remember the case of Hon. Mokhosi when he was detained, tortured and soiled himself. Accordingly, the leadership [of the security agencies] should demonstrate to us that they have outlawed that practice of torturing people. The military should also commit to stopping the torture of people, which is a form of collective punishment.”
On his part, the leader of Basotho National Party (BNP), Hon. Machesetsa Mofomobe said, “these are unfortunate statements by the LDF, which have been said in his presence as the prime minister and okayed by himself. This is not surprising anymore, it reinforces what we already knew; as the prime minister, he doesn’t understand his role and is totally oblivious to the roles and functions of the prime minister. He has no control of the government.”
Hon. Mofomobe continued, “ a self respecting prime minister, should defend democracy, because he is a product of democracy and the constitution. The prime minister should not allow people who go against the constitution. It is unthinkable that the LDF, in the presence of the prime minister openly challenge the constitutional order.”
“It is wrong that in the presence of the prime minister, LDF says it will torture lawyers representing those who had been tortured and kidnapped by LDF. The LDF in the presence of the prime minister says it will torture magistrates and judges who preside over LDF cases is a clear sign of the incompetence of the prime minister and the statements by the LDF are clear sign that they’re constitutional delinquents,” Hon. Mofomobe concluded.
Lesotho Tribune sought comments from the prime minister’s spokesman and the LDF but comments were not available at the time of publishing this article.
