The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has once again turned its spotlight on the troubled Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC), where explosive allegations continue to expose what appears to be a pattern of overreach and power abuse at the top levels of the Ministry of Energy.
This week’s hearing saw the suspended LEC Managing Director, Mr. Mohlomi Seitlheko, deliver bombshell testimony that directly implicates the Ministry’s Principal Secretary, Mr. Tankiso Phapano, in illegal interference with the operations of the parastatal.
Seitlheko told the PAC that Phapano unilaterally attempted to dismiss the LREEAP (Lesotho Renewable Energy and Energy Access Project) Project Manager, Mr. Mokuoane, despite having no legal authority to do so.
“The PS is not the accounting officer of LEC. He cannot hire or fire staff. Yet he insisted on dismissing Mr. Mokuoane,” Seitlheko testified.
Even more disturbing, according to Seitlheko, is that Phapano successfully blocked Mr. Mokuoane’s salary from January this year to date, effectively starving the project lead of income for nearly six months—without any disciplinary hearing or due process.
“We’ve Let a Non-Accounting Officer Run LEC”
Hon. Dr. Moroke, expressed dismay at the situation, saying it was tantamount to letting someone outside the structure of LEC run its affairs unchecked.
“You are telling us that someone who is not the accounting officer of LEC, Mr. Phapano, is calling the shots? We’ve effectively surrendered control of the utility to him,” Dr. Moroke remarked.
In his defense, Seitlheko revealed that he sought intervention from several authorities, including the former LEC board chairman Mr. Nathanael Maphathe, Energy Minister Hon. Mohlomi Moleko, and the Ministry of Finance. However, he said his concerns were met with silence.
This revelation has amplified public scrutiny of Mr. Phapano, who has already been linked to irregular conduct and governance breaches in the controversial Ha Belo Hydropower Project.
FLASHBACK: The Ha Belo Scandal
Earlier this year, the Lesotho Tribune exposed how Phapano’s office bypassed procurement procedures and undermined project governance in the Ha Belo project, a strategic energy infrastructure initiative funded through public-private partnerships and foreign aid.
In that case, insiders alleged that Phapano manipulated internal processes to favor certain contractors and blocked attempts to enforce accountability mechanisms. In one striking instance, the PS allegedly instructed project officials to withhold technical reports from development partners, raising serious concerns about transparency and potential donor withdrawal.
Critics at the time warned that Phapano’s actions risked turning Ha Belo into a “white elephant”
Systemic Weakness or Deliberate Capture?
This week’s revelations suggest that the Ha Belo episode was not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of a broader pattern of institutional capture at the Ministry of Energy. By blocking salaries, attempting dismissals, and undermining the chain of command, Phapano is accused of acting like a “shadow CEO” of LEC, without any statutory accountability.
Deafening Silence from the Ministry
So far, neither Phapano nor Minister Moleko has publicly responded to the claims. The Ministry of Energy did not return requests for comment. The Ministry of Finance, which Lesotho Tribune also quizzed, has also remained tight-lipped.
With the PAC hearings ongoing, lawmakers have vowed to press for answers, with some suggesting that Phapano should be summoned before the committee to explain his role in both the LREEAP and Ha Belo controversies.
