Opposition parties have accused the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP)–led coalition of dragging Lesotho into rogue-state territory. Their charge: the systematic undermining of the Constitution and open defiance of the courts.
At a press conference held at the Transformation Resource Centre on Wednesday, Democratic Congress leader and official Leader of the Opposition, Mathibeli Mokhothu, condemned Prime Minister Sam Matekane for unlawfully suspending Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Hlalefang Motinyane and then refusing to obey a Constitutional Court order reinstating her.
“We were shocked by her suspension. Advocate Motinyane challenged it in the Constitutional Court, as she was entitled to under a democratic dispensation. The court ruled her suspension unconstitutional. After losing the case, they locked her office with a heavy padlock. That is wrong. The government must abide by judicial decisions. It is deeply embarrassing when it undermines a court order,” Mokhothu said.
Defiance of the Judiciary
The case has become a flashpoint in Lesotho’s political crisis. The government’s refusal to reinstate Motinyane, even after the ruling, has been called “executive lawlessness” by watchdog group Section 2.
Abuse of Power
Opposition parties also allege that Matekane’s administration has used security agencies as tools of intimidation. Before a planned no-confidence vote in October 2024, the heads of security services warned the opposition not to proceed, reviving fears of military interference in politics. More recently, the police commissioner was accused of requiring the Prime Minister’s clearance for peaceful protests, language Section 2 described as “dictatorship”.
Constitutional Manipulation
Critics charge that the RFP government is cherry-picking constitutional amendments to entrench its own interests. This piecemeal approach, they argue, mirrors past attempts at executive overreach that courts warned against in 2022.
Corruption Claims
Opposition leaders have also pointed to widespread corruption.
• Ballooning costs in the Moshoeshoe I International Airport refurbishment.
• Nepotism in appointments, including diplomatic postings for relatives and allies of ministers.
• M3.4 billion spent without parliamentary approval.
“These are not the hallmarks of a government of integrity,” Mokhothu added.
Failure of Delivery
Beyond the constitutional crisis, the opposition says the government has failed to provide basic services while crime rates remain alarmingly high.
The Bigger Picture
Matekane’s Revolution for Prosperity swept into power in October 2022 on a wave of optimism. A new party promised a clean break from decades of instability. Two years later, the promise appears to have curdled into a familiar pattern: executive interference, constitutional breaches, and public disillusionment.
The DPP standoff is not just a legal battle. It is a test of whether Lesotho is governed by laws or by the will of those in power.
