This past week, the nation witnessed a disturbing yet revealing trend: the selective gagging of the press during critical parliamentary proceedings. On Tuesday, the Lesotho Tribune was barred from broadcasting certain segments of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearings. The reason? The alleged “sensitive” nature of the information being discussed. These were no ordinary proceedings. At the heart of the investigation lies Mergence and Akani Financial Services, corrupt trustees accused of capturing Lesotho’s largest pension fund. And again, on Thursday, the Lesotho Tribune faced another block—this time during a hearing involving the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), investigating accusations of torture and the suspicious deaths of two men.
This raises fundamental questions: How much do we, the public, deserve to know?
And why, in moments that demand transparency, are we being left in the dark?
The role of the media, particularly a publication like the Lesotho Tribune, is not merely to entertain or offer opinions. Its core responsibility is to inform the public, to be a conduit for the truth, and to hold power to account.
The PAC’s investigation into the alleged capture of the pension fund by Mergence and Akani Financial Services is of monumental public interest. The fund is the lifeblood of Lesotho’s pensioners, those who’ve worked their whole lives and are now dependent on the integrity of that system. Any hint of corruption or mismanagement directly affects the livelihoods of thousands of Basotho. To withhold coverage of such proceedings is to deny them insight into matters that affect their financial future.
Transparency, especially in matters of public interest, should be non-negotiable. When the proceedings of a parliamentary committee are cloaked in secrecy, when critical information is deemed too “sensitive” for the public ear, it begs the question: sensitive for whom? Is it sensitive because it may expose the depths of corruption and negligence, or is it sensitive because the revelations may threaten the very institutions that have long operated with impunity?
It is easy to argue that not all information should be public, especially if it involves national security or could incite unnecessary panic. But this is not the case with the Mergence and Akani scandal. Financial services companies managing public funds should be subject to the highest level of scrutiny. By barring the media from reporting, Parliament inadvertently fosters suspicion and distrust. It gives the impression that the hearings may not be about truth and justice, but rather about protecting certain individuals or entities from the consequences of their actions.
Then, there is Thursday’s gag order involving the LDF. The military is an institution that holds immense power and, as recent events have shown, can wield it in ways that have deadly consequences [Literally & figuratively!]. The deaths of two men and the allegations of torture at the hands of the LDF should set off alarms in any democratic nation.
For Parliament to stop the press from airing this segment of the hearing is deeply troubling. When the military is called into question, the stakes are higher. The actions of the LDF, an institution sworn to protect the people, are under scrutiny. Why should the public be denied full transparency into such a serious matter?
We must be wary of the path Lesotho seems to be treading. History has shown us that corruption thrives in darkness, and institutions emboldened by the lack of oversight grow ever more dangerous. By blocking the press, Parliament signals that it prioritizes protecting certain interests over serving the people.
This isn’t just about the Lesotho Tribune. It’s about the very fabric of our democracy. The free flow of information is the cornerstone of any functioning democracy. When you stifle the media, you stifle the voice of the people. You deny them their right to know, to question, and to demand accountability from those who govern.
Will we be a nation that values transparency, that trusts its people with the truth, or will we slide into an era where information is selectively filtered, where inconvenient truths are buried, and where those in power operate in the shadows?
It’s time for the legislature to ask itself: Who are we serving? If the answer is the people, then let us know the full story. The pension fund scandal, the military’s actions, and any other matter of public interest should be out in the open.
Lesotho deserves no less. The truth, after all, is never too sensitive to be heard.
