King pleads for unity

MASERU – KING Letsie III yesterday pleaded for a change in behavior and attitudes if the ongoing reforms are to succeed.
The King was speaking at the closure of the Multi-stakeholder Dialogue Plenary II at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre yesterday.
He said unless Basotho changed their behavior and attitudes, nothing will change even if the reforms are implemented.

King Letsie III had taken a longer route and forced Basotho to make changes so that they can get where they want.
“We started this journey with joy and hope but we did not have a clear picture of what we were really trying to do,” the King said.
He said political instability had also threatened the reform process. But the reforms had now forced them to work shoulder-to-shoulder.

Some who had fled the country were now back in the country, he said.
“But as we speak now they are here, taking part in the reforms and we thank Basotho for their support,” the King said.
The King thanked SADC for not only supporting Basotho financially but by sending the military to ensure peace reigned in Lesotho.

He also thanked President Cyril Ramaphosa and South Africa’s retired deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke for helping Lesotho to work on the reforms.
Prime Minister Thomas Thabane also thanked Basotho and Ramaphosa as well as Justice Moseneke.
Thabane said it was their hard work and co-operation that had brought them to this level.

“We are now confident and we can see that we will get to where we wanted to go,” he said.
“King Moshoeshoe I left this country at peace and we also want to see it at peace,” Thabane said.
He said a country that is at war will not make it through.
He said although they started this journey with different views, now they are finally approaching the end of the journey.
“It is our hope that one day Lesotho will be a country of peace and tranquility,” Thabane said.

Ramaphosa said they all feel proud that Lesotho had gone this far with the reforms.
He said some people had written off the process saying Basotho were bitterly divided by politics.

“People told me that so many tried to help Basotho with the reforms as I am doing but Basotho have failed because they are separated by politics,” Ramaphosa said.
He said he was happy as they had made progress on the reforms.
Ramaphosa urged Basotho to set aside their political differences for the sake of the reforms.

Thooe Ramolibeli