By Ollus Ndomu
Lesotho’s political maverick Sam Matekane took the oath on Friday to become the country’s new Prime Minister amidst cheering crowds that filled the soccer stadium in capital Maseru.
Matekane, 64, a filthy rich diamond tycoon, arrived at his inauguration ceremony in a light gold, convertible Rolls Royce and was greeted by the loudest of cheers from his supporters who came from across the small Southern African country to witness his coronation into power.
The new PM was elected on electoral promises which among others include, to create employment, scale back on government spending as well as publish a lifestyle audit of himself and all government officials in a bid to address the corruption rot in governance.
In his maiden speech, Matekane said his assumption of office “represents a social contract in which I promise to make Lesotho great again”.
The pro-business political novice said he will be picking up the pieces of a country that has been in recession since 2017.
Matekane said the “inability of the private sector to play its part in creating employment” has strained the public sector.
“Yet…the public sector itself does not have a dependable income, a situation which is likely to get worse”.
The political maverick also promised to address graft and to “reform a public service to make it more efficient, transparent, accountable and effective”.
“We have to uproot corruption and stop a rampant embezzlement of the public funds,” Matekane said”.
In one of the interviews ahead of the elections, Matekane said he would turn things around, bringing his business acumen to the government to revive the economy and tackle the huge public debt and unemployment.
Elected on the banner of the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP), Matekane becomes Lesotho’s tenth Prime Minister.
During the October 7 polls which swept him into power, his party won 56 legislative seats out of 120; just six months after its formation.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose country completely surrounds Lesotho, was one of the regional leaders attending the ceremony in the mountainous kingdom.
“The strong bond of our two nations are founded on family ties, shared language, history…our pasts are inseparable and our futures are also intertwined” Ramaphosa said in his congratulatory speech.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, himself a succesful businessman who won a historic election last year, was in attendance.
US President Joe Biden also sent in a delegation to the ceremony.
Lesotho ranks among the world’s poorest countries, with more than 30 percent of its 2.2 million people living on less than $1.90 a day. Additional reporting by AFP
