Water & Infrastructure
The Lesotho government is divided over whether to renew the contract of 79-year-old Masupha Sole, the principal advisor at the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, with Natural Resources Minister Mohlomi Moleko opposing renewal while some executives want him retained for the treaty review. Sole's contract expires at
Politics & Rights
Thabo 'Mahapu' Ramatla, a Lesotho politician, has returned to frontline politics after being acquitted of all charges in a South African court on 6 December 2024, following 20 months in custody related to a 2019 murder case. He has joined the Khanya Ea Basotho movement and criticized the
Politics & Rights
Lesotho's Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Law and Public Safety is hearing competing proposals from stakeholders on electoral reform, with debate centred on whether to retain the current Zebra Model or replace it with the proposed Best Loser Model for allocating proportional representation seats. The Independent Electoral Commission has
Politics & Rights
The Lesotho government has launched multi-stakeholder consultations to establish a new National Reforms Implementation Authority (NRIA) to replace the National Reforms Authority and oversee implementation of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution. The proposed NRIA will operate for 18 months with a time-bound mandate to coordinate the drafting
Politics & Rights
The National University of Lesotho faces a leadership crisis following competing claims to the Vice-Chancellor position, with the Council appointing Professor Motlatsi Molati as Acting Vice-Chancellor while Professor Kananelo Mosito claims a Court of Appeal order entitled him to the role. The prolonged dispute threatens institutional credibility and
Accountability
The Lesotho Public Procurement Authority (LPPA) held an awareness workshop to educate suppliers, contractors and consultants on complaints mechanisms under the Public Procurement Act, 2023, as part of the Public Procurement Reform 2025 initiative. The workshop, supported by EU-Lesotho Cooperation Facility Technical Assistance, covered valid grounds for complaints, eligible
Accountability
The Office of the Auditor-General has launched its five-year Strategic Plan 2026-2031, aimed at strengthening accountability, transparency and good governance through enhanced public sector auditing and institutional independence. The plan focuses on four priorities: strengthening functional and financial independence, expanding audit coverage, improving audit quality, and promoting
Accountability
The Public Accounts Committee heard allegations that Queen 'Mamohato Memorial Hospital payroll manager Patlo Khoalenyane was advised to resign before his dismissal letter could be served, allowing him to retain employment benefits. Khoalenyane, who allegedly drew salary for over a year without reporting for duty and faced fraud charges,
Accountability
Police have seized two plasma television sets from the residence of former Lesotho Correctional Service Commissioner Mating Nkakala as part of a theft investigation into television sets allegedly donated to the LCS in 2022. The investigation has been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions office, with prosecutors expected to
Frontier & Research
OpenAI has suspended development on certain aspects of its Astra model due to cybersecurity concerns about the model's capabilities. The company is taking precautionary measures before advancing the model further. Source: TechCrunch
Tools & Products
Rippling has launched AI Spend Console, a tool designed to track individual and team employee spending on AI services after the company itself spent millions on AI in recent months. The product aims to help enterprises monitor and manage their AI expenditures across their workforce. Source: TechCrunch
Frontier & Research
OpenAI has released preliminary cybersecurity evaluations for its Astra system and outlined measures to enhance safeguards and security controls. The company is proactively addressing security considerations as the technology advances. Source: OpenAI