….vows to end political interference from crippling power utility
Moorosi Tsiane
The Acting Managing Director of the Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC), Ts’eliso Mokela, has blamed “political interference and nepotistic appointments” for the parastatal’s long-running financial and operational crisis, vowing to stamp out the practices that have left the power utility on the brink of insolvency.
Speaking in an interview with the Lesotho Times, Mr Mokela said years of politically driven recruitment had hollowed out the company’s technical and managerial capacity, with unqualified individuals placed in critical positions for partisan reasons rather than competence.
“Many of the problems at LEC stem from politicians infiltrating the company by offering jobs politically,” Mr Mokela said, adding that people lacking even basic skills were routinely appointed to posts they were unfit to hold.
Mr Mokela said the consequences of such interference were now evident in the company’s dire finances, weak governance and repeated appearances before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee over allegations of mismanagement and corruption.
LEC, he said, had survived largely because of its status as a government-owned entity rather than sound commercial performance, warning that the utility was currently unsustainable without state support.
Since assuming office in October 2025, following the removal of the previous board and management, Mr Mokela said he had made it clear that LEC would no longer operate as a political playground but as a commercial institution.
He said he had the backing of government to resist political pressure and to enforce merit-based standards across the organisation, as part of a broader restructuring aimed at restoring profitability and credibility.
Mr Mokela confirmed that the restructuring process would affect all levels of the company and could include fresh recruitment once a proper framework was in place.
“I swear when I am done with it, LEC will be great again,” he said.
The Acting MD’s remarks come as government intensifies efforts to overhaul struggling state-owned enterprises, with LEC regarded as one of the most financially distressed parastatals.
(See full interview on Page 5)
