…As govt wants Commission relocated to a new place in Masowe IV
—Barely two years after electoral body spent M77 million on new office
…But IEC says it won’t budge and vows to resist relocation
Mathatisi Sebusi / Mpesi Mohloai
A major clash has erupted between the government and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) over the state’s decision to evict the commission from a building it bought barely two years back for M77 million.
The IEC insists it legally owns the Maseru West property—known as Election House—and will not move to a vacant plot in Masowe IV which the government says should become the commission’s “permanent headquarters”. The government, on the other hand, argues that the Maseru West building was never meant to be a permanent home and must be vacated for security-related purposes.
The Lesotho Times understands that tensions escalated after earlier government attempts to allocate the top floor of Election House to the spy agency, the National Security Service (NSS) —an arrangement the IEC rejected.
The government is livid that the top floor provides a bird’s eye view of State House, and could be used to eavesdrop on Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s activities, possibly jeopardizing his security.
IEC: “It makes no sense to move”
IEC spokesperson, Marafaele Mohloboli, said it was illogical for the commission to be compelled to acquire a new vacant site for M25.5 million when it already owned the fully-functional building bought for M77 million in 2024.
“IEC has a building and does not need a site,” she said.
“We are waiting for the lease (on the building) from the Commissioner of Lands. It does not make sense to purchase an undeveloped site for M25.5 million. The commission will not vacate these premises until this matter is resolved legally.”
The IEC moved into the building in March 2024 after vacating its previous headquarters at Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s MGC Park to avoid a conflict of interest following his assumption of office in October 2022.
Government cites security and congestion
Law and Justice Minister, Richard Ramoeletsi, insists the Maseru West building is unsuitable, arguing it becomes congested during party registration periods and poses “security risks” because it overlooks State House and is surrounded by private homes and schools. Several senior state officials also live in its vicinity.
He maintains the Masowe IV site is intended for the IEC’s permanent headquarters, and that Elections House was always meant to be temporary.
“It was the commissioners who requested funds to buy the Maseru West building only as an interim measure,” Mr Ramoeletsi told the Lesotho Times.
“They also identified the Masowe IV site themselves and asked the government to assist in acquiring it. We simply processed their request.”
Documents seen by the Lesotho Times seem to support the government’s version that former commissioners had agreed to the move to the Masowe site.
A letter dated 16 September 2024, written by former Commissioner Mphasa Mokhochane, confirms that the Maseru West building was intended as temporary accommodation following discussions at State House in January 2024.
He wrote that the IEC had identified the Masowe IV commercial site (plot 12303-10443) and negotiated the price down from M30 million to M25.5 million, requesting government’s help in acquiring it.
Following this, Minister Ramoeletsi wrote to Finance Minister Retšelitsoe Matlanyane in October 2025, asking for budget allocation to purchase the site.
On 25 July 2024, Director of Elections Mpaiphele Maqutu also wrote to the Lesotho Housing and Land Development Corporation (LHLDC) formally expressing interest in the land. LHLDC subsequently issued a written offer to the IEC.
The Ministry of Finance later requested a detailed project proposal before releasing funds, citing legal requirements under the PFMA and Public Procurement Act.
IEC: “We are not going anywhere”
Despite the correspondence, the IEC spokesperson maintains the electoral body never approved any relocation plan and will not be forced out.
“IEC will not vacate premises it lawfully occupies without legal cause,” Ms Mohloboli said.
“The building was purchased for M77 million. The Commission has no interest in buying another site.”
As the standoff escalates, it remains unclear whether the government will attempt to forcibly repossess Election House or whether the dispute will end up in court—an outcome that now appears increasingly likely.
Whatever the case, the whole issue is immensely puzzling and raises more questions than answers.
If Elections House was never meant to be the electoral body’s permanent home, then why splurge a whopping M77 million of taxpayer funds on a place that was meant to be a temporary structure? Moreso because if the IEC is to build a wholly new office building on the vacant Masowe IV site, that would require even more money than the M77 million, which would all represent profligate use of public funds.
At the time the IEC bought Elections House in 2024, this was seen as a legitimate transaction to enable the electoral body to move to a neutral site as it could not remain in Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s office block at MGC Park while overseeing elections involving its own landlord. There was never any suggestion that the IEC ‘s purchase of Elections House was a temporary measure.
Why then would IEC commissioners write to the government asking for funds to purchase a new site for a new HQ when they had just spent a huge amount buying a new building?
Could it be that the correspondence now emerging is all contrived to try and concoct some justification for the government’s decision to evict the IEC from its building after it spurned its decision to allocate the uppermost floor to the spy agency? The truth will probably emerge in due course.
At least for now, Minister Ramoeletsi concedes that the government wants the IEC away from its Elections House for security reasons.
That would seem to be the only plausible reason to explain the profligacy of spending money in erecting a wholly new HQ for the IEC barely two years after it had acquired new, proper and adequate office premises.
Mr Ramoeletsi sees no profligacy nor wastage in shuffling the IEC to new premises. He says Elections House would be used for other government purposes.
He also insists that the previous IEC commissioners knew the purchase of Elections House was a temporary measure and were the ones who had asked for the resources to purchase and move the IEC to Masowe IV.
The minister claims Adv Maqutu is the one resisting the move to Masowe IV. He also insists that the Director of Elections, who is the chief administrative officer of the IEC, has no powers to block the relocation.
Minister Ramoeletsi says he expects new IEC commissioners, once appointed, to complete the relocation of the electoral body.
“IEC was supposed to move from the Matekane Group of Companies (MGC) building where it leased office space urgently when Prime Minister Sam Matekane assumed office as Prime Minister to avoid conflicts of interests,” the minister told the Lesotho Times.
“We then discussed that they should buy the current structure (Elections House) and move in temporarily while they continue to look for property which will be their headquarters and permanent office space. The Election House building will be used for other government offices and for security reasons (after the IEC has relocated to Masowe IV).
“It was them (IEC) who looked for that structure and requested finances to buy it. What I did was to pass their request to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and Cabinet,” he said.
Added Minister Ramoeletsi: “I have been communicating with IEC commissioners on this matter. I was surprised that the Director of Elections (Mpaiphele Maqutu) was saying otherwise.
“He has no authority to make decisions on this case and this project will be continued to completion by new commissioners after they have been appointed.”
