Thapelo Moeketsi
The Transparency International 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), released in February, reveals a troubling reality in Lesotho. Scoring 37 out of 100, the same as in 2024 and lower than 39 in 2023, Lesotho ranks below the global average of 42. A country rich in natural resources such as water and diamonds, Lesotho remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Corruption in government drains public funds, keeps investors away, and weakens the institutions that ordinary Basotho rely on. Lesotho needs stronger government accountability and transparency, a well-resourced and independent Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO), and stronger protections for civic space, including the press, whistleblowers, and civil society.
Lesotho’s corruption problem has a direct cost. Trailing regional neighbours like Botswana (ranked 58) and South Africa (ranked 41) in the CPI 2025, Lesotho has become a less attractive destination for investment. Youth unemployment is already a crisis. Businesses are struggling as the government awards most contracts to the politically connected. Transparency International warns that corruption directly leads to underfunded hospitals and blighted opportunities for young people. If corruption persists, Lesotho risks institutional decay, a stagnant economy, and rising generations without a stake in their country.
To tackle corruption, Lesotho needs accountability and transparency in government. Public officials will find it harder to sustain corrupt acts when they know citizens can see their actions and that consequences exist. Achieving this would entail opening the public procurement system to scrutiny, publishing government budgets and spending in accessible formats, and requiring public officials to declare their assets. Parliament must have genuine checks on the executive, and not simply rubber-stamp its decisions.
The National Library of Medicine reported that weak oversight and the absence of checks and balances are among the primary factors driving corruption. Lesotho does not need new ideas; it needs the political commitment to implement proven solutions. Transparency means better services, more investor confidence, and a government that works for ordinary Basotho rather than against them. Botswana built its reputation as one of Africa’s least corrupt countries by institutionalizing transparent procurement processes and publishing government expenditure openly. The results are clear: Botswana scores 58 on the 2025 CPI, 20 points above Lesotho. Greater transparency will improve public services, boost investor confidence, and ensure that the government works for ordinary Basotho rather than against them.
Lesotho must fully empower the DCEO and the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) to do their jobs without fear or favour. These institutions are best placed to hold power to account. Empowering them to function independently will help Lesotho tackle corruption better.
The establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor in Ghana, focusing specifically on investigating and prosecuting corruption cases, serves as a model for Lesotho. Involving public officials showed that separating anti-corruption functions from political influence can produce positive results. Lesotho can learn from Ghana’s model to tackle corruption locally.
The appointment of the DCEO’s leadership must be transparent and merit-based, free from political interference. Authorities must see investigations through to the end, regardless of the suspect, and they must ensure that those found guilty face the full consequences of the law. The PAC should also be able to compel responses from government departments and refer cases for prosecution involving the misuse of public funds.
When these institutions function as they should, ordinary Basotho will see real consequences for those who steal from the public purse, investors will take the country more seriously, and the government will gradually regain public trust. The DCEO’s current appointment process, led by the executive, raises concerns about political influence and undermines public confidence in its independence. PAC, which comprises Members of Parliament, also faces the influence of party politics, potentially weakening its oversight neutrality.
Making both appointment processes more transparent and merit-based would strengthen their independence and effectiveness. In addition, there will be better accountability, stronger action against corruption, and increased investor confidence.
Lesotho’s anti-corruption efforts cannot succeed without the people and institutions that expose corruption. A free press, protection of whistleblowers, and an active civil society are essential for good governance. Journalists should be able to investigate freely, and citizens should speak boldly against corruption.
The CPI 2025 found that 36 of the 50 countries with the steepest declines in corruption had restricted civic freedoms, linking shrinking civic space to rising corruption, an impossible-to-ignore finding. Namibia has shown that investing in civic participation and press freedom creates a culture of accountability that strengthens governance.
Lesotho must enact strong whistleblower protection laws to ensure those who report corruption are protected. The proposed Whistleblowers Bill is a critical step forward, as it seeks to provide legal protection, ensure confidentiality, and create safe reporting channels. If effectively implemented, it will protect whistleblowers and also strengthen transparency, accountability, and good governance. Media houses must be free to investigate and publish without political pressure. Civil society organizations must be able to monitor government spending and advocate for accountability without interference.
Accountability for government spending, strong anti-corruption institutions, and protection for the civic space form a system that will end corruption. A Lesotho that embraces all three could attract meaningful investment, deliver better public services, and build a political culture where merit matters more than connections. Beyond corruption, these solutions would strengthen democracy and reduce political instability. They would also give young Basotho a reason to build their futures at home rather than seek them elsewhere. Lesotho has everything it needs. What it requires now is the will to govern honestly.
Thapelo Moeketsi is a writing fellow at African Liberty. He is on X @Wil_Moeketsi.
