Seithati Motšoeneng
THE Bureau of Statistics (BOS) Director, Malehloa Molato, has been suspended from duty with effect from 1 August 2026, the Lesotho Times has confirmed.
Ms Molato confirmed her suspension in an interview with this publication yesterday, but declined to disclose the reasons behind the decision.
“I have been suspended from duty effective from 1 August. I am not in a position to disclose the reasons at this stage,” Ms Molato said.
She added that she would present her side of the story later this week after consulting with her advisors.
The Bureau of Statistics is the government agency responsible for collecting, analysing and disseminating official data on the economy, population and social indicators in Lesotho. Ms Molato’s suspension comes at a time when the Bureau is preparing several key national surveys and statistical releases scheduled for the third quarter of the year.
No official statement has yet been issued by either the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, which is responsible for the Bureau, or the Public Service Commission regarding the suspension.
When contacted for comment, the Ministry of Finance’s Public Relations Officer, Keneuoe Mojaki, said she had not received any formal communication regarding Ms Molato’s employment status and was therefore unable to comment.
“I have not received anything formal regarding the director’s work status, therefore I have nothing to say about her suspension,” Ms Mojaki said.
The suspension also comes amid ongoing concerns over the BOS’s internal management and operational efficiency. In recent months, the Bureau has come under scrutiny over delays in paying enumerators and other temporary staff engaged for the 2026 Population and Housing Census.
The payment delays prompted the BOS to launch an internal investigation into the alleged unauthorised engagement of enumerators.
In a memorandum addressed to regional coordinators, the Bureau raised concerns over the deployment of data collectors whose names did not appear on the official Facebook-based enumeration lists approved by the Office of the Principal Secretary.
The memo, signed by Ms Molato, instructed regional offices to submit immediate reports explaining how enumerators who were not on the approved lists had been deployed to conduct fieldwork.
The BOS emphasised that all enumerators were to be selected strictly from the approved lists, with any replacements made only through official procedures coordinated by the Human Resources Office.
According to the memorandum, discrepancies were identified involving several enumerators who had been deployed despite not appearing on the official approved lists. The irregularities are believed to have contributed to delays in processing payments for temporary staff members.
It remains unclear whether Ms Molato’s suspension is linked to the ongoing investigation or other administrative matters, as authorities have yet to issue an official explanation.
