…Mohobo tipped to take over
Mohloai Mpesi/Hopolang Mokhopi
THE Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) commander, Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela, will retire from the military on 30 August 2025, the Lesotho Times can reveal.
Lt-Gen Letsoela confirmed the news in an interview with this publication this week. He said he is stepping down at the age of 58 but expressed his intention to continue with his career as a pilot.
“I am going home. I have worked, and it is now my time to go home and rest. When my time to go arrives, I will go home. My time has lapsed since I arrived here in 1987. I came alone and I will leave alone,” Lt-Gen Letsoela said.
Maj-Gen Mohobo
Meanwhile, Major General Khomo Mohobo is tipped to take over from Lt-Gen Letsoela. Trusted sources told this publication that Maj-Gen Mohobo, who was elevated from Brigadier to Major General in February this year, will be the new LDF commander.
There are two other Major Generals apart from Maj-Gen Mohobo who are his seniors. These are Maj-Gen Ramanka Mokaloba and Maj-Gen ‘Matumelo Ramoqopo.
“It had been expected that Maj-Gen Mokaloba would automatically take over as the most senior after Lt-Gen Letsoela in terms of LDF hierarchy. However, we have learned that Maj-Gen Mohobo will be appointed commander, instead. That is why he was elevated to the Major General rank in February,” a source said.
Another source said there were fears within the army that the move would divide soldiers, just like in 2014 when then Prime Minister Thomas Thabane replaced Tlali Kamoli with Maaparankoe Mahao. The ensuing divisions resulted in the killing of Lt-Gen Mahao by soldiers loyal to Kamoli who had rejected his dismissal.
“To some members of the army, the succession of commanders should preferably be in terms of hierarchy, even though it is the prerogative of the Prime Minister to advise the King on appointment of the commander….. This is a sensitive matter that needs to be handled cautiously,” the source added.
Maj-Gen Mokaloba was the commander of operations during Kamoli’s traumatic reign at the helm of the army. Many bad things happened during that time including an attempted coup against Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and the simultaneous bombings of the homes of Police Commissioner Khothatso Tšooana and former First Lady ‘Maesaiah Thabane.
There was also the attempted assassination of the then editor of the Lesotho Times, Lyod Mutungamiri. Four soldiers under Kamoli’s command are now in court after they fired a hail of bullets at Mr Mutungamiri as he approached his Upper Thamae home. The Lesotho Times had been critical of Kamoli, who has now spend about eight years in jail, over the many atrocities he committed.
While Kamoli has insisted in court that Maj-Gen Mokaloba orchestrated the bombings of Mr Tšooana and Mrs Thabane’s homes, Maj-Gen Mokaloba has testified that Kamoli had tried to force him to be part of the operation to bomb the two houses but he refused.
Maj-Gen Mokaloba was also fingered in the 29-30 August 2014 attempted coup against then Prime Minister Thabane’s government. Lance Corporal Kabelo Halahala had testified in June 2021 in the trial of Kamoli and eight others accused of the murder of Lt-Gen Mahao that he was called late during the night of 29 August 2014 by one Lieutenant Hlehlisi ordering him to report to Makoanyane Barracks where he found Maj-Gen Mokaloba, who then assumed the rank of Brigadier, instructing soldiers to implement the actions taken that night. The attempted coup threw Lesotho into turmoil with Mr Thabane fleeing to South Africa only to return after a couple of weeks under heavy South African police protection. It set the stage for a period of instability during which Kamoli masterminded the political assassinations of Basotho opposed to the then government culminating in the killing of Lt-Gen Mahao.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) was to later deploy a military contingent to try and restore sanity in the country and initiate the yet to be completed national reforms process to try and foster durable security and stability in the Kingdom.
Though Maj-Gen Mokaloba appeared to have subsequently fallen out with Kamoli, his association with him during one of the darkest periods of Lesotho’s history – when the army acted with impunity at Kamoli’s behest – could be one of the reasons he could be overlooked for elevation to the helm of the LDF.
Contacted for comment, Maj-Gen Mohobo expressed surprise and said he had not received any offer to lead the army.
“I have seen these issues circulating on social media and I believe the source of such misinformation just wants to confuse the nation. There has not been any communication to me regarding the appointment of a new commander. It is the Prime Minister who recommends the appointment of a commander, not the military, so it will be up to him,” Maj-Gen Mohobo said.
Maj-Gen Mokaloba declined to comment.
“I am not at liberty to respond to media inquiries in terms of the LDF policy. Ntate (Colonel Sakeng) Lekola (LDF spokesperson) is there for such matters,” Maj-Gen Mokaloba said.
Govt’s stance
The Ministry of Defence and National Security released a statement this week rubbishing allegations that there would soon be changes in the LDF command.
Contacted for further clarity, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Limpho Tau, also rubbished the allegations as unfounded and baseless.
He said, according to his knowledge, no one had been appointed to replace Lt-Gen Letsoela by Prime Minister Sam Matekane.
“Those are fabricated lies. There has never been any appointment. Nothing is happening. I don’t know how Mr Matekane will handle it but, so far, my boss has not said anything relating to the appointment.
“Yesterday, he said that is rubbish and directed me to write a press release indicating there is nothing like that. There is no submission of names and that plan has not been there,” he said.
Mr Tau said the allegations of impending change of command were lies meant to stir confusion among the public and within the army.
“The public is made aware that according to Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Act No. 4 of 1996, the Army Commander is appointed by His Majesty through the advice of the Prime Minister. Therefore, a gazette announcing such an appointment will be released. Until now, all the procedures have not been taken and there has never been any plan from the office of the Prime Minister,” he said.
Lt-Gen Letsoela nonetheless confirmed that he was now on the cusp of retiring but insisted he had no knowledge of who would replace him as such an appointment was the prerogative of the Prime Minister.
Letsoela on Mohobo
Lt-Gen Letsoela said it was the sole prerogative of the Prime Minister to recommend the appointment of the army commander.
He rubbished allegations that he had influenced the appointment of Maj-Gen Mohobo as his successor. It had been alleged that he wanted Maj-Gen Mohobo to shield him from possible prosecution over alleged misuse of LDF funds.
“I am sane. I work for the head of a legitimate government, the state and its people. I don’t work for social media, which is out of control. I will not hide it when I leave. It will be known that I am leaving, because there is supposed to be a parade of handover and preparations for the successor need to be made.
“When would I have made all those arrangements, when I am busy working on issues relating to soldiers from Mozambique and preparing a parade for His Majesty’s birthday celebration? Or is it because most people were used to previous regimes where, when night falls, the commander would be changed and by the time the sun rises, another commander has been appointed? No, maybe the current Prime Minister is saner than those who used to change commanders often.”
He explained that Maj-Gen Mohobo is a specialist in Operations, while Maj-Gen Mokaloba is responsible for Property, and Maj-Gen Ramoqopo heads Strategy and Administration.
“You look at this issue of Mohobo and realise that it was made by a frustrated person. General Mohobo is responsible for Operations. He has about two or three months as Head of Operations, and he is qualified by statute, through operational experience, skills, knowledge, and attitude. Maj-Gen Mokaloba is responsible for Property, and ‘Matumelo is responsible for Strategy and Administration.
He dismissed allegations that he preferred Maj General Mohobo to replace him so he could be protected after he leaves office.
“What I want people to tell me is: what have I done wrong? They are saying I have bought trucks. I said audit me. I have livestock, not trucks. I have cattle and horses, which all have markings of my family,” said the army commander in response to allegations that he has been using his position to amass wealth.
“How is Mohobo going to protect me, because in Lesotho we use the rule of law. People are still left behind in 2014 and 2015, but we are now in 2025. How is Mohobo going to protect me should he become a commander? Why did I not protect Lt-Gen Kamoli?” he asked rhetorically.
He confirmed promoting Maj-Gen Mohobo but denied having powers to appoint him as commander.
“I made Mohobo Major General. I did not make him the commander because I do not have such powers. The person with those powers is the Prime Minister, who advises or seeks the authority of His Majesty’s endorsement. Then His Majesty approves or not. That is how our country is ruled. That is the only thing I know. So, we do not have to confuse the nation.
“I am a soldier. I am under the command of civil authority. So, if the Prime Minister wishes to release me to go home, I will accept that. People want to say I am appointing Mohobo. No, that is not me. The Prime Minister is the one responsible for the appointment of the commander.
“I will leave with all the bravery and comfort.”
