—As man (75) is arrested for raping young boys
Seithati Motšoeneng
TRADITIONAL leaders in Lesotho have expressed deep concern over recent incidents of sodomy occurring at initiation schools.
They attribute this problem to poor governance, disinterest in cultural activities by political authorities, and a lack of regulatory frameworks.
This comes after a disturbing case involving initiator, Molete Motilinyane aged 75 from Butha-Buthe district, who has been arrested on serious allegations of sodomy against his initiates during the initiation process.
The Butha-Buthe police arrested him and charged him with rape. He was then brought before the Butha-Buthe Magistrate Court, where he was remanded in custody after failing to post a M2000 bail.
The suspect is scheduled to appear in court again today, Thursday, 16 January 2024. Just a few months before this latest incidence, an initiator in Mafeteng district was also accused of sodomising boys at an initiation school.
In an interview this week, traditional leader Malefetsane Liau criticized the government for failing to establish systems to oversee cultural activities, specifically initiation schools, which should serve to instil responsibility in young boys.
Mr Liau said if not addressed, sodomy at these schools could taint their reputation and the culture they are supposed to promote.
The incidents have sparked outrage and highlighted the urgent need for effective governance of cultural practices in Lesotho.
“Current behaviours in initiation schools do not reflect well on our culture,” Mr Liau said.
According to Mr Liau, traditional schools meant to guide young boys into responsible manhood have instead “devolved into environments of misconduct.”
One alleged corruption among some local chiefs, who accepted bribes to greenlight initiation schools run by individuals of questionable characters.
Historically, only respected community members were entrusted with this important role, ensuring the cultural education of young men was taken seriously.
However, Mr Liau emphasised that the integrity of cultural beliefs was now often sacrificed for monetary gain.
To mitigate these problems, Mr Liau urged other traditional leaders to prioritise tradition over profit.
He called for a collective effort to return initiation schools to their intended purpose of fostering responsible citizenship among the youth, free from exploitation and misconduct.
Also concerned is David Seutloali, a committee member of the Thaba Bosiu region of initiation schools. Mr Seutloali strongly condemned the reported cases of sodomy. Speaking to the Lesotho Times yesterday, Mr Seutloali said such actions did not represent the virtues of the traditional initiation processes.
Mr Seutloali expressed deep disappointment and embarrassment that these incidents occurred under the watch of traditional leaders.
Mr Seutloali proposed harsh measures to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Efforts to reach Minister of Tourism, Sports, Arts and Culture, Motlatsi Maqelepo, for comment were unsuccessful yesterday, as his mobile phone went unanswered and was sometimes unavailable.
The Lesotho Times wanted to inquire from Mr Maqelepo, whether authorities were concerned about reported incidents of sodomy at initiation schools, and if there were plans to introduce legislation to monitor cultural activities like initiation schools in order to protect young boys from sexual assault.
