As a citizen of Lesotho — a proud one for that matter — I am really challenged by what is happening in our neighbouring countries.
I will ask all Basotho: how many of us have ever said to ourselves, “I voted for this government. I want my voice to be heard. It is my right.”?
Lesotho’s public service is like a prison where freedom is taken from people.
I say this because I am challenged by the public servants in South Africa. They are united. They are forceful. They are one. They strive for one goal.
I like the fact that South Africans know that they are the ones who elected the government. They know that the government has to listen to their grievances, no matter what. These are the people who know that the government is theirs. Their strike! What a challenging demonstration! When they say we want “x” they don’t mean anything close to that, they mean “x”. Basotho public officers are not like that.
They are ruled by fear. They are not firm on their demands. The salary of many public officers is a disgrace. But they can’t stand to make their voices heard. They forget that this government belongs to them.
Why can’t we Basotho government workers put our demands forward and follow up on that? The fear of losing one’s job? Why can’t we stand up to show that we belong to this country and have the rightful claim to a share of this country’s wealth?
Why can’t public officers come together to show the super-powers of this country that they deserve better than what they are getting?
I challenge the public servants to remember that they are the owners of the government.
Let’s come out of the closet and stand for our rights. Let’s demand what we deserve. We have families to feed. We have children to take to school.
Let the entire nation fight for a better life for all, not just the influential people in government.
Supadad Mokone
