MASERU – Former parliamentarian and long serving Speaker of parliament Mr. Sephiri Motanyane said his newly launched book, Lesotho Politics and Society, is intended to help Basotho understand their past and answer the enduring question of how they should live as a nation.
The book was launched under the theme “Documenting the Past, Informing the Present, Inspiring the Future.”
Mr Motanyane defined himself first as a teacher before becoming a politician. He said he built strong relationships with parents by ensuring their children performed well in school and would follow up with families whenever learners were absent without explanation.
He said those relationships later gave him the confidence to enter politics.
“There is no politics besides the answer to the question: how will we live?” Mr Motanyane said. He recalled that during his time there was the Cold War, and he was even denied entry into South Africa because of it.
Mr Motanyane said he learned to respect his political opponents and admired the leadership of Mr Ntsu Mokhehle. He said when Mr Mokhehle sent children to school to prepare them for the future, he did not discriminate on political grounds.
He maintained that children should be taught to answer the question of how people should live with honesty and integrity.
Mr Motanyane said when he first engaged in politics, he approached elders and asked them to establish a political party that would address the concerns and needs of Basotho. He said a committee was formed and he became its first secretary.
He urged Basotho to teach children to distinguish politics from other aspects of life. Mr Motanyane further said politics had taught him to value every individual regardless of social standing or educational background.
“That is where I learned not to group people according to their status or educational background,” he said.
Commenting on the publication, a highly respected Mosotho historian, author, public intellectual, and senior member of the National University of Lesotho (NUL), Professor Motlatsi Thabane said the book fills an important gap in preserving Lesotho’s political history.
He expressed concern over poor record-keeping in the country, saying that while Lesotho has many historical sources, access to them remains a challenge.
“At the National Archives we are supposed to get information, but the accessible catalogues date back to 1963,” Prof. Thabane said.
He said government has failed to deposit official documents despite having the responsibility to do so. He maintained that inadequate documentation weakens historical research and writing.
Prof. Thabane cited the Thaba-Bosiu Rural Development Programme as an example of an important national initiative for which little documentation exists in the National Archives. He warned that the absence of such records causes the country to lose significant parts of its history.
He stressed that political biographies remain essential because Lesotho has not developed a strong culture of documenting its own history.
“We have lost balanced, critical stories for Mr.. Leabua Jonathan and Mr. Ntsu Mokhehle,” he said.
Prof. Thabane called on government and Parliament to allocate funds for biographies of former Prime Ministers, saying they would become valuable resources for future generations.
He also described Mr Motanyane’s book as containing important historical gems, particularly its account of rural life in the 1940s and 1950s, which he said is gradually disappearing.
“To live in the rural life of Lesotho in those eras called for creativity. He was the son, the father and the community member,” Prof. Thabane said.
He further described Mr. Motanyane as a political and social liberal whose character and contribution to the country cannot be overlooked.
Prof. Thabane also stressed the importance of writing in Sesotho. He said that after independence, Basotho abandoned many aspects of the writing traditions introduced through missionary education, making written Sesotho increasingly difficult to comprehend.
Speaking at the launch, 2nd Lieutenant Bothata Silase said effective leadership depends on foresight, long-term planning and documented knowledge if nations are to overcome democratic challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Lt. Silase stressed that leaders must develop what he described as deep knowledge, the ability to anticipate danger, calamity and misfortune before they occur and turn potential crises into opportunities for peace and progress.
Drawing on the teachings of the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu in The Art of War, he said successful leaders prepare for challenges before they arise instead of reacting only after problems emerge.
He also highlighted the importance of long-term strategic planning that extends beyond immediate political and financial interests.
Lt. Silase pointed to China’s transformation from a developing country in the 1980s into one of the world’s leading economies as an example of what disciplined leadership and long-term vision can achieve.
He contrasted China’s long-term development outlook with what he described as the tendency among many individuals and institutions to plan only five or ten years ahead. He urged Africans, including Basotho, to adopt a more visionary approach to national development.
Lt. Silase further underscored the importance of literature and documented history in strengthening democracy. He described books as a lasting foundation that can guide future generations through political and social challenges.
Referring to Lesotho Politics and Society, Lt. Silase said Mr. Motanyane’s publication would serve as an important reference for Basotho as they navigate democratic processes and future national challenges.
He encouraged both leaders and citizens to preserve knowledge through writing, embrace proactive leadership and commit themselves to long-term planning as essential pillars of sustainable national development.
ENDS/TS
