Maseru, Mar. 10 — As Lesotho celebrates Moshoeshoe Day, the weather will on Saturday be partly cloudy and hot in the lowlands and mild to warm in the highlands.
According to the weather forecast from Lesotho Meteorological Service (LMS), there is a 20 percent of isolated rain and thundershowers, while wind will be light to south-westerly.
It reveals that on Sunday, it will be partly cloudy and hot with a chance of 30 percent of scattered rain and thundershowers, with light to moderate north-westerly, while on Monday, the weather will be fine and warm to hot, with a chance of 20 percent of isolated rain and thundershowers with light to moderate north-westerly wind.
Moshoeshoe Day is a public holiday in Lesotho, observed on March 11. The holiday commemorates the first King of Lesotho, Moshoeshoe I on the anniversary of his death in 1870.
King Moshoeshoe I is considered the father of Lesotho. He reigned from 1822 – 1870, founding Basutoland to unite the tribes in the area in order to defend themselves from attacks by the Zulus.
Never suffering a major military defeat, Moshoeshoe was able to resist colonialism efforts of the Boer trekkers from the Orange Free State and although Basutoland became a British colony, Moshoeshoe was able to keep his country separate from British South Africa and Apartheid South Africa.
Ongoing border disputes with the Boers were resolved at the Treaty of Aliwal in 1869, bringing stability to his Moshoeshoe’s Kingdom. Moshoeshoe died on March 11, 1870.
Having a public holiday to mark the first ruler of a country isn’t uncommon, though it is usually celebrated on the ruler’s birth date. This would be tricky in regards to Moshoeshoe as while it is agreed he was born in 1786, the exact date of his birth isn’t known.
