MASERU — Lesotho Mounted Police Service introduced a three year Retention programme aimed at keeping leave pending retirement officers in the service as LMPS has shortage of police officers.
The Chief of Police Advocate Borotho Matsoso said 55 years is the premium age in the force where officers are at the peak of their careers and should not be a retirement age.
He explained that in all SADC countries the retirement age is 60 years and above leaving Lesotho as an exception.
Advocate Borotho Matsoso indicated that these officers are not forced to remain in the service but they consent to prolong their service for five years.
He explained that most of the officers retiring are in managerial positions citing that, these officers will assist in mentoring and supervision of recruits.
He further indicated that another huge issue is the gap between positions citing that a high number of retiring officers kills a succession plan.
He continuously added that even if the service hires 500 police officers in the coming three years it will not reach the limit of 9000 police officers that the nation needs.
However, Advocate Borotho Matsotso revealed that Lesotho Mounted Police Service will hire new police officers any day from now, urging the public to be on the lookout for the memo.
Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) in the Department of Finance and Infrastructure Development ‘Matsépang Ramarikhoane said the program will last until 2029 to give the service enough time to recruit more police officers pointing out the service last recruited in 2022 recruiting 297 police officers due to government directive of high wage bill..
Presenting on the challenges forcing the serve to introduce a retention program, SACP Ramarikhoane explained that according to police service Act of 1998 Section 4, police regulation 11 sub section 5 stipulates that the minister has power to extend contracts of police officers if needed.
SACP Ramarikhoane said having the service last recruiting in 2022 the service has faced a huge shortage to retirement, death, resignation and dismissal of officers pointing that this gap forces a ratio of 1 police officers:551 citizens.
SACP explained that since 2022, the service has lost 474 police officers, pointing out that in 2022, 56 police officers retired, 23 died, five resigned while 10 were relieved from their duty.
She added that 2023/2024 80 retired, 11 died, six resigned and 19 relieved from duty while 2024/2025 87 retired, 21 died, seven resigned and 24 were relieved from their duties.
2025/2026 57 retired, 13 died, one resigned and seven were relieved from duty. She further added that since April this year 25 retired, 12 died, three resigned and seven relieved from duty.
SACP Ramarikhoane said this huge loss created a huge gap as it left a lot of vacant positions. She further cited that this shows that this retention program is not necessarily based on skills.
Ends/MATSM
