Lesotho MP Arrested After Claims of Territorial Surrender to South Africa

Wed Jul 16 2025 03:59:44 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)
Lesotho MP Arrested After Claims of Territorial Surrender to South Africa

Dr. Tshepo Lipholo faces charges of sedition and damaging the royal family's reputation for alleging Lesotho's loss of sovereignty to South Africa.


A member of Lesotho's parliament, Dr. Tshepo Lipholo, has been charged with sedition after stating that the nation's King Letsie III and government ceded control to South Africa. His claims include a call for the return of lands historically inhabited by Basotho and are grounded in a 1962 UN resolution on self-determination.


Lesotho is facing political tensions as MP Dr. Tshepo Lipholo has been charged with serious offenses linked to his accusations against the monarchy. Lipholo claims that King Letsie III and the Lesotho government have relinquished control over the country, alleging that they signed agreements that would make Lesotho a part of South Africa. This assertion is part of a broader agenda where Lipholo insists on reclaiming territories of South Africa—specifically areas like the Free State—that he argues were historically Basotho land before colonization by Afrikaners in the 19th century.

Appearing in court recently, Lipholo sought bail on charges including "uttering seditious words" and "violating the dignity and reputation" of the royal family. The case stems from remarks he made on social media and in radio interviews between April and June 2025, wherein he expressed views that incited public unrest and suggested that Lesotho was on the verge of becoming South Africa's tenth province. The gravity of the situation escalated with the arrest of a retired army official who allegedly supported Lipholo and provided him sensitive information.

Dr. Lipholo leads the Basotho Covenant Movement, which holds a single parliamentary seat, advocating for the rights of Basotho and referencing a 1962 United Nations resolution on self-determination. However, South African officials maintain that his claims lack substantial backing among the Lesotho populace, and the broader political context, including the 1964 Cairo Declaration, complicates any movement toward changing borders in Africa.

An ongoing concern, the situation highlights the delicate balance of historical grievances and contemporary political realities in southern Africa, with calls for Lipholo's motion to also gain traction in British Parliament, where he seeks redress for historical injustices linked to Britain's colonial rule.

With Lipholo remaining in custody pending a bail hearing, this incident prompts a larger discussion on sovereignty, national identity, and the legacy of colonialism in shaping present-day borders and political landscapes in the region.

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