Lesotho - Chief Seeiso dies

MASERU – CHIEF Mathealira Seeiso, the Principal Chief of Mokhotlong, died last Thursday after a long illness.
He was 77.
The deceased was His Majesty King Letsie III's uncle and younger brother of the late King Moshoeshoe II.
He will be laid to rest this Saturday in Mokhotlong.
Mokhotlong District Administrator Serame Linake said the late Chief Seeiso wanted to see justice served to everyone.

He said Chief Seeiso would lock up those found guilty of perpetrating crimes to teach them key lessons about justice.
“He was a popular chief who was dedicated to his work,” Linake said.
He said the late Chief Seeiso was a successful farmer in Mokhotlong.
He said every time one visited the chief's home, there was always food for people to eat.

“There was always milk and meat at his place,” Linake recalled.
Linake said one of his biggest achievements was to protect all people in the district who were accused of practicing witchcraft.
He said the deceased had a house where he accommodated those accused of witchcraft.

And he would tell them that if indeed they were witches, they should convert because the people would kill them.
“He was just a loving person who accommodated everyone,” Linake said.
He said the deceased was a committed Christian who would always be found in the Roman Catholic Church on Sundays.

Senate President 'Mamonaheng Mokitimi said she knew Chief Seeiso since 1998 while she was working as a civil servant.
Mokitimi said the deceased was always neatly dressed.
At that time, the deceased was one of the elders in the Senate.
He was a principled leader who acted with pragmatism when discussing matters of the state in the senate, she said.

Mokitimi said it was amazing to see how he fared during those fierce debates.
“He would argue with diligence and respect while sticking to the facts,” she said.
Mokitimi said Chief Seeiso played a big contribution in the amendments of the Lesotho Constitution.
She said his motions in the Senate were about how to develop agriculture in the country.

She said the deceased loved animals dearly and was always willing to see how they could be improved for the betterment of the country's economy.
The deceased was also known for championing the rights of herd-boys by advocating for their welfare and education.
While herdboys are busy looking after their animals, they should also be afforded education, he insisted.

“He was one the towering figures in our nation,” Mokimiti said.
Throughout his life, Chief Seeiso actively promoted Basotho culture especially the Sesotho language.
Where people did not understand him, Mokitimi said he would look for an amicable solution to the misunderstanding.

Staff Reporter

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