Four Ministers and two Assistant Ministers were sworn in by a judge of the High Court, Justice Lebona Kheola, at a Palace Hall in Maseru, on Thursday 11 July, 2002.

The Ministers are namely: the Minister of Justice, Human Rights, Rehabilitation, Law and Constitutional Affairs, Mr Refiloe Masemene, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Timothy Thahane, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Ms Lebohang Nts’inyi and the Minister of Communications, Dr. ’Mamphono Khaketla.

The new Minister of Communications Dr. 'Mamphono Khaketla takes oath before Justice Lebona Kheola.(pic. M.Kheleli)

Two assistant ministers, who were sworn in, are Assistant Minister of Education, Mrs ’Malijane Maqelepo, and the Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Co-operatives and Land Reclamation, Mr Molise Ts’eole.

The ministers and assistant ministers’ oath of allegiance and of office, was preceded by a short prayer service by the Lesotho Evangelical Church’s (LEC) priest, Reverend Noosi Moreke.Reverend Moreke appealed to the ministers and assistant ministers to be loyal to King Letsie III, the Prime Minister Mr Pakalitha Mosisili, and the government as a whole. He said they must not only promise to be loyal, by word of mouth only, and do the opposite, but to truly do so.

He cited the word of God as saying it would be better for one to be loyal in reality, rather than to do the opposite of what they promised. He urged them to ask God to guide them, so that they could be loyal in earnest.

Ms Scholastica Kimaryo, resident representative of UNDP congradulates new ministers after they were sworn into office.(pic. M. Kheleli)

Present at the swearing in ceremony were King Letsie III, Queen ’M’asenate Mohato Bereng Seeiso, the Prime Minister Mr Pakalitha Mosisili, cabinet ministers, parliamentarians, senators and senior government officials. Twelve other ministers and two assistant ministers were sworn in last month.

11 July, 2002