The office of the Ombudsman will conduct an inquiry on complaints lodged before it against the Lesotho Highlands Water Project by the communities affected by the project, starting from February 18, 2003.

The Ombudsman, Mr. Sekara Mafisa told a press conference held at the office premises on Friday last week that the first stage of the inquiry will be the hearing of evidence verifying the complaints where each an every one of the complainants will be given a chance to give his/her evidence before the ombudsman and in the presence of the responsible LHDA personnel.

Mr. Mafisa indicated that this process will take place at the Lesotho National Convention Centre and will be fully open to the public as away exerting pressure on the office of the ombudsman to handle the matter with great care and come up with a speedy solution to the problem.

He stated that so far they have received more than 100 complaints from the people who have been affected by the LHDA in different parts of the country and most of the complaints are about the failure of the LHDA to fulfill its promises of compensating the affected people for their losses.

He further said after hearing the evidence at the convention centre, they will visit areas such as Mohale, Katse and Muela for further investigations into the matter. Mr. Mafisa could not commit himself on setting time frame for the inquiry but he said it is a mammoth task which they are undertaking in that manner because they are really concerned as they have never received so many complaints about one institution, before.

11 February, 2003