Motsamaisi oa tšebeletso, ntumelle ka bohlanka ke ise hlompho ho Motlotlehi Khosi Letsie III, le Motlotlehi Mofumahali ’Masenate Mohato Bereng Seeiso, le Lelapa lohle la Botlotlehi. Ke hlomphe Bahlomphehi Lihlooho tsa Linaha le Mebuso le mafumahali a bona. Ke hlomphe baeti bohle ba Motlotlehi le ’Muso oa hae le sechaba sena sa hae. Ke hlomphe baetapele bohle ba naha ena ka methati ea bona ka ho fapakana; ’me ke le hlomphe sechaba sa heso, Maapara-Kobo a Matle. Ke ise hlompho e khethehileng haholo lelapeng la Mojela, ’me ke hlomphe Baruti ba Moshoeshoe ka Likereke tsohle tsa Moshoeshoe. ’Me ha ke entse joalo, ka boikokobetso bohle, ebe ke hlomphile, maren’a ka, ’me kea leboha.  

For almost two weeks now, since that fateful night of Saturday 6^th instant, as a Nation, Basotho have grieved and lamented with the prophet Jeremiah when he says:

“The elders have ceased from the gate,

The young men from their music.

The joy of our heart is ceased;

Our dance is turned into mourning;

The crown is fallen from our head.”

 (Lamentations 5: 14-15)

E, ruri, ho fela ho le joalo:

“Baholo ba hlalile lekhotla

Bahlankana ba tlohetse lipina tsa bona.

Thabo ea lipelo tsa rona e felile;

Pina ea rona e fetohile mahlomola;

Moqhaka o oele lihloohong tsa rona.”

(Lillo tsa Jeremia 5:14-15)

Empa kajeno ha re fihlile tlhōrōng ea tšiamo ea rona re le sechaba; ’me re khobokane tjena mona mokhorong oa khotla, maotong a thaba, lomong sa Matlakeng, re bina le ’mina-thoko ea reng:  

“Ho uena re tlisa lillo tsa rona,

Molisa e moholo oa linku,

Oho, sheba ka mosa mohlatsoana

Oo u ikhethetseng oona Jesu.  

Tlo, mong’a Kereke, etsa ka matla,

Tsosa bana ba hao ba robetseng!

Ratong la hao, le ha u ka re otla,

Re re: ahe, feela re ntše bobeng.”

(Lifela tsa Sione, 282:1,7)

Ha ke ne ke le kheleke, Maren’a ka, nka be ke phokola koli’a-malla; ke tetemisa kolu, ke mema banna le basali ba Basotho ho hooa balimong, hona koo ho uoang ho sa khutloe, hona koo nkhono’a Senate le Selala a ileng.  

Nka be ke re:

“Hlabang likhomo re fepe lefu le khore,

Ritelang majoala re noese lefu le tahoe.

Le se hlole le lemalla ho re tloaela,

Le se ’na le tanakela ha habo rona.

Ho seng joalo nkang marumo re loane,

Re hlabeng moronono o lefu ralonya,

Re o hlabe mohlabetsaneng o shoe,

O shoe, o shoelle mo-shoella ruri.”

Nka be ke re:

“Phooa, lefu,  lekoala tooe!

Ha u tšabe batho, u feteletse,

U photholehile, u utsoang le ka kerekeng.

Ua re soetsa hoja re sa lebetse,

Ua re hlaha tsome re sa iketlile,

Re sa anya le mohasula la Nkhono’a Basotho,

Re sa khamotsa manoni a bophelo ho ’Mamohato.”

Homme ke ntse ke re’ng, na, chaba sa heso? Hobane moroki eena o re:

Lefu, le ha le tšabeha

Ke lenģosa le molemo;

Ke le tlang ho mpepa

Tharing ea morena

Ho nkisa hae, ha Molimo”

(Sefela 363:4)

Athe mphato oa hae e mong eena o re:

“Nka ema joang ka masoabi

Ha ke le pel’a lebitla

Le ha le le letšo, ’me le le maruru

Ke eona khoro ea khanya.”

In paying tribute to Her Majesty the Queen Mother, let me add my voice to the chorus of attestations, so freely and spontaneously given, that Her Majesty was truly majestic: Majestic, not only in status, but more so in stature, in manner and in word. Majestic, yet so singularly affable. Above all, humility was Her Majesty’s hallmark, her very defining characteristic. That brand of humility that evokes, not pity, but commands respect and admiration.  

No doubt, the tally of rare attributes that combined and jostled for position in her personality must explain her Majesty Queen ’Mamohato’s ability to relate to all people, young and old; junior and senior; rich and poor; schooled and  unschooled; chief  and commoner; clergy  and laity. A classic example of what I mean is amply demonstrated by the respect Her Majesty the Queen Mother had for her children, her own “boys” (if Your Majesty will grant me the indulgence to say so)! For her, it was always “Ntate Mohato” or “Ntate Mantata”; and never “Mohato”, and never “Mantata”. Even when, on a lighter note, she took a jibe at one of them, it was always with respect.  I recall how, on one occasion, I had been to a service. And I related this to the Her Majesty the Queen Mother, and told her how we had sung hymns with His Majesty. In response, in her typical manner, she remarked, “Ao, ekaba Ntate Mohato o n’a bina lefe lentsoe?” Such was Her Majesty, ’Mé ’Mamohato!  

Bahlomphehi ba ka, mona ke bua ka Motlotlehi ’Mamohato oa ’mé, e seng oa mosali! ’Mé oa ho tšoara thipa ka bohaleng ha metsi a kena ka tlung. ’Mé oa ho llela motšeo, a b’a phakise a iphumule menyepetsi e se re bana ba haroha matsoalo. ’Mé oa ho khothatsa bana ha leru le letšo le ba okamela. ’Mé oa ho qaboha ka litšeho tsa ’nete, tse tsoang pelong, e seng menong. Eo, hee, ke eena ’Mé ’Mamohato.  

Ke bua ka ’mé oa ho hlakola likhutsana mamina le menyepetsi; oa ho aka le ba litšila; oa ho laea baroetsana ba kenang lenyalong; ea neng a sa tsoafe ho bolela hore, “Matsatsi a bo-’Masentle oa iketla, o shebile Bereng mahlong’ a felile, haeba a kile a e-ba teng. Sehoai se bonoa ka matsoabali. Kanyane ho phela le liretsana.” ’Mé oa ho holisa bana, a ba holisetsa tsebong le tšabong ea Molimo, a ba qobisa botsoa; a ba qobisa botahoa, e se re Basotho ba busoa ke matahoa le likhōba. Ke bua ka ’mé oa sebele, oa ’makhonthe. Eo, hee, ke eena ’Mé ’Mamohato, Morali’a Mojela.  

As a Minister of the Crown for ten years now, I reckon I am as qualified as any to comment on how Her Majesty ’Mamohato Bereng Seeiso conducted affairs of state. In this instance, I am able to say, without any equivocation whatsoever, that, were it not for Her Majesty Queen ’Mamohato Bereng Seeiso and her vision, her keen perception, acuteness, acumen, and even astuteness at times, Lesotho would not be a Kingdom today. Let me put it differently and, perhaps, more bluntly: Lesotho continues to be a Monarchy today, thanks to Her Majesty Queen ’Mamohato Bereng Seeiso. For, she was not only Queen of Lesotho during her husband’s reign and, in that capacity, gave succour to the Kingdom: But, on many occasions, and for varying periods, and under extremely trying times, she was Regent and, therefore, Lesotho’s Head of State in her own right.  

E, Bahlomphehi ba ka le Maren’a ka, ke hlile ke rialo.  Ke re le ’mamele ka hloko hobane ha ke lore, ha ke pote; ke utloa hantle seo ke se bolelang. Ke re Lesotho le ntse le e-na le Botlotlehi kajeno ka baka la Mofumahali ’Mamohato. Che, e seng feela hobane a re tsoaletse Motlotlehi Letsie III. E, ho joalo. Empa haholo-holo hobane a bo loanetse molamu oa hlooho, Botlotlehi ba Lesotho; a bo sireletsa, a bo ōtla, a bo fuama sa khōhō e fuama litsuonyana tsa eona hore phakoe e se ke be ea li hloibila. Ka nako tse ling, o ne a bo pholosa bo se bo le ntšing tsa selomo, bo le tleneng tsa tau!  

Our records indicate that during her time as Queen, Her Majesty ’Mamohato functioned and served this Nation as Regent and, therefore, as Head of State, for upwards of ten years. In essence, this role began way back in 1970, with the banishment of His Majesty King Moshoeshoe II to Holland; secondly, during His Majesty’s studies at Corpus Christi College, Oxford University, in the UK; and thirdly, in 1990, when His Majesty was exiled to the UK. Undoubtedly, those periods of her husband’s banishment must have been most harrowing and trying for Her Majesty the Queen, both personally and officially. First, because, on a personal level, they reduced her to a single parent, when in the first instance, her children were still at a very tender age, indeed. Secondly, because being catapulted into office in such circumstances, and having to work with the same people who were responsible for her husband’s ordeal, must have placed Her Majesty in a most uncompromising and agonising position.  

Ruri, linako tseo li tlameha li ile tsa imela le ho leka habōhlōkō-hlōkō pelo, kelello le moea oa ngoan’a motho. E ne e le mehla ea litharang le litsikitlano tsa meno ho ngoan’a motho: Ka nġ’ena a tlameha ho iphapanyetsa batubi ba molekane oa hae, a sebetse le bona joaloka ha e ka ha hoa etsahala letho; a baballe Botlotlehi. Ka nġ’ane le teng, ke lumela a ne a ipotsa hore na, e be molekane oa hae, le ha a mo tšepa hakaalo, nakong eo o mo sheba joang, ha a bona a sebetsa le batho ba mofuta oo, batubi ba hae. Na e be – ke ile ka ipotsa, ka re – na e be o ne a sa ipotse hangata hore e be Ntate Bereng hantle-ntle o ntse a sa re, “’Mamohato o oela lehlakoreng lefe ha ho le tjee?” Clearly and literally, a no-win situation for her. Yet her unwavering and abiding faith sustained her through those tribulations,  and through those very dark ages of her life.  

Two events in which Her Majesty acquitted herself with distinction during her Regency deserve special mention. First, the opening of the National Constituent Assembly on the 28^th June, 1990: On that occasion, Her Majesty Queen ’Mamohato delivered a brief but intensely inspired and incisive opening statement. She challenged and implored the new members of that Assembly to strive for peace, stability and freedom in the Kingdom. She pricked their consciences with these words:

“Ka memo ena, le qholotsoa botebong ba lipelo tsa lona, hore le ikitlaeletse ho phethahatsa poelano le bolokolohi ba ’nete, e leng eona metheo ea khotso le ntlafatso Lichabeng tsohle.”

She went on to say:

“Ke ipiletsa ho lona, ke hona, hore le ke le tebise maikutlo a lona, le itlhahlobe. E mong le e mong oa lona a ipotse ka ’nete eohle, hore na seo a se tletseng mona ke sefe. Motho o hopoloa ka mesebetsi ea hae. Le lona le tla hopoloa ka ea lona mesebetsi ka Lekhotleng lena. Mabitso a lona a tla ngoloa paleng ea Naha ena…”

Those wise words are as true, as pertinent and as relevant to us today as they were when Her Majesty uttered them so many years ago.  

The second event that I wish to mention, albeit in passing, was that of the dethronement of His Majesty King Moshoeshoe II by the Military Council under Section 21 of the Office Of King Order No.14 of 1990.  

Hoa utloahala, Bahlomphehi ba ka, hore ketsahalo eo ka boeona, e ne e behile bokamoso ba Botlotlehi tsietsing. Empa ka chebelo-pele  ea hae, Motlotlehi  Mofumahali  ’Mamohato, a eletsa le ho laela – e le motsoali – Khosana Mohato (ka nako eo ) ho nka setulo. Ke utloa hore tsatsing leo la la 12 Pulungoana 1990, mane Sefikeng sa Morena Moshoeshoe I, Motlotlehi Mofumahali ’Mamohato o n’a etse puo ea lira, a bua masa-a-kokometse, a ba a qetella ka ho etsa taelo e matla, a re: “Mohato, ema u nke kano.” Le ka bona hore ho ne ho hlile ho le hobe tsatsing leo, hoo Motlotlehi Mofumahali a neng a lebale le lentsoe le leng le lelemeng la hae kamehla, la “ntate”, leo re tsebang a ne a hlompha bara ba hae ka lona! Ka lehlohonolo, Khosana Mohato (ka nako eo) o n’a mamele ’mé motsoali oa hae, ’me rona Basotho le meloko e tlang re majalefa a ketso eo ea bohlale.  

Batlotlehi, Bahlomphehi, Marena le sechaba sa heso, ke le hopotsa litaba tsena, e seng ho thonkha maqeba, e seng ho beha mang kapa mang ka mosing, etsoe ha se sebaka le nako ea ho etsa joalo ena. Empa, ke le hopolitse litaba tsena ka sepheo se ntlha li tharo. Ea pele, ke hore re elelloeng sebopeho le kabelo ea eo re mo felehetsang kajeno, nalaneng ea sechaba sena sa Thesele. Re elelloeng tsela e thata, e moepa, e mokurutlane, e makoliopo, eo Motlotlehi Mofumahali ’Mamohato a e tsamaileng bophelong ba hae le pusong ea Naha ena. Ntlha ea bobeli, ke hore re se keng ra lebala moo re tsoang teng:  “For, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Ntlha ea boraro, ke ho lemosa ba boholong – e ka ba ke pusong, ke kerekeng, ke mesebetsing, ke lapeng, le kae kapa kae feela moo motho a leng matleng a ho etsa liqeto – hore ba ipotse kamehla hore na liqeto tseo ba li etsang li tla ama maphelo a batho ba bang joang; li tla ama maphelo a bana ba batho joang; li tla ba babela kapa li tla ba natefela ho le ho kae; li tla aha kapa li tla heletsa le ho senya khotso ho le ho kae.  

Ho latela sebopeho le semelo sa hae, le pelo ea hae e jeoang, ngoan’a se-tsoha le pelo ea maobane, morali’a Mojela, Motlotlehi ’Mamohato e n’e le “khomo ea se-kenoa-ka-mahohle, khomo ea se-hangoa-le-ke-basali, tsoetse e tsoele le mohasula”.  O ne a khona ho kena hohle, ’me a phutholoha; a ikakhela ka setotsoana, e ka ba ke litšebeletsong tsa ’Muso; meketeng ea thabo le e mahlonoko; mesebetsing ea lelapa; litšebeletsong tsa Likereke ka ho fapana; mekhatlong ea ba bacha le ea ba baholo; mekhatlong ea lithuso, esita le eona ea lepato. Ke ile ka hlolloa maoba mona ke ’mona thelefisheneng, ho thoe e ne e le setho sa mokhatlo o mong oa lepato. Ka re, “Ao, banna, ’Mé ’Mamohato – Motlotlehi – ke setho sa mpate-sheleng!” Empa, ho latela boemo ba hae – le tla lumellana le ’na, kea tšepa, hore – e le Motlotlehi Mofumahali, o ne a sa hloke hoo a ka kenang li-mpate-sheleng, esita le mekhatlo e meng e mengata eo a neng a e kene. Empa, ho latela botho ba hae, o ne a kene mekhatlo e kang eo ho fana ka thuto le mohlala ho sechaba sa hae – mohlala oa boikokobetso le bohlanka; mohlala oa botšepehi mosebetsing le bosebeletsing; mohlala oa boikopanyo; mohlala oa boipheliso; mohlala oa ho thusa ba hlokang. A iketsa thak’a-ngoaha le mphatho oa ba hlokang. Mohlala oa hore kopano ke matla; hlaahlela le lla ka le leng; matsoho a hlatsoana; le ntja-peli ha e hloloe ke sebata. Ke Motlotlehi Mofumahali ’Mamohato eo.  

Ke ne ke lekile ho sala mohlala oa Nkhono ’Masechele morao, ka hore ke ngole seo ke lakatsang ho se bua. Hobane, joaloka tichere – Nkhono ’Masechele o il’a re bolella hore matichere re lemaletse ho bua re sa qete. Empa, ke ne ke re mothating ona, le ntumelle ke bue le Batlotlehi le baena ba bona, le lelapa lohle. Ke re, le bile le batsoali ba khabane; le bile le ’mé ea khabane, ’Mé ’Mamohato. Mosotho o re kholu e tsoa mokopung, ha mokopu o tsoa khonong. Ke utloile maoba mona tichere Tšeliso Makhakhe a re, “Tlhaku ea lebele e tsoa peong.” Le rutiloe se molemo, beng ba ka. Ho phethahetse polelo e reng, “Ruta ngoana tsela e nepahetseng, ’me le ha a  se a le moholo a ke ke a e lahla.” Ha ho be joalo, e tl’e ’ne e hoele ka moea poho ea phale, ’me phale e emare. Ho emare le tse hole tsa lihojana, ho emare le tsa metšelo. Malome Mojela o ee a re, “Noha e tle ’n’e lome le ka lereli.” Ha ho be joalo. A re lokolleng Nkhono ’Mamohato, Nkhono’a Basotho, a ikele ka khotso ho Mong’a hae.  

Ke rata ho qetela ka ho phetha e ’ngoe ea litšoanelo tsa ka, e leng ho isa liteboho tse khethehileng, tse tsoang boteng ba lipelo, lebitsong la Motlotlehi, Hlooho ea Naha ea Lesotho, le ’Muso oa hae, le sechaba sohle sa Basotho hohle moo se  leng hona teng, ka tšebeletso ena e mahlonoko, eo ’Muso oa hao le sechaba sa hao, Motlotlehi, se e etsetsang Nkhono’a sona. Ke isa teboho e khethehileng ho Uena le lelapa, ha le lumelletse ’Muso oa hao ho kenya letsoho phelehetsong le lepatong la Nkhono’a Basotho. Re ne re leka, mong’a ka, ho etsa hantle. Hoa utloahala, matsoho ho lutla a sebetsang. Ka lebaka leo, re ikopela tšoarelo moo mefokolo e bileng teng, thupa e shape fatše, Ntate. Ke rata ho leboha sechaba sohle sa Basotho, se bontšitseng kutloelo-bohloko ka ho lahleheloa ke Nkhono’a sona, ka litsela tsohle. Ke lebohe ka tsela e khethehileng, Baruti ba Moshoeshoe ka Likereke ho fapakana, ho tloha Kerekeng ea Evangeli Lesotho, eo Mofumahali a tsoaletsoeng ho eona, ’me ea mo ōtla, ho fihela ha Kereke e Khatholiki e tla khahloa ke eena, ’me e mo nyale: Joale, a fetoha setho sa Likereke tsohle tse teng Lesotho le kantle ho lona. Ke rata ho leboha Marena ’ohle, kahare le kantle ho Lesotho. Ke rata ho leboha Lihlooho tsohle tsa Mebuso, ka melaetsa e fapakaneng e sa leng e kena hoba se-ea-luma sena se oele Lesotho. Ke rata ho leboha lebitsong la Rabasotho le ’Muso oa hae, le sechaba sa hae, bohle-bohle bao re bokaneng re le mohlatsoana o bitsitsoeng ka pitso e khethehileng, ho baloa har’a ba felehetsang ’M’arona.  

Tšelisehang, Motlotlehi le Lelapa. Tšelisehang, sechaba sa heso. Tšelisehang, Kereke le Baruti ba Moshoeshoe.  

Molimo O Boloke Motlotlehi;

Molimo O Boloke Lesotho;

Molimo O Boloke Basotho.