The nation is feverishly waiting to give His Majesty King Letsie III a tumultuous birthday celebration in Mafeteng on Thursday in recognition of his role as the symbol of unity for Basotho.

Two days before the event the celebratory mood has already began to permeate all across the country but more evident in Mafeteng and the surrounding areas right up to Maseru and Mohale's Hoek.

In Mafeteng where the mood is reaching fever pitch a number of groups are positioning themselves to provide traditional performances and appear in a more organised way that befits His majesty the King.

Two hundred and forty three people were awarded medals at the palace for outstanding performance in medicine, law, army and police at a low key ceremony at the palace in Maseru.

Horse riders were already fine tuning their horses in readiness horse shows to scintillate the public at the Mafeteng horse racing ground where the ceremony will be held.

Women, too, are also gearing up to present themselves in spectacular sewing new 'Seshoeshoe' dresses with designs and colours that will make even the best of designers go green with envy. While Seshoeshoe will paint the skyline 'Seanamarema' blankets with famous Black and gold colours reknown for the Mafeteng district to give serious competition with designs and colours from other districts who are also likely to make a big showing and impression.

Youths seemed determined not to be out gunned as they are seen in several villages rehearsing and fine tuning their performances of traditional songs and dances in particular the ever so popular with Basotho 'Mokhibo', 'Mohobelo', 'ndlamu' and 'Mokorotlo'.

Songs and praises to the His Majesty with ululations already heard reverberating in villages as old women prepare their voices to celebrate with the King.

The government resolved in 2003 that the King's birthday should rotate to all the ten districts and the first district to host the celebration was Mokhotlong.

The decision was made to give Basotho throughout the country the opportunity to celebrate the King's birthday.

In last year's celebration the Muslim Community contributed hundreds of blankets and shawls for the King to distribute to the vulnerable people like the aged, orphans and herdboys during his 44th Birthday held in Botha-Bothe.

They also donated hundreds of golf shirts embedded with the King's picture and prepared special meals to feed some of the population that attended the festivities.

The Chinese business community did not want to be left out and donated an undisclosed amount of money towards the celebration.

Basotho also honoured their King with lots of gifts such as cattle, blankets and sheep.

Botha-Bothe had spent M1.4 Million for the occasion while figures for the Mafeteng district are still to be announced.

One of the peculiar activities about the previous event was that the King visited Botha Bothe historic plateau where Moshoeshoe I, the founder of the Basotho nation lived during his youth days between 1815 to 1824 when he trekked to Thaba Bosiu.

A Pitso house is built at every district for the King to address his nation and Mafeteng has also built one.

King's birthday is a national public holiday in Lesotho to allow Basotho a chance of rejoicing with him.

On Thursday, King Letsie III will be turning 45 as he was born on July 17 in 1963 at Scott Hospital in Morija. He was named Prince Mohato Bereng Seeiso.

He is married to Her Majesty Queen 'Masenate Mohato Seeiso and they are blessed with three children Princesses Senate Mohato Seeiso, 'Maseeiso Mohato Seeiso and Prince Lerotholi Mohato Seeiso.

Source: LENA 15/07/2008