Activist cop lands top DMA job
TEBOHO KHATEBE MOLEFI
MASERU – Lesotho Police Staff Association (LEPOSA) secretary general, Inspector Moraleli Motloli, has been appointed on special assignment to head the Disaster Management Authority (DMA), in Prime Minister Motsoahae Thabane’s office.
An internal Memo from the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) Human Resources Officer, Senior Superintendent LC Ralethoko, to the police senior management and penned on April 8 says Motloli takes over the vacant position of the DMA chief executive officer for a period of 36 months, effective from Aril 1.
“It is published for information of all ranks that No:10494/10325, Inspector Moraleli Motloli (Msu Urban), has been appointed on special assignment for a period of thirty six (36) months, effective from 1st April, 2020, to hold a vacant position of Chief Executive Officer at the Prime Minister’s Office, Disaster Management Office (DMA).
We wish him good luck in his new assignment,” reads the communication. Motloli is a member of the six-man LEPOSA leadership elected in October of 2016, and has been in the forefront of police officers’ struggles for decent welfare, administration and payment.
The police officer was on April 25, 2017, dismissed from active duty following an unprecedented call on then police commissioner, Molahlehi Letsoepa, and the police advisory board to react to claims made public by Alliance of Democrats leader, Monyane Moleleki, to the effect that recruitment into the police service was hinged on party political lines and corruption.
Moleleki had alleged that the then Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili-led administration staffed the disciplined forces with their members, in that upon recruitment only prepared lists of the then seven-party Mosisli coalition government were used to employ potential officers. Motloli argued it was only proper for the police top brass to answer the allegations, which he said put the police service into disrepute.
LEPOSA, at the time, argued Motloli’s dismissal, and several other failed efforts to transfer him to remote police posts were malicious and meant to weaken the association and their fight for police officers’ welfare. Motloli and 20 other police officers were recalled to duty on July 19, 2017, by then acting commissioner, Keketso Monaheng, upon the return of Prime Minister Thabane to power; then police minister, ‘Mampho Mokhele, reasoned Mosisili’s regime had failed to follow proper procedures in firing the officers.