Lesotho on Wednesday held a solemn commemoration marking 30 years since the passing of His Majesty King Moshoeshoe II at the Manthabiseng Convention Centre. The gathering brought together the Royal Family, government leaders, diplomats, academics, and members of the public for an evening of reflection on the late Monarchβs leadership and enduring Pan-African legacy.
At the apex of the commemoration, His Majesty King Letsie III addressed attendees, expressing deep gratitude to former South African President Thabo Mbeki for delivering the memorial lecture marking three decades since the passing of King Moshoeshoe II. He said the gathering bridged past and present, reaffirming the late Kingβs leadership founded on courage, vision, unity, and service. The King underscored the lectureβs call for leadership guided by conscience and moral integrity, urging Basotho and Africans to carry forward the values of justice, peace, and responsibility with renewed commitment.
The Right Honourable Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane paid tribute to King Moshoeshoe IIβs legacy of statesmanship and wisdom. He welcomed President Mbeki, heads of diplomatic missions, and representatives of international organisations, highlighting the national and continental significance of the commemoration. The Prime Minister described the late King as a visionary leader who guided Lesotho through independence while safeguarding Basotho culture and identity. He said the Kingβs life remains a powerful call to current and future leaders to govern with integrity, unity, and purpose.
The memorial lecture was delivered by His Excellency former President Thabo Mbeki, who situated King Moshoeshoe II within the historic lineage of Basotho leadership established by King Moshoeshoe I. President Mbeki described Lesotho as a historic βliberated areaβ that played a crucial role in regional struggles against colonialism and apartheid.
He reflected extensively on King Moshoeshoe IIβs principled opposition to apartheid and his support for liberation movements. President Mbeki highlighted the Kingβs seminal writings, particularly βA Call for a Second Liberation,β noting their continued relevance amid Africaβs persistent challenges of poverty, inequality, underdevelopment, and weak governance.
Drawing on contemporary African development data, the President argued that King Moshoeshoe IIβs advocacy for people-centred, self-reliant development, ethical leadership, mass participation, education, gender inclusion, cultural renewal, and accountable governance remains urgently relevant today. He concluded by urging Africans never to lose the ideas of King Moshoeshoe II, even though the continent lost the King 30 years ago.
Earlier in the programme, the Principal Chief of Matsieng, Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso, delivered the welcome remarks. He described the memorial lecture as an honouring of King Moshoeshoe IIβs servant and ethical leadership, rooted in the principle βto serve is to lead.β He recalled the late King as a committed African who spoke boldly against apartheid and inspired generations toward moral and transformative leadership. He called for renewed introspection across Southern Africa, stressing that development and progress can only be achieved through unity, equity, education, and collective effort.
Professor Tefelo Mothibe formally introduced President Mbeki as the distinguished speaker of the evening. He thanked the Royal Family for the honour and reflected on the shared legacy of King Moshoeshoe II and President Mbekiβs lifelong dedication to Africaβs political, diplomatic, and intellectual development. He praised the President as a visionary Pan-Africanist and transformative leader, citing his role in continental renewal and his ongoing work through the Thabo Mbeki Foundation.
The commemoration concluded as both an act of remembrance and a call to renewal, reaffirming King Moshoeshoe IIβs place as a towering figure in Lesothoβs history and a lasting voice in Africaβs pursuit of unity, justice, and self-determination.
