Tšolo Thakeli, a 31-year-old father and outspoken campaigner against youth unemployment in Lesotho, has been arrested and charged with sedition after posting a video online questioning Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s job creation promises.
On Father’s Day, police arrived at Thakeli’s home while he was in his pyjamas. His video had gone viral for highlighting that the national budget tabled in February did not account for the 70,000 jobs Matekane claimed would be created within three weeks. The video resonated deeply with the country’s young population facing a 24% youth unemployment rate.
Initial charges of insulting the prime minister and inciting violence were dropped due to a lack of evidence. However, Thakeli was re-arrested the same day and formally charged with sedition.
“They threw me into a cold, dirty cell,” Thakeli recounted. He spent two days in custody before being released on bail. He was also summoned by the police commissioner, who warned him never to mention the prime minister’s name again and said the police could not guarantee his safety if he did.
Despite the threat, Thakeli remains defiant. Using humor and memes on social media, his posts now reach tens of thousands. One recent meme shows his lawyer’s unimpressed face captioned with, “[the] face he makes every time I make a live video.”
The controversy comes amid national frustration, evidenced by thousands attending a military recruitment drive for just 500 positions. Thakeli’s critics say he simply voiced what many are thinking — asking why promises of job creation remain unmet years after the current administration took office.
His arrest triggered protests in Maseru, Lesotho’s capital, and alarm among regional human rights groups.
“This is something any citizen in a democracy should be allowed to ask,” said Makomborero Haruzivishe, of Action for Southern Africa.
Now on bail, Thakeli’s freedom is under threat again, as authorities are considering revoking it ahead of his July 2 trial. Though worried for his family’s safety, he refuses to stay silent.
“I’m not a threat. I’m not armed or part of any group. I’m just a citizen demanding accountability,” he said. “That’s not sedition — that’s democracy.”
