A peaceful, stable and secure environment is critical to the holding of successful elections in Lesotho next year, Southern African Development Community (SADC) facilitator Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday.

“Critical for the holding of these brought-forward elections is the need to ensure the people of the Kingdom of Lesotho are able to exercise their democratic right to vote in a peaceful, stable and secure environment,’ said Ramaphosa, who is also the Deputy President of South Africa.

Lesotho has brought forward its elections by two years to February 2015.

“It is our firm view that the stabilisation of the security situation can only help to produce an outcome that is a true expression of the will of the people of Lesotho. An outcome that will communicate a message to the people of the country, SADC, Africa and the world that the elections were indeed free, fair and credible.”

Deputy President Ramaphosa said SADC recognises that Lesotho continues to face security challenges that manifest themselves through tension, lack of trust and co-operation between the Lesotho Defence Force and the Lesotho Mounted Police Service.

“This requires that we assist the country in developing long-term security sector reform to address the security challenges facing the country. This should be done with a view of ensuring all Basotho live in a secure, stable and democratic environment,” said the facilitator.

SADC has over a few days been in discussions with three senior officers in the Lesotho Defence Force and Lesotho Mounted Police Service, namely Lt. General Tlali Kamoli, Commissioner Khothatso Tsooana and Lt. General Maaparankoe Mahao.

“Following these consultations, the Facilitation Mission can confidently declare that we have now reached yet another major milestone in the stabilisation of the security situation in Lesotho,” said Ramaphosa.

The three officials have agreed to go on a leave of absence for specified periods, within 14 days and to undergo working visits, in their related fields, to specified SADC and Commonwealth countries.

“During the period of leave of absence, they will not exercise any authority or undue influence over the Lesotho Defence Force or Lesotho Mounted Police Service. During this period, the Deputy Commander of the Lesotho Defence will head the Lesotho Defence Force while the Assistant Commissioner of Police will lead the Lesotho Mounted Police Service,” he said.

“To give practical effect to this agreement the three senior officers have agreed to sign before you all the Maseru Security Accord. This Accord takes into account the need to promote harmonious relations between the leadership, officers and members of both the Lesotho Defence Force and the Lesotho Mounted Police Service.

The Maseru Accord takes into account the need to:

• Do everything in their power to actively prevent, discourage and ensure that no further confrontations or hostilities are  caused and occur between members and units of the Lesotho Defence Force and the Lesotho Mounted Police Service
• Ensure no further confrontations or hostilities between members of the security forces in Lesotho to take place;
• Reaffirm their commitment to defend the Constitution of the Kingdom of Lesotho;
• Confirm that all security forces in the Kingdom of Lesotho are subject to the political leadership of the Kingdom and commit to accept such leadership in the execution of their duties and promote the need for all security forces to do likewise;
• Recognise that the Facilitation Mission to Lesotho will continue to monitor the political and security situation in the country, and to monitor and assist in the maintenance of law and order and the relations between security forces;
• Respect the work of SADC Politics, Defence and Security Observer Mission and to assist in its endeavours; and
• As well as to cooperate with one another in the fulfilment of the pact.

“As the SADC Facilitation Mission, we join the government and the people of the Kingdom of Lesotho in welcoming the commitment made by these three senior officers.”