Zimbabwe veteran journalist, Lloyd Mutungamiri, is battling for life after he was shot and seriously wounded in Lesotho on Saturday night.
This was shortly after he had been interrogated by the local police concerning a story his publication ran.
The Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN) reports that Mutungamiri who is the editor of the Lesotho Times newspaper, was battling for his life at a Maseru hospital.
“Mutungamiri, who is fighting for his life at a hospital in the capital Maseru, was attacked by some unidentified assailants around 23:00 hours on Saturday, 9 July 2016,” said SAHRDN.
It continued stating, “prior to the shooting, Mutungamiri and Keiso Mohloboli, a journalist at The Lesotho Times newspaper had been interrogated on 23 June 2016 over the publication of an article entitled ‘Exit strategy for Kamoli’ in The Lesotho Times newspaper edition of 23-29 June 2016 and forced to disclose their sources.”
 
MORE LIGHT INTO THE SHOOTING OF ZIMBABWE REPORTER LLOYD MUTUNGAMIRI IN LESOTHO
LLOYD Mutungamiri is the editor of The Lesotho Times newspaper.
The Lesotho Times Issue 12 of June 23 – 29 2016 carried a story “Exit strategy for Kamoli”.
Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli is the current commander of the Lesotho Defence Forces (LDF). He plunged Lesotho into a political and security crisis by an attempted coup in 2014. He is linked to several extra judicial killings that have taken place in Lesotho including the killing of the previous army commander commander Lt. Gen Maaparankoe Mahao. He has been linked to arbitrary detention and severely torturing of some soldiers of the LDF. Some remain in custody under leg irons for close to a year now after false allegations of mutiny. The former Prime Minister Tom Tabane lives in exile in South Africa for fear of his life from the rogue military commander.
To its credit the SADC established a commission of enquiry to try and help to end the conflict in Lesotho. The SADC Commission of Inquiry on disturbances in Lesotho established that there was no evidence of mutiny, mutiny charges were merely drummed-up by the government of Lesotho. It also ordered a full investigation into the killing of former army commander Lt. Gen Maaparankoe Mahao. It also recommended that Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli must be removed from his position as army commander as he is divisive.
The recommendations of the SADC Commission of Enquiry have not been implemented by the government of Lesotho.
LLOYD Mutungamiri as editor and Miss Keiso Mohloboli as writer of the article on Kamoli’s exit from the LDF were taken to two police stations for interrogations on the 23rd June 2016, and forced to reveal their source.
On the 5th July 2016, the publisher of the Lesotho Times was charged with defamation and crimen injuria.
On 09 July 2016 LLOYD Mutungamiri was attacked and shot at his home around 23:00hrs. He is now fighting for his life at Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital in Maseru. We pray and hope that he will survive this cowardly attack.
A colleague of mine Lepeli Moeketsi who works on human rights issues in Lesotho said “These barbaric actions are a clear disregard of human rights in Lesotho. They are aimed at intimidating and suppressing media freedom in Lesotho, especially media houses which are perceived to be giving a dissenting views.”
The government of Lesotho has presided over too many cases of extra-judicial killings and serious violation of human rights and impunity. It’s time now that the SADC demands the full implementation of the SADC Commission of Inquiry Report.