King Letsie III of Lesotho: Ready for more power | Talk to Al Jazeera
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- The Kingdom of Lesotho is often described as one of the poorest countries in the world.
In addition to continued political instability, the nation is facing many serious social problems.
Poverty and unemployment rates are high, violent crimes are common, and there are many reports of rape and abuse against women. With 25 percent of the people identified as HIV-positive, Aids/HIV rates are among of the highest in the world.
But there are also sources of stability and wealth: Most people in Lesotho own their own land and their own homes. They speak the same language and share the same religion.
It is a democratic country where people have a chance to express their views, and they have a king who is willing and anxious to help - if only they let him.
Unlike the other African monarchies in Morocco and Swaziland where the king plays an important role in politics, Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy with a king whose powers are largely ceremonial.
"I have no constitutional powers to intervene in public affairs or settle disputes that may arise between different political factions or between sections of the population and their political leaders. So it does cause, sometimes, a bit of a problem or a frustration on my part," King Letsie III of Lesotho tells Al Jazeera.
But that may be about to change. In a conversation with Al Jazeera, the king suggests he is ready to play a larger role in politics - but under certain conditions.
"I'm committed to the principles of a constitutional monarchy. However, if there is a view among the population that I could have a role in one way or another - there is a process of reform that is about to begin, reforming the Constitution ... if the people say this is what we want, then I am ready for it," the king tells Al Jazeera.
"But we must be careful that ... we don't surrender the principles of the constitutional monarchy, and we do not, at the same time, try to usurp the powers of the elected government. So it will have to be a very balanced exercise.... but in the end, it depends on the views of the people and the leadership."
So what is next for the landlocked Kingdom of Lesotho and its king?
King Letsie III talks to Al Jazeera about political instability and reforms, the HIV epidemic, the controversy surrounding Katze dam, and his special relationship with Robert Mugabe.
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Happy to see A king who is willing to help his people. I hope to see our King have power to put stability in the mother land.
he's lying
@@mothobitlali3464 how do you know he’s lying
He seems like a very nice and honest king!! Hope to see him in power!!
he is the best King in Africa long live your Majesty
Long live the great king Letsie III. Met him in person. What a lovely human being.
We welcome you! Please come to Japan. Someday. Long live the king! 🇯🇵
This king speaks better english than me and im Canadian lol.
he schooled in the UK
Because he's brainwashed
Because he's brainwashed
@@mantuli_ka1 He speaks good English because he’s brainwashed? What a moronic comment.
Get a grip, you sad little human being.
@@mothobitlali3464 he started primary and secondary schools in Maseru Lesotho, completed his high school in London, then came back after high schooling to study his first degree studies at the national university of Lesotho and completed, thereafter went back to the United kingdom to further his studies postgraduate studies.
How am i only seeing this now, I'm a Mosotho!!!
MORENA
Long live the king
Our King is extremely handsome.
Long Live the King!
I really hope he can archive his goals, and help his country move forward.
Pablo Diaz you mean achieve
@@nazzawirockful Yes I mean that, I misspelled it
It’s so sad that such an intelligent King doesn’t have a political power to help his country.
Long live your Majesty our King Letsie the Ill (Morena Mohato Bereng Seiso) I know how concerned you are about your country and the development of it and its people I hope and pray that your benevolent Majesty is given all the constitutional power to be involved in politics even if you become an absolute monarch I will never complain because you have interests of ur people in heart kea o rata ntata rona long live, Democracy and the government of Prime Ministers from Morena Mmasiribane to Thabane has failed the people
And absolute monarchies also failed their people, we don't need such monarchies in Lesotho. We are fine with constitutional monarch, nothing else.
He can speak proper English!He doesn't even have an accent.Give this guy some power dammit.He seems educated and wise enough to change his country.
I'm mosotho and studied elsewhere, most Africans believe that the further you are from having an accent the more acceptable you become and successful and that's backwards.
Mustafa Raza
Do you have accent yourself? Sometimes you make stupid comments against other people! Idiot!
One of the kindest monarchs out there.
Long live King letsie 3
Liaise with your people in a sign of your language different from others to upgrade SA on culture. God will lead you like David.
Ntate Letsie III ❤. His accent🍻🍻🍻👑
Interesting
Why he doesn’t have power if he is a king?
A lot of countries have kings, but none of them have real power
It depends on the form of government, there's three types of monarchy
1. Absolute monarchy (such as the one in Saudi Arabia and most European monarchies before 1800s)
2. Semi-constitutional monarchy (where there is an elected legislature but the king still haves significant powers such as the WW1 German Empire and today's Morocco).
3. Constitutional monarchy (countries where the monarch have little (like the United Kingdom) to no (like Japan and Sweden) powers at all and with the prime minister de facto running the country)
Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy, as such the monarch can do little to help his people, only the parliament can do that.
As a mosotho, I want to see Lesotho changing it's form of government from constitutional monarch to absolute monarch....
Constitutional monarch is the best but not absolute monarch. We adopted British style of westminister govt. We don't want to be oppressed by a single family like swatis in Eswatini. Democratic government is fine and Basotho men politicians must just stop their power greed and arrogance.
@@seritikhabisi7969 Absolute Monarchy is indeed awful, constitutional monarchy is fantastic. However, I do think the king’s powers should be increased; a constitutional monarchy functions best when the king can act as a guardian of the constitution, as a moderator and mediator of the government, and as a final check on government overreach
Lovely! NOTSHI E KGOLO!!
Notši E Kholo ruri
You asked good question, why people of the same language, culture, faith so it should be peaceful country.
We are divided by politics
Lesotho is paid over 70m Euros every year by South Africa The country for water. The country is tiny with a population of 2m with very high poverty rates, where does the money go?
Al Jazeera 1 ianuarie 2020
Al Jazeera 3 ianuarie 2024
😂😂😂we have two languages in Lesotho being Sesotho ( native) and English. The kids of our king ( future king) speak Better English than their native language
00:49 Poor animals!
يعاقب يرمي يقضي يخيف يرهب ليسوتو
Lol he can't come up with any solution, he ll just be like Mswati and make Lesotho his farm
falls news on HIV tatus
How many wifes does he have...... How much is he spending for his wifes tell details his history to everyone
One wife and two kids
@@likaeangelina5762 he thought he was one those trash kings
@@Hello-uk5xp don't call culture trash
Nice question, wrong platform. I bet your mother is the one you should've asked..
@@mantuli_ka1 don't confuse culture with trash. Having too many wives, looting public funds and oppressing the poor in the name of culture is trashhhhhh! I respect King Letsie because he's not one of those trash governors
Telptimtor
He could use some help on how to speak more fluently without say “uh” every other word but he seems genuine and not even power Hungary so good on him just needs some work and he can be a strong leader. I give you my support king Letsie III
He's our King. Not a president who needs to keep addressing the nation with speeches. As long as what he says is understood.
@@with_palo amen
He is My King, he is Mosotho and the way he speaks the white man's language is absolutely fine. Why does he need to speak your language the way you want yet you know not a single word of his? Ignorant basturd
Why doesn't South Africa annex this country
Non profit, would i say.
I agree with, you if the king was smart he would advocate for such because SA government would state maintain his status as a King and Lesotho would become more progressive and he would receive a larger salary from the government
nice try young man, you guys still want to have more land to yourself while locking us in giant 6m kraals with one entrance like you are doing to fellow africans
You are drunk
Lesotho is an independent country, with its king, prime minister and government, you have no shame you want corrupt South Africa obliterate my country????
Puppet
Letsie and Mswati are horrible kings leaving their own people those nations to suffer and they're all talk no action.
His power is now limited. SMH.
Only Mswati III of Eswatini. The King of Lesotho, Letsie III, has always being a constitucional monarch and have never hold real power, like Elizabeth II in Britain, what us a good thing in a democracy.
blacksultan85 mswati is a different story he has power even if we don't know whay happens in yhe shadows but Lestoe heno powerhis father was chased out of the nation at onepoiny and then he was made king then his father returned, and he left power he has never had much power nor did his father
In Setswana and Sotho traditional law, a king is a king by the people ( Kgosi ke Kgosi ka batho).He can only rule with the concent of the people.
He cannot make decisions on his own.
Like your presidents are horrible presidents, the most corrupt leaders in your country.
He's ready for more wives.
Polygamy is not a main part of our culture. Thank you for asking!
*Nts'ebo Makhaola* he's talking about what goes on in the palace *NOT* Lesotho society smh