By Charles Mafa Indian citizen, Vinod Sadhu, who has been on the Zambian police’s wanted list since 2018, was finally arrested when he entered the country in September in his private jet. However, the following day, a senior ruling party official and a presidential political advisor ordered the police to release
Special Report
Plunder from the East
How the notorious Chinese wildlife syndicate Lin-Zhang looted Malawi’s mineral wealth Golden Matonga They arrived in Malawi as legitimate Chinese investors but immediately started trading illegally in Southern and Eastern Africa’s wildlife and wildlife products. The law eventually caught up with them, but the crimes they were found guilty of are just
ZAMBIA: TOP HEALTH MINISTRY OFFICIALS ACCUSED OF MEDDLING IN MEDICINE PROCUREMENT
By MakanDay Centre for Investigative Journalism Zambia’s health procurement system is paralysed by a stand-off between officials in the ministry of health. Those wanting to clean up corruption and stop the rot are clashing with others fighting to secure contracts for companies that pay. The result? The billions available to
Life-saving medicinal plants face extinction
PASCALINAH KABI Shivering and moaning, 36-year-old ’Mantoa Kobeli can barely sit unassisted on a plastic chair in a “consulting room”, a shack run by a traditional healer, Monaheng Lekhooana. A burning blue candle and a small bowl oozing an aromatic smell from burning medicinal plants sit between Mr Lekhooana and Ms Kobeli. Ms
Govt seeking to fund drug trials
MATIISETSO MOSALA The government of Lesotho revealed its plan to raise M7-million to fund pre-clinical and clinical trials for the National University of Lesotho’s (NUL) drug compound, a potential treatment for Covid. The trials will evaluate whether the drug compound is safe for use in humans and determine if it can be
Fears of third Covid wave in Lesotho
Letšeng mine faced with COVID-19 infection scare
Mine downplays high risks amid deaths Matiisetso Mosala Lesotho’s highest quality diamond producer, Letšeng Diamond Mine is allegedly faced with a challenge of containing the spread of COVID-19 amongst workers contracted by various companies on its mining site in Mokhotlong. The spread of the virus at the mine has reportedly led to the
Female condom low demand widens inequality gap
Matiisetso Mosala Cultural norms have dictated that women shy away from acts that expose their sexual desires. Women in Lesotho are frowned at if found carrying condoms on them. This exposes them to unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and further elevates their risk of contracting HIV. The female condom, known as femidom, was developed in the
Lesotho urged to go techno to quell new HIV infections
‘MATIISETSO MOSALA AND TUMISANG SERAME Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Machesetsa Mofomobe has advised parliament to adopt technological applications to remind people at regular intervals to use condoms as a preventive measure against HIV/AIDS. This approach, Mofomobe recommended during National Assembly’s deliberations on new HIV/AIDS infections threatening prospects of sustainable funding to support treatment of the pandemic. “New
Misery of being gay in Lesotho and the fight against HIV
…HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men a concern under the spotlight for People’s Matrix Billy Ntaote His attackers knew nothing and were ignorant and never thought deeply what it means to be loved and to live freely to make one’s own choices without being limited by rigid cultural norms. Rethabile (not
