Lesotho: Editor verbally attacked by Members of Parliament

On 5 May 2010, the Lesotho Times and Sunday Express Group Political Editor, Bongiwe Zihlangu was verbally attacked by members of the Lesotho National Assembly, accusing her of “spreading false information about gratuities” of Members of Parliament (MP) in the Sunday Express of 2 May 2010.

Zihlangu told MISA Lesotho that she was sitting in the media gallery when the Lesotho Workers Party MP, Rantelali Shea demanded that the journalist be thrown out of the parliament building.

Shea is reported to have claimed that “freedom of the media leads reporters to report on things that strip us of our dignity.” He also urged that the Sunday Express be sued for what he called lies about their gratuities. He further urged that Zihlangu be sued “in broad daylight and be ordered by the courts to pay us the M315 000 she alleges that we are going to get.”

Zihlangu had reported that MPs who had been in parliament for two years were going to get 25 percent of their gratuity after the parliament passed Members of Parliament Salaries (Amendment) Bill 2010 on 27 May 2010. The Lesotho Times reported on 6 May 2010 that the opposition All Basotho Convention (ABC) MP, Motumi Ralejoe, a former journalist, challenged the parliament to look into issues surrounding the media policy. Zihlangu is reported to have left the parliament media gallery voluntarily after a barrage of calls for her to be thrown out, in what the Lesotho Times termed a rear feat of unity where ruling party and opposition MPs ganged up in one voice.

The verbal attacks came barely a day after the media worldwide commemorated world press freedom day on May 3, 2010. MISA condemns these verbal attacks and views them as calculated attempts by the Lesotho Parliament to undermine Freedom of Expression and curtail the free operations of the media in Lesotho. MISA calls on the Lesotho Parliament to stop hurt speeches against the media and allow the media to operate without fear.

- May 06, 2010 by Reagan Malumo
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Source: www.misa.org (received via Email Alert on 06.05.2010)