By Rethabile Anastacia Khabele
The newly elected Chairperson of the Lesotho Chapter of Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Lesotho), Mr Kananelo Boloetse, has undertook to take the Institute on the “new heights.” Boloetse was addressing tens of members of MISA Lesotho (the General Assembly) shortly after his victory at the premises of MISA Lesotho on Friday March 31st 2023. Boloetse outclassed his only competitor, the outgoing Chairperson Mr Nkoale Oetsi Ts’oana. Boloetse secured 99 votes over Ts’oana’s meagre 14.
“I am quite honoured to have been trusted by the General Assembly of MISA Lesotho to lead this Institute for the next three years. It the leadership that I’m noway going to undermine. I’m aware that I’m vested with trust to lead the Institute with certain leadership qualities a leader of this stature should have. However, this does not mean that I am way above all of you (members) in terms of leadership qualities. You have only elected me because you are all committed elsewhere, and you trust me enough to implement and lead MISA Lesotho in a direction that you, the General Assembly, so want. I undertake and promise you that, working closely with the rest of the new members of the National Governing Council (NGC), as well as the Secretariat, I will take MISA Lesotho to the new hights,” Boloetse said, adding with words of heartfelt gratitude to his predecessor, Ts’oana.
For his part, Ts’oana promised to support Boloetse “all the way.”
The outgoing Chairperson noted this was one of the peaceful elections and a smooth transition of power, “that MISA Lesotho has, for the longest time, been famous for. With the exposure and experience that I have, having been at the helm of MISA Lesotho for the past three years, I commit to support Mr Boloetse all the way, now that he has smoothly taken over the reigns. For the net one year that I am part of the new NGC, I promise to guide Mr Boloetse in the right leadership direction and ensure that he develops confidence that will characterise him as a good leader,” Ts’oana said.
Also elected on Friday as the new gorvenors of MISA Lesotho are, Ms Celinah Leteketa – deputy Chairperson, Mr Palo Mohlotsane – Secretary General, Mr Nkheli Liphoto – Treasurer, Ms ’Matiisetso Mosala – deputy Secretary General, as well as two other members, namely Mr Lekhanya Mpesi and Ms Majirata Latela.
In line with its Constitution, MISA Lesotho holds an elective Annual General Meeting every three years to elect a seven-member NGC – an oversight structure that leads the Institute on a new mandate given by the General Assembly. Other than the elective AGM, MISA Lesotho holds ordinary AGM every year on or around March 31, marking year end and the beginning of new operational and financial year of the Institute.
MISA Lesotho is a member-driven, lobby and advocacy non-governmental organisation mandated to promote freedom of expression by the citizens, freedom and independence of the media, as well as the citizen’s right to access to information.
According to the Constitution of MISA Lesotho, the outgoing Chairperson remains part of the newly elected NGC for the first year of the three-year term of the NGC. The understanding is that, since the outgoing Chairperson has garnered vast experience accompanied with institutional memory, he or she should be able to smoothly transfer the experience to the new NGC within the first year.
As per the elective AGM on Friday, MISA Lesotho currently has a total membership of slightly over 260, comprising individuals and institutions that are subscribing with the Institute annually.
