News and statements
FACT-CHECK: Viral video of King Letsie III promoting investment scheme is a deepfake scam
A viral deepfake video falsely claims that King Letsie III endorsed a government-backed investment promising Basotho weekly payouts of LSL 19,320. In reality, the video is a digitally manipulated scam using the King’s image, fake news banners, and deceptive links to harvest personal data. Investigations confirm it is part of a coordinated campaign, not a legitimate investment.
False: Namibian President did not issue a statement rejecting the Gates Foundation IUD trial
A viral Facebook post alleges that the Namibian President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has denied the Gates Foundation’s proposal to conduct medical trials of a hormonal intrauterine device (IUD)… The post is FALSE.
FACT-CHECK: South Africa’s supposed nuclear accusation against Lesotho is false
SOUTH AFRICA ACCUSES LESOTHO OF HAVING NUCLEAR WEAPONS”, this alarming “BREAKING NEWS” headline spread across Facebook and Twitter in late June 2025. But CheckDesk at MISA Lesotho has confirmed: it’s completely false. South Africa has outright denied making any such accusation, and Lesotho’s official nuclear disarmament commitments strongly contradict the claim.
SATIRE: This video showing snowfall in Somalia’s Garowe Town is fake
This Facebook post with a video claiming to show the first snowfall in Garowe, the administrative capital of Somalia’s Puntland regional state, is SATIRICAL. The clip shared on 13 June 2025 shows a...
Partly false: Image of assaulted gay person isn’t from Lesotho
A viral Facebook post claiming a carpenter in Mafeteng, Lesotho, assaulted a gay man over a forced sexual interaction is FALSE. Our investigation reveals the victim was actually attacked in Umlazi, Durban, South Africa, by a stranger, for being perceived as gay…
Fact Check: Viral Video of ‘Lesotho Citizens Fleeing to South Africa’ Is Actually LDF Recruitment Footage
Within hours, the post had been shared over 500 times, stoking fears of a humanitarian crisis on a South African doorstep. However, the footage actually depicts Basotho youth queuing for LDF recruitment interviews at Makoanyane Barracks on 31 May 2025, not a border crossing.
Fact-check: Is homosexuality a learned behaviour?
“no one is born gay or lesbian.”
Fact Check: Parliament Isn’t Criminalizing Monogamy in 2026
A Facebook post alleges that Lesotho’s Parliament is working on passing a law in 2026 making it a crime for a man to have only one wife. On 31 March 2025, a Facebook user (14K followers) shared in a Facebook group (327.1K members) that Parliament is outlawing monogamous marriage from 2026. The post […]
The Role of Media in Democracy: A Lesotho Case Study
In a healthy democracy, access to information is crucial as it empowers individuals to make informed decisions about political, social, and economic issues.