Former South African president Thabo Mbeki has paid tribute to the late King Moshoeshoe II, describing him as one of Africa’s most important Pan-African liberation figures and a leader whose legacy continues to shape the continent’s freedom narrative.
Mbeki delivered the commemorative lecture in Maseru to mark 30 years since King Moshoeshoe II’s passing. The event was attended by members of the royal family led by His Majesty King Letsie III, Prime Minister Sam Matekane, cabinet ministers, and a wide range of local and international dignitaries.
King Moshoeshoe II died on 14 January 1996 in a car accident. In his keynote address, Mbeki offered a detailed and deeply reflective account of the king’s historical role, portraying him as a committed Pan-Africanist whose leadership never wavered in the pursuit of liberation for the Basotho people.
According to Mbeki, King Moshoeshoe II played a pivotal role in resisting African colonialism and demonstrated remarkable foresight in inspiring Africans to strive for what he described as a “second liberation” from future forms of domination.
Mbeki emphasized that King Moshoeshoe was acutely aware of British colonial intentions and understood the broader struggle facing southern Africa. He explained that Basutoland, now Lesotho, came to be known as a liberated land for oppressed people across the region, offering sanctuary and hope for the wider African liberation movement.
Addressing historical interpretations, Mbeki noted that when the poet Jonas Ntsiko wrote “Tsohang bana ba Thaba-Bosiu,” it was not an indictment of the people of Lesotho. Rather, it was an affirmation of King Moshoeshoe’s role and his understanding that a British protectorate was never an end in itself. Instead, it was a strategic step toward advancing the total liberation of Lesotho and its neighbors.
Mbeki argued that colonial powers fully understood the importance of King Moshoeshoe’s leadership, which is why they “never forgave him for it.”
He highlighted the king’s extraordinary strategic thinking, explaining how Moshoeshoe successfully persuaded the British to proclaim his kingdom a protectorate. This decision prevented Lesotho from becoming a Boer colony and secured its survival during a critical period of regional conflict.
“After all,” Mbeki said, “the Basotho under his leadership had fought off the British to avoid being colonised by them. It was a stroke of genius that King Moshoeshoe snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.”
Mbeki also reflected on how King Moshoeshoe II gained immense recognition later in life, becoming the paramount leader of his people in Bloemfontein just two months after the formation of the African National Congress. He stressed the king’s enduring commitment to African liberation, noting that Moshoeshoe never relented, even after suffering two periods of exile under the regimes of Chief Leabua Jonathan and Major General Metsing Lekhanya.
Beyond southern Africa, Mbeki pointed out that King Moshoeshoe’s contributions to continental and global institutions, including the Organisation of African Unity and the United Nations, remain well documented. These efforts, he said, continue to inspire generations across Africa.
In closing, Mbeki described King Moshoeshoe II not only as a national figure, but as a Pan-African symbol of resistance, strategic leadership, and unwavering belief in Africa’s right to self-determination.