By: Thoboloko Ntšonyane
MASERU – His Majesty King Letsie III had appointed the former Minister of Law and Justice Advocate Mpeo Mahase Moiloa as the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC).
“I, King Letsie III, pursuant to Section 136 (1) of the Constitution of Lesotho and acting in accordance with the advice of the Judicial Service Commission appoint Advocate Mpeo Mahase Moiloa as the Chairman of Public Service Commission,” reads the appointment letter.
The PSC is charged with the responsibility to select persons to hold offices in the public service.
Its mandate is drawn from Section 137 (1) of the Constitution and it reads: “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the power to appoint persons to hold or act in offices in the public service (including the power to confirm appointments), and the power to terminate appointments of such persons, save the power to discipline and terminate the appointment of such persons for disciplinary reasons, is vested in the Public Service Commission.”
The PSC is one of the seven thematic areas that are to undergo reforms in order to depoliticize and professionalize it.
Reforms are comprehensive and inclusive exercise that Basotho had expressed their desires and aspirations and they seek to create a “Lesotho that we want”.
The PSC Chairperson also serves as one of the four members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a Commission tasked to appoint Judicial Officers.
The incoming Chairperson had served the government in many capacities including Magistracy, Assistant Minister of Law and Justice before being appointed as Minister in 2007. In 2013 she was appointed as the Lesotho Ambassador in Brussels, Belgium a position she held until 2018.
She holds Masters in Governance and Political Transformation, Governance and Politics, from the University of Free State in South Africa.
Advocate Moiloa also holds LLB from the National University of Lesotho (NUL).