Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) on Sunday bid farewell to the third contingent of 120 troops to be under the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) at the event held at Ratjomose barracks.
The event started with a march from Makoanyane Barracks to Ratjomose Barracks.
The contingent is headed by Lieutenant Colonel Tšeliso Serobanyane who was handed the national flag by the LDF Commander Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela.
In his remarks, Lt. Gen. Letsoela said that the flag in the army has a long history in wars which were fought before this one in Mozambique. He said that they should look at the flag with mercy, love and sacrifice as it is unique compared to others, especially with the Basotho hat which he said symbolises their identity.
He said that they should give it integrity and protect it at all times, saying they should know that it stands for the King, Basotho and Lesotho and that this is what they can die for.
“Flag is important to us, we look at it especially in terms of security as it holds our value system, aspirations and ambitions, it is where we gain our strength as no one can touch it because it is the sign of our country’s independence and it is what we are committed to doing through the will power,” he said.
He said that the first contingent left the country in 2021 but soon after leaving they were forgotten saying the second contingent went through the same tribulations from May to July last year where he said they became burdens of those unforgotten by their governments.
“I will never dare to see them struggling like the previous battalions,” he stressed.
He added that to date they have lost three soldiers in Mozambique, therefore saying the new contingent should be vigilant and determined to face any threat coming to them.
“This is an asymmetrical threat that is also unconventional, therefore ensuring that you are superior at all times,” he said.
He urged government superiors at all levels to protect the army especially this contingent, which will be about 2,780 kilometres from Lesotho. He added that as the army they cannot put up with nonsense, saying all they want is peace, stability and security for Basotho.
He thanked the troops’ spouses and their families, urging Basotho who love peace to pray for the contingent, saying they can only defeat this war if it is led by God.
Meanwhile, following the extension of the time frame of the military mission in Mozambique by the Southern African Development Community, LDF has been rotating its contingent in that country.
So far three soldiers lost their lives during their deployment in Mozambique and one of them died after coming back home.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional bloc that deployed a military mission in Mozambique to combat terrorism and violent extremism in the northern Cabo Delgado province.
The Lesotho army began in the 1960s initially as a paramilitary police force, established separately from the Lesotho Mounted Police Service on April 01, 1978. It was recognised as an army in August 1979 and was expanded in the 1980s in response to Basutoland Congress Party insurgent activities. After the January 1986 military coup that brought General Justin Metsing Lekhanya to power, the army was renamed the Royal Lesotho Defence Force. As of 1990, it was estimated to have about 2,000 personnel divided into one recon company, one artillery battery, seven companies, one Special Forces platoon, and a support comp.
Source: LENA 15/10/2023
