Sam Matekane facts for kids
Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, born on March 15, 1958, is a well-known businessman and politician from Lesotho. He is currently the Prime Minister of his country. Before he became a politician, many people considered him the wealthiest person in Lesotho. Mr. Matekane built his fortune mainly from diamond mining and by working on construction projects for the government. He started his own company, the Matekane Group of Companies (MGC), in 1986.
In March 2022, Mr. Matekane held a press conference and officially started his own political party, called the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP). He used his own money to fund his election campaign, which included a lot of activity on social media. His party won the general election in 2022.
Quick facts for kids
Sam Matekane
MP
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Matekane in 2022
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| 6th Prime Minister of Lesotho | |
| Assumed office 28 October 2022 |
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| Monarch | Letsie III |
| Deputy | Nthomeng Majara |
| Preceded by | Moeketsi Majoro |
| Leader of the Revolution for Prosperity | |
| Assumed office 22 March 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Party Founder |
| Member of the National Assembly for Mantsonyane |
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| Assumed office 25 October 2022 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane
15 March 1958 Mantšonyane, Thaba-Tseka District, Basutoland (now Lesotho) |
| Political party | Revolution for Prosperity (2022–present) |
| Relations | 3 known wives |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | Form C (Year 10) |
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sam Matekane was born on March 15, 1958, in Mantšonyane, which was then called British Basutoland and is now part of Lesotho. He is the seventh of fourteen children in his family.
He went to Bocheletsane Primary School in Basutoland. Later, he attended Mabathoana High School in Maseru. He completed a junior certificate after three years of secondary education. After getting his certificate, Matekane left school to start his business career. Growing up in a village, he helped with family duties like herding animals and working in the fields. This sometimes meant he missed school days.
Matekane's Business Journey
Sam Matekane is the person who started and leads the Matekane Group of Companies (MGC). He began this company in 1986. At first, MGC focused on selling construction equipment. The company would buy old or damaged vehicles from the government, fix them, and then sell them back to the government.
Over time, MGC grew and expanded into many different areas. These include mining, aviation (things related to airplanes), property development (building and selling homes and offices), and farming. The company also opened a hotel.
Helping the Community
Through his company, MGC, Sam Matekane has helped fund many projects in Lesotho. He paid for the building of a football stadium, a school, and a convention center in his home village of Mantšonyane. He also supported a farming project there where owners and farmers shared costs.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he bought testing equipment, vaccines, and other important medical supplies. He then donated these items to help people. He has also given money for police uniforms and equipment for the Lesotho Defense Force.
Becoming Prime Minister
The 2022 Election
In March 2022, just a few months before the 2022 Lesotho general election, Sam Matekane started his political party, the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP). He presented himself as someone who would protect businesses and bring stability to Lesotho's politics. He also promised to end corruption and help Lesotho's economy recover from a difficult period. He said he would "Make Lesotho Great Again."
During his election campaign, Matekane said that his opponents were not working for the best interests of Lesotho. Because many people saw him as an outsider to traditional politics, his party won the election. However, Matekane's RFP party did not win enough seats to have a full majority in the National Assembly. So, he formed a government with two smaller parties: the Alliance of Democrats and the Movement for Economic Change.
After winning the election, Matekane announced a plan to fight corruption and reduce the government's debt within his first 100 days in office. He aimed to improve the economy by carefully managing spending and creating jobs with help from international investors.
Government Actions and Policies
Under Matekane's leadership, the relationship between the government and the police has generally improved. However, there have been concerns about an increase in serious crimes.
In response to the murder of a journalist and radio presenter, his government introduced a nationwide curfew on May 16, 2023. This meant people could not leave their homes between 10 PM and 4 AM. Some people have criticized this curfew for being very strict and questioned how effective it is.
Economic Plans
In June 2023, Matekane launched a new program called the Entrepreneurship Hub and Seed Financing Facility. This program aims to create 15 organizations that support new businesses and help 500 start-up companies grow. It also encourages people from Lesotho living abroad to get involved. The program has a budget of $52.5 million USD, with most of the money coming as a loan and a grant from the World Bank.
In June 2025, Matekane stated that youth unemployment in Lesotho was a major problem. He announced a plan to create 70,000 jobs in three weeks. An activist named Tšolo Thakeli, who had protested about unemployment for years, criticized this plan. He said it lacked clear details. Thakeli was later arrested by the government for allegedly insulting Matekane and causing unrest. He was released soon after, following protests and concerns from human rights groups.
International Relations
In May 2023, 31 miners from Lesotho who were working illegally in South Africa died in an explosion. Matekane has been working to reduce illegal mining across the border. He has put into action an agreement that his predecessor signed in November 2021. When attending the launch of a joint commission on this issue, he said it marked "a new beginning" in the relationship between South Africa and Lesotho.
In September 2023, Matekane spoke at the United Nations. He asked for more support for least developed countries and expressed his hope to export electricity and water to South Africa.
Political Challenges
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It was reported that Matekane had to pay for his own inauguration ceremony because of a lack of government funds.
Matekane's cabinet (his group of top government advisors) included only 15 people, which was much smaller than the previous cabinet of 36. Three women were appointed, making up 20% of the cabinet. While the previous cabinet had five women, they made up a smaller percentage (14%). Many people in Lesotho believe the government should do more to support women's rights and opportunities.
Matekane's government has faced challenges in passing an important law called the 11th Amendment to the Constitution Bill. This bill came from discussions about reforms in 2018–19. All political parties had agreed to support it. However, Matekane's government tried to split it into three parts in early 2023. The opposition parties did not agree with this, believing the government wanted to appoint its own supporters to civil service jobs first.
On October 30, 2023, Matekane faced a vote of no confidence, which means other politicians tried to remove him from power. His government questioned the law that allowed this vote. Lesotho's military became involved, leading to claims from the opposition that there was a plan for a coup. In the end, the Basotho Action Party joined Matekane's coalition, and he remained in office.
Tšolo Thakeli, an activist, was arrested by Matekane's government after criticizing the plan to create jobs for young people. This arrest led to protests in Maseru, Lesotho's capital, and concerns from human rights groups. Thakeli was released shortly after.
See also
In Spanish: Sam Matekane para niños
