Sam Matekane facts for kids
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) |
Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, born on 15 March 1958, is a businessman and politician from Lesotho. He is currently the Prime Minister of his country. Before he became a politician, many people thought he was the richest person in Lesotho.
Mr. Matekane earned his money mainly from diamond mining. He also worked on many construction projects for the government. In 1986, he started his own company called Matekane Group of Companies (MGC).
In March 2022, Matekane started a new political party called the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP). He used his own money to pay for his election campaign, which included a lot of social media advertising. His party won the 2022 Lesotho General Election.
Through his company, MGC, Matekane has helped fund many important projects in Lesotho. For example, he paid for a football stadium, a school, and a convention center. He also helped create a farm in his home village of Mantšonyane where owners and farmers share costs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he bought and donated testing equipment, vaccines, and other medical supplies. He also gave M8 million (Lesotho loti) for police uniforms and M2 million for equipment for the Lesotho Defense Force.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sam Matekane was born on 15 March 1958, in Mantšonyane, which was then called British Basutoland (now Lesotho). He is the seventh of fourteen children in his family.
He went to primary school and finished Form C, which is like Year 10 in some school systems. For a short time, he worked as a boy looking after animals. Later, he moved to Maseru to continue his studies with distant relatives. After finishing Form C, he went to South Africa to learn how to be a mechanic.
After his training, he worked in diamond mines in South Africa. In his early 20s, he returned to Maseru. There, he sold wool, mohair, and other goods before starting his own company.
Building a Business
Matekane is the founder and CEO of the Matekane Group of Companies (MGC). He started MGC in 1986. At first, the company focused on selling construction equipment. They would buy old and damaged vehicles from the government, fix them, and then sell them back to the government.
Over time, MGC grew a lot. It now works in many different areas, including mining, aviation (air travel), property development (building and selling homes and offices), and farming. The company has also opened a hotel.
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 famously said he would "Make Lesotho Great Again."
During his election campaign, Matekane said that other politicians were not working for the good of Lesotho. Because he was seen as an "outsider" (someone new to politics), his party gained a lot of support and won the election.
The RFP party won many seats in the National Assembly, but not quite enough to rule alone. So, Matekane formed a partnership, called a coalition government, with two smaller parties: the Alliance of Democrats and the Movement for Economic Change. He became Prime Minister on 28 October 2022.
Plans for Lesotho
After winning the election, Matekane announced a 20-point plan. This plan aimed to fight corruption and reduce the government's large debt within his first 100 days in office. He also planned to improve the economy by carefully managing spending and creating jobs with help from international investors.
Economic Goals
In June 2023, Matekane launched a new program called the Entrepreneurship Hub and Seed Financing Facility. This program aims to help build 15 organizations that support new businesses. It also plans to help 500 new businesses get started. The program has a budget of $52.5 million USD, with most of it coming as a loan and a smaller part as a grant from the World Bank.
Working with Other Countries
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 is putting into action an agreement that his predecessor (the prime minister before him) signed in November 2021. He said that this agreement marks 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 countries that are still developing. He also shared his hope that Lesotho could export electricity and water to South Africa.
Political Challenges
It was reported that Matekane had to pay for his own inauguration ceremony because the government did not have enough money.
Matekane chose a smaller cabinet (group of government ministers) than the previous government. His cabinet had 15 people, while the previous one had 36. Three women were appointed to his cabinet, making up 20% of the group. This was a higher percentage than the previous cabinet, even though it had five women. Many people in Lesotho believe the government should do more to help women.
Matekane's government has faced challenges in passing an important law called the 11th Amendment to the Constitution Bill. This bill came from talks about reforms in 2018–19. All political parties had agreed to support it. However, Matekane's government wanted to divide it into three parts, which the opposition parties did not agree with.
On 30 October 2023, Matekane faced a "vote of no confidence." This is when politicians vote to decide if they still support their leader. Lesotho's military got involved, which led to some opposition groups saying there was a plan for a coup (a sudden, illegal takeover of power). In the end, the Basotho Action Party joined Matekane's coalition, and he remained in power.
Images for kids
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Matekane at King Moshoeshoe Day in 2023.
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See also
In Spanish: Sam Matekane para niños
