Background
He was born in 1913 of peasant stock at Qacha’s Nek close to the eastern border with South Africa
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Bernard Makale Khaketla
Edit ProfileEducation
After education at local mission schools, he became a primary school teacher and continued his studies in his spare time. Awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics and Sesotho at the University of South Africa, he stayed in South Africa as a teacher until 1946 when he was appointed to the high school at Maseru.
Career
Following another spell as a teacher in South Africa he returned to Maseru and in 1955 became editor of “Mohlabane” (The Warrior) the Congress Party newspaper launched by Ntsu Mokhehle.
As deputy leader of the Congress Party he shared Mokhehle’s triumph at the District Council elections in January 1960 when the party won 73 of the 162 seats. At the indirect elections to the Executive Council he was chosen instead of Mokhehle and was given the portfolio of Health and Education. After quarrels with Mokhehle he resigned from the party on December 29, 1960, ostensibly because of interference with his “religious freedom” as an Anglican but in fact the main differences were over the pace of constitutional advance.
Politics
In April 1961 he launched the Basutoland Freedom Party and a year later merged with the Marematlou Party to form the Marematlou Freedom Party. When he returned from the World Peace Congress in Moscow in 1962 he was noticeably more linked to the Communists but he insisted on being regarded as an independent radical despite financial help from the Soviet Union.
At the time of the party upheavals in 1969 he became secretary-general of the party. On January 30, 1970, he was rounded up and held in detention for a time during the state of emergency proclaimed by Chief Jonathan when he saw the election results going against him.
Personality
Persistent and persuasive campaigner for constitutional reform in Lesotho. After rising to become deputy leader of the Congress Party he left to form the Basutoland Freedom Party and then Merged with the Marematlou Party. Despite his links with the Communist , Khaketla has been criticised for being at one time too close to the British and then too much of a king’s ftan alongside King Moshoeshoe II. Still scholarly from his days as a teacher and Precise in manner as an expert in the Lesotho language, he is respected for his convictions and his strong Anglican beliefs.
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Born
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Nationality
Basotho -
Religion
Anglican -
Political Party
Marematlou Freedom Party