The celebrations marking Lesotho’s 60th Independence Diamond Jubilee had not only united the nation but also instilled a sense of patriotism among Basotho.

This is according to some members of the public and one, Mrs. Ntaoleng Mohapi commended Basotho for wearing traditional regalia, saying it helped promote the country’s culture, while the songs performed during the celebrations reflected the spirit of Lesotho’s independence.

She also said the celebrations demonstrated that preparations had been made well in advance, as everything went smoothly.

“The government and all stakeholders seem to have prepared on time, based on the fact that there were buses ferrying Basotho from all corners of the country free of charge to the main event at Setsoto Stadium,” she said.

One of the vendors Mr. Lesole Rammole said vendors were an integral part of the festivities, which brought Basotho together through music, culture and food. He added that the celebrations had a significant positive impact on businesses, noting that sales had boomed over the weekend.

However, he noted that business was relatively slow on Monday, as the day had been declared a public holiday. On the other hand, the Lesotho Mounted Police Service spokesperson said he was yet to receive feedback on the security situation during the independence celebrations, including any reports of crime if there was any.

Meanwhile King Letsie III , pursuant to section 3 of the Public Holidays Act, 1995 and acting in accordance with the Minister responsible for Home Affairs,  appointed October 05 (today) to be observed as a public holiday.