Maseru City Council has removed Mayor Relebohile Sechache from office after 10
councillors voted in favour of a motion of no confidence, bringing an end to his
tenure and triggering the election of new leadership at the capital city authority.
The motion was tabled during a special council sitting on Tuesday and received
enough support to remove Mr. Sechache, who had faced allegations of defying
council resolutions and failing to properly manage council affairs.
Shortly after his removal, councillors proceeded to elect a new Mayor to lead the
Maseru City Council. The leadership change follows weeks of tension within the
council, 10 of the 19 councillors had signed the motion of no confidence against
Mr. Sechache. The councillors accused the former Mayor of travelling to China
despite what they claimed was a council decision stopping the trip.
They also raised concerns over the alleged closure of council offices during his
absence, failure to consult councillors about official travels, and a press
conference held at Ha Thetsane without involving the local councillor and the
Works Committee.
Other grievances included his February trip to Eswatini and concerns around the
handling of staff welfare issues, including the absence of a Christmas party.
However, before the vote, Mr. Sechache defended his leadership, dismissing the
allegations as based on misinformation and misunderstandings of council
procedures. Addressing the China trip, he maintained that the visit was organised
by the national government and that officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
accompanied the delegation. He argued that the council had not followed the
correct procedure in claiming that the trip had been prohibited, saying he had
returned from China after signing an important agreement on behalf of the city.
On allegations that council offices were closed during his absence, Mr. Sechache
expressed disappointment that his Deputy Mayor had become one of his critics,
saying he believed council operations continued normally. He also rejected claims
surrounding the Eswatini trip, saying it was an official government mission and
that travel expenses were provided for in the council budget. Despite his defence,
councillors voted to remove him from office, marking a major political shift at the
Maseru City Council.

The newly elected Mayor is expected to take over the responsibility of leading the
council as it faces challenges around service delivery, administration and restoring
stability within the institution. The change in leadership comes shortly after the
appointment of new Town Clerk, Ms. Mots’elisi Pelesa, who said she found a
heavy workload upon assuming office but remained committed to transforming
Maseru into a better-managed city.