Bystanders watch as forensic pathologists examine the scene at the bar where 14 people were shot dead. Photo: Emmanuel Crossett/AFP
In late July, popular radio journalist Prane Masheri was killed in a hail of bullets in Lesotho's capital, Maseru, while mediating between rival groups of musicians known as the Phamo gang.
She died along with Lisooa (Kopolo Corue), a famous star who was likely the attacker's target.
The tragedy is the latest in a music turf war that has escalated into one of the biggest threats to personal safety in Lesotho. There have been so many killings by these gangs that the government gazetted them in May, declaring their existence illegal.
However, these groups claim to be civil societies with the same freedom of association as other groups. Famo is an accordion-based genre of Sesotho music popular in Lesotho and South Africa.
Through disparaging lyrics, some musicians have created and nurtured feuds over the years that have escalated into bloody shootouts.
When Lesotho rose to the unfortunate top spot in Africa for murder cases in 2022, well-known gangs were seen as a major factor, with the initial conflict apparently being over the music market.
“They compete for dominance in their own spheres and become jealous when one group's music becomes more popular than the other in their respective spheres.” Lesotho Times It was reported in April.
But violence escalated when rogue national security personnel reportedly joined the fray.
In a rare media interview in April, Twepiso “Mosotho” Radebe, leader of the Terene Air Kgosi Mokata gang, called on Prime Minister Sam Matekane's office to remove police, military and intelligence officials from the Phamo group.
He did not say how they were gang members or what influence they had.
Other reports suggest that security officials are the arms suppliers, often stealing guns from government armouries to sell to known gangs.
At least two of the thefts were reportedly intended to benefit the Famo gang: one in 2021 when 75 firearms were stolen from Mafeteng police station, 80km south of Maseru, and the other last year when members of the police Special Operations Unit stole two AK47 rifles.
Whatever the source of the weapons, well-known gangsters are well-armed to go from fighting over musical turf to working as hit men.
In one incident, suspected members of the Famo gang shot dead two men having lunch in broad daylight at The Deck restaurant in Maseru. The men were funeral parlour owner Iketeleng Matabane and accountant Tuana Molefe Keteleng, who was investigating an alleged 10 million maloti ($554,000) fraud at Matabane's company.
That happened in February 2023. A few months later, in June 2023, journalist Lariconero Yoki was killed when his car was hit by gunfire. He had previously received death threats for reporting on government corruption and other issues.
The presence of armed groups capable of killing anyone's real or perceived enemies has had a profound impact across Lesotho, leading many media workers to practice self-censorship for their own safety.
Although the government issued a law banning famo gangs and increased prison terms for murder earlier this year, little has changed — and murder knows no borders.
Shortly after the ban, three people were shot dead on a farm in South Africa allegedly belonging to “Mosotho,” a known gang leader who government security forces had alleged was inciting violence.
Shortly afterwards, a family of four, including a nine-year-old child, was shot dead at the home of a Community Police Forum member in Mokhotlong district in eastern Lesotho by a suspected known hitman.
A suspected known gangster was also killed by unidentified gunmen after getting off a taxi from Johannesburg at the Lesotho-South African border.
As the July 2024 murder of Maceli shows, even attempts to peacefully mediate and end the Famo killings have been met with further violence.
“My husband was murdered in cold blood simply because a group of celebrities accused him of bias during mediation,” said the widow, who asked not to be named, as her husband worked in law enforcement.
“These groups will never accept an outcome that goes against them. They are lawless killers with little regard for human life,” she said.
The justice system is dysfunctional: far from ensuring that suspects are swiftly detained and prosecuted, victims' friends and families are often outraged to see perpetrators back on the streets.
One reason for this is the country's slow judicial process, and another is the low bail for murder charges — as low as $28 — which often leads to further revenge attacks and perpetuates the cycle of violence.
Tšoloane Mohlomi is a freelance journalist and researcher in Lesotho. This analysis was produced in collaboration with Democracy in Africa.
This article first appeared in The Continent, a pan-African weekly newspaper published in partnership with the Mail & Guardian. It is designed to be read and shared on WhatsApp. Download it for free. here