Page 32 - FOL2023

Khotla Outreach

the Constitution of 1993 provided an opportunity for the country to strive for academic excellence.

open a new chapter characterized by political stability and econom-

ic progress, but that proved elusive. After they were welcomed by the
Chief Justice, the students pro-

The idea behind the celebrations was and still remains to mark the ceeded to debate the motion

day on which the Constitution came into force; to promote its princi- that: Lesotho should allow dual

pal provisions; to generate a healthy debate around those provisions; citizenship so as to enable Ba-
to review the progress made in Lesotho’s constitutional development sotho working in the Republic of

over the last twenty years and generally, to promote respect for the South Africa to access ARVs and

rule of law and constitutionalism. These are evidently lofty ideals that other socio economic benefits

could not be achieved in one day. The goal is thus to promote the available in that country.
2nd of April every year as Constitution Day in the hope that over

time, the above stated ideals will be realized; and the Day will attain 5. Student disciplinary

national recognition. courts/litigation club

In the first celebrations the program activities were as follows The Litigation Club was estab-

lished in 2018 with a view to pro-
The walk to the High Court vide the students of law with a

As part of the activities of raising public awareness about the Con- laboratory for the law gymnastics
stitution, the students, accompanied by Mr. L. Kometsi, walked from at an early stage of their LLB pro-

Ha ‘Nelese to the High Court ( a distance of about 10 kilometres) gram. Traditionally, the students

distributing pamphlets containing a summary of the Constitution (in are first exposed to moot courts

both Sesotho and English) to persons along the main South 1 road. and mock trials only at fourth and
They all reached the High Court safely without any incident; and the fifth years after they have studied

police escorted them for the rest of the way from IEMS. procedural law courses. The liti-

gation club however allows them
The Debate to start while in first year to learn

When the students reached the High Court, they were welcomed by doing. In the club students are

by Mr. Justice T.E. Monapathi C.J. a.i. In his brief address, the Chief introduced to trial advocacy skills

Justice raised concern that unlike in earlier days when students and and given live cases of minor

lecturers from NUL led public debates on topical issues through re- transgressions to adjudicate. It is
search and other means, there was paucity of such scholarly lead- from the club that we have been

ership of late. The Chief Justice encouraged the students to always able to harness talent in mooting

34 FOL Quarterly Issue 2022