(MENAFN- The Post) THERE are moments in a country's life that reveal not just the cracks in its institutions, but the cost of silence and neglect. What we are witnessing today in Lesotho's courts is one of those moments.

The recent revelation that numerous cases heard by two now-retired judges must be retried before new judges is not a technicality.

That the judges failed to deliver judgements until their retirement is a monumental national shame.

The litigants that waited for years in vain for their cases to be finalised now have to face more years without justice because our justice system failed them. And now they are told: start all over. From scratch.

It is a betrayal of every Mosotho who still believes that justice, though slow, will eventually come. For many, it never will.

Some of the people affected have been in court for years.

They've paid lawyers. They've sat through hearings. Some sold livestock to cover legal costs. Some have died while waiting for justice. How do you restart a case when the witness is dead? When the documents are lost? When memories have faded?

This is not just about judges. It's about a justice system that has failed to protect the people it was designed to serve. And let us be clear: no one should be above accountability – not even those in robes.

I say all this not just as a leader of a political party, but as someone who has personally felt this injustice.

Years ago, I stood before one of these very same judges. The court ruled in my favour and awarded me compensation. But to this day, that judgment is not written. Without it, I have no legal proof. No enforcement. No closure.

So yes, I understand the pain, the confusion, the anger. I understand what it means to win a case, only to be left with nothing but silence from the bench. And I say: this must end.

For too long, our courts have operated in ways that serve the powerful and frustrate the powerless. If you are rich, connected, or politically protected, you can delay cases for years. If you are poor, you are told to be patient. And now, even that patience has been punished.

We cannot continue like this.

Because what is justice if it is never delivered? What is a courtroom if it cannot bring closure?

This is not the time to score political points. It is a time for us to ask hard questions and demand higher standards – not just from judges but from the entire justice system.

Lesotho deserves courts that are competent, transparent and accountable to the people. Justice should not only be seen to be done – it must be done, written and delivered without fear or favour.

The All Basotho Convention will continue to be the voice of those forgotten in this mess. We will fight in Parliament. We will stand with victims. And we will push for a better system – one that honours the dignity of every citizen, not just those with power.

Let this not be another scandal we sweep under the rug. Let this be a turning point.

Because justice matters. And Basotho deserve better.

Nkaku Kabi is the leader of the All Basotho Convention (ABC) and MP

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