Commander of the Lesotho Defence Force
{{short description|none}}
{{Infobox official post
|post = Commander
|body = the Lesotho Defence Force
|native_name =
|flag =
|flagsize =
|flagcaption =
|insignia =
|insigniasize =
|insigniacaption =
|image =
|incumbent = Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela
|incumbentsince = 23 January 2018
|department =
|member_of =
|reports_to = Minister of Defence
|seat =
|appointer = Government of Lesotho
|appointer_qualified =
|termlength =
|termlength_qualified =
|constituting_instrument =
|precursor =
|formation = 1978
|first =
|succession =
|salary =
|deputy =
|website = {{official website|http://www.ldf.gov.ls/ldf%20cmd.html}}
}}
The Commander of the Lesotho Defence Force is the professional head of the Defence Force. He is responsible for the administration and the operational control of the Lesotho military.
List of chiefs
{{Expand list|date=May 2019}}
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = n
| showimage = y
| officeholder_title = Commander
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = y
| showref = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image =
| military_rank = Lieutenant general
| officeholder = Makhula Mosakeng
| officeholder_sort = Mosakeng, Makhula
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = ?
| term_end = 12 September 1998
| timeinoffice = ?
| defence_branch = {{army|Lesotho}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image =
| military_rank = Lieutenant general
| officeholder = Makhula Mosakeng
| officeholder_sort = Mosakeng, Makhula
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 2000
| term_end = October 2004
| timeinoffice = {{age in years|2000|2004}} years
| defence_branch = {{army|Lesotho}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image =
| military_rank = Lieutenant general
| officeholder = Thuso Motanyane
| officeholder_sort = Motanyane, Thuso
| born_year = 1954
| died_year =
| term_start = October 2004
| term_end = 24 August 2011
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2004|10|1|2011|08|24}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Lesotho}}
| ref = {{cite book |last1=Rosenberg |first1=Scott |last2=Weisfelder |first2=Richard F. |title=Historical Dictionary of Lesotho |date=2013 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=9780810879829 |pages=386-387 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B2TWVN92hYYC&pg |access-date=5 May 2021}}{{cite news |author1=defenceWeb |title=Lesotho defence force gets new chief |url=https://www.defenceweb.co.za/land/land-land/lesotho-defence-force-gets-new-chief/ |access-date=5 May 2021 |date=1 September 2011}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image = Phatoli Lekanyane (4618442827) (cropped).jpg
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Phatoli Lekanyane
| officeholder_sort = Lekanyane, Phatoli
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 24 August 2011
| term_end = 15 March 2012
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2011|08|24|2012|03|15}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Lesotho}}
| ref = {{cite news |author1=Lesotho Times |title=Shake-Up In Lesotho Defence Force |url=https://lestimes.com/shake-up-in-lesotho-defence-force/ |access-date=5 May 2021 |work=lestimes.com |date=21 March 2012}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image =
| military_rank = Lieutenant general
| officeholder = Tlali Kamoli
| officeholder_sort = Kamoli, Tlali
| born_year = 1966
| died_year =
| term_start = 15 March 2012
| term_end = 29 August 2014
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2012|03|15|2014|09|29}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Lesotho}}
| ref = Peta, Basildon (13 October 2017). [https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/ex-ldf-chief-kamoli-faces-police-interrogation-11566853 Ex-LDF chief Kamoli faces police interrogation]. Pretoria News. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image =
| military_rank = Lieutenant general
| officeholder = Maaparankoe Mahao
| officeholder_sort = Mahao, Maaparankoe
| born_year = 1968
| died_year = 2015
| term_start = 29 August 2014
| term_end = February 2015
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2014|08|29|2015|02|1}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Lesotho}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image =
| military_rank = Lieutenant general
| officeholder = Tlali Kamoli
| officeholder_sort = Kamoli, Tlali
| born_year = 1966
| died_year =
| term_start = February 2015
| term_end = 1 December 2016
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2015|02|1|2016|12|01}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Lesotho}}
| ref = [http://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=804800064&Country=Lesotho&topic=Politics&subtopic=Forecast&subsubtopic=Political+stability Army chief steps down after negotiations with the government]. Economist Intelligence Unit. Published 10 November 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2019.{{cite news |author1=Lesotho Times |title=New Army Chief Speaks |url=http://lestimes.com/new-army-chief-speaks/ |accessdate=20 May 2019 |agency=Lesotho Times |date=9 February 2018}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image = Lesotho Defence Force Deputy Commander Maj. Gen. Motsomotso Medical Readiness Excercise 14-1 (cropped).jpg
| military_rank = Lieutenant general
| officeholder = Khoantle Motšomotšo
| officeholder_sort = Motšomotšo, Khoantle
| born_year = ?
| died_year = 2017
| died = y
| term_start = 1 December 2016
| term_end = 5 September 2017
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2016|12|01|2017|09|05}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Lesotho}}
| ref = {{cite news |last1=Ngatane |first1=Nthakoana |title=Lesotho army commander retires |url=https://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/02d0d9804f2be02f8bf1afb03a0594d1/Lesothoundefinedarmyundefinedcommanderundefinedretires-20160112 |access-date=29 November 2021 |work=sabc.co.za |date=1 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402172035/https://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/02d0d9804f2be02f8bf1afb03a0594d1/Lesothoundefinedarmyundefinedcommanderundefinedretires-20160112 |archive-date=2 April 2017}}[http://lestimes.com/govt-appoints-new-army-commander/ Govt appoints new army commander]. Lesotho Times. Published 27 January 2018.
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image =
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Lineo Poopa
| officeholder_sort = Poopa, Lineo
| born_year =
| died_year =
| acting = y
| term_start = 5 September 2017
| term_end = 23 January 2018
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2017|08|05|2018|01|23}}
| defence_branch = {{army|Lesotho}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| image =
| military_rank = Lieutenant general
| officeholder = Mojalefa Letsoela
| officeholder_sort = Letsoela, Mojalefa
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 23 January 2018
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2018|01|23}}
| defence_branch = {{air force|Lesotho}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Lesotho topics}}
{{Chief of military by country}}