Lesotho govt’s war on famo sparks censorship debate

Famo music, a genre that originated in the 1920s, is an integral part of Lesotho’s rich cultural heritage. Rooted in South Africa’s mines, where Basotho men toiled as migrant labourers, famo music emerged as a powerful expression of their experiences, hopes and struggles. Forced to leave their homeland in search of work due to limited employment opportunities, these men brought their musical traditions and stories to the mines, giving birth to a unique sound that would become synonymous with Lesotho’s identity.

But the accordion-based musical style is behind deadly gang warfare that has turned the landlocked mountainous state into a country with the third-highest murder rate in the world. Connected to illegal mining, the violent feuds have also spilled over into neighbouring South Africa.

The government’s decision to ban famo groups follows Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s declaration of war on famo gangs in May, labelling them as terrorists and linking them to widespread violent murders.

“There are disturbing issues of murders taking place these days,” Matekane said. “Our families, relatives and friends are killed by these famo gangs. As the government, we have released a gazette that indicates that these groups or these people, wherever they are, they should be known as terrorists. The law should be operative, and these criminals should be arrested and locked up. They should be given harsh sentences. The [gazette] is so that we make police work to be easy in arresting these criminals.”

According to local media, Matekane’s remarks were met with resistance from the infamous famo gangs, who have vowed to challenge the decree. The ban has sounded alarm bells among politicians as well as advocates of artistic freedom and human rights, who see it as an attempt to silence a marginalised community and stifle creative expression. Reports say that the government has demanded that the media stop providing coverage of famo music groups and gangs.

Basotho arts and politics writer Motsamai Mokotjo told Music In Africa that the ban was “clearly an outdated law to target freedom of expression and association,” adding that it goes against the Constitution. “No, art shouldn’t be censored. Our security agencies know the culprits and even the perpetrators of violent crime. The blanket ban is ridiculous,” he said.

Basotho cultural expert and musician Mpho Molikeng said the murder rate in Lesotho was worrying but argued that the government’s move to ban those associated with famo was a “political ploy.”

“The lyrical content of some of the musicians is not good at all,” he said. “This is criminality but I cannot go as far as saying it’s terrorism. It’s not a good idea to censor art. Remember, artists are a true reflection of our government, their environment, their society and everything around them. So when you censor them, you’re actually fuelling all speculation of bad governance, you’ve actually created a terrible environment for people to live in.”

Mokotjo said a famo blackout would impact artists’ careers and the music industry in Lesotho as a whole, with events and music sales already facing serious challenges.

“It reflects badly since politicians use famo gangs during political rallies, yet they have discarded them when it suits their interests. However, the current administration of rich people don’t have any association, at least to me, with famo gangs,” he said.

This hypocrisy, Mokotjo says, exposes a deeper issue where art and creative expression are manipulated for political leverage, only to be silenced or demonised when posing an inconvenience to those in power.

Molikeng attributes the situation to the influence of veteran politicians who have been side-lined but still wield enough power to influence Lesotho’s politics. “So this is another way of making this, the current day administration, look bad,” Molikeng said.