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Eighteen rural settlements in the Mountain Kingdom have lodged a grievance with the African Development Bank over its funding of a multibillion-pound water project whose construction process they claim has damaged farmland, polluted water sources and weakened homes.

Demands for Openness and Payment

About 1,600 residents based in the villages in Mokhotlong district in north-east Lesotho are calling for clarity over planned evictions and compensation they say they have not been informed about.

The Lesotho Highlands Water Project is planned for finalization by 2029, a ten years later than initially planned. It will transport water from mountainous Lesotho to a area containing South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg, at an projected expense of 54bn rand (2.28 billion pounds).

Formal Complaint Submitted

Last week, the local residents, assisted by the local Seinoli advocacy group and the US NGO Accountability Counsel, submitted a complaint with the AfDB’s IRM. They asked the IRM to advise that the AfDB board suspend the project until their grievances are resolved.

The document stated that explosive excavation had caused cracks in residential structures, while landslides and water accumulation had obstructed entry to some fields. It claimed that dust and debris had tainted water sources.

“Our land is being taken [and] they haven’t compensated in a good way,” said a community representative, seeking anonymity due to concerns of reprisals from authorities.

Official Responses

Representatives for AfDB, which provided 1.3bn rand to the project in 2021, indicated they would reply to emailed questions, but had not done so by the time of publication.

The Lesotho Highland Development Authority, which manages the project, stated: “No household has been, or will be, relocated without advance and comprehensive dialogue … Our commitment is to openness, accessibility, and timely communication across all stages of interaction.”

The authority continued: “As of now, no homes have been declared as uninhabitable due to detonations. However, where residences have experienced damage such as cracks or other structural issues, construction firms are required to carry out fixes to the satisfaction of the affected household, or compensation is offered in accordance to regulation.”

The LHDA further noted that landslide issues had been resolved, allegations of farm entry being impeded had not been verified and “general water quality remains within permissible limits for its designated purposes”.

Allegations of Security Misconduct

The communities also alleged they had suffered arbitrary arrests, confinement and torture by state forces and law enforcement for demonstrating calmly.

Mpiti Mopeli, a spokesperson for the Lesotho Mounted Police Service, commented: “Officers operated within the legal framework … Demonstrations are regulated, therefore illegal protest cannot be non-violent. We are directed by principles of human rights as enshrined in the Lesotho Constitution Act of 1993.”

A representative for Lesotho’s defense force did not reply to a comment request.

Other Backers

The project’s funders also comprise the BRICS alliance’s New Development Bank and the Development Bank of South Africa, neither of which responded to inquiries for comment.