Hope for peace in Lesotho
Dr Tom Thabane, soon to be Lesotho's prime minister again, has allayed fears of political crackdowns following the country's elections after a perilous few years.
Southern African Development Community (SADC) facilitator, Cyril Ramaphosa says the bloc's facilitation mission will visit Lesotho immediately after the inauguration of the post-election government to kick-start the implementation of the country's reforms.
The polls were held in the wake of the 1 March 2017 no-confidence vote that was passed by the opposition on the seven parties' coalition government headed by outgoing Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.
The Thomas Thabane-headed All Basotho Convention (ABC) emerged the biggest winner, with 47 constituency seats and one proportional representation (PR) seat, bringing their total to 48. The ABC also won three constituencies in which some of the candidates died before the elections.
The constituency elections for the legislature candidates will be held after 90 days from the polls.
Outgoing Prime Minister Mosisili's Democratic Congress obtained 26 constituency seats and four PR seats and outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Metsing's Lesotho Congress for Democracy obtained one constituency seat and 10 PR seats.
Ramaphosa extended his profound congratulations to the people of Lesotho and commended them for conducting peaceful elections.
“We urge all stakeholders to accept the outcome of the peaceful elections as announced by the Independent Electoral Commission and an expression of the democratic will of the people of the kingdom,” he said, adding, the peaceful and credible elections in Lesotho underlined the commitment of the region and the continent to ensuring good governance prevails.
He added that the SADC facilitation mission would pay an official visit to Lesotho soon after the formation of the new government to convene a multi-stakeholder dialogue forum to build consensus for the implementation of SADC decisions.
“These (SADC decisions) will include the implementation of the constitutional and security sector reforms as well as recommendations of the Phumaphi commission of inquiry,” Ramaphosa said.
The Justice Mpaphi Phumaphi-led SADC Commission of Inquiry was set up after outgoing Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili asked them to probe the fatal shooting of former Lesotho defence force commander Maaparankoe Mahao on 25 June 2015, and it carried out its investigations between 31 August and 23 October 2015.
The commission recommended among other things, the dismissal of former army commander Tlali Kamoli, the suspension of LDF officers implicated in cases of murder, attempted murder and treason while investigations into the allegations proceeded in line with international best practice.
After the report was issued, some of Lesotho's international funders including the United States government withheld funding and called on government to speedily implement the SADC recommendations.
Meanwhile, the preliminary statement of the SADC electoral observation missions to Lesotho warned that although Lesotho held peaceful, free and fair polls; general elections were not the solution to Lesotho's political and security problems.
“I am certain you agree with me that given the country's history of elections, the outcome of these elections is just as important as the reform process that is urgently required in the immediate aftermath of the polls to bring stability and inclusiveness that will lead to renewed commitment to political for sustainable development and prosperity of Basotho,” head of the SADC observer mission, Augustine Philip Mahiga said.
All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader Thomas Thabane is once again set to become Lesotho prime minister, 28 months after handing over power to his Democratic Congress (DC) rival and outgoing premier Pakalitha Mosisili.
A coalition of four parties namely the ABC, the Monyane Moleleki-led Alliance of Democrats (AD), Basotho National Party (BNP) and the Reformed Congress of Lesotho (RCL) announced they had cobbled together their combined 63 seats to form the country's third coalition government after last Saturday's parliamentary elections.
The ABC combined its 48 seats with the AD's nine, BNP's five and the RCL's one, enabling them to pass the 61-seat threshold required to form government in the 120-seat National Assembly.
ABC spokesperson, Tefo Mapesela, said the four parties would notify King Letsie III of their agreement today, to set in motion the process of forming government.
Thabane's return to the premiership is a spectacular comeback for the ABC leader who only returned in February 2017 from exile in South Africa.
He fled the country on 11 May 2015, after alleging a Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) plot to assassinate him for falling out with its command in his first tenure as premier from 2012 to 2014. He was joined in exile by BNP leader, Thesele 'Maseribane and RCL leader Keketso Rantšo on 13 and 26 May 2015 respectively.
The duo also fled the country citing plots to assassinate them by members of the LDF, an accusation the latter has vehemently denied.
Thabane said the incoming government was fully committed to serving the nation and would not harbour any thoughts of vengeance for the hurt they experienced during their time as the opposition.
“We are fully cognisant of our mandate to work tirelessly for peace and stability as well as economic recovery and prosperity.”
He also declared their willingness to work with other political parties as long as they share “the goal of a peaceful and well governed Lesotho” as a first step towards the reunification of Basotho.
He concluded by saying the new government would move quickly on the implementation of security sector reforms, “so that we can protect the security forces from selfish politicians that preserve themselves in power using national institutions such as the LDF and the Lesotho Mounted Police Service”.
In the meanwhile, South Africa's international relations and cooperation minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has warned that the country will not tolerate a military coup in Lesotho.
She was asked whether there was concern in South Africa about the military in Lesotho not accepting the result of the election last week, after former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili lost.
“Not in any corner of our [Southern African Development Community], not in any corner of our continent will we ever tolerate a military coup,” she said.
“This was made very, very clear to everyone in Lesotho two weeks ago. They have just had an election a year and a half ago, and they have also undertaken to go back to the reforms [on the role of the police and the military, which have been supporting leaders from opposing parties] which they themselves say has bedevilled focus on governance,” she said.
LESOTHO TIMES
The polls were held in the wake of the 1 March 2017 no-confidence vote that was passed by the opposition on the seven parties' coalition government headed by outgoing Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.
The Thomas Thabane-headed All Basotho Convention (ABC) emerged the biggest winner, with 47 constituency seats and one proportional representation (PR) seat, bringing their total to 48. The ABC also won three constituencies in which some of the candidates died before the elections.
The constituency elections for the legislature candidates will be held after 90 days from the polls.
Outgoing Prime Minister Mosisili's Democratic Congress obtained 26 constituency seats and four PR seats and outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Metsing's Lesotho Congress for Democracy obtained one constituency seat and 10 PR seats.
Ramaphosa extended his profound congratulations to the people of Lesotho and commended them for conducting peaceful elections.
“We urge all stakeholders to accept the outcome of the peaceful elections as announced by the Independent Electoral Commission and an expression of the democratic will of the people of the kingdom,” he said, adding, the peaceful and credible elections in Lesotho underlined the commitment of the region and the continent to ensuring good governance prevails.
He added that the SADC facilitation mission would pay an official visit to Lesotho soon after the formation of the new government to convene a multi-stakeholder dialogue forum to build consensus for the implementation of SADC decisions.
“These (SADC decisions) will include the implementation of the constitutional and security sector reforms as well as recommendations of the Phumaphi commission of inquiry,” Ramaphosa said.
The Justice Mpaphi Phumaphi-led SADC Commission of Inquiry was set up after outgoing Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili asked them to probe the fatal shooting of former Lesotho defence force commander Maaparankoe Mahao on 25 June 2015, and it carried out its investigations between 31 August and 23 October 2015.
The commission recommended among other things, the dismissal of former army commander Tlali Kamoli, the suspension of LDF officers implicated in cases of murder, attempted murder and treason while investigations into the allegations proceeded in line with international best practice.
After the report was issued, some of Lesotho's international funders including the United States government withheld funding and called on government to speedily implement the SADC recommendations.
Meanwhile, the preliminary statement of the SADC electoral observation missions to Lesotho warned that although Lesotho held peaceful, free and fair polls; general elections were not the solution to Lesotho's political and security problems.
“I am certain you agree with me that given the country's history of elections, the outcome of these elections is just as important as the reform process that is urgently required in the immediate aftermath of the polls to bring stability and inclusiveness that will lead to renewed commitment to political for sustainable development and prosperity of Basotho,” head of the SADC observer mission, Augustine Philip Mahiga said.
All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader Thomas Thabane is once again set to become Lesotho prime minister, 28 months after handing over power to his Democratic Congress (DC) rival and outgoing premier Pakalitha Mosisili.
A coalition of four parties namely the ABC, the Monyane Moleleki-led Alliance of Democrats (AD), Basotho National Party (BNP) and the Reformed Congress of Lesotho (RCL) announced they had cobbled together their combined 63 seats to form the country's third coalition government after last Saturday's parliamentary elections.
The ABC combined its 48 seats with the AD's nine, BNP's five and the RCL's one, enabling them to pass the 61-seat threshold required to form government in the 120-seat National Assembly.
ABC spokesperson, Tefo Mapesela, said the four parties would notify King Letsie III of their agreement today, to set in motion the process of forming government.
Thabane's return to the premiership is a spectacular comeback for the ABC leader who only returned in February 2017 from exile in South Africa.
He fled the country on 11 May 2015, after alleging a Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) plot to assassinate him for falling out with its command in his first tenure as premier from 2012 to 2014. He was joined in exile by BNP leader, Thesele 'Maseribane and RCL leader Keketso Rantšo on 13 and 26 May 2015 respectively.
The duo also fled the country citing plots to assassinate them by members of the LDF, an accusation the latter has vehemently denied.
Thabane said the incoming government was fully committed to serving the nation and would not harbour any thoughts of vengeance for the hurt they experienced during their time as the opposition.
“We are fully cognisant of our mandate to work tirelessly for peace and stability as well as economic recovery and prosperity.”
He also declared their willingness to work with other political parties as long as they share “the goal of a peaceful and well governed Lesotho” as a first step towards the reunification of Basotho.
He concluded by saying the new government would move quickly on the implementation of security sector reforms, “so that we can protect the security forces from selfish politicians that preserve themselves in power using national institutions such as the LDF and the Lesotho Mounted Police Service”.
In the meanwhile, South Africa's international relations and cooperation minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has warned that the country will not tolerate a military coup in Lesotho.
She was asked whether there was concern in South Africa about the military in Lesotho not accepting the result of the election last week, after former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili lost.
“Not in any corner of our [Southern African Development Community], not in any corner of our continent will we ever tolerate a military coup,” she said.
“This was made very, very clear to everyone in Lesotho two weeks ago. They have just had an election a year and a half ago, and they have also undertaken to go back to the reforms [on the role of the police and the military, which have been supporting leaders from opposing parties] which they themselves say has bedevilled focus on governance,” she said.
LESOTHO TIMES
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