AFRICA/LESOTHO – Free and transparent elections: very good result for a Country that has been in the grip of a potential civil war

Monday, 9 March 2015

Maseru (Agenzia Fides) - The elections held in Lesotho were considered "free, fair, transparent, peaceful and credible" by local and international election observers, says a report sent to Agenzia Fides signed by Seán O'Leary, of the Missionaries of Africa, former Director of the Denis Hurley Peace Institute.
"In a country that has been in the grip of a potential civil war for the past six months, the way the election was held, is perhaps the greatest outcome" writes a missionary. A million and 200,000 voters were called to the polls on February 28 to elect 120 deputies of the National Assembly, the lower house. The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), together with the Church in the region, through IMBISA (Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa), had sent their election observers (see Fides 26/02/2015). "The election was intended to ease tensions after an attempted coup last August 2014 (see Fides 08/09/2014)" says Fr. O'Leary.
Last year's power struggle polarised Lesotho's security forces, with the police believed to have sided with the Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and the army seen as backing his deputy, Mothejoa Metsing.
No Party had secured enough votes to form a government in Lesotho. According to Fr. O'Leary "it now seems that Lesotho Opposition Parties will form of a coalition government, with Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili set to return to power. The creation of a broad-based government comprising seven Parties is expected to stabilise the Southern African mountain kingdom. The former Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing will retain his position in the new coalition government". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 09/03/2015)


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