AFRICA/LESOTHO - Info:

Rome (Fides Service) - Lesotho is a constitutional parliamentary monarchy styled after the British system. It has an area of 30,355 sq. km and a population of 2,100,000: 32.50% Catholic; 35% Anglican and Lutheran; 29.77% followers of African religions; 0.3%.Muslim.
The people are mainly Basotho (or Sotho) 85% Bantu and 15% Zulu.
History. Lesotho was known as British Crown Protectorate of Basutoland between 1868 and 1966. In fact in those years seeing the expansionism of Boer settlers King Moshoeshoe asked for British protection. With independence from Britain on 4 October 1966 Lesotho became a constitutional monarchy and Jonathan Lebua was appointed prime minister. In 1970 when Lebua was defeated in elections he suspended the Constitution, banned all opposition parties and sent the King into exile. He was in power until 1986 when he was deposed by a coup led by General Lekhony who in turn was ousted by another coup led by army officers.
The coup leader Gen. Ramaema agreed after negotiations to let the King return but with restricted powers. In 1993 Gen. Ramaema called elections which were won by the Congress Party whose leader Mokhehle became Prime Minister.
In 1994, the king’s son Prince Letsie dissolved parliament claiming executive and legislative power for himself. A few months later he abdicated in favour of his father but the latter died soon afterwards leaving the throne to his son, with Mokhehle as Premier. In 1998 elections confirmed the Prime Minister amidst widespread protests which resulted in a situation of high tension to the point that the South African government had to send troops to restore order.
The last elections in 2002 confirmed in power Basotho Congress for Democracy party whose leader is prime minister Kamalitha Mosisili.
The Church in Lesotho. The first missionaries arrived in Lesotho in 1862, led by Bishop Jean F. Allard, OMI, Vicar Apostolic of Natal (Durban). In 1886 the Apostolic Vicariate of Orange Free State was created with territory taken from the Apostolic Vicariate of Natal. In 1894 the Apostolic of Prefecture of Basutoland was created. Marist Brothers arrived in 1908.
Today the Church has one archdiocese and 3 dioceses. There are 965,608 Catholics looked after by 186 priests (38 diocesan and 148 religious), assisted by 52 Brothers and 611 Sisters. There are 38 major seminarians. Pope John Paul II made a pastoral visit to Lesotho in 1988. (Agenzia Fides 11/6/2005 righe 38 parole 487)