Yearbook 2017
Lesotho. New elections in June led to the politically unstable Lesotho getting a new government led by former Prime Minister Tom Thabane. The election – the country’s third in five years – was announced after Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili lost a vote in confidence in March when several members of his party, the Democratic Congress (DC), resigned.
According to Countryaah.com, Thabanes Allbasothian Convention (ABC) formed a coalition government with three smaller parties. Among other things, he promised to restore law and order. Six opposition parties said that election fraud had occurred.
In September, army chief Khoantle Motsomotso was killed by two officers, who were in turn shot dead by the army chief’s bodyguards. The incident is believed to be linked to the fact that the officers wanted to stop Motsomotso from investigating alleged abuse and murder.
In October, former army chief Tlali Kamoli was arrested and charged with murder of a police officer during the failed coup attempt in 2014.
In November, the regional cooperation organization SADC decided to send more than 250 soldiers to protect the government of Thabane when dealing with suspected officers.
