Picture: for illustration purposes
Recent allegations of a de facto military coup in Lesotho have emerged, as security forces in the country publicly declare their support for beleaguered Prime Minister Sam Matekane in a stunning attempt to secure his contested seat of power.
On Monday, a crowd of 64 Members of Parliament, comprising a powerful majority in Lesotho's 120-member chamber, staged a press conference to assert their intent to remove Matekane from office. Their ranks include malcontents from Matekane's own Revolution for Prosperity party, expressing discontentment towards the party's management under his leadership.
Prime Minister Matekane, a respected businessman known for his victorious landslide election triumph just a year ago, has faced significant challenges in his fight against corruption within Lesotho's notoriously corrupt political system. Despite his initial promises, he now stands accused of both corruption and nepotism.
The situation escalated further on Monday as opposition leader Mathibeli Mokhothu, backed by the estimated 64 MPs, prepared to file a no-confidence motion and assume the role of Prime Minister himself. They were stopped in their tracks temporarily by Speaker of Parliament Tlohang Sekhamane, who declared the motion deferred pending a Constitutional Court verdict.
A constitutional challenge mounted by Lejone Puseletso, an MP from the governing Revolution for Prosperity Party, has been the catalyst for this deferral. The challenge seeks to delay all no-confidence motions until after the conclusion of an ongoing national reform process.
A triumvirate of Lesotho's top security officials responded with a joint statement, declaring continued support for the lawfully elected government. Lesotho Mounted Police Service Commissioner Holomo Molibeli, Defence Force Commander Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela, and National Security Service Director General Pheello Ralenkoane asserted that the Basotho people were unequivocal in their demand for democratic rule via the ongoing reforms process.
The unexpected display of solidarity has set the stage for a standoff between the country's political and security forces, with the future of Lesotho's political landscape hanging in the balance.