Lesotho 2014

Yearbook 2014

Lesotho. According to Countryaah.com, Lesotho population in 2020 is estimated at 2,142,260. Severe contradictions between Prime Minister Tom Thabane and other parties in the government coalition characterized the year. A serious crisis erupted in June when the Lesotho Democratic Congress (LCD) coalition party threatened to trigger a vote of confidence. Thabane suspended Parliament. At the end of August he fled to South Africa and pleaded for help to strike down an alleged coup attempt. Military was reported to have shot at police stations but denied it was a coup. The unrest is believed to have been linked to Thabane trying to replace the army chief, who refused to resign.

Lesotho Population 2014

According to topb2bwebsites, thabane returned in early September under South African protection. The SADC Regional Cooperation Organization has appointed South Africa’s Vice President Cyril Ramaphosa to mediate. The parties agreed in early October to continue government cooperation and hold new elections in February 2015, two years earlier than planned. The rival chiefs of the army and the police would also be on leave until the new election.

History. – In Lesotho, in application of the 1959 constitution, elections for the Legislative Council took place in 1960, through a complex indirect system: the Basutoland Congress Party (BCP), founded in 1952 by Ntsu Mokhelhe with a progressive and Pan-African orientation, obtained 30 of the 40 seats; 5 had the Marema Tlou Party (MTP), established in 1957 as an expression of the traditional authorities; 1 the Basutoland National Party (BNP), moderate conservative, while 4 seats went to independents. In the Executive Council, an embryonic government, however, a conservative majority was secured, supported by the Paramount Chief, the highest traditional authority of the Basutos, who did not intend to assume the role of constitutional sovereign. According to Abbreviation Finder, LS stands for Lesotho in English. Click to see other meanings of this 2-letter acronym.

The various parties expressed conflicting views on the constitutional future of Lesotho (in 1961 the B. Freedom Party, BFP was formed, merged in December 1962 with the MTP in the Marema Tlou-Freedom Party, MTFP); in 1964 a new constitution was agreed with the British government which would come into force after the new political elections, scheduled for 1965, in turn followed, after another year, by access to independence. In the elections of April 1965, held in a climate of tension, the BNP (31 of the 60 seats) prevailed, led by the traditional leader Leabua Jonathan (who had received financial and organizational support from South Africa); the BCP won 25 seats and the MTFP 4. Lesotho Jonathan formed the government while the Paramount Chief became king as Moshoeshoe II;opposition leaders forced him to withdraw. Since then, the prime minister has been strengthening the government’s position towards the king, whose powers were further reduced following legislative innovations. Due to the persistent conflict with the government, the king – failing to function as promoter and symbol of national unity – found himself several times on the side of the opposition. This prevailed in the January 1970 elections (the BCP won 35 seats out of 60) but Prime Minister Jonathan reacted with a coup d’état (suspension of the constitution, arrest of the opponents, abdication of the king) maintaining control of the country with the resolute employment of the force. Consolidated his position Jonathan gradually restored freedom to his opponents and at the end of 1972 he replaced some ministers.

In March 1973 he created a Provisional Constituent Assembly of 86 members; but its composition aroused the resentment of the opposition, which in January 1974 provoked unrest and violence, crushed by a return of the government in a strong manner (many opponents were given harsh sentences). Between 1975 and 1976 Jonathan initiated a reconciliation with the surviving members of the opposition. The Jonathan government has expanded Lesotho’s participation in OAU activities and bilateral relations with many African states (a consultative commission was created in 1973 in order to establish closer relations with Botswana and Swaziland); on the other hand, despite moments of crisis (such as in September 1973, when the emigration of workers of the Lesotho and in the first half of 1975) maintained ties with South Africa, essential support for the regime; in recent years, relations with socialist countries have also been strengthened, such as Yugoslavia, the People’s Republic of China, Mozambique.

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