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Lesotho: Prime Minister Attacked

Cape Town — Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili was the victim of an assassination attempt on Wednesday, according to the chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), South African President Kgalema Motlanthe.

In a statement issued by the South African government, Motlanthe said Mosisili was attacked at his home in Maseru.

The Lesotho News Agency reported that four unidentified men had been killed and two captured following a shootout at State House in Maseru on Wednesday morning.

One of those caught had been admitted to a clinic in Ladybrand, a South African town across the border from Lesotho. Motlanthe's statement said the two attackers had been caught by South African security forces.

The agency also quoted the Lesotho communications minister, Mothetjoa Metsing, as saying that an army barracks had also been attacked. The incidents were politically driven, Metsing said.

Lesotho suffered instability in the 1990s as it recovered from a long period of one-party and military rule which began after its first post-independence government annulled elections in 1970.

It held peaceful elections early in 2007 during which Mosisili's party was returned to power.

Later than year, the homes of leading politicians were attacked but a curfew imposed in response was eased soon afterwards.

In his statement on Wednesday, Motlanthe said SADC condemned "any attempt at unconstitutional transfer of power. Such acts have no place in our region."


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Comments 1 to 4 of 4 Post a comment

  • mokoaqo2
    Apr 23 2009, 11:07

    it seems as if africa lacks sustained development. the issues of attacks based on politicaln interest in the mountain kingdom started from 1970 in the post of multiparty elections. this was because of denial for the ruling party(BNP) to hand over political power to the opposition, yet BCP won by larger margins. in all elections and post elections in lesotho there have been conflicts and attack on political elited and this create an evironment of distrust and motivate youths reluctancy into politics. lets not let africa, in this case lesotho turn into us vs rogue states(according to BUSH administrations). this prime minister's attack create an environment of uncertainty because of terrorism(i call this prime ministers attack)

  • jay
    Apr 23 2009, 13:26

    Lesotho should be a part of South Africa, let's stop the farce.

  • mokoaqo2
    Apr 24 2009, 06:17

    WHY SHOULD LESOTHO NOT BE PART OS SOUTH AFRICA

    the questions that comes in when such phrases are read are related to sovereignty and stability within the nation states. i (personally) do not find any reason for lesotho to be part of south africa(u can make an arguement about this.

    this is because lesotho is a sovereign country and that is why it is refered to as 'a nation state'.Lesotho gained independance in 1966 and from that time it has been sovereign and it embarked on democratisation until this day...albeit democracy is fragile in lesotho(there are reasons why democracy is fragile). this mountain kingdom has resources and those that it does not have it imports them like any country in the world. the problem that lesotho has is that development is not sustained and is too slow and somewhere, it is resistant to development. the reader should understand that lesotho has resources but it doesnot knoe how to utelise and extract such resources(underdevelopment and dependancy theory be gunder frank). this is because lesotho lacks capital, expertees and there seems to be political deception in the country.this are major problems that can be combated by the help of committed nation especially the young generation.

    in this case 'patriotism' is very important. lesotho is a beautiful country and we should love this country because it is our home country. political elites of the country especially the cabinet keeps reminding us that we should fall in love with lesotho....but on their side they seem not to be patriotic. most of their policies donot allow citizen poarticipation so that they are developmental and this makes them keep failing. this elites do not fulfill their promises to the nation, this same elites utelise nation funds foe personal benefits....so do they love lesotho?the answer is 'no'.

    lesotho just needs citizen commitment for development. mmost importantly, lets surrender political party colours for lesotho development

    just because RSA is assumed to be a regional hegemony it doesnot mean we have to be part of it. we can do it by ourselfs

  • mokoaqo2
    Apr 23 2009, 11:23

    it seems like as we hope for progress in the country evretime the country is faced eith brink of disasters. this is what reduce levels of youths participation into politics ans elections. this is because it has been researched and found out that youths socialisation in politics depend on the historical development of a nation-states. the fact about the lesotho's prime minister attack create an evironment of distrust into politics and therefore, this have a negative effect on youths interest in politics. i propose the lesotho government and organisation of states(sadc) to ensure tied security in lesotho. this regional actors must be attentive and fight this kind of acts like america's war on terrorism, otherwise the sadc countries will not be able to combat this kinds of threats as they arise. article by mokoaqo