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Libya Returns

marty — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 03:00:46 +0000

Libya returns to Lesotho. Story here.
You may remember that recently Lesotho kicked out the Libyan ambassador for his relations with Tom Thabane of the ABC. Archive story here.
Perhaps this signals some progress or at least a sign that the LCD is starting to get a bit stretched.

Curfew Updates

marty — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 18:13:30 +0000

This sentence pretty much sums it all up:

The Lesotho government will relax the restrictions of the curfew it had imposed after a spate of attacks on cabinet ministers, Prime Minister Phakalitha Mosisili said on Tuesday.

Full story here.
the curfew will be modified from 18:00-06:00 to 20:00-05:00.
All of this comes on the heel’s of an announcement that Lesotho is having it’s worst drought in 30 years, here.

Finally, An Update? Mosisili What?

marty — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 19:26:40 +0000

Hey banna! Mosisili says you ain’t got nothing on the LCD. Full story here.

Mosisili told a press conference in the capital Maseru that the opposition parties’ bid would not succeed because courts had ruled that the alliance was valid.

He went on to say that he should know ’cause he told them what to do in the first place.

Anyway I suppose these comments are in response to a decision by SADC to send in SADC. Story here. Sometime after Easter 14 random SADCs will come to Lesotho and probably listen to everything that Mosisili has to say. Stay tuned.
Thabane says:

“We want to prove to SADC that there is collusion between the IEC and the ruling party over the allocation of these seats. We want this matter to be resolved for the sake of peace and stability of this country.”

Everyone said they would play ball with SADC when they showed up…

Lesotho Stay-Away Stil in Effect

marty — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 15:43:14 +0000

The stay away began yesterday with the burning of two cars in the outskirts of the capital. Tyres were also burnt in roads to stop traffic to the city centre. The police said investigations suggested the burned cars were scrap vehicles intended to give the impression that people driving to work ran the risk of having their cars burnt.

All seven people who drive to work in Lesotho were rumored to be quite angry about this. However this does sound like it is escalating.

With public transit at a standstill, the government-owned Lesotho Freight Bus Corporation together with government vehicles carried civil servants to work, each vehicles guarded by soldiers and policemen. A government statement read over state radio said that any state employee missing work could lose his or her job.

In response to this, Bo-M’e said “Hmmmpph” but in the way that only a 50 year old Mosotho civil servant can. Full story here.
One has to think that this is going to continue until something irrational happens between factions (some sort of “blockade” fender bender or the like) and then the whole situation is going to melt down. I wish Mosisili and the the LCD would properly acknowledge the situation. Oa tseba?

Maseru Is Closed

marty — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 18:12:43 +0000

A BBC correspondent in the capital, Maseru, say the city is deserted, with no public transport and almost all shops closed.

Full story here. The election numbers were dramatically in favor of the ABC in Maseru (Lowland Urban in general) so this is so very possible. I hope that this goes well and peacefully. I wondered why i suddenly got an email from a friend in Lesotho today and now I know. He’s not going to work today (though apparently the Chinese Internet Cafe operators are).

The ABC says they accept the election results and are willing to work with the ruling party, but the allocation of seats in Parliament are wrong and not according to the law. The party says if government does not come to the table by Wednesday they will find more peaceful ways to force them.

Uh oh again. Full story here.

Lesotho Election Stolen!!! (Legally?)

marty — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:21:02 +0000

Check out this post at Maseru Observer about how the proportional representation system was toyed with to give the LCD more seats than they had last time.

Do you declare an election fair that gives 70% of the seats to a party that only won 54% of them legitimately?

The article shows how the LCD and the ABC used secondary party names to skew the proportional representation equation. According to this article the LCD will walk away with 83 seats (out of 120) instead of 63 seats. The ABC ends up with 27 instead of 35 seats. Other parties get 10 instead of 22.

Gonna keep an eye on this one.

Election Follow-Up

marty — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 13:49:13 +0000

Here is the Public Eye story about the elections, it manages to be both informative and speculative ala Public Eye goodness.

The LCD tops the list with 61 constituency seats, followed by the National Independence Party (NIP) with 21 proportional seats and then the ABC with 17 constituencies. The Lesotho Workers Party (LWP) holds forth position with 10 proportional seats, followed on fifth position by Basotho National Party (BNP), which has dropped from position two. Appearing on position six is All Congress Parties (ACP) with two seats, one from first past the post and another from proportional representation.

They also speak to the fairness of the elections. Good job Lesotho. Second story on the free and fair elections, here.
Mbeki says “cool beans” to Mosisili, here.

In other news the LHWP (Lesotho Highlands Water Project) is slated to go ahead with a feasibility study for the next stage.

“The water demand from South Africa is what will determine whether or not there is a need for a second phase.”

I think that the study will probably rule against Lesotho. Oh wait that was not the correct way to phrase that…

Now things get tricky

marty — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:48:33 +0000

The elections are over, the LCD have won handily and now we protest. The BNP is not happy and neither is the ABC, though less so… Mosisili says cool.

LCD Wins 2007 Lesotho Elections

marty — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 19:22:38 +0000

The LCD have won the election hands down. Though it should be noted that the ABC did well in the urban areas.
Stories here and here.

Lesotho Election Results

marty — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 14:19:49 +0000

Results are coming in from the IEC.

ABC: Butha-Buthe, Hlotse, Maputsoe, Likhetlane, Peka, Teya-Teyaneng, Berea, Mabote, Motimposo, Stadium Area, Maseru, Qoaling, Lithoteng, Lithabaneng, Abia, Maama, Mokhotlong

LCD: Hololo, Motete, Qalo, Maliba-Matso, Mphosong, Thaba-Phatšoa, Mahobong, Pela-Tšoeu, Matlakeng, Mohobollo, Tsikoane, Kolonyama, Mosalemane, Nokong, Bela-Bela, Malimong, Khafung, Pulane, Thupa-Kubu, Thaba-Bosiu, Machache, Koro-Koro, Rothe, Matsieng, Maletsunyane, Thaba-Phechela, Kolo, Thaba-Tšoeu, Maliepetsane, Matelile, Thabana-Morena, Likhoele, Qalabane, Mafeteng, Taung, Qhalasi, Mohale’s Hoek, Mekaling, Mpharane, Ketane, Hloahloeng, Tele, Moyeni, Sebapala, Mt. Moorosi, Qacha’s Nek, Lebakeng, Tsoelike, Semena, Malingoaneng, Senqu, Bobatsi, Mechachane

ACP: Seqonoka

Overall voter turnout seems to be coming in at 46-47%.

There are 80 directly contested seats. Currently ABC:17, LCD:53 and ACP: 1. It looks like the LCD is pulling out in front. According to this article from the International Herald Tribune, LCD: 27 seats and ABC: 13.

Stay tuned or updates throughout the day. All in all it seems that the election went well. SABC story here.