adminHarare Bureau
Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane met Sadc chairperson President Mugabe at State House in Harare yesterday to brief him about the situation in his country following an attempted coup in August. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Thabane said elections which had been brought forward would help solve his country’s crisis.
“The situation has improved from where it was last time but the Sadc process is going on and we are dealing with the chair of the organ on politics, defence and so on,” he said.
“We thought that it was proper to come and brief the chair of Sadc himself about what we are doing there. So, our visit here is not really to report any trouble that cannot be dealt with there, but really to confirm to the chairman of Sadc that things are going on well.”
Thabane said it was expected that the crisis in his country could be solved.
“Of course, naturally in an operation like that there will be something not so good here, something not so good there, and we came here to brief the President about that,” he said.
Thabane fled the mountainous kingdom when the attempted coup occurred and sought refuge in South Africa after the army closed in on his official residence and police stations in Maseru.
He accused his deputy Mothetjoa Metsing of working in cahoots with the army in the coup, although Metsing denied the charge.
Thabane, who has since returned to Lesotho, said he discussed with President Mugabe administrative issues and security matters regarding his country.
“Yes, of course, elections are the answer whenever there is a conflict, for us it’s going to be the answer,” he said.
“And can I tell you something? I am going to win them.”
When the attempted coup occurred, President Mugabe dispatched Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi and Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi to Pretoria for meetings aimed at defusing tensions.
He then attended a regional meeting in South Africa which focused on workable mechanisms to restore peace and stability in Lesotho.
Lesotho, which formed its first coalition government in 2012 after elections ousted incumbent Pakalitha Mosisili, has undergone a number of military coups since independence from Britain in 1966.
At least 58 locals and eight South African soldiers died during a political stand-off and subsequent fighting in 1998.
derick.khumalo