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Ramaphosa assures of stability in Lesotho ahead of elections

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Southern African Development Community (SADC) Facilitator Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is confident security issues will be properly handled during the upcoming snap elections in Lesotho.

He says his visit was to examine the state of preparedness of Lesotho political parties for elections. He added that discussions with a number of stakeholders told indicated they are ready although Lesotho will not hold the SADC mandated pre-election dialogue due to the short period remaining. All stakeholders agreed to post-election dialogue on constitutional reforms.

On the one day visit Ramaphosa paid a courtesy call on His Majesty King Letsie III, met with civil society and church leaders.

“My visit here was to come and examine the state of preparedness of Lesotho, political parties for elections and my discussions with a number of stakeholders told me that indeed they are ready and prepared to roll out the democratic process once again.”

After being mandated by the SADC Double Troika to convene a multi stakeholder dialogue, many have been waiting to find out when it will happen, but it is now clear time has run out.

“It seems impossible to hold it before the election because the elections are within three weeks but what is good is that everyone agrees that there should be a multi stakeholder, multi-party dialogue which will deal with issues of constitutional reform security reform as well as the implementation of the SADC decisions. There is broad agreement that this should take place soon after the elections.”

“That post-election dialogue will make instability in Lesotho a thing of the past”.

The Troika says, “This is going to usher in a milestone for Lesotho that for the first time in long-time political players and other players from churches to NGOS will be able to get around a table and discuss the challenges that Lesotho faces with a view of trying to find ways of instilling stability and avoid the situation that we have now that Lesotho is now going to third election within five years.”

Three Lesotho opposition leaders were exiled for nearly two years saying they feared for their lives.

They are back home and on the campaign trail for the June 3 snap election, but they are concerned about security. ABC Leader Tom Thabane says his main request is for the army to stay out of elections.

“In the last election something very good happened. The SADC organisation and machinery kept the army in the barracks and they voted from there. This is what we request the army must be kept out of the process, they are free to vote like everybody else and facilities must be created for them to vote within the barracks.”

BNP Leader Thesele Maseribane does not believe there is time for the multi-stakeholder dialogue, but he is confident Ramaphosa can address their security concerns.

“I don’t think there is enough time to hold a multi-stakeholder dialogue as it was arranged by SADC based on reforms commitment but what we had pledged for him to present to the government is that a leaders’ conference meeting. a small dialogue or workshop where we will be tabling issues of concern like security, electoral code of conduct pre-election. How we are going or deal with it.”

Ramaphosa addressed these concerns in his last meeting of the day with Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.

“They would like to have a situation where the army is relegated to the barracks just like it did happen in the last election and this has been articulated to the prime minister and I am sure and absolutely certain that issues of security are going to be properly handled like we had in the last election. I think the election process will go well and if there are challenges, they will be addressed.”

Ramaphosa will return to Lesotho after the elections.

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– By Nthakoana Ngatane

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