Lesotho Prime Minister, Thomas Thabane’s political party All Basotho Convention (ABC) is facing a leadership crisis. The February Elective Conference that installed a new ABC Committee was vehemently opposed by the outgoing Committee, leaving Thabane caught in the middle of a tussle between the two factions.
The Lesotho High Court’s three judge panel has on Thursday dismissed an application seeking to declare the Elective Conference Results null and void.
Lesotho’s coalition government is heading towards an iceberg. The ABC is the leader of the coalition and its succession battles are already causing panic and uncertainty to its governing partners. The High Court’s ruling says that the purported irregularities cited by the outgoing Secretary General are simply absurd.
The three judges Sakoane Sakoane, Thamsanqa Nomcgoncgo and Moroke Mokhesi made a ruling that the application barring the incoming committee from assuming office as it “has no merit and must be dismissed.”
This case will be a litmus test to Thabane’s leadership ability as he is now forced to accept presiding over the same faction that has filed a motion to show a vote of no confidence against him.
His political move from here will be a decider as to whether the his party can maintain unity or face a split; a split that might send Lesotho to yet another snap election, the third one in five years.
