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Lesotho: Mosisili resigns after his party fails to obtain majority in parliament
Former Lesotho Prime Minister., Pakalitha Mosisili. PHOTO/Gallo Images
Pakalitha Mosisili who led Lesotho for the last 14 years could soon be leading the opposition after his party failed to win a majority in parliament in weekend elections in this mountainous southern African country.
A day after Mosisili resigned as prime minister, Lincoln Ralechate Mokose, the secretary general of his Democratic Congress Party, said in a telephone interview Thursday that his party was seeking partners for a governing coalition.
“We will either succeed or fail,” he said. If the party fails, “our stand is to concede and work in parliament as opposition.”
The party secured 48 of parliament’s 120 seats during elections Saturday, more than any other party but not enough to govern alone.
Shortly before Saturday’s election, Mosisili broke away from the Lesotho Congress for Democracy, which had been riven by an internal power struggle, and formed the Democratic Congress Party.
Mosili’s old party finished third in the election and is now trying to form a coalition government with the All Basotho Convention, which finished second. Between them, the two parties have 56 seats in parliament and are courting smaller parties to have a majority.
Election observers praised Lesotho’s voting as largely free and fair. Lesotho was calm during the two days it took to complete the vote count and as opposition parties began negotiations that shut out Mosisili.
