Lesotho accepts SADC�s roadmap
Mbongeni Mguni | Tuesday August 18, 2015 11:57
Political unrest and violence have dogged the mountain kingdom, culminating in the self-imposed exile of then leader, Tom Thabane after an attempted coup by army commander, Lt. General Tlali Kamoli.
While SADC ushered the country to early elections in February, which Mosisili won, tensions resurfaced recently when former army commander and Thabane appointee, Maaparankoe Mahao was shot dead in June by members of the army. The Lesotho Defence Force says Mahao resisted arrest during an operation to clamp down on mutiny. SADC has since sent a commission of enquiry into the matter and the regional body is expected to produce a roadmap towards peace in the kingdom.
Addressing the Heads of State summit yesterday, Mosisili said Lesotho was dreaming of a day when it no longer features on the SADC agenda.
“Our coalition is committed to a reform process and SADC will be spared the trouble of dousing flames in our mountain kingdom,” he says.
“Our prayer and hope is that all Basotho accept the outcome of the investigations and ensure that we bury our petty political differences for the good of our country.
“I commit the coalition government to accepting the roadmap that SADC will chart with us after the investigations.
“We have been on the SADC agenda for too long and for the wrong reasons. We ask that you remain committed to our reform and extend support where necessary.”
Lesotho is expected to feature dominantly on the ongoing closed-door sessions between leaders, with the regional heads of state expected to fine-tune an ‘early warning mechanism’ to alert to tensions in the country.
The leaders of Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique also gave their maiden addresses to the summit, being their inaugural speeches after assuming presidential office.
Malawi President, Peter Mutharika did not attend the summit as a cost-cutting measure, media in that country reported.