Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Lesotho’s Prime Minister Tom Thabane, who fled over the weekend, remains in South Africa despite a Pretoria-brokered agreement between feuding parties that paved the way for his return.
Thabane, whose Maseru home was surrounded by the kingdom’s military, had intended to return home on Tuesday after regional mediators forged an agreement.
However, there are unconfirmed reports that the armed forces led by Lt.-Gen. Tlali Kamoli, who Thabane attempted to fire late last month, is still in control in Maseru.
Nevertheless, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Wednesday welcomed the intervention by the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) led by its chairperson, Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, President Jacob Zuma to address the crisis.
“We support the road map that is in line with Windhoek Declaration in which the Leaders of the Coalition Government committed to working together to restore political normalcy, stability, law and order, peace and security in the Kingdom.
”The ANC condemns any attempted seizure of power through unconstitutional means and calls for peace for political solution. We trust this process will be respected by all parties in the interest of the citizens of the Kingdom of Lesotho,” said ANC spokesman Bheki Radebe.
