Billy Ntaote
The President of Namibia, Hifikepunye Pohamba — who is also chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation — arrives in Lesotho today.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Mr Pohamba’s visit is a follow-up of last month’s assessment of the country’s political situation by a SADC delegation led by Namibia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The visit by Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah’s delegation followed a letter written to the regional body by opposition parties, alleging the flouting of parliamentary regulations by the coalition government.
The delegation also sought to engage various stakeholders in an effort to find a lasting solution to the standoff between the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) and Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) over investigations into the bombings of three Maseru homes on 27 January this year.
Unknown assailants attacked the home of LMPS Commissioner, Khothatso Tšooana in Ha Abia and those of Liabiloe Ramoholi and her neighbour, ‘Mamoletsane Moletsane, in Moshoeshoe II on the night in question.
As part of investigations into the attacks, the police want to interview eight LDF members, but the army has refused to cooperate, resulting in the impasse.
Meanwhile, during his visit, Mr Pohamba is set to meet King Letsie III, Prime Minister and All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader Thomas Thabane, and leaders of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and Basotho National Party (BNP) Mothetjoa Metsing and Thesele ‘Maseribane respectively.
The ABC, LCD and BNP formed a coalition government in June 2012 after the previous month’s general election had failed to produce a single party with a majority win of parliamentary seats.
However, the alliance has been facing serious challenges over recent months, prompting Dr Thabane to suspend parliament for nine months this week during which he hopes the parties would have resolved their differences.
It is expected Mr Pohamba would discuss both the LDF-LMPS fallout, as well as the deteriorating relationship between the
coalition government partners during his visit.
Mr Pohamba is also expected to meet the leadership of the country’s opposition parties, as well as civil society.
