Africa-Press – Lesotho. OPPOSITION leaders have warned SADC that a coup could be unfolding in Lesotho. In a letter to SADC, the leaders said their fear of an imminent coup is informed by statements made by Prime Minister Sam Matekane and security bosses in reaction to their attempts to pass a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Sam Matekane.
The leaders claim they have it “on good authority” that a plan has been hatched to use a protest march by government supporters tomorrow as a cover or an excuse for the coup.
The letter titled ‘Apprehension of creeping coup d’état in Lesotho’, was addressed to the SADC Secretariat and has the names of 11 opposition leaders. It bears the address of the office of the leader of the opposition, Mathibeli Mokhothu, who has been nominated to replace Matekane
The letter says the government “in collaboration with some among the security services is to effect a military takeover should a vote of no confidence be successfully passed”.
“The ruling parties plan to bring hordes of their supporters from all over the country into Maseru on Friday 27 October to defend “democracy.
“Chaos expected to ensue from the protest is intended to provide the excuse for the security services to take power in the name of restoring order and the protection of lives and property.
“We urgently request Your Excellency to urge both the current government and the security agencies to play by the rules of the game, respect and uphold the Constitution and ensure that Lesotho never again reverts to chaos and lawlessness.
“We do so in the genuine hope that your intervention may help avert the threat.
” The opposition leaders refer to a litany of events they say signal that a coup is in the making.
They point to Matekane’s speech of Monday last week over the state-owned Radio Lesotho “threatening those Members of Parliament who would dare to vote” for the no-confidence motion against him.
They also refer to the statement later on the same day in which Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli, flanked by army boss Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela and National Security Service (NSS) boss Pheello Ralenkoane, appeared to threaten MPs.
In that joint statement, the security chiefs said they would not allow any vote of no confidence in parliament, adding that the only business they would tolerate would be the passing of national reforms.
Their statement has since been roundly condemned by academics, the legal fraternity, civil society organisations and the clergy. “It is our considered opinion that the security services have no business to dictate to parliament what it should or should not do,” the leaders say.
“Such conduct and pronouncements by security chiefs are an affront to parliament and to the constitution which they are sworn to uphold.
Following Matekane and the security bosses’ statements, they allege, roadblocks were mounted by the police on the route outside parliament premises on Thursday last week.
On Monday of the same week, the entrance to parliament was blocked by a police vehicle. Among those obstructed was the Speaker himself, Tlohang Sekhamane, who subsequently addressed the House on what he described as “unwarranted humiliation”.
On Wednesday, the Socialist Revolutionaries (SR) leader and the MP for Motete constituency, Teboho Mojapela, was stopped at a roadblock manned by more than 30 heavily armed police while on his way to parliament.
Mojapela was roughed up and kept at the police headquarters but was released after nine hours without any charge. The government said he was not under arrest but was helping the police with investigations.
On the night of the same day, the Basotho National Party (BNP) leader Machesetsa Mofomobe alleged that heavily armed police had laid siege at his gate. They only left around 4:30am.
On Tuesday of the same week, the opposition called a press conference at the parliament premises but the police denied journalists entry into the premises. The press conference had to proceed outside the premises.
Last Saturday Lt Gen Letsoela, while addressing soldiers returning from a mission in Mozambique, “issued ominous further threats against any transfer of power from one government to another”.
“The unusual events of harassment and intimidation of opposition canvassed above fit in with this ultimate plan,” says the letter.
They say Basotho still have fresh memories of the recent history of the tragic ramifications of the involvement of security agencies in politics that necessitated SADC to intervene by requesting President Cyril Ramaphosa to facilitate peace talks in the country.
“We deem it extremely urgent to communicate to your good offices our collective apprehension of unfolding developments which represent an imminent threat to the constitutional order in the Kingdom.”
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