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SADC facilitator to return to Lesotho on peace mission

Xinhua, March 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as facilitator of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), will return to Lesotho to continue his peace mission, it was announced on Wednesday.

The visit, scheduled for March 4-5, comes against the background of the recently concluded elections brought forward by the SADC, Ramaphosa's spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said.

Voters in Lesotho went to the polls on Saturday for an early election designed to end a political impasse in the kingdom.

The election was held about two years ahead of schedule under a political deal brokered by the SADC.

The election was declared credible, free and fair by the various elections observer missions deployed in the country before and on the election day, namely the SADC, the African Union, the Commonwealth and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA).

Early results showed Prime Minister Thomas Thabane's All Basotho Convention (ABC) taking lead in the elections. Final results are expected on Thursday.

Ramaphosa is expected to observe the announcement of the final results.

Ramaphosa had visited the country on the election day to bear witness to history and democracy in action during the voting processes.

The elections were held in line with decisions of the SADC Troika of Heads of State and Government and facilitated by the SADC Observer Mission led by Ramaphosa as an integral part of regional efforts to restore peace and stability in Lesotho.

Lesotho has been in political turmoil since June last year when Thabane suspended Parliament to avoid a vote of no confidence that was being pushed by his coalition government partners. Endi