VISITING Lesotho King Letsie III, born David Mohato Bereng Seeiso, is reportedly on a mission to consult President Robert Mugabe and members of his inner circle on election management as the mountain kingdom prepares for crunch polls in June this year, NewsDay has learnt.
by XOLISANI NCUBE
Lesotho has experienced political instability for the past four decades and the country has pinned its hope on this year’s election to end the turmoil.
In March this year, the country was plunged into a fresh political crisis after Parliament passed a vote of no-confidence on Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili and later dissolved.
Two years ago, the Kingdom of Lesotho was again in crisis following the ouster of former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane’s All Basotho Congress.
The King is a constitutional monarch who plays mainly a ceremonial role in the landlocked southern Africa country.
Top government sources told NewsDay yesterday that the Lesotho leader’s four-day State visit on Mugabe, was an election management consultative indaba.
“This is one of those visits where Lesotho wants to appreciate how best to end the turmoil that has characterised the kingdom and has seen it being on the Sadc agenda on countless times. The King will take time to learn how to handle polls and seek help from his elder (Mugabe),” said a senior government official, who declined to be named.
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On Monday, Mugabe hosted a State banquet for King Letsie III before the Lesotho monarch toured the National Heroes’ Acre and Lion and Cheetah Park in Harare yesterday ahead of his scheduled visit to Victoria Falls today where he would be joined by the First Family.
At the dinner, Mugabe told the King that his country should hold peaceful polls next month and also requested for the region to support the small mountainous country.
“We know you are going to have your elections soon, we wish that you may have them peacefully and ensure stability returns in your country,” Mugabe told the King.
King Letsie III said he had come to pay homage to Mugabe for helping in ensuring stability in Lesotho together with his regional peers.
