Lesotho opposition expected to form coalition government

Lesotho's opposition parties have announced they will join together to form a coalition government, after no party got enough votes to govern alone, South African broadcaster SABC reported Wednesday.

The deal will make hitherto opposition leader Pakalitha Mosisili leader of the coalition, according to SABC.

Mosisili's Democratic Congress (DC) was expected to join forces with the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), led by Mothetjoa Metsing, who has served as the deputy of current Prime Minister Thomas Thabane.

Saturday's election had been moved forward by two years to restore stability six months after the army was accused of attempting a coup in the southern African mountain kingdom.

Thabane's All Basotho Convention (ABC) took the most votes in half of the 80 constituencies, while the DC won 37 constituencies.

The LCD and another party belonging to Thabane's coalition government, the Basotho National Party (BNP), took two and one constituency respectively.

Forty seats are still to be allocated proportionate to the votes cast.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) said the elections had been transparent and the European Union called on citizens of Lesotho to accept the results. There have been fears of post-election violence.

Soldiers surrounded Thabane's residence and police headquarters on August 30, saying they wanted to disarm rogue elements within the police force. One police officer was killed.

Metsing has denied involvement in a coup attempt.

Tensions had been running high between the two leaders after Thabane launched an anti-corruption campaign that threatened to implicate Metsing.

Lesotho, which is landlocked by South Africa, bases a large part of its economy on water sales to its neighbour from a joint water project.

Critics say Thabane's government focused on power struggles rather than on improving the lives of the people, nearly 60 per cent of whom live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.