Lesotho military deny coup attempt as South Africa issues warning

Lesotho’s armed forces have denied attempting a coup against Prime Minister Thomas Thabane on Saturday, saying they had moved against police elements suspected of planning to arm a political faction. Major Ntlele Ntoi told Reuters the Lesotho defence force “supports the democratically elected government of the day”. Gunfire rang out early in the morning in Maseru, the capital, because of an exchange of fire between the military and police and youths at one of the stations that injured one soldier and four policemen, he said. Major Ntoi also said he had heard radio stations weren’t working, but this was not their doing.

The military has returned to the barracks. We are not in a position now or in the future to stage a coup.

Major Ntlele Ntoi, Lesotho military spokesman

South Africa’s foreign ministry said they were monitoring the situation in Lesotho on Saturday, adding that an unconsitutional change of government would not be tolerated by the region. Political tensions have been running high in Lesotho since June when Prime Minister Thomas Thabane (pictured above, left) suspended the country’s parliament to avoid a no-confidence vote amid feuding in the two-year-old coalition government. Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing had vowed to form a new coalition that would oust Thabane. Since independence in 1966, Lesotho has undergone a number of military coups.

Africa Lesotho