History Lesotho

1 history

1.1 rule of moshoeshoe (1822–1868)
1.2 british rule (1868–1966)
1.3 independence (1966–present)

history



king moshoeshoe ministers

the original inhabitants of area known lesotho san people. examples of rock art can found in mountains throughout area.

rule of moshoeshoe (1822–1868)

the present lesotho, called basutoland, emerged single polity under king moshoeshoe in 1822. moshoeshoe, son of mokhachane, minor chief of bakoteli lineage, formed own clan , became chief around 1804. between 1821 , 1823, , followers settled @ butha-buthe mountain, joining former adversaries in resistance against lifaqane associated reign of shaka zulu 1818 1828.

subsequent evolution of state hinged on conflicts between british , dutch colonists leaving cape colony following seizure french-allied dutch british in 1795, , subsequently associated orange river sovereignty , subsequent orange free state. missionaries invited moshoeshoe i, thomas arbousset, eugène casalis , constant gosselin paris evangelical missionary society, placed @ morija, developed orthography , printed works in sesotho language between 1837 , 1855. casalis, acting translator , providing advice on foreign affairs, helped set diplomatic channels , acquire guns use against encroaching europeans , griqua people.

trekboers cape colony showed on western borders of basutoland , claimed land rights, beginning jan de winnaar, settled in matlakeng area in may–june 1838. more boers moving area tried colonise land between 2 rivers, north of caledon, claiming had been abandoned sotho people. moshoeshoe subsequently signed treaty british governor of cape colony, sir george thomas napier, annexed orange river sovereignty many boers had settled. these outraged boers suppressed in brief skirmish in 1848. in 1851 british force defeated basotho army @ kolonyama, touching off embarrassing war british. after repelling british attack in 1852, moshoeshoe sent appeal british commander settled dispute diplomatically, defeated batlokoa in 1853.

in 1854 british pulled out of region, , in 1858 moshoeshoe fought series of wars boers in free state–basotho war, losing great portion of western lowlands. last war in 1867 ended when moshoeshoe appealed queen victoria, agreed make basutoland british protectorate in 1868.

british rule (1868–1966)

in 1869, british signed treaty @ aliwal north boers defined boundaries of basutoland, , later lesotho, ceding western territories reduced moshoeshoe s kingdom half previous size.

following cession in 1869, british transferred functions moshoeshoe s capital in thaba bosiu police camp on northwest border, maseru, until administration of basutoland transferred cape colony in 1871. moshoeshoe died on 11 march 1870, marking end of traditional era , beginning of colonial era. buried @ thaba bosiu. in years of british rule between 1871 , 1884, basutoland treated other territories had been forcefully annexed, chagrin of basotho. led gun war in 1881. in 1884, basutoland restored status protectorate, maseru again capital, remained under direct rule governor, though effective internal power wielded traditional chiefs.

1959 stamps basutoland national council


independence (1966–present)

basutoland gained independence britain , became kingdom of lesotho in 1966.

in january 1970, ruling basotho national party (bnp) lost first post-independence general elections, 23 seats basutoland congress party s 36. prime minister leabua jonathan refused cede power basotho congress party (bcp), declared himself tona kholo (sesotho translation of prime minister), , imprisoned bcp leadership.

bcp began rebellion , received training in libya lesotho liberation army (lla) under pretense of being azanian people s liberation army (apla) soldiers of pan africanist congress (pac). deprived of arms , supplies sibeko faction of pac in 1978, 178-strong lla rescued tanzanian base financial assistance of maoist pac officer, launched guerrilla war handful of old weapons. main force defeated in northern lesotho, , later guerrillas launched sporadic ineffectual attacks. campaign severely compromised when bcp s leader, ntsu mokhehle, went pretoria. in 1980s, several basotho sympathised exiled bcp threatened death , attacked government of leabua jonathan. in september 1981, family of benjamin masilo attacked. few days later, edgar mahlomola motuba taken home , murdered.

the bnp ruled 1966 until january 1970. later ensued de facto government led dr leabua jonathan until 1986 when military coup forced out of office. transitional military council came power granted executive powers king moshoeshoe ii, until ceremonial monarch. in 1987 king forced exile after coming six-page memorandum on how wanted lesotho s constitution be, have given him more executive powers had military government agreed. son installed king letsie iii.

lesotho mountain village

the chairman of military junta, major general justin metsing lekhanya, ousted in 1991 , replaced major general elias phisoana ramaema, handed on power democratically elected government of bcp in 1993. moshoeshoe ii returned exile in 1992 ordinary citizen. after return democratic government, king letsie iii tried unsuccessfully persuade bcp government reinstate father (moshoeshoe ii) head of state.

in august 1994, letsie iii staged military-backed coup deposed bcp government, after bcp government refused reinstate father, moshoeshoe ii, according lesotho s constitution. new government did not receive full international recognition. member states of southern african development community (sadc) engaged in negotiations reinstate bcp government. 1 of conditions letsie iii put forward father should re-installed head of state. after protracted negotiations, bcp government reinstated , letsie iii abdicated in favour of father in 1995, ascended throne again when moshoeshoe ii died @ age of fifty-seven in supposed road accident, when car plunged off mountain road during hours of 15 january 1996. according government statement, moshoeshoe had set out @ 1 am visit cattle @ matsieng , returning maseru through maluti mountains when car left road.

in 1997, ruling bcp split on leadership disputes. prime minister ntsu mokhehle formed new party, lesotho congress democracy (lcd), , followed majority of members of parliament, enabled him form new government. pakalitha mosisili succeeded mokhehle party leader , lcd won general elections in 1998. although elections pronounced free , fair local , international observers , subsequent special commission appointed sadc, opposition political parties rejected results.

opposition protests in country intensified, culminating in peaceful demonstration outside royal palace in august 1998. exact details of followed disputed, both in lesotho , south africa. while botswana defence force troops welcomed, tensions south african national defence force troops high, resulting in fighting. incidences of sporadic rioting intensified when south african troops hoisted south african flag on royal palace. time sadc forces withdrew in may 1999, of capital of maseru lay in ruins, , southern provincial capital towns of mafeteng , mohale s hoek had seen loss of on third of commercial real estate. number of south africans , basotho died in fighting.

an interim political authority (ipa), charged reviewing electoral structure in country, created in december 1998. ipa devised proportional electoral system ensure opposition represented in national assembly. new system retained existing 80 elected assembly seats, added 40 seats filled on proportional basis. elections held under new system in may 2002, , lcd won again, gaining 54% of vote. first time, opposition political parties won significant numbers of seats, , despite irregularities , threats of violence major general lekhanya, lesotho experienced first peaceful election. 9 opposition parties hold 40 of proportional seats, bnp having largest share (21). lcd has 79 of 80 constituency-based seats. although elected members participate in national assembly, bnp has launched several legal challenges elections, including recount; none has been successful.

on 30 august 2014, abortive military coup took place forcing prime minister thomas thabane flee south africa 3 days.