South African mediation negotiates new status quo in Lesotho crisis

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South Africa is putting pressure on its neighbor Lesotho in the throes of a political crisis. A South African delegation went there for 2 days to end the arm between the Prime Minister and his political opponents. Prime Minister Thomas Thabane deployed the army on the streets of the capital last weekend.

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The army - deployed this weekend by Prime Minister Thomas Thabane - has returned to its barracks. And according to a statement from the South African delegation, the coalition government is committed to allowing a " dignified, elegant and safe  " withdrawal  from the Prime Minister.

Since being implicated in the murder of his ex-wife , the Prime Minister has been released by his own party. Aged 80, he had promised to retire, but his party and the opposition suspect him of wanting to buy time to organize his judicial impunity. They accuse him in particular of having suspended Parliament to prevent his dismissal.

"  The acts of the Prime Minister clearly show that he is no longer fit to exercise his functions,  " said the vice president of his movement. "  We advise him to leave office before the date he has indicated,  " he added, "  his stubbornness to violate the Constitution and to scorn court decisions has become embarrassing  ."

South African mediation therefore obtained a new status quo. This text does not however specify a departure schedule for the Prime Minister, the main point of contention with his rivals.

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• Lesotho
• South Africa

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