From CBNC Africa

Political parties in Lesotho, both in the opposition and in the ruling coalition, denied a coup attempt in the mountain kingdom.

Reports emerged on Saturday 30 August about what at first appeared to be an attempted coup d’état in Lesotho, but media reporting soon lapsed into confusion and conflicting accounts.

Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) were calling the developments a coup – but nobody else was.

All other political parties in Lesotho, both in the opposition and in the ruling coalition, denied a coup attempt.

According to residents and reports from the ground, the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) did not ‘surround government buildings’ in Maseru, but did surround two police stations – including police headquarters where weapons were seized. The military claimed that these weapons were to be handed to civilians taking part in a planned (but banned) march on 1 September.

 

Written by Christie Viljoen/Read more at CBNC Africa