Matekane announces three-party coalition in Lesotho

The leader of Lesotho’s Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party, who scored an unprecedented result in national elections last week, announced that he would be heading a three-party coalition government.

The announcement by the diamond millionaire, Sam Matekane, confounded expectations that the southern African mountain kingdom would remain politically gridlocked after last Friday’s ballot.

Founded just six months ago, the Revolution for Prosperity party picked up 56 seats in parliament — five seats short of an absolute majority.

At a press conference, Matekane said the RFP had formed a coalition government with the Alliance of Democrats (AD) and the Movement for Economic Change (MEC).

The previous parliament failed to pass a law aimed at preventing lawmakers from switching party allegiance within the first three years of their mandate.

The Matekane-led government promised to push through this reform within the first 100 days in office.