THURSDAY, 4.30PM
TWO ministers in Lesotho’s controversial government of Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle were ejected on Thursday from a meeting with a visiting United Nations envoy after opposition leaders objected to their presence.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Monyane, deputy secretary general of Mokhehle’s new political party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy, and LCD executive Notshi Molopo, Minister of Employment and Labour, were asked to leave the meeting by the UN envoy, Tayebe Merchoug. Merchoug is in on a three-day visit to determine Lesotho’s needs during local government and national elections scheduled for January next year.
The ministers were ejected when the opposition parties said Mokhehle’s government was illegal. The leader of the Sefate Democratic Union, Bofohla Nkuebe, boycotted the talks because the ministers were present. Nkuebe said protest petitions to the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the Southern African Development Community and King Letsie III met with no response.