Maseru, 12 February 2017 – His Excellency, Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa and the SADC Facilitator to the Kingdom of Lesotho, welcomed the return of the leaders of the opposition parties, Hon. Thomas Thabane, former Prime Minister and leader of All Basotho Convention (ABC) Party; Hon. Thesele Maseribane, leader of the Basotho National Party (BNP) and Hon. Keketso Rantso, leader of Reformed Congress of Lesotho (RCL) Party who were in exile.
The return of these opposition leaders is in line with SADC decisions, which called upon the Government to facilitate their return, and the Opposition leaders to return and participate in the reform processes. SADC calls on all stakeholders in the Kingdom to welcome this development as a SADC process and accord the needed support.
On their arrival, the leaders of the three opposition parties which have been in exile in South Africa since May 2015 amid security concerns, held a press conference at AvaniHotel in Maseru.
In line with SADC Summit decisions, it is expected that the return of the exiled leaders will contribute for the much anticipated national reconciliation of the Basotho nation as it prepares to undertake fundamental reforms aimed at addressing political and security challenges in the Kingdom.
The Oversight Committee (OC) that was established by the SADC Summit to serve as an early warning mechanism, and lend assistance to the implementation of the Constitutional, Security and Public Sector Reforms had its inaugural deployment in November 2016. The OC as led by Justice (retired) Frederick Werema from the United Republic of Tanzania, representing the Chairperson of the Organ, will continue to monitor the political and security situation in the Kingdom of Lesotho.
