New Kid on the Block

Listen to Today's Edition:

Political newcomer Sam Matekane will become Lesotho’s new prime minister after forming a three-party coalition following last week’s general election, the Associated Press reported.

Results showed that Matekane’s Revolution for Prosperity Party won 56 seats in the 120-seat parliament, just five seats shy of securing a majority with which to form a government.

The businessman-turned-politician who formed a party just this year was able to secure a slim 65-seat majority after forming a coalition with two smaller parties, the Alliance of Democrats and the Movement for Economic Change.

Metakane had previously said that his party would have to govern alone to implement his so-called “developmental agenda.”

But after failing to secure a majority, he announced the governing coalition this week, saying that all the partners share the same vision of cutting government expenditure and improving the delivery of public services.

Analyst Tlohang Letsie noted that the Revolution for Prosperity Party won because people were angry with the political status quo in the southern African kingdom.

Lesotho has been plagued by widespread poverty and chronic instability, especially so during the outgoing All Basotho Convention-led government.