Lesotho - History

Lesotho was settled by the Sotho people sometime in the 16th century, mingling peacefully with the earlier Khoisan whose history can be traced in rock-art in various sites in the mountains. The Basotho were welded into a nation relatively recently by one outstanding leader. Around 1820, Moshoeshoe I, a minor chief of the Bakwena, gathered a following among the tribes who had retreated to the north-western borders of present-day Lesotho to protect themselves against Zulu and Matabele raids. Despite his limited military power, Moshoeshoe’s diplomatic skills allowed the kingdom he created to long outlive those of his much stronger rivals. After successful resistance from his stronghold at Thaba Bosiu near Maseru in 1824, Moshoeshoe became chief of the local Basotho and other tribal groups, his following then numbering some 40,000. He was also successful at establishing good relationships with missionaries, especially French Catholics, whom he encouraged to establish missions and schools, and to advise him on negotiations with Europeans.

A new threat then emerged: the emigrant Boers set out on their Great Trek in 1834, in search of new territory. Moshoeshoe sought the protection of the British Crown – an alternative he preferred to annexation by the Boers, then establishing their Republic of the Orange Free State. In 1868 Basutoland (as the country was then called) was granted British protection. The frontiers, substantially unchanged today, were laid down in 1869.

Moshoeshoe died in 1870 and disputes over the succession divided the country. From 1870, migrant Basotho workers had begun working in the Kimberly diamond fields of the Cape. In 1871 Basutoland was annexed to the Cape Colony but, in 1884, it was removed from Cape control and came under direct British rule. It resisted incorporation into the proposed Union of South Africa in 1910; division along racial lines was already entrenched and Basutoland preferred to remain a British colony. The Basutoland Council was then set up as an advisory body and included 99 nominated members, around half of whom subsequently became elected members.

In 1960, a legislature, the Basutoland National Council, was formed and five years later a new constitution came into operation. Moshoeshoe II, Paramount Chief from 1960, became king. The legislature, until then unicameral, became bicameral.

Elections were held in 1965, in which the Basotho National Party (BNP) led by Chief Leabua Jonathan, narrowly defeated the Basutoland Congress Party (BCP). Lesotho became independent on 4 October 1966 with Chief Jonathan as prime minister, and joined the Commonwealth.

Relations between the King and the country’s first prime minister soon became strained, and in 1970, Chief Jonathan annulled the country’s second elections and suspended the constitution. He exiled the King (later allowing him to return but not to become involved in politics) and repressed opposition; but he was himself overthrown in a military coup in 1986, led by Major-General Justin Lekhanya. Lekhanya then reinstated the King, who was to govern on the advice of a military council; but in 1990 Lekhanya had half the military council arrested and nine ministers dismissed. The King was sent into exile and, in absentia, deposed in favour of his son, Letsie III, who was sworn in as monarch in November 1990.

Following the coup of 1986, the Lekhanya government remained in power for five years, but never achieved stability. Lekhanya was himself overthrown in a bloodless coup by his second-in-command, Elias Phitsoane Ramaema, in 1991.