Tom Thabane
Encyclopedia
Tom Motsoahae Thabane is a Basotho
politician, a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Lesotho
, and the leader of the opposition All Basotho Convention
. (ABC). He was previously a leading member of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy
(LCD) and was an important member of the government of Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili
from 1998 to 2006, but in 2006 he split from the LCD and formed an opposition party, the ABC.
Thabane served as Principal Secretary for Health under Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan
and then served in the government under the military regime that overthrew Jonathan and ruled the country from 1986 to 1993. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Lesotho from 1990 to 1991.
Thabane became advisor to Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle
in early 1995. He subsequently served as Foreign Minister in Mosisili's LCD government from June 1998 until June 2002. He then served as the Minister of Home Affairs and Public Safety from June 2002 until November 2004, when he became Minister of Communications, Science and Technology.
Thabane resigned from the government on October 9, 2006, and formed a new party, the All Basotho Convention (ABC). Thabane claimed that his will was to unite all Basotho, not only those from the Congress party or National Party. Some believed that the formation of the ABC was the beginning of a new political light that could lead Lesotho to economic development. This became apparent in the news broad cast from a South African Radio Station known as Lesedi. It was believed by his supporters that if Thabane became prime minister, he would try to draw new policies that would bring a broader understanding of approach to changing Lesotho's declining hope in the global market.
18 MPs crossed the floor to join the ABC in opposition on October 13, 2006; 17 of these (including Thabane) had been LCD members, while the remaining MP was an independent. Thabane's party thus became the third largest party in Parliament. The ruling party was left with 61 of the 120 parliamentary seats; with such a precarious majority, Mosisili requested the dissolution of Parliament, and an early election was called for February 2007. In the election, the ABC took 17 out of 80 constituency seats, while the LCD took 61. Thabane said that the vote was free, but not fair.
An extended dispute followed the 2007 election regarding the allocation of the seats based on proportional representation. Five opposition parties called for the Speaker of Parliament to designate Thabane as Leader of the Opposition in March 2007, but the Speaker rejected this on the grounds that the agreement made by the opposition parties was not legitimate. National Independent Party
leader Dominic Motikoe
was instead designated as the Leader of the Opposition, despite leading a party that was allied to the LCD.
On June 14, 2007, an assassination attempt on Thabane allegedly occurred, with gunmen firing outside his home. Several other incidents of political violence occurred at around the same time, and an indefinite curfew was imposed; it was lifted later in the month. Thabane was critical of the curfew and accused the police of being excessively harsh in enforcing it.
The LCD's reluctance to engage in talks regarding the political situation prompted Thabane on October 18, 2007 to threaten street protests to pressure the government into holding a new election "if they continue to fail to co-operate".
After an April 22, 2009 assault on Mosisili's residence, which was believed to have been a failed attempt to kill Mosisili, police said that retired officer Makotoko Lerotholi, a bodyguard of Thabane, was suspected of involvement in the attack. Thabane condemned the government for placing blame on the opposition, describing it as "treachery".
Basotho
The ancestors of the Sotho people have lived in southern Africa since around the fifth century. The Sotho nation emerged from the accomplished diplomacy of Moshoeshoe I who gathered together disparate clans of Sotho–Tswana origin that had dispersed across southern Africa in the early 19th century...
politician, a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Lesotho
National Assembly of Lesotho
The National Assembly of Lesotho is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament.The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 17 February 2007, has a total of 120 members. 80 members are elected in single member constituencies using the simple majority system...
, and the leader of the opposition All Basotho Convention
All Basotho Convention
The All Basotho Convention is a political party in Lesotho. The party was formed in October 2006 and is headed by Tom Thabane, a former minister in the Lesotho Congress for Democracy led government of Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili....
. (ABC). He was previously a leading member of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy
Lesotho Congress for Democracy
The Lesotho Congress for Democracy is a political party in Lesotho.In 1997, Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle left the Basutoland Congress Party to form with his faction the new Lesotho Congress for Democracy. The new party won the 1998 elections with 60.7% of the popular vote and 79 out of 80 seats....
(LCD) and was an important member of the government of Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili
Pakalitha Mosisili
Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili has been the Prime Minister of Lesotho since May 29, 1998. He led his party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy , to a near-total victory in the 1998 election, and under his leadership the party also won majorities in the 2002 and 2007 elections...
from 1998 to 2006, but in 2006 he split from the LCD and formed an opposition party, the ABC.
Thabane served as Principal Secretary for Health under Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan
Leabua Jonathan
Joseph Leabua Jonathan was the second Prime Minister of Lesotho. He succeeded Chief Sekhonyana Nehemia Maseribane following a by-election and held that post from 1965 to 1986.-Early life and career:...
and then served in the government under the military regime that overthrew Jonathan and ruled the country from 1986 to 1993. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
of Lesotho from 1990 to 1991.
Thabane became advisor to Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle
Ntsu Mokhehle
Ntsu Mokhehle was a Lesotho politician. He served as Prime Minister of the country from 2 April 1993 to 17 August 1994 and from 14 September 1994 to 29 May 1998.Mokhehle was born in Teyateyaneng...
in early 1995. He subsequently served as Foreign Minister in Mosisili's LCD government from June 1998 until June 2002. He then served as the Minister of Home Affairs and Public Safety from June 2002 until November 2004, when he became Minister of Communications, Science and Technology.
Thabane resigned from the government on October 9, 2006, and formed a new party, the All Basotho Convention (ABC). Thabane claimed that his will was to unite all Basotho, not only those from the Congress party or National Party. Some believed that the formation of the ABC was the beginning of a new political light that could lead Lesotho to economic development. This became apparent in the news broad cast from a South African Radio Station known as Lesedi. It was believed by his supporters that if Thabane became prime minister, he would try to draw new policies that would bring a broader understanding of approach to changing Lesotho's declining hope in the global market.
18 MPs crossed the floor to join the ABC in opposition on October 13, 2006; 17 of these (including Thabane) had been LCD members, while the remaining MP was an independent. Thabane's party thus became the third largest party in Parliament. The ruling party was left with 61 of the 120 parliamentary seats; with such a precarious majority, Mosisili requested the dissolution of Parliament, and an early election was called for February 2007. In the election, the ABC took 17 out of 80 constituency seats, while the LCD took 61. Thabane said that the vote was free, but not fair.
An extended dispute followed the 2007 election regarding the allocation of the seats based on proportional representation. Five opposition parties called for the Speaker of Parliament to designate Thabane as Leader of the Opposition in March 2007, but the Speaker rejected this on the grounds that the agreement made by the opposition parties was not legitimate. National Independent Party
National Independent Party
The National Independent Party is a political party in Lesotho.The NIP was founded by Anthony Manyeli as a split from the Basotho National Party. It performed poorly in the 1993 and 1998 parliamentary elections, but in the election for the National Assembly held on 25 May 2002, the party won 5.5%...
leader Dominic Motikoe
Dominic Motikoe
Dominic Motikoe was a Basotho politician who led the National Independent Party and served as a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Lesotho until his death in 2009....
was instead designated as the Leader of the Opposition, despite leading a party that was allied to the LCD.
On June 14, 2007, an assassination attempt on Thabane allegedly occurred, with gunmen firing outside his home. Several other incidents of political violence occurred at around the same time, and an indefinite curfew was imposed; it was lifted later in the month. Thabane was critical of the curfew and accused the police of being excessively harsh in enforcing it.
The LCD's reluctance to engage in talks regarding the political situation prompted Thabane on October 18, 2007 to threaten street protests to pressure the government into holding a new election "if they continue to fail to co-operate".
After an April 22, 2009 assault on Mosisili's residence, which was believed to have been a failed attempt to kill Mosisili, police said that retired officer Makotoko Lerotholi, a bodyguard of Thabane, was suspected of involvement in the attack. Thabane condemned the government for placing blame on the opposition, describing it as "treachery".