Lesotho’s Embattled PM Thabane Deploys Army To Streets

Lesotho’s Prime Minister Thomas Thabane deployed the army in the capital Maseru on Saturday against unnamed “rogue national elements” he said wanted to destabilise the southern African country.

A Reuters witness saw armoured vehicles and groups of heavily armed soldiers with riot gear patrolling in the city centre, but the soldiers seemed to have returned to barracks later in the day.

Thabane, 80, is facing strife in both his personal and political life.

His decision to last month suspend parliament, without consultation, over the coronavirus epidemic was branded unconstitutional by coalition partners and by some 20 rivals within his own party, who challenged it in the constitutional court and called on him to quit.

Opposition lawmakers are also threatening to bring a vote of no-confidence. Lesotho is one of the few countries in the world that has not yet reported a single confirmed case of COVID-19.

Thabane is also accused