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Lesotho Coalition Government Calls for Prime Minister's Immediate Resignation

VOA News

   The southern African country of Lesotho's coalition government is
   calling for the immediate resignation of scandal-plagued Prime Minister
   ThomasThabane.

   The 80-year-old leader has been under pressure to leave office after
   being linked to the murder of his estranged wife,
   58-year-oldLipoleloThabane, three years ago.

   The prime minister's current wife,MaesaiahThabane,is charged with
   shooting todeathLipolelo, two days beforeThabane'sinauguration in 2017.

   Both the government of Lesotho and South African mediators released a
   joint statement Monday, sayingThabane'sdeparture should be graceful and
   that he gets what is described as a secure retirement.

   Itsunclearif thatmeansThabanewould no longer face legal consequences
   for his alleged ties to his estranged wife's murder.

   Thabanehas also been criticized for calling up troops over the weekend
   to restore order in Lesotho, following his claim some leaders in law
   enforcement were seeking to undermine democracy in the small country
   surrounded by South Africa.

   Observers believe the troop deployment to the capital,Maserua, wasalast
   ditcheffort byThabaneto remain in power. A day before he called up the
   troops, his authority took another hit when the constitutional court
   ruled against his decision to suspend parliament.

   AlthoughThabanehaspreviously promisedto leave office at the end ofJuly,
   SouthAfrican mediator JeffRadebetoldreporters hisdeparture should be
   imminent.

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