Lesotho - Political Parties

Last modified: 2001-06-23 by jarig bakker
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• Lesotho (Basutoland) National Party
• Erroneous LNP flag
• Lesotho Congress for Democracy

• Lesotho

Lesotho (Basutoland) National Party

As you may know, South African troops entered Lesotho to help the government to end a rebellion there. Yesterday on the news, footage of the intervention was shown and two flag where seen, I presume, on the side of the rebels. One of them I could not see clearly, but the other one is a flag of horizontal stripes black (or dark blue), white, red and green. Proportions looked like being 2:3 or close. Anyone knows this flag in this context?
Jorge Candeias, 23 September 1998

I know it. They are the colours of the National Party of the ex premier Lebua Jonathan.
These colours were used in the first flag of Lesotho and the troubles with the national party was the cause that the flag was changed when Jonathan fall.
Jaume Ollé, 25 September 1998

The upper stripe is blue.
Jaume Ollé, 25 September 1998

Erroneous LNP flag

Lesotho Congress for Democracy

This is the flag of the Basutoland Congress Party - one of the opposition parties in Lesotho.
The opposition parties have rejected the outcome of the May 1998 elections which saw the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (flag = horizontal stripes of black, green and red) winning more than 50 of the 80 parliamentary seats. The impasse which followed saw the appointment by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) of the Langa Commission of Inquiry into the poll which released its findings last week. The Commission found that there were "irregularities" but did not declare the elections null and void. Supporters of the opposition parties have been camping outside of the Royal Palace in Maseru. The perceived threat of a military coup led the Lesotho Government to ask SADC to send in troops to "restore stability" as government services had effectively collapsed.
South African and Botswana troops crossed into Lesotho yesterday and have met with considerable resistance.
Earlier newspaper reports that the SA flag had been hoisted over the Palace in Maseru have been denied and there was no TV footage of this on SATV last night.
Bruce Berry, 23 September 1998