Lesotho elections: PM 'aloof'

2007-02-16 13:40

Maseru - Lesotho's Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, looking to secure a third term in office in Saturday's election, is seen as an aloof bureaucrat who wants to be judged on his record rather than personality.

The 61-year-old, in power in Southern Africa's mountain kingdom since 1998, rarely speaks to the press and even shunned a televised debate earlier in the campaign with his chief contenders.

Mosisili instead prefers to point to a relative period of stability in a country which has known more than its fair share of turmoil since independence 40 years ago, an improved economy and improved infrastructure.

"For the first time in 40 years of independence we had post-elections peace and stability in the kingdom. That was a major achievement and it was the number one objective of our 2002 manifesto so we are proud we did achieve that," he told reporters recently.

"It gave us an opportunity to look at and focus on issues of development in the country and there again our track record is one we are indeed proud of and one we go now back to the electorate with absolute confidence."

His somewhat aloof style is in marked contrast to the populist approach of his chief rival, former foreign minister and All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader Tom Thabane, who has pledged to end a culture of corruption and poverty.

'An experienced politician'

Mosisili however has won praise for undergoing a public HIV/Aids test, seen as an important lead in a country where around 30% of the population is affected by the virus.

"The (Aids) pandemic is ravaging our people and unless we do something about it all the other efforts will come to naught," he said.

Mosisili is an experienced politician who first joined the former ruling Basutoland Congress Party (BCP) as a student in 1967. He was imprisoned under emergency laws between July 1970 and November 1971.

He was elected premier in 1998 when his Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) won an election whose result was greeted by mass protests. He was re-elected in 2002 in a poll which was largely given a clean bill of health.

He had been expected to stand down after the end of his second term but he later decided to stand for re-election as LCD chief, winning comfortably in January last year.

- AFP