Lesotho's government faced demands from protesters to step down immediately amid an investigation into the murder of the prime minister's second wife and allegations that it gave Chinese businessmen control of the country's key wool, mohair and meat industries.
Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has said twice he will resign without saying when, and police seek to question the 80-year-old over the 2017 slaying on Wednesday. His current wife, a suspect, is on the run since his phone was linked to the crime scene. Both his own party and the opposition have called on him to resign.
In a petition handed to the government in the capital Maseru, seen by Bloomberg, protesters demand that farmers be compensated for their wool and mohair after monopoly buyer Guohui Shi failed to pay them. They also want a monopoly on red meat imports handed to another Chinese businessman rescinded after a number of local businesses went bankrupt. The businessman acts as Thabane's economic adviser for the Asian region.
Read more about the murder of the prime minister's second wife here
“The government has dismally failed to discharge its mandate to observe the rule of law, good governance and grow the economy,” the protesters, who said they represent civil-society organizations and concerned citizens, said in the petition. Thabane “should resign with immediate effect,” the group said, adding that it wants parliament recalled and a new government formed.
Surrounded by South Africa, Lesotho is the world's second-biggest producer of mohair, a fine wool from Angora goats used to make suits and fine furnishings. A new government could scrap recently introduced regulations that have stymied trade and left tens of thousands of farmers that generate most of their income from wool and mohair with insufficient money to feed their families and send their children to school.
The country of about 3 million people has been riven by political turbulence and military coups since 1986. Opposition riots in 1998 prompted South Africa to deploy troops to restore order. In 2014, Thabane temporarily fled the country after accusing the military of overthrowing him. The head of the army was shot dead three years later, leading to the deployment of troops from neighboring countries.
Thabane's departure is unlikely bring an end to the current instability and the odds are rising that the military could step in once again, said Gary van Staden, an analyst with NKC African Economics. While such an intervention would be problematic for other countries in the region that have sought to maintain civilian rule, it may be welcomed by citizens who've tired of political stalemates, infighting, frequent elections and unstable coalitions, he said.
--With assistance from Mike Cohen.
To contact the reporter on this story: Antony Sguazzin in Johannesburg at asguazzin@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: John McCorry at jmccorry@bloomberg.net, Pauline Bax, Hilton Shone
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