Editing History of Lesotho (section)

==Kingdom of Lesotho==
[[File:Minister-president Jonathan van Lesotho (1970).jpg|thumb|upright|Leabua Jonathan in 1970]]
On October 4, 1966, the Kingdom of Lesotho attained full independence, governed by a [[constitutional monarchy]] with a [[bicameral]] [[Parliament of Lesotho|Parliament]] consisting of a [[Senate of Lesotho|Senate]] and an elected [[National Assembly of Lesotho|National Assembly]]. Early results of the first post-independence elections in January 1970 indicated that the [[Basotho National Party]] (BNP) might lose control. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Chief [[Leabua Jonathan]], the ruling BNP refused to cede power to the rival [[Basotholand Congress Party]] (BCP), although the BCP was widely believed to have won the elections. Citing election irregularities, Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan nullified the elections, declared a national state of emergency, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dreams for Lesotho |url=https://undpress.nd.edu/9780268103613/dreams-for-lesotho/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=University of Notre Dame |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1973, an appointed Interim National Assembly was established. With an overwhelming pro-government majority, it was largely the instrument of the BNP, led by Prime Minister Jonathan. In addition to the Jonathan regime's alienation of Basotho powerbrokers and the local population, South Africa had virtually closed the country's land borders because of Lesotho's support of cross-border operations of the [[African National Congress]] (ANC). Moreover, South Africa publicly threatened to pursue more direct action against Lesotho if the Jonathan government did not root out the ANC presence in the country. This internal and external opposition to the government combined to produce violence and internal disorder in Lesotho that eventually led to a military takeover in 1986. {{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

Under a January 1986 Military Council decree, state executive and legislative powers were transferred to the King who was to act on the advice of the Military Council, a self-appointed group of leaders of the [[Royal Lesotho Defense Force]] (RLDF). A military government chaired by [[Justin Lekhanya]] ruled Lesotho in coordination with King [[Moshoeshoe II]] and a civilian cabinet appointed by the King.

In February 1990, King Moshoeshoe II was stripped of his executive and legislative powers and exiled by Lekhanya, and the Council of Ministers was purged. Lekhanya accused those involved of undermining discipline within the armed forces, subverting existing authority, and causing an impasse on foreign policy that had been damaging to Lesotho's image abroad.