The rise and fall of the first coalition government in Lesotho: 2012 – 2014
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Date
2017-01
Authors
Moseme, Tumelo T. L.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: This study examines the changing scenery in Lesotho’s political landscape since
2012. The May 2012 general election in Lesotho produced a hung parliament that
necessitated a coalition government for the first time since the country’s 1966
independence. The occurrence of coalition governments has been rare in Africa,
making Lesotho one of a few existing examples that can be studied comparatively,
explanatorily or in an explorative manner. This study focuses on how the coalition
was formed, the coalition arrangements of power sharing between the parties, the
governance implications resulting from these arrangements, reasons for the collapse
of this coalition, and the lessons that could be learnt from this experience. With
these, the study attempts to create an understanding of political decisions that
shaped the first coalition government in Lesotho as well as the impact of ideological
differences on the nature and tenure of the coalition. Constitutions and electoral
manifestoes of the 2012 coalition partners are analysed using game theory, coalition
and government formation models. The coalescing parties are also analysed through
different models of political party classification. The findings suggest that the power
sharing arrangements agreed upon between coalition partners were based on
proportions resulting from electoral results and that they were reduced to a written
agreement. The manifestation of these power sharing arrangements took the form of
a caucus of leaders as the ultimate guide, allocation of cabinet and other senior
political positions to the coalition partners as well as block voting in parliament,
informed by interparty consultations, inclusion of policies from all coalition partners,
accounting through public dissemination of information, while conflict resolution was
entrusted to a Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee. Seen from
governance perspective, these coalitional arrangements had the following
implications: clear steering authority, legislative coalition, equitable sharing of payoffs,
inclusive policy gains, a semblance of accountability; and coalitional
effectiveness, trust and transparency. Lesotho’s experience indicates that lack of
legal status for coalition agreements and the structures they establish make for a
weak institutional basis for governance. This, combined with ideological differences
between coalition partners, rendered the partnership untenable in the long run. The
study recommends that ideological differences between potential coalition partners
as reflected by their policies, should be translated into programme of action that
could be pursued by the resultant government; preparations for coalition formation
should be made well in advance due to time constraints between the election results
and government formation; status of coalition agreements and the structures they
establish as well as their powers, should be defined in law.
Description
Keywords
Coalition governments -- Lesotho, Political parties -- Lesotho, Lesotho -- Politics and government, Lesotho -- Parliament, Dissertation (MGT (Governance and Political Transformation))--University of the Free State, 2017