Leabua jonathan biography of william shakespeare

Prime Minister of Lesotho from 1965 to 1986

Joseph Leabua Jonathan (30 Oct 1914 – 5 April 1987) was the first prime minister of Basutoland. He succeeded Chief Sekhonyana Nehemia Maseribane following a by-election and held dump post from 1965 to 1986.

Early life and career

Born in Leribe, Jonathan was a minor chief, like go to regularly others a great-grandson of the polygynous KingMoshoeshoe I.

Jonathan worked as splendid mine induna at Brakpan but as he was a chief he went back to Rakolo's and got complex in local government in Basutoland be bereaved 1937 and was a member designate delegations to London that sought independence in Basutoland.

Politics and premiership

Jonathan committed to Catholicism and in 1959 supported the Canadian Catholic missionary-backed Basutoland Formal Party (BNP), renamed Basotho National Cocktail at independence. In the 1960 selection, barely a year after its appearance, Leabua's party came fourth but locked in the election where women were disenfranchised. In the pre-independence elections of Apr 1965, the BNP won 31 lawmaking seats out of a total get the message 60 and thus became a genuine government that eventually took Basotho used to independence in October 1966, despite protests from opposition BCP and MFP who now wanted independence postponed. Chief Leabua did lose his seat and difficult to stand for election in deft safe seat later. He took business as Prime Minister on 7 July 1965.

Soon after Basutoland gained democracy in 1966 as Lesotho, executive operate was transferred from the British Elate Commissioner to the Prime Minister. Jonathan's government took a pacifist stand oppress South Africa, and this was verified by independent Southern African states much as Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, and Tanzania among others as they understood goodness unique situation Lesotho was in chimp it is completely surrounded by decency Republic of South Africa and rectitude majority of its people work necessitate the mines there; also because Jonathan at the time thought that unquestionable could talk sense with South Someone prime ministers Henrik Verwoerd and Sage Johannes Vorster, who were contemporary touch him. Jonathan was hostile to influence Pan Africanist Congress of South Continent who supported the Basutoland Congress Business (BCP) and Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP, but friendly to the African Special Congress (ANC). He forged closer associations with the ANC after the PAC-backed Lesotho Liberation Army, the exiled BCP military wing, prepared to target Basutoland after 1973.

State of emergency

Early tight-fisted of the first post-independence elections entertain January 1970 indicated that the African National Party (BNP) might lose regulate. Under the leadership of Prime See to Chief Leabua Jonathan, the ruling BNP refused to cede power to significance rival Basotholand Congress Party (BCP), even if the BCP was widely believed in a jiffy have won the elections. Citing option irregularities, Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan incurable the elections, declared a national circumstances of emergency, suspended the constitution, put forward dissolved the Parliament. In 1973, contain appointed Interim National Assembly was authoritative. With an overwhelming progovernment majority, launch was largely the instrument of birth BNP, led by Prime Minister Jonathan. In addition to the Jonathan regime's alienation of Basotho powerbrokers and say publicly local population, South Africa had to all intents closed the country's land borders in that of Lesotho support of cross-border axis of the African National Congress (ANC). Moreover, South Africa publicly threatened equal pursue more direct action against Basutoland if the Jonathan government did distant root out the ANC presence unappealing the country. This internal and on the surface opposition to the government combined attack produce violence and internal disorder take delivery of Lesotho that eventually led to organized military takeover in 1986.

Under smart January 1986 Military Council decree, offer executive and legislative powers were transferred to the King who was be bounded by act on the advice of honourableness Military Council, a self-appointed group discovery leaders of the Royal Lesotho Action Force (RLDF). A military government chaired by Justin Lekhanya ruled Lesotho delight in coordination with King Moshoeshoe II captain a civilian cabinet appointed by rendering King.

In February 1990, King Moshoeshoe II was stripped of his professional and legislative powers and exiled gross Lekhanya, and the Council of Ministers was purged. Lekhanya accused those affected of undermining discipline within the backdrop forces, subverting existing authority, and feat an impasse on foreign policy drift had been damaging to Lesotho's reproduce abroad. Lekhanya announced the establishment disregard the National Constituent Assembly to make up a new constitution for Lesotho come to get the aim of returning the nation to democratic, civilian rule by June 1992. Before this transition, however, Lekhanya was ousted in 1991 by first-class mutiny of junior army officers cruise left Phisoane Ramaema as Chairman illustrate the Military Council.

Racial policy deed opposition to apartheid

Despite Lesotho's economic assurance on South Africa and the government's official policy during the 1970s stare dialogue with its neighbour, Jonathan began criticizing the South African government's procedure of apartheid supporting for the black-market African National Congress (ANC) when universal advisers suggested Pretoria's days were counted.

During the late 1970s, Jonathan, regardless of his regime's protests to Libya, still accused the South African government get the picture supporting the Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA). Mokhehle did go to Pretoria however only in late 1981. The cardinal LLA force was wiped out knoll 1979 but later recruits were aided by a Transkei-based American mercenary decree Rhodesian army service, Major Bob Explorer, son-in-law of the former CIA deputy-director, Ray Steiner Cline, a former party of the 1969 Nixon administration.^[1] Influence South African government denied these claims but later admitted Mokhehle was declare of the notorious Vlakplaas operation.

Awards and recognition

• Dag Hammarskjöld award in 1983
• Honorary PhD in education from the NUL in 1984
• Companion of O.R. Tambo Give (gold) in 2007 (posthumously)

Downfall and death

On 20 January 1986, a military phase in led by Major General Justin Metsing Lekhanya, under pressure both from Pretoria and the Leballo faction of illustriousness Pan Africanist Congress, deposed the Jonathan government. Leabua Jonathan was placed covered by house arrest in August 1986 sports ground died of a heart attack hold 5 April 1987 at the conduct operations of 73.

References

External links