Fears Of Fresh Political İnstability Emerge İn Lesotho

South Africa's Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa traveled to Lesotho on Tuesday to hold talks with authorities in the mountainous Southern African Kingdom following fears of growing political and security instability.



The Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional block said in a statement that Ramaphosa will hold talks with Lesotho's Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.



According to SADC, the decision to send Ramaphosa follows the assassination of Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao, a former commander of the Lesotho Defense Forces (LDF). 



"This unfortunate and tragic incident threatens to undermine the Kingdom's efforts towards the peaceful transition following the February 2015 elections," President Jacob Zuma who chairs the SADC organ on politics, defense and security cooperation said in a statement.



Brigadier Mahao, the former commander of the Lesotho Defense Force, was shot dead on Thursday afternoon by a group of men dressed in army uniforms, allegedly while trying to arrest him.



Mahao prevented the imminent mutiny in Lesotho last year, which attempted to topple former Prime Minister Tom Thabane.



Thabane fled to South Africa following reports of the coup, but the SADC regional bloc helped him to return to his country and continue serving as prime minister.



South Africa also provided him with security forces to protect him as SADC negotiated a deal with all parties to bring forward the country's election date.



The Kingdom of Lesothom, which is entirely surrounded by South Africa, has been in chaos since former Prime Minister Tom Thabane reshuffled the army's leadership following an aborted August 2014 coup.



Government and military spokesmen in Lesotho declined to comment when contacted by Anadolu Agency for comment on the matter. - Güney Afrika