PM Lesotho Resigns Over Alleged Wife Murder

Lesotho Thomas Thabane (Twitter / @ oladogunriru)

JAKARTA - Prime Minister (PM) Lesotho Thomas Thabane resigned from his position. This he did after months of pressure over his alleged involvement in the murder of his first wife in 2017.

In a speech broadcast on television, PM Thabane said the time for him to retire from public office had arrived. The official resignation also comes after 80-year-old Thabane has repeatedly said he is retiring.

"I appeal to the whole nation and leadership to give my best successor support. And from me, I want to assure him of my support with the material of time," he added.

The position of Thabane will be replaced by the Minister of Finance of Lesotho, Moeketsi Majoro, who will soon be sworn in. Among his direct duties as prime minister were to issue budgets and revive the economy.

Despite only confirming one case of COVID-19, Lesotho has suffered a major economic downturn due to the global slowdown caused by the pandemic. In addition, Thabane blamed his resignation on rival politicians seeking political gain. But on the other hand, he also continues to claim that his resignation was voluntary.

Thabane's previous wife, Lipolelo, was shot by gunmen shortly before Thabane's inauguration as PM of the small African nation. The couple were about to separate and had arranged a divorce before Lipolelo's death.

His current wife, Maesaiah Thabane, has been charged with murder and has been given bail. The country's police are also trying to indict Thomas Thabane for the murder of Lipolelo. But Thabane's lawyers argue that he should be granted immunity against prosecution.

Both PM Lesotho and his wife have not spoken publicly about the allegations. However, for months, the state of Lesotho's government had been confused by the scandal. In fact, a week before Thabane's official resignation, his coalition government fell apart, in a move that could help end the country's long-running political crisis.

"When I made the voluntary announcement in January this year to retire from government on or before July 31, I did so with all my heart out of my complete belief that for everything, there is a season; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant. and there is a time to take what is planted, "said Thabane.