King given some power

Press, 24 January 1986, Page 6

King given some power

NZPA-Reuter Maseru, Lesotho Lesotho’s new military leaders have announced that King Moshoeshoe II will hold executive and legislative authority in the tiny Kingdom where they seized power on Monday. Diplomats said that the announcement seemed intended to ensure continued international recognition for Lesotho and as a signal that military government would soon give way to an elected civilian Administration. King Moshoeshoe lost a power struggle in the 1970 s with Chief Leabua Jonathan, the Prime Minister who was overthrown after three weeks of intense pressure from Pretoria. South Africa surrounds Lesotho. Pretoria had accused Chief Jonathan of harbouring black nationalist guerrillas and imposed strict border controls that amounted to a blockade.

Western diplomats expect the scholarly, West-ern-educated King Moshoeshoe, who has been a purely ceremonial

figure for more than a decade, to co-operate with the military and work for the establishment of civilian rule. But the diplomats said that they detected signs of differences among the military, noting it took them three days to make their first proclamation, which contained little indication of the policies they would follow. The Government, headed by the coup leader, Major-General Justin Lekhanya, said yesterday that the King had been empowered to amend, repeal, or make any new laws in the country, acting on the advice of the newly formed Military Council. King Moshoeshoe would also appoint Cabinet Ministers. But the council could change the powers of the head of State. Diplomats in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, said the African National Congress, was extremely worried about the fate of some 700 anti-apartheid refugees in Lesotho.