SUMMARY
Lesotho (officially the Kingdom of Lesotho) is a country enclaved by South Africa. Lesotho gained independence in 1966 after nearly 100 years under British rule, for most of the time as a colony named Basutoland. Sovereign Lesotho’s early political history was dominated by one-party rule, namely that of the BNP (Basotho National Party). BNP’s reign was interrupted by a bloodless coup in 1986 and military rule ensued until power was handed over to an elected government in 1993. Following the election of 1998, a violent rebellion broke out, but it was quelled later that same year.
Since 1989 Lesotho has experienced the intrastate category of organized violence, as defined by the UCDP.
A Singular Episode of Post-electoral Violence
Since independence in 1966, there has only been one episode of organized violence in Lesotho: a brief spell of fighting in an intrastate conflict in 1998.
The outcome of the 1998 elections was unexpected and resulted in a shift in government, as well as political turmoil and popular anti-government demonstrations. It was in this uncertain post-election environment that a military faction that previously had tense relations with the government sided with protesters, effectively breaking with the government. A coup seeming imminent, the Lesothan government called for assistance from SADC (Southern African Development Community) countries, and troops were deployed to Lesotho from group member states South Africa and Botswana. Upon their arrival in September 1998, the foreign troops clashed with the mutinous military faction in a state-based conflict. Fighting died down by November that same year, and the conflict resulted in deaths on both sides as well as civilian fatalities. Most battle-related deaths of the conflict occurred in the capital Maseru in western Lesotho, but a significant amount of fatalities also occurred near the Katse Dam in the central part of the country. The conflict also ultimately resulted in the end of the military faction as a fighting force, and the government remained in power.
