Ntsu Mokhehle (26 December 1918 – 6 January 1999) was a
Lesotho
Lesotho ( ), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a country landlocked as an enclave in South Africa. It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the highest mountains in Southern Africa. It has an area of over and has a populatio ...
politician. He founded Basutoland African Congress (BAC) in 1952. He founded Basutoland Congress Party in 1957 then later in 1997 founded Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD). He served as the third prime minister of Lesotho from 2 April 1993 to 17 August 1994 and from 14 September 1994 to 29 May 1998.
Early life and education
Mokhehle was born at the small village of Mokhehle, which located few miles from
Teyateyaneng
Teyateyaneng is a town located in the district of Berea in Lesotho. Usually abbreviated to T.Y., Teyateyaneng takes its name from the two twin rivers which run on the north (Tebe-tebe River) and the South (Teja-tejana River). Both rivers lead to ...
on 26 December 1918. His father, Cicerone Mokhehle, was the headman of the village and one of the early Basotho Inspector of Schools. He was admitted to
Fort Hare University
The University of Fort Hare is a public university in Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
It was a key institution of higher education for Africans from 1916 to 1959 when it offered a Western-style academic education to students from across su ...
, Transkei in 1940 where he studied science. He published articles in the Basotho newspaper ''Mochochonono'' and later involved in protesting activities which led to his expulsion from the university in 1942. Mokhehle joined the Lekhotla la Bafo during his time in Lesotho. He returned to Fort Hare University in 1944 and graduated with a MSC degree in Zoology after discovered several new species of parasites.
Political career
He joined the African National Congress as a student in Fort Hare university and was instrumental in formation of ANC Youth League and became a chartered member. He return to Lesotho continue with politics and founded the Basutoland Congress Party (renamed Basotho Congress Party after independence in 1966) in 1952 and led the party (served as its first party president) until 1997 when he resigned and formed a new political party, Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD). He fought colonial rule in Lesotho and demanded greater self-rule. He also founded the influential ''Mohlabani (The Warrior)'' and ''Makatolle'' political newspapers. His outspoken political views caused him to be dismissed from his teaching position at Basutoland High School in 1954. His party Basutoland Congress Party won many seats during the first elections held in Lesotho in 1960. In the 1965 elections, Basutoland Congress Party came second to Basotho National Party of Leabua Jonathan. Following the 1965 elections, he formed an unsuccessful alliance with King
Moshoeshoe II
Moshoeshoe II (2 May 1938 – 15 January 1996), previously known as Constantine Bereng Seeiso, was the Paramount Chief of Basutoland, succeeding paramount chief Seeiso from 1960 until the country gained full independence from Britain in 1966. ...
to block Lesotho's independence unless another general election was held and paramount chiefs were given greater authority. The alliance ended when Moshoeshoe II gathering was suppressed by the government at
Thaba Bosiu
Thaba Bosiu is a sandstone plateau with an area of approximately and a height of 1,804 meters above sea level. It is located between the Orange and Caledon Rivers in the Maseru District of Lesotho, 24 km east of the country's capital Maseru. ...
in December 1966. In 1970 Basotho Congress Party won the elections and the Prime minister Leabua Jonathan refused to relinquish power, suspended the constitution and declared state of emergency. He seized power by force and many were imprisoned without trial for over a year. It was clear Leabua was an anti-democrat and he ruled through the barrel of the gun. In 1974, Basotho Congress Party tried unsuccessfully size power by attacking police stations and following that many were arrested, killed and reign of terror by Chief Leabua continued. Ntsu Mokhehle fled Lesotho and went into exile and resided in Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. During his exile, he presided over the establishment of Lesotho Liberation Army and worked covertly with South African security forces in destabilizing Lesotho.
Mokhehle was awarded honorary doctorates by Fort Hare University in 1996 and
National University of Lesotho
The National University of Lesotho, the main and oldest university in Lesotho, is located in Roma, southeast of Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. The Roma valley is broad and is surrounded by a barrier of rugged mountains which provides magnif ...
in 1990.
The dictator
Leabua Jonathan
Joseph Leabua Jonathan (30 October 1914 – 5 April 1987) was the second prime minister of Lesotho. He succeeded Chief Sekhonyana Nehemia Maseribane following a by-election and held that post from 1965 to 1986.
Early life and career
Born in L ...
was overthrown by the Military, which facilitated the return of him along with others in February 1989. Basotho Congress Party of Ntsu Mokhehle won the 1993 election by landslide which deemed fair by international observers and he ruled until 1998. He led Basotho Congress Party until 1997 when he resigned and formed a new political party, Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD). He did not attend an LCD conference in late January 1998 due to poor health and did not seek to be re-elected as party leader, but the party re-elected him anyway. After Mokhehle insisted he could not lead the party any longer, a new conference was held and Deputy Prime Minister
Pakalitha Mosisili
Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili (born 14 March 1945) is a former Mosotho politician who was the fourth prime minister of Lesotho from May 1998 to June 2012 and again from March 2015 to June 2017."Lesotho Congress for Democracy Vacillates Before Electing New Leader" Summary of Events in Lesotho, Volume 5, Number 1, First Quarter 1998, trc.org.ls. The LCD won the
parliamentary election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
that followed, and Mosisili replaced Mokhehle as Prime Minister.
Death
Mokhehle died in
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legislative capital Cape Tow ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...