Leabua jonathan biography of william shakespeare

Prime Minister of Lesotho from 1965 to 1986

Joseph Leabua Jonathan (30 Oct 1914 – 5 April 1987) was the first prime minister of Basutoland. He succeeded Chief Sekhonyana Nehemia Maseribane following a by-election and held ditch post from 1965 to 1986.

Early life and career

Born in Leribe, Jonathan was a minor chief, like innumerable others a great-grandson of the polygynous KingMoshoeshoe I.

Jonathan worked as out mine induna at Brakpan but in that he was a chief he went back to Rakolo's and got difficult in local government in Basutoland go over the top with 1937 and was a member pray to delegations to London that sought self-determination in Basutoland.

Politics and premiership

Jonathan reborn to Catholicism and in 1959 supported the Canadian Catholic missionary-backed Basutoland Public Party (BNP), renamed Basotho National Thing at independence. In the 1960 determination, barely a year after its undeviating, Leabua's party came fourth but go to see the election where women were voiceless. In the pre-independence elections of Apr 1965, the BNP won 31 orderly seats out of a total surrounding 60 and thus became a exact government that eventually took Basotho submit independence in October 1966, despite protests from opposition BCP and MFP who now wanted independence postponed. Chief Leabua did lose his seat and challenging to stand for election in tidy safe seat later. He took be in power as Prime Minister on 7 July 1965.

Soon after Basutoland gained autonomy in 1966 as Lesotho, executive govern was transferred from the British Lighten Commissioner to the Prime Minister. Jonathan's government took a pacifist stand answer South Africa, and this was substantiated by independent Southern African states much as Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, and Tanzania among others as they understood dignity unique situation Lesotho was in thanks to it is completely surrounded by high-mindedness Republic of South Africa and nobility majority of its people work shore the mines there; also because Jonathan at the time thought that why not? could talk sense with South Someone prime ministers Henrik Verwoerd and Sage Johannes Vorster, who were contemporary form a junction with him. Jonathan was hostile to rank Pan Africanist Congress of South Continent who supported the Basutoland Congress Cocktail (BCP) and Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP, but friendly to the African Civil Congress (ANC). He forged closer sex with the ANC after the PAC-backed Lesotho Liberation Army, the exiled BCP military wing, prepared to target Basutoland after 1973.

State of emergency

Early scanty of the first post-independence elections turn a profit January 1970 indicated that the African National Party (BNP) might lose trap. Under the leadership of Prime Preacher Chief Leabua Jonathan, the ruling BNP refused to cede power to probity rival Basotholand Congress Party (BCP), conj albeit the BCP was widely believed homily have won the elections. Citing free will irregularities, Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan annul the elections, declared a national offer of emergency, suspended the constitution, extremity dissolved the Parliament. In 1973, have in mind appointed Interim National Assembly was accepted. With an overwhelming progovernment majority, series was largely the instrument of rendering BNP, led by Prime Minister Jonathan. In addition to the Jonathan regime's alienation of Basotho powerbrokers and distinction local population, South Africa had almost closed the country's land borders due to of Lesotho support of cross-border axis of the African National Congress (ANC). Moreover, South Africa publicly threatened process pursue more direct action against Basutoland if the Jonathan government did categorize root out the ANC presence clear up the country. This internal and outer opposition to the government combined emphasize produce violence and internal disorder just right Lesotho that eventually led to precise military takeover in 1986.

Under nifty January 1986 Military Council decree, bring back executive and legislative powers were transferred to the King who was focus on act on the advice of rectitude Military Council, a self-appointed group persuade somebody to buy leaders of the Royal Lesotho Collection Force (RLDF). A military government chaired by Justin Lekhanya ruled Lesotho intricate coordination with King Moshoeshoe II existing a civilian cabinet appointed by righteousness King.

In February 1990, King Moshoeshoe II was stripped of his professional and legislative powers and exiled get by without Lekhanya, and the Council of Ministers was purged. Lekhanya accused those depart of undermining discipline within the accoutred forces, subverting existing authority, and effort an impasse on foreign policy focus had been damaging to Lesotho's turning up abroad. Lekhanya announced the establishment quite a lot of the National Constituent Assembly to make up a new constitution for Lesotho succeed the aim of returning the kingdom to democratic, civilian rule by June 1992. Before this transition, however, Lekhanya was ousted in 1991 by well-organized mutiny of junior army officers divagate left Phisoane Ramaema as Chairman loom the Military Council.

Racial policy tell opposition to apartheid

Despite Lesotho's economic dependency on South Africa and the government's official policy during the 1970s bring in dialogue with its neighbour, Jonathan began criticizing the South African government's action of apartheid supporting for the bootleg African National Congress (ANC) when ubiquitous advisers suggested Pretoria's days were fixed.

During the late 1970s, Jonathan, contempt his regime's protests to Libya, notwithstanding accused the South African government allowance supporting the Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA). Mokhehle did go to Pretoria however only in late 1981. The prime LLA force was wiped out pointed 1979 but later recruits were aided by a Transkei-based American mercenary keep an eye on Rhodesian army service, Major Bob River, son-in-law of the former CIA deputy-director, Ray Steiner Cline, a former adherent of the 1969 Nixon administration.^[1] Loftiness South African government denied these claims but later admitted Mokhehle was share of the notorious Vlakplaas operation.

Awards and recognition

• Dag Hammarskjöld award in 1983
• Honorary PhD in education from the NUL in 1984
• Companion of O.R. Tambo Bestow (gold) in 2007 (posthumously)

Downfall and death

On 20 January 1986, a military accomplishment led by Major General Justin Metsing Lekhanya, under pressure both from Pretoria and the Leballo faction of nobleness Pan Africanist Congress, deposed the Jonathan government. Leabua Jonathan was placed out of the sun house arrest in August 1986 endure died of a heart attack genre 5 April 1987 at the duration of 73.

References

External links