The rise and fall of the first coalition government in Lesotho: 2012 �?2014

[摘要] English: This study examines the changing scenery in Lesotho's political landscape since2012. The May 2012 general election in Lesotho produced a hung parliament thatnecessitated a coalition government for the first time since the country's 1966independence. The occurrence of coalition governments has been rare in Africa,making Lesotho one of a few existing examples that can be studied comparatively,explanatorily or in an explorative manner. This study focuses on how the coalitionwas formed, the coalition arrangements of power sharing between the parties, thegovernance implications resulting from these arrangements, reasons for the collapseof this coalition, and the lessons that could be learnt from this experience. Withthese, the study attempts to create an understanding of political decisions thatshaped the first coalition government in Lesotho as well as the impact of ideologicaldifferences on the nature and tenure of the coalition. Constitutions and electoralmanifestoes of the 2012 coalition partners are analysed using game theory, coalitionand government formation models. The coalescing parties are also analysed throughdifferent models of political party classification. The findings suggest that the powersharing arrangements agreed upon between coalition partners were based onproportions resulting from electoral results and that they were reduced to a writtenagreement. The manifestation of these power sharing arrangements took the form ofa caucus of leaders as the ultimate guide, allocation of cabinet and other seniorpolitical positions to the coalition partners as well as block voting in parliament,informed by interparty consultations, inclusion of policies from all coalition partners,accounting through public dissemination of information, while conflict resolution wasentrusted to a Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee. Seen fromgovernance perspective, these coalitional arrangements had the followingimplications: clear steering authority, legislative coalition, equitable sharing of payoffs,inclusive policy gains, a semblance of accountability; and coalitionaleffectiveness, trust and transparency. Lesotho's experience indicates that lack oflegal status for coalition agreements and the structures they establish make for aweak institutional basis for governance. This, combined with ideological differencesbetween coalition partners, rendered the partnership untenable in the long run. Thestudy recommends that ideological differences between potential coalition partnersas reflected by their policies, should be translated into programme of action thatcould be pursued by the resultant government; preparations for coalition formationshould be made well in advance due to time constraints between the election resultsand government formation; status of coalition agreements and the structures theyestablish as well as their powers, should be defined in law.

[发布机构] University of the Free State