Pakalitha Mosisili Prime Minister of Lesotho Date of Birth: 14.03.1945 Country: Lesotho

1. Early Life and Education
2. Teaching and Political Career
3. Rise to Prime Ministership
4. Subsequent Elections and Challenges

Early Life and Education

Betuel Pakalitha Mosisili, Prime Minister of Lesotho, was born on March 14, 1945. He pursued his education at universities in Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland, earning a bachelor's degree. In the mid-1970s and early 1980s, he studied at the University of Wisconsin, USA, where he obtained a master's degree, and at Simon Fraser University in Canada, where he earned a master's degree in education.

Teaching and Political Career

After completing his studies, Mosisili embarked on a teaching career. He worked as a high school teacher and lectured in African languages at various universities in Southern Africa. In 1967, he delved into politics, joining the Basotho Congress Party, and in the early 1970s, he was imprisoned for his political activities.

Rise to Prime Ministership

In 1993, Mosisili was elected to the Parliament of Lesotho, where he served as Minister of Education. A year later, he was abducted by armed radical separatists, along with three other ministers. In 1995, Mosisili held the positions of Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister simultaneously. A few months later, he relinquished his post as Education Minister and assumed the vacant position of Minister of Home Affairs and Local Government on July 20, 1995.

In 1997, Mosisili joined the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and led it to victory in the 1998 elections. Despite allegations of vote-rigging and protests from opposition parties, Mosisili became Prime Minister. However, the opposition did not halt their demonstrations and attempted a coup d'état. The newly elected Prime Minister sought support from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The conflict was resolved, and on May 29, 1998, Betuel Mosisili officially became Prime Minister of Lesotho.

Subsequent Elections and Challenges

In 2002, the LCD won the parliamentary elections once again, extending Mosisili's tenure. In 2006, the LCD split into two factions. That October, Tom Thabane, a former ally of Mosisili, established a new party, which attracted 17 cabinet members from Mosisili's government. The Prime Minister persuaded King Letsie III to dissolve Parliament and call for new elections, which the LCD, led by Mosisili, won in February 2007.

On April 22, 2009, an assassination attempt was made on Mosisili at his home by a group of three armed men. The attempt failed, and the Prime Minister's security detail eliminated the attackers. Mosisili, seeking to prevent a military coup, also assumed the post of Minister of Defence.