Diamond Magnate to be Sworn in as Lesotho PM

Diamond magnate Sam Matekane is due to be sworn in as Lesotho's new prime minister at Setsoto Stadium in Maseru, following the 7 October parliamentary elections.

His Revolution for Prosperity party, formed earlier this year, won the polls but failed to garner an outright majority in the 120-seat parliament, leading to the formation of a coalition government with the Alliance for Democrats and Movement for Economic Change parties.

According to the government website, over 30 heads of state and government have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony.

For a decade, none of Lesotho's political parties has garnered enough votes to form a government on its own.

The country has, as a result, been run by coalition governments that have proved fractious, and no prime minister has served a full five-year term.

The small Southern African kingdom has experienced political instability since 2012, including a coup in 2014 and three national elections in five years.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Image: AFP