Basutoland Congress Party

Last updated
Basutoland Congress Party
Founded1952
Ideology Pan-Africanism
African nationalism
African socialism
Political position Left-wing

The Basutoland Congress Party is a pan-Africanist and left-wing political party in Lesotho.

The Basutoland African Congress (BAC) was founded in 1952 by Ntsu Mokhehle and Potlako Leballo. The party was renamed the Basutoland Congress Party (BCP) in 1957 and retained this name after independence in 1966, stating that Lesotho was not truly independent. Leballo left the party in 1959 to form the Pan Africanist Congress of South Africa (PAC).

The BCP lost the 1965 election but won in 1970. It was denied power by a coup d'état in support of the defeated prime minister Leabua Jonathan. [1]

In 1974, following an unsuccessful rising, the BCP sent 178 men for military training by the PAC in Gaddafi's Libya. In 1979 they began a guerrilla war as the Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA).

The party won a landslide victory at the 1993 general election, and its leader Ntsu Mokhehle became prime minister. Mokhehle left the party in 1997 with his faction to form the Lesotho Congress for Democracy. The BCP was led by Tseliso Makhakhe, Qhobela Molapo, Ntsukunyane Mphanya and (currently) Thulo Mahlakeng.

At the 25 May 2002 general election, the party won 2.6% of the vote and 3 out of 120 seats. [2]

Election results

ElectionVotes%Seats+/–Status
1960
30 / 80
1965 103,06840.04
25 / 60
Decrease2.svg-5Opposition
1970 152,90749.88
36 / 60
Increase2.svg11BNP coup d'état
1985 Boycotted
1993 398,35574.78
65 / 65
Supermajority
1998 62,31310.49
0 / 89
Decrease2.svg-65Extraparliamentary
2002 14,5842.63
3 / 120
Increase2.svg3Opposition
2007 9,8232.22
1 / 120
Decrease2.svg2Opposition
2012 2,5310.46
1 / 120
Steady2.svgOpposition
2015 2,7210.48
1 / 120
Steady2.svgOpposition
2017 3,4580.59
1 / 120
Steady2.svgOpposition
2022 1,9080.37
0 / 120
Decrease2.svg 1Extraparliamentary

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References

  1. "Lesotho (11/02)". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  2. "EISA Lesotho: National Assembly Election results 2002". www.eisa.org. Retrieved 5 January 2021.