Diamond magnate sworn in as new Lesotho PM

Millionaire businessman Sam Matekane has been sworn in as Lesotho’s prime minister.

He took the oath of office in front of thousands of Basotho and presidents from southern Africa in the capital, Maseru.

The events including an air show are being live-streamed by the state broadcaster in neighbouring South Africa:

The 64-year-old is a well-regarded businessman in Lesotho but a novice to politics.

His six-month-old political party won the recent elections with a huge margin but fell short of the majority. He’ll now lead Lesotho after forming a coalition with two smaller parties.

Political analysts see his victory as a sign that the people of Lesotho want a new kind of leadership.

Some hope his business acumen will translate to good governance and service delivery in the economically embattled country.

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.