AFRICA/LESOTHO - For observers of the Church: "Elections were held in a peaceful manner"

Maseru (Agenzia Fides) - "We read (rather than heard) that there was 'tension in Lesotho'. There was no tension before or during the elections", says a note of the election observers of the Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) on the parliamentary elections, held in Lesotho on February 28 (see Fides 26/2/2015).
"When visiting the polling stations both in Maseru (the capital) and rural areas, we saw voters queue up early in the morning until the opening of the polls, the delegates of the different political parties controlled the arrival of the voters, and double-checked their name. There was a local leader to confirm the identity of the persons in case problems arose in the verification of documents. Everything was well organized", says the note sent to Agenzia Fides.
The delegation of IMBISA, which was welcomed wherever it went, did not notice any form of undue pressure on voters or election publicity in the vicinity of the polling stations.
Before the vote, in a pastoral letter, the Bishops highlighted the fact that the benefits of the elections are for the entire nation and not just a part. Referring to the coup attempt in early September, the document urged politicians "to put aside their personal aspirations for the good of the nation". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 02/03/2015)