The recently formed Revolution For Prosperity (RFP) is leading in vote counting following watershed Lesotho parliamentary election held last week, initial results from the country’s electoral commission showed on Monday.
According to the Independent Electoral Commission, the RFP was leading on Monday morning with more than 80 percent of the 80 contested seats counted.
The party, which was formed in March by mining magnate Sam Matekane, had secured 47 or 72 percent of the 65 constituencies whose results had been announced.
Its nearest rival was the Democratic Congress headed by outgoing deputy prime minister Mathibeli Mokhothu, which had won 14 seats.
The governing All Basotho Convention, which has been in power since 2017, was yet to win a seat at the time of going to press.
According to Lesotho’s electoral law, the party with more than 50 percent-plus-one percent of the votes would elect a prime minister and form the next government.
Based on the early returns from polling stations, the RFP looks set to cruise to a landslide victory.
Final results are expected on Tuesday.
JN/APA