- Title: Vote counting begins in highly contested Lesotho election
- Date: 3rd June 2017
- Summary: MASERU, LESOTHO (JUNE 3, 2017) (REUTERS) ELECTION OFFICIALS AND PARTY AGENTS STANDING OUTSIDE THE STATION ELECTION OFFICIAL INDICATING THAT IT'S TIME TO CLOSE THE POLLS BALLOT BOX BEING SEALED ELECTION OFFICIALS LOOKING AT PAPERWORK CLOSE OF BALLOT BOX CLOSE OF SEAL ON BALLOT BOX LID CLOSE OF PARTY AGENT TAKING NOTES CLOSE OF ELECTION OFFICIALS COUNTING NAMES TICKED ON THE VOTERS ROLL PARTY AGENTS TAKING NOTES CLOSE OF BALLOT BOX SEAL BEING CUT ELECTION OFFICIAL OPENING THE BALLOT BOX AND POURING BALLOT PAPERS ONTO THE TABLE ELECTION OFFICIAL COUNTING BALLOT PAPERS PARTY AGENTS WATCHING AND MONITORING THE PROCESS MORE OF COUNTING EXTERIOR OF THE POLLING STATION
- Embargoed: 17th June 2017 18:05
- Keywords: counting polling general election voting vote Lesotho
- Location: MASERU, LESOTHO
- City: MASERU, LESOTHO
- Country: Lesotho
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0016JQ4GUF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Vote counting began in Lesotho's hotly contested national election on Saturday (June 3) evening.
The election comes just two years after the previous one as the Southern African kingdom struggles with political instability.
Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, who had been in power since 2015, lost a confidence vote in parliament in March after several defections by ruling coalition lawmakers to the opposition eroded his support.
Democratic Congress party leader Mosisili's main rival is All Basotho Convention head Thomas Thabane, who governed from 2012 until 2015.
The nation of 2 million people has been hit by several coups since independence from Britain in 1966 and army troops were on duty until the polls closed at 1500GMT.
Election officials expect results to start trickling in early on Sunday (June 4). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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