Lesotho opposition parties in coalition govt talks

Johannesburg - Lesotho opposition parties were on Thursday negotiating the formation of a coalition government, with 1998-2012 prime minister Pakalitha Mosisili set to return to power, an official said.

The creation of a broad-based government comprising seven parties was expected to stabilise the southern African mountain kingdom, where Saturday's elections had been moved forward by two years after the army was accused of attempting a coup, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Prime Minister Tom Thabane's All Basotho Convention (ABC) took the most votes in half of the 80 constituencies, while Mosisili's Democratic Congress (DC) won 37 constituencies.