Millionaire Sam Matekane became Prime Minister of Lesotho in a ceremony on Friday, October 28 in the capital Maseru. His party, the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP), formed in March, won the October 7 legislative elections by a wide margin. The businessman, new to politics, has already made his mark on the small constitutional monarchy and has formed a coalition with two other parties to win an absolute majority to govern.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Sam Matekane was the richest man in Lesotho, so rich that he plans not to pay himself a salary: “He’s not there for that, he doesn’t need it,” his spokesman told us. Voters voted for him in the hope that he would not steal from the public coffers.
But the “coffers are empty”, says Sam Matekane’s entourage: that is why he is financing his own inauguration ceremony. Thanks to his contacts, he also found luxury cars for the 150 guests of honor. He donated his helicopter to the police, who will have to monitor an event where at least six heads of state and representatives of the sub-region are expected, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
After the party, Sam Matekane will have to get to work: he is promising an austerity cure to replenish the government’s coffers. To do this, he will have to surround himself with 15 ministers, compared with some 30 in the last term. As his party’s name suggests, Sam Matekane is promising a Revolution for Prosperity.