Estranged wife of Lesotho's incoming PM shot dead

The estranged wife of Lesotho's incoming prime minister was gunned down just two days before his inauguration, his party and police said yesterday, creating confusion ahead of the handover of power.

Thomas Thabane's wife Lipolelo, 58, was shot dead in the Ha Masana village, 35 kilometres (22 miles) south of the capital Maseru where she lives, as she was driving with a friend on Wednesday.

Samonyane Ntsekele, the secretary general of Thabane's All Basotho Convention party, said the prime minister-elect was devastated by the shooting.

"Yes it is true that Mrs Lipolelo was shot dead last night... Everyone is traumatised by these developments," he said.

Thabane is due to replace Pakalitha Mosisili, prime minister since 2015, after forming a coalition with three other parties following elections earlier this month that handed his party most seats in parliament.