Thabane has been
under enormous political pressure to resign on suspicion of his involvement in the 2017 murder of his estranged wife.
Thabane, whose official term ends in 2022, said he left the office voluntarily and retired due to old age.
“The work of the Prime Minister requires sensory perception and physical strength and is fast. Because of my age, I am no longer as energetic as I used to be. Thus, I have decided to voluntarily vacate the office and hand over control of the Government in accordance with the Lesotho law,” Thabane said.
Thabane’s ex-wifeLipolelo was shot by gunmen shortly before his inauguration as prime minister of the small African nation. The couple separated and pursued divorce before his death.
Current wife,
Maesaiah Thabane, has been charged with murder and has been given bail. The country’s police also tried to indict the prime minister with Thabane’s murder, but his lawyer argued that he had to
given immunity oppose prosecution.
Both the prime minister and his wife have not spoken publicly about the allegations.
In April, the Prime Minister mobilized the military to the streets to restore order amid unrest in the capital city of Maseru after he suspended parliament for three months because lawmakers planned to vote in disbelief in his leadership. The Lesotho court overturned the suspension of parliament,
South Africa reports.In a statement announcing his planned exit, Thabane called for unity in the mountain kingdom, saying his decision to leave should not be used to score political points.
“To my colleagues in the political arena, this is not the time to divide our nation. This is the time for us to join hands and build our institutions and also set our country for lasting peace and prosperity,” said Thabane.
CNN’s David McKenzie contributed to this report.
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