Person

Leabua Jonathan

1914–1987 · 20th century

Leabua Jonathan was the first prime minister of Lesotho, leading the Basotho National Party from independence in 1966. When he was losing the 1970 election he annulled it, suspended the constitution and ruled by decree, sidelining King Moshoeshoe II. His later quarrels with apartheid South Africa led to a border blockade, and he was overthrown in a military coup in January 1986.

Leabua Jonathan
Image: Joost Evers / Anefo · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Kingdom of Lesotho

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Leabua Jonathan. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/leabua-jonathan
MLA
“Leabua Jonathan.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/leabua-jonathan. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Leabua Jonathan.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/leabua-jonathan.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Leabua Jonathan’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/leabua-jonathan (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻