General elections were held in Lesotho on 27 and 28 January 1970, the first since independence in 1966. They were won by the opposition Basutoland Congress Party.Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p. 502. However, without announcing the results, the ruling Basotho National Party carried out a coup d'état by declaring a state of emergency, annulling the election, dissolving parliament and suspending the constitution.Lesotho: Authoritarian rule, 1970-1991 EISA King Moshoeshoe II was sent into exile after expressing disapproval of the actions.
Leabua Jonathan then ruled the country as a dictator until 1986 when a military coup d'état led by Major General Justin Lekhanya deposed him. Lesotho did not return to democratic rule until the 1993 elections, which were again won by the BCP in a landslide victory.
Results Official results were never published, but figures were made available by election observers.Nohlen et al., p501
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