LESOTHO: ONE YEAR AFTER SADC MILITARY INTERVENTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 MASERU 1721

AIDAC
GABORONE PLEASE PASS TO USAID/RCSA
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
DEPT FOR AF/EX, AF/S, EB AND INR
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NDI
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USDEL IBRD AND IMF
GABORONE FOR ODC
PRETORIA FOR POL LESOTHO WATCHER AND DAO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR MASS MOPS ECON ELAB LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: ONE YEAR AFTER SADC MILITARY INTERVENTION

SUMMARY: NOT WITH A BANG...
--------------


1. LESOTHO IS MUDDLING THROUGH AN ARTIFICIAL AND UNEASY
CALM ONE YEAR AFTER A REGIONAL MILITARY INTERVENTION TO
REVERSE AN ARMY MUTINY AND FORESTALL AN ATTEMPT TO
OVERTHROW THE ELECTED GOVERNMENT. THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY
OF THE DRAMATIC EVENTS OF 1998 PASSED WITH LITTLE NOTICE
BY MANY HERE AND SEPTEMBER 22 APPEARED A DAY LIKE ANY
OTHER. HOWEVER, THE POLITICAL POLARIZATION THAT
GENERATED THE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1998 POLITICAL/SECURITY
CRISIS IS FAR FROM BEING RESOLVED. INSTITUTIONAL
MECHANISMS PUT IN PLACE WITH THE HELP OF REGIONAL PLAYERS
TO FACILITATE A PROCESS OF RESOLUTION ARE AT AN IMPASSE.
PLANS TO HOLD NEW ELECTIONS IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2000
HAVE STALLED. POLITICAL PARTIES ARE STILL AT LOGGERHEADS
AND HARBOR MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE OBJECTIVES THAT ARE NOT
AMENABLE TO COMPROMISE. THERE WERE NO COMMEMORATIVE
EVENTS BY EITHER THE GOVERNING OR OPPOSITION PARTIES --
EXCEPT FOR THE OPPOSITION COALITION'S UNVEILING A
SCULPTURE DEDICATED TO THE "HEROES" OF THE ARMY WHO WERE
"MARTYRED" AS THEY DEFENDED THE COUNTRY FROM FOREIGN
"INVADERS." AS A MEASURE OF THEIR RENEWED CONFIDENCE,
THE PRIME MINISTER, THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND THE
FOREIGN MINISTER WERE TRAVELING OVERSEAS WITH NO WORRIES
ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER DURING THEIR
ABSENCE. END SUMMARY

ANNIVERSARY OF A CRISIS
--------------


2. ON SEPTEMBER 22, 1998, AT THE REQUEST OF PRIME
MINISTER PAKALITHA MOSISILI AND WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF
THE HEADS OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
(SADC),MILITARY FORCES FROM SOUTH AFRICA INTERVENED IN
THE POLITICAL/ SECURITY CRISIS THAT WAS UNFOLDING IN
LESOTHO. THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENSE FORCE WAS
SOON JOINED BY TROOPS FROM BOTSWANA WHO BATTLED WITH ARMY
MUTINEERS AND THEIR OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS IN HEAVY
FIREFIGHTS FOR THREE DAYS. UNFORTUNATELY, BY THAT TIME,
NEARLY 100 PEOPLE WERE DEAD AND ARSONISTS AND LOOTERS HAD
DECIMATED THE COMMERCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN LESOTHO'S
THREE LARGEST TOWNS, INCLUDING THE CAPITAL, MASERU.

HISTORY, PRECEDENTS AND HARBINGERS...
--------------


3. IN 1994\1995 BOTSWANA, SOUTH AFRICA AND ZIMBABWE BECAME
GUARANTOR MEMBERS OF THE SADC TROIKA THAT WAS MANDATED TO
OVERSEE THE PEACE PROCESS AFTER ELEMENTS IN LESOTHO'S ARMY
FOMENTED A PALACE COUP LED BY KING LETSIE III. THIS
GUARANTOR STATUS, UNDER A 1994 MOU, AIMED TO SUPERVISE A
RETURN TO THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE IN THE REGION THAT SADC
WILL NOT TOLERATE EFFORTS TO UNCONSTITUTIONALLY OVERTHROW
DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED MEMBER STATES. THE PALACE COUP
FOLLOWED REJECTION BY OPPOSITION PARTIES OF THEIR TOTAL
DEFEAT IN THE 1993 ELECTIONS. OPPOSITIONISTS ALLEGED,
BUT DID NOT PROVE, ELECTORAL FRAUD AND VOTE RIGGING. THEY
USED THIS ALLEGATION TO PRECIPITATE AN ATTEMPT TO
OVERTHROW OF THE ELECTED GOVERNMENT.


4. AS IN 1994, THE 1998 CIVIL STRIFE FOLLOWED THE
ELECTORAL DEFEAT BY THE SAME COALITION OF OPPOSITION
PARTIES WHO AGAIN ALLEGED THEY WERE VICTIMS OF ELECTORAL
FRAUD. AN UNAUTHORIZED SEVEN-MONTH- LONG DEMONSTRATION
AND PALACE VIGIL BY OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS BEGAN IN AUGUST

1998. OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS CALLED ON THE KING TO
OVERTURN THE ELECTION RESULTS URGED HIM TO INSTALL A
GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY. EFFORTS BY SOUTH AFRICA'S
THEN VICE PRESIDENT, THABO MBEKI, TO MEDIATE A PEACEFUL
RESOLUTION OF THIS ESCALATING CRISIS PROVED FUTILE.


5. THE PALACE VIGIL SOON LED TO AN ARMY MUTINY, THE
FORCED SHUT DOWN OF THE CAPITAL AND OF PUBLIC OFFICES,
ALONG WITH HIJACKING OF GOVERNMENT VEHICLES BY OPPOSITION
ACTIVISTS. CABINET MEMBERS WENT UNDERGROUND IN FEAR OF
THEIR LIVES, AS IN 1994, WHEN THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
WAS ASSASSINATED BY COUP PLOTTERS. IN THIS POLARIZED
INTERNECINE ATMOSPHERE, THE SADC MILITARY INTERVENTION
SPARKED AN ORGY OF LOOTING, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY,
BURNING AND LOSS OF LIFE. THE PRIVATE RESIDENCES OF THE
PRIME MINISTER, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, AND A
NUMBER OF HIGH LEVEL OFFICIALS WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE AND
THEIR ANIMALS WERE SLAUGHTERED. A WELL-ORCHESTRATED
ASSAULT ON SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS INTERESTS TOOK PLACE,
WITH CHINESE AND INDIAN BUSINESSES CAUGHT UP IN THE
FLASHOVER. SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONALS WERE RANDOMLY
ATTACKED, VEHICLES BEARING SOUTH AFRICAN REGISTRATION
NUMBERS WERE VANDALIZED. EXPATRIATE RESIDENTS OF LESOTHO,
INCLUDING NON- OFFICIAL AMERICANS, EVACUATED THE COUNTRY
IN LARGE NUMBERS. IT TOOK THE SOUTH AFRICAN ARMY THREE
DAYS OF BLOODY FIGHTING TO SUPPRESS THE LDF RESISTANCE
AND THEIR OPPOSITION ALLIES WHOM THEY ARMED FROM MILITARY
WEAPONS INVENTORIES.


INAUSPICIOUS REMEMBRANCES
--------------
6.THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN ONE OF MANY REVERSALS FOR LESOTHO.
AFTER EXPERIENCING SOME OF THE HIGHEST ECONOMIC GROWTH
RATES IN AFRICA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DECADE, IN ONE YEAR
LESOTHO'S GROWTH RATE WENT FROM SEVEN PERCENT TO MINUS
EIGHT PERCENT. THOUSANDS OF JOBS WERE LOST IN THE
DESTRUCTION OF COMMERCIAL AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES. THESE
NEW CASES OF UNEMPLOYMENT EXACERBATE AN ALREADY HIGH RATE
OF JOBLESSNESS AND THE ASSOCIATE STRESS ON HOUSEHOLDS
TEETERING ON THE BRINK OF POVERTY. SMALL ARMS
TRAFFICKING IS ON THE INCREASE, HOUSEBREAKING AND STREET
CRIME IS RAMPANT, OPPOSITION PARTIES ARE IN DISARRAY, THE
ECONOMY IS WEAKER THAN IT WAS A YEAR AGO AND THE
ELECTORATE IS DESPONDENT.


7. ONE YEAR LATER, THE ROOTS OF LESOTHO'S CRISIS REMAINS
UNRESOLVED AND THE FUTURE PEACE OF THE COUNTRY IS FAR
FROM GUARANTEED. A RELATIVE AND ARTIFICIAL CALM HAS BEEN
RETURNED UNDER THE SADC SECURITY UMBRELLA, BUT THIS CALM
IS ONLY ON THE SURFACE. THE PEACE ENFORCEMENT PHASE OF
SADC'S OPERATION BOLEAS ENDED IN APRIL 1999, AND WAS
REPLACED BY A SMALLER CONTINGENT OF SADC TROOPS WHO ARE
TRAINING THE LDF IN CIVIL/MILITARY AFFAIRS WHILE
REINFORCING CIVIC CALM. THOUGH MOST BASOTHO ACT AS IF IT
IS BUSINESS AS USUAL, THE UNDERLYING POLITICAL TENSIONS
CONTINUE AND A LASTING SOLUTION IS STILL ELUSIVE.


8. FOLLOWING LAST YEAR'S MILITARY INTERVENTION, AN
INTERIM POLITICAL AUTHORITY (IPA) WAS FORMED (NOVEMBER
1998) TO PREPARE THE GROUND FOR NEW ELECTIONS SCHEDULED
AFTER EIGHTEEN MONTHS (MAY 2000). DESPITE LACK OF PROOF
OF ELECTORAL FRAUD, THE GOVERNING PARTY WAS CONVINCED TO
ACCEPT NEW ELECTIONS AS A MEANS FOR SETTLING THE MATTER.
SINCE THEN, THE GOL HAS EMBARKED ON A COMPREHENSIVE
REFORM PROGRAM FOR CIVIL SERVANTS, THE LDF AND OTHER
SECURITY ORGANIZATIONS. THEIR GOAL IS TO MINIMIZE THE
NEGATIVE EFFECT OF PARTISAN LOYALTIES IN THE PUBLIC AND
SECURITY SERVICES WHILE PROMOTING A NON-PARTISAN
MERITOCRACY FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS. THOSE SOLDIERS WHO WERE
INVOLVED IN THE LDF MUTINY ARE FOR THE FIRST TIME BEING
TRIED VIA COURTS-MARTIAL FOR THEIR PART IN THE ATTEMPTED
COUP AND OTHER INFRACTIONS AGAINST THE DEFENSE ACT (1996).

MUTINY WITHIN THE ARMY
--------------


9. OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES OPPOSED THE RESULTS OF
THE 1998 GENERAL ELECTIONS -- AS HAS EVERY LOSING PARTY
SINCE INDEPENDENCE IN 1966. THEY CALLED FOR THE KING TO
DISSOLVE THE GOVERNMENT ALTHOUGH THEY KNEW THAT THE KING
DOES NOT HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY TO DO SO.
WIDESPREAD DISTURBANCES, PARTICULARLY IN THE CAPITAL, LED
TO A SOUTH AFRICAN EFFORT TO MEDIATE IN THE PROBLEM. A
SOUTH AFRICAN-SPONSORED COMMISSION OF INQUIRY -- THE
LANGA COMMISSION -- WAS CONVOKED TO LOOK INTO OPPOSITION
ALLEGATIONS OF ELECTION FRAUD. THE COMMISSION'S
FINDINGS, WERE LESS THAN UNAMBIGUOUS. THE LANGA
COMMISSION DID NOT FIND ANY PROOF OF ELECTORAL FRAUD, BUT
SAID THEY COULD NOT PROVE THAT NO FRAUD AFFECTED
ELECTORAL OUTCOMES. CHOOSING TO INTERPRET THE AMBIGUITY
OF THE LANGA REPORT AS A VICTORY, THE OPPOSITION PARTIES
STRENGTHENED THEIR PROTESTS AND MADE THE COUNTRY
UNGOVERNABLE. CABINET MINISTERS ABANDONED THEIR POSTS,
WENT INTO HIDING AND THE CAPITAL WAS LITERALLY SHUT
DOWN. A HANDFUL OF LDF JUNIOR OFFICERS TOOK PART IN WHAT
LATER LED TO A MUTINY. ARMY OFFICERS ABOVE THE RANK OF
CAPTAIN WERE ARRESTED AND HELD IN THE MAXIMUM SECURITY
PRISON. THE COMMANDER OF THE ARMY WAS FORCED TO READ AT
GUNPOINT A STATEMENT OVER STATE RADIO CLAIMING HE FIRED
28 OF HIS OFFICER COLLEAGUES AND SUBSEQUENTLY ANNOUNCED
HIS OWN RESIGNATION. IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS, WITH THE ARMY
IN MUTINY AND POLICE DISARMED, THE ONLY ORGANIZED ARMED
FORCES IN THE COUNTRY WERE MUTINEERS AND OPPOSITION
PROVOCATEURS. THIS SITUATION BECAME UNTENABLE, AND
MOTIVATED THE PM'S REQUEST TO SADC FOR MILITARY
INTERVENTION TO REVERSE THE MUTINY AND RETURN THE COUNTRY
TO LAW AND ORDER.


10. THE GOVERNMENT HAS EMBARKED ON A PROGRAM OF REFORM
FOR THE LDF, THE POLICE AND THE NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE
(NSS). THE SADC INTERVENTION FORCES, KNOWN AS OPERATION
BOLEAS, HAVE SINCE BEEN REPLACED BY OPERATION MALUTI
WHICH IS AIMED AT RETRAINING AND REORIENTING THE LDF.
THE SADC/LDF TRAINING IS REPORTED TO BE GOING WELL AND IT
IS ENVISAGED THAT IT WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE
YEAR. AN INITIAL PLAN TO DISBAND THE NSS -- AFTER IT
FAILED TO INFORM THE GOVERNMENT OF THE OPPOSITION
POLITICAL PARTIES' PLAN TO STAGE A COUP -- WAS
ABANDONED. THIS DECISION FOLLOWED AN OUTCRY FROM MANY
QUARTERS OF THE SOCIETY WORRIED THAT THE LCD MIGHT BE
ENGAGED IN AN EFFORT TO TRANSFORM STATE EMPLOYEES INTO
LCD PARTISANS.

THE INTERIM POLITICAL AUTHORITY (IPA)
--------------


11. THE IPA WAS ESTABLISHED IN NOVEMBER 1998, TO PREPARE
FOR EARLY ELECTIONS, AND WAS THOUGHT BY MANY TO BE THE
BASIS FOR A SOLUTION TO THE POLITICAL PROBLEMS IN
LESOTHO. THE IPA IS MADE UP OF TWO MEMBERS FROM EACH OF
THE TWELVE POLITICAL PARTIES THAT TOOK PART IN THE 1998
ELECTION. THERE ARE 24 IPA MEMBERS, WHICH GIVES UNUSUAL
VOTING STRENGTH TO THE OPPOSITION COALITION WHILE ALMOST
ENSURING THE RULING PARTY'S INITIATIVES NEVER CARRY THE
CONSENSUS. THE IPA IS SUPPOSED TO SET THE STAGE FOR NEW
ELECTIONS BY MAY 2000. THEY ARE TO AGREE AND MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE NEXT ELECTION,
ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT THE AUTONOMY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF
THE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION (IEC),AMONG OTHER
MATTERS. THE IPA'S TENURE STATUTORILY ENDS AS SOON AS
THE RESULTS OF 2000 ELECTIONS ARE ANNOUNCED.


12. SOUTH AFRICAN MEDIATORS RECOMMENDED THE IPA AS A
COMPROMISE METHOD TO ACCOMMODATE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
GOALS. THE OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES WANTED A
GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY (SOMEHOW WITHOUT THE
PARTICIPATION OF THE RULING PARTY) BUT THE GOL OPPOSED
THAT AFTER IT WON SUCH A RESOUNDING ELECTORAL VICTORY
WITH SEVENTY NINE OF EIGHTY SEATS IN PARLIAMENT.
(COMMENT: THE OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES CHOSE TO
PORTRAY THE IPA AS A KIND OF POWER SHARING ARRANGEMENT OR
PARALLEL/INTERIM GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, THE GOL, AS THE
LEGITIMATELY ELECTED GOVERNMENT, REFUSES TO CEDE ANY OF
ITS AUTHORITY TO THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE, BUT DOES
PARTICIPATE IN THE IPA. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SADC
VIEWS THE RULING PARTY AS THE LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT -- AS
DOES THIS EMBASSY AND OTHER RESIDENT DIPLOMATIC
MISSIONS. NOR HAS COMPELLING EVIDENCE OF ELECTORAL FRAUD
BEEN PRESENTED TO UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMACY OF THE
MOSILILI ADMINISTRATION. END COMMENT)

PROGRESS, OR LACK THEREOF...
--------------


13. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE IPA HAS COVERED LITTLE
GROUND AND MADE MINISCULE PROGRESS IN PREPARING FOR NEW
ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR. INTERMINABLE SQUABBLES BETWEEN THE
RULING LESOTHO CONGRESS FOR DEMOCRACY (LCD) MEMBERS AND
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MAREMATLOU FREEDOM PARTY (MFP),
THE BASOTHOLAND CONGRESS PARTY (BCP) AND THE BASOTHO
NATIONAL PARTY (BNP) HAVE WASTED INVALUABLE TIME.
POLITICIANS USED THE IPA AS A PLATFORM TO DENOUNCE ONE
ANOTHER AND HOLD FORTH ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF INVITING
THE SADC FORCES TO INTERVENE IN THE POLITICAL AND
MILITARY PROBLEMS OF LESOTHO. LITTLE WORK WAS
ACCOMPLISHED ON ELECTIONS PREPARATION, THE IPA'S MAIN
DUTY. ATTEMPTS BY OPPOSITION LEADERS TO DERAIL OR
DISCREDIT COURT-MARTIAL HEARINGS FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL
WHO TOOK PART IN THE MUTINY ALSO OCCUPIED TOO MUCH OF THE
IPA'S WORKING TIME. (COMMENT: FROM 1970 TO 1993,
UNCONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES RULED LESOTHO, AND
EMPLOYMENT IN THE PUBLIC SERVICES WAS DEPENDENT ON
POLITICAL AFFILIATION WITH THE BNP. AS A RESULT OF THE
1993 ELECTION, THE THEN-BCP INHERITED A CIVIL SERVICE, AN
ARMY, A POLICE FORCE, AND AN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE THAT
WAS PROFOUNDLY POLARIZED IN PARTISAN OPPOSITION AGAINST
THEM. SOME OBSERVERS BELIEVED THAT OPPOSITION LEADERS
WERE OPPOSED TO THE COURT-MARTIAL HEARINGS BECAUSE OF THE
POSSIBILITY THAT THEY AND THEIR SUPPORTERS COULD BE
IMPLICATED IN SUBORNING MUTINY AS A PRELUDE TO AN ATTEMPT
TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT. END COMMENT)


14. DESPITE ITS LIMITED ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THE IPA MAY BE
ON THE VERGE OF AGREEING TO ADD FIFTY SEATS TO THE
CURRENT EIGHTY-MEMBER NATIONAL ASSEMBLY - FOR A TOTAL OF
130 SEATS, WITH A PORTION OF THOSE SEATS CONTESTED ON A
FIRST-PAST-THE-POST SYSTEM AND THE REMAINDER BY
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. THIS OSTENSIBLE EFFORT AT
REPRESENTATIONAL INCLUSIVENESS APPARENTLY SERVES THE
INTERESTS OF OPPOSITION PARTIES MORE THAN IT DOES THE
RULING PARTY. HOWEVER, IF VOTING PATTERNS REMAIN
CONSISTENT WITH THE 1993 AND 1998 ELECTIONS, A NEW POLL
MAY YET RATIFY THE VOTERS' PREFERENCE FOR THE LCD OVER
ALL OTHER PARTIES. AFTER MUCH WRANGLING AND GOL
ACQUIESCENCE, THE IPA HAS ALSO AGREED TO REPLACE THE
CURRENT COMMISSIONERS OF THE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL
COMMISSION (IEC). AFTER FAILING TO SADDLE THE LCD WITH
ACCUSATIONS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD, OPPOSITION POLITICAL
PARTIES TURNED TO BLAME THEIR ELECTION DEFEAT ON THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE IEC, CLAIMING THAT HE WAS BRIBED.
(COMMENT: THIS WAS THE FIRST IEC IN THE ELECTION HISTORY
OF LESOTHO AND THE THREE COMMISSIONERS HAD NEVER HAD ANY
EXPERIENCE IN CONDUCTING ELECTIONS. THE THREE
COMMISSIONERS WERE THE NOMINEES OF OPPOSITION PARTIES AND
INITIALLY WERE DISTRUSTED BY THE LCD. DESPITE THIS
HANDICAP, AND LIMITED TIME TO ACHIEVE THEIR MANDATE, THE
IEC WAS COMMENDED BY INTERNATIONAL AS WELL AS REGIONAL
ELECTION OBSERVER GROUPS FOR THEIR JOB OF CONDUCTING THE
1998 ELECTIONS. NEVERTHELESS, OPPOSITION MEMBERS OF THE
IPA SAY THEY HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE IEC, SO THEIR
SIX YEAR TERMS SHOULD BE TRUNCATED AND THEY SHOULD BE
REPLACED. IN CONTRAST, ELECTION OBSERVERS CONCLUDED THAT
THE 1998 POLL MET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR A
DEMOCRATIC ELECTION THAT REFLECTED THE WILL OF THE
ELECTORATE. END COMMENT)


15. THE CURRENT IMPASSE WITHIN THE IPA IS CENTERED ON THE
PROPOSED MODEL FOR THE NEXT ELECTION. THE RULING PARTY
PREFERS TO RETAIN THE TRADITIONAL ELECTORAL SYSTEM OF
FIRST PAST THE POST (FPTP) WHILE THE OPPOSITION PARTIES
SEE THEIR ADVANTAGE IN A MIXED SYSTEM OF PROPORTIONAL
REPRESENTATION (PR) AND A CONSTITUENCY BASED SYSTEM.
(COMMENT: THERE IS A CYNICAL VIEW AMONG SOME BASOTHO THAT
IT IS NOT IN THE INTEREST OF ANY IPA MEMBERS TO SEE
ELECTION PREPARATION SUCCEED BECAUSE THE IPA HAS BECOME A
MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD FOR OPPOSITIONISTS, AND THE LCD IS
ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS GOVERNING AUTHORITY WITHOUT
INTERRUPTION OF ITS FIVE YEAR TENURE. END COMMENT).
PETERSON##

PETERSON