<P> In 1995, there were isolated incidents of unrest, including a police strike in May to demand higher wages . For the most part, however, there were no serious challenges to Lesotho's constitutional order in the 1995 - 96 period . In January 1997, armed soldiers put down a violent police mutiny and arrested the mutineers . </P> <P> In 1997, tension within the BCP leadership caused a split in which Dr. Mokhehle abandoned the BCP and established the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) followed by two - thirds of the parliament . This move allowed Mokhehle to remain as Prime Minister and leader of a new ruling party, while relegating the BCP to opposition status . The remaining members of the BCP refused to accept their new status as the opposition party and ceased attending sessions . Multiparty elections were again held in May 1998 . </P> <P> Although Mokhehle completed his term as Prime Minister, due to his failing health, he did not vie for a second term in office . The elections saw a landslide victory for the LCD, gaining 79 of the 80 seats contested in the newly expanded Parliament . As a result of the elections, Mokhehle's Deputy Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili, became the new Prime Minister . The landslide electoral victory caused opposition parties to claim that there were substantial irregularities in the handling of the ballots and that the results were fraudulent . The conclusion of the Langa Commission, a commission appointed by Southern African Development Community (SADC) to investigate the electoral process, however, was consistent with the view of international observers and local courts that the outcome of the elections was not affected by these incidents . Despite the fact that the election results were found to reflect the will of the people, opposition protests in the country intensified . The protests culminated in a violent demonstration outside the royal palace in early August 1998 and in an unprecedented level of violence, looting, casualties, and destruction of property . In early September, junior members of the armed services mutinied . The Government of Lesotho requested that a SADC task force intervene to prevent a military coup and restore stability to the country . To this end, Operation Boleas, consisting of South African and (later) Botswana troops, entered Lesotho on September 22, 1998 to put down the mutiny and restore the democratically elected government . The army mutineers were brought before a court - martial . </P> <P> After stability returned to Lesotho, the SADC task force withdrew from the country in May 1999, leaving only a small task force (joined by Zimbabwean troops) to provide training to the LDF . In the meantime, an Interim Political Authority (IPA), charged with reviewing the electoral structure in the country, was created in December 1998 and devised a proportional electoral system to ensure that there be opposition in the National Assembly . The new system retained the existing 80 elected Assembly seats, but added 40 seats to be filled on a proportional basis . Elections were held under this new system in May 2002, and the LCD won again, gaining 54% of the vote . For the first time, however, opposition political parties won significant numbers of seats, and despite some irregularities and threats of violence from Major General Lekhanya, Lesotho experienced its first peaceful election . Nine opposition parties now hold all 40 of the proportional seats, with the BNP having the largest share (21). The LCD has 79 of the 80 constituency - based seats . </P>

When was lesotho governed by british empire give the name of the empire and the year