According to TMG live television, the South African Defence Force (SANDF) and South African Police Service (SAPS) were highly visible at the inauguration venue since Thursday night.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, as well as other regional and international leaders, were expected to attend the ceremony.

The inauguration followed the recent general elections in which Thabane won 48 out of 120 parliamentary seats.

Thabane was due to replace Pakalitha Mosisili, prime minister since 2015, after forming a coalition with three other parties.

He will be sworn in as the mountain kingdom's prime minister for the second time in 28 months.

This came as reports on Thursday indicated that Thabane’s wife Lipolelo, 58, was gunned down in the Ha Masana village 35km south of the capital Maseru where she lived, as she was driving with a friend on Wednesday.

The development created confusion ahead of the handover of power.

Samonyane Ntsekele, the secretary general of Thabane’s All Basotho Convention (ABC) party, said the prime minister-elect was devastated by the shooting.

The motive behind Lipolelo's shooting remained unknown.

News24