Lesotho's Prime Minister Thomas Thabane's All Basotho Convention (ABC) continued its lead in the country's snap elections, according to early results released on Monday.

Of 80 constituencies, the ABC won 35, far ahead of all other parties, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said.

Thabane's political rival, Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing's Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) has only managed to get two constituencies so far.

The major opposition Democratic Congress (DC), led by former Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, won 10 constituencies.

A total of 47 of the 80 constituencies have finished their vote counts by Monday. Final results are expected by Thursday.

Voters in Lesotho went to the polls on Saturday for an early election designed to end a political impasse in the kingdom.

The election was held about two years ahead of schedule under a political deal brokered by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), following a coup in August last year which sent Thabane fleeing to neighbouring South Africa. He returned home weeks later under the protection of South African security forces.

The SADC on Monday gave its nod to the elections which it said "were peaceful, transparent, credible, free and fair, thus reflecting the will of the people of the Kingdom of Lesotho".

In this regard, the SADC urged all political parties and candidates to accept the outcome of the election and encourages any political party or candidate that may wish to challenge the election results to do so in accordance with the laws of the country.

Also on Monday, UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon congratulated the people of Lesotho for their peaceful conduct during the parliamentary elections.

He commended the IEC for preparing the elections, as well as the SADC for leading efforts to peacefully resolve political challenges in Lesotho.