Politics of Lesotho
- 4 min read
- 7 chapters
Related on Lably
Through Parliamentary system, Representative democracy and Multi-party system
Executive branch
The Lesotho Government is a constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister, Sam Matekane, is head of government and has executive authority. The King serves a largely ceremonial function; he no longer possesses any executive authority and is proscribed from actively participating in political initiatives. According to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may even depose the monarch.
Sign in to keep reading
6 more chapters are free with a Lably account.
Legislative branch
Parliament has two chambers. The National Assembly has 120 members, elected for a five-year term, 80 in single-seat constituencies and 40 by proportional representation. The Senate has 33 nominated members.
Political parties and elections
General elections
The elections were postponed in the Stadium Area constituency following the death of the Basotholand Total Liberation Congress candidate.
The ruling All Basotho Convention lost all its constituency seats, including that of party leader Nkaku Kabi. Although the Democratic Congress party ran its campaign opposing the ABC, the party's recent support for the coalition government allowed the new Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party to seem more credible as a new start.
Judicial branch
The constitution provides for an independent hierarchical judicial system. The judiciary is made up of the High Court of Lesotho, the Court of Appeal, magistrate's courts, and traditional (customary) courts which exist predominantly in rural areas. There is no trial by jury; rather, judges make rulings alone, or, in the case of criminal trials, with two other judges as observers. The constitution also protects basic civil liberties, including freedom of speech, association, and the press; freedom of peaceful assembly; and freedom of religion.
The Court of Appeal is located in Maseru and consists of a President and 6 justices of Appeal.
The High Court has unlimited original jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters, as well as appellate jurisdiction from the lower courts and comprises a Chief Justice and other puisne judges. Parallel to the High Court is the Labour Court, which is a specialist court dealing exclusively with industrial and labour matters.
Magistrates Courts are presided over by judicial officers (magistrates) employed as civil servants. They are not courts of record and as such their decisions are not binding on future cases.
The Chief Justice and Justices of the Court of Appeal are appointed by the King on the advice of the Prime Minister. Puisne judges of the High Court are appointed by the King on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission. High Court judges may retire any time after attaining the age of 75 but may be removed from office by the King for malfeasance or infirmity.
- Chief Justices
- 1937-1948 Sir Walter Huggard (British)
- 1950-1952 Sir Walter Harragin (British)
- 1952-1956 Harold Curwen Willan (British)
- 1959-1961 Cox (British)
- 1961-1962 Elyan (British)
- 1962-1965 Watkin Williams (British)
- 1965-1966 Benson (British)
- 1966-1968 Johnston
- 1968–1973 Hendrik Rudolf Jacobs (South African)
- 1974–1975 Joas Tseliso Mapetla
- 1976–1986 Taufik Suliman Cotran (afterwards Chief Justice of Belize, 1986)
- 1986–1993 Peter Brendan Cullinan
- <1994–2002 Joseph Lebona Kheola
- 2002–2013 Mahapela Lehohla
- 2004 Baptista Molai (acting)
- 2013 Tseliso Monaphathi (acting)
- 2014-2018 Nthomeng Majara
- 2020-Present Sakoane Peter Sakoane
Administrative divisions
For administrative purposes, Lesotho is divided into 10 districts, each headed by a district secretary and a district military officer appointed by the central government and the RLDF, respectively. The districts are: Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
International organization participation
Lesotho is member of ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, United Nations, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, UNWTO and WTO. It was also member of the WCL and OAU before they disbanded.
Literature
- K. Matlosa Electoral System Design and Conflict Mitigation: the Case of Lesotho // Democracy, Conflict and Human Security