GOVERNMENT
The Lesotho Government is a constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili, is head of government and has executive authority. The King serves a largely ceremonial function; he does not actively participate in political initiatives.
The Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) controls a majority in the National Assembly (the lower house of parliament), with the Basotho National Party (BNP), Lesotho Peoples Congress, and the National Independent Party among the 9 opposition parties represented. The upper house of parliament, called the Senate, is composed of 22 principal chiefs whose membership is hereditary, and 11 appointees of the King, acting on the advice of the prime minister.
The constitution
provides for an independent judicial system. The judiciary is
made up of the Court of Appeal, the High Court, Magistrate's Courts,
and traditional courts that exist predominately in rural areas.
All but one of the Justices on the Court of Appeal are South African
jurists. 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.
For administrative purposes, Lesotho is divided into 10 districts, each headed by a district administrator.
Lesotho held its first post-independence local government elections in 2005 using a quota system that reserved one-third of electoral divisions for women candidates. In these elections, 53% of the victorious candidates were women. Locally elected officials attended post-election training while regulations for local governance were drawn up by the National Assembly and infrastructure was created.
Principal
Government Officials
Head of State--King Letsie III
Cabinet
Prime Minister--Pakalitha Mosisili
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs and Public Safety--Archibald Lesao Lehohla
Minister of Defense--Pakalitha Mosisili (also Prime Minister)
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Mohlabi Kenneth Tsekoa, MP
Minister of Education and Training--Dr. Mamphono Khaketla
Minister of Natural Resources--Monyane Moleleki, MP
Minister of Local Government--Pontso Sekatle
Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Rehabilitation, Law and Constitutional Affairs--Mpeo Mahase-Moiloa, MP
Minister of Finance and Development Planning--Timothy Thahane
Minister of Tourism, Environment, and Culture--Lebohang Ntsinyi
Minister of Public Service--Semano Sekatle
Minister of Trade and Industry, Cooperatives, and Marketing--Mpho 'Mali Malie
Minister of Communications, Science, and Technology--Mothojoa Metsing, MP
Minister of Health and Social Welfare--Dr. Mphu Ramatlapeng, Senator
Minister of Employment and Labor--Moses Refiloe Masemene
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security--Lesole Mokoma, MP
Minister of Gender, Youth, Sports, and Recreation--Mathabiso Lepono
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office--Dr. Motloheloa Phooko, Senator
Minister of Public Works and Transportation--Ts'ele Chakela
Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry, Cooperatives, and Marketing--Khotso Matla
Assistant Minister of Education and Training--Malijane Norah Maqelepo
Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Food Security--Ramootsi Mokone Lehata
Assistant Minister of Sports, Gender, and Youth Affairs--vacant
Assistant Minister of Home Affairs--Lineo Irene Molise
Assistant Minister of Labor and Employment--Matanki Mariam Mokhabi
Ambassador to the United States--David Mohlomi Rantekoa
Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations--Motlatsi Ramafole
Lesotho
maintains an embassy in the United States at 2511 Massachusetts
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel: 202-797-5533). Lesotho's
mission to the United Nations is located at 204 East 39th Street,
New York, NY 10016 (tel: 212-661-1690)
Type:
Constitutional monarchy.
Constitution: April 2, 1993.
Independence: October 4, 1966.
Branches: Executive--monarch is head of state;
prime minister is head of government and cabinet. Legislative--Bicameral
parliament consists of elected Assembly and non-elected Senate.
Judicial--High Court, Court of Appeals, Magistrate's Court, traditional
and customary courts.
Administrative subdivisions: 10 districts.
Political parties: Lesotho Congress for Democracy
(LCD), Basotho National Party (BNP), Lesotho Peoples Congress
(LPC), National Independent Party (NIP), Basutoland African Congress
(BAC), Basutoland Congress Party (BCP), Lesotho Workers Party
(LWP), Popular Front for Democracy (PFD), Marematlou Freedom Party
(MFP), Christian Democratic Party (DCP), Kopanang Basotho Party
(KBP), National Progressive Party (NPP), New Lesotho’s Freedom
Party (NLFP), Sefate Democratic Union (SDU), Social Democratic
Party (SDP), United Party (UP).
Suffrage: 18 years of age.
Central government budget (FY 2003-2004 est.):
Revenues--$560 million. Expenditures--$599 million.
