# Politics of Lesotho

Politics of Lesotho takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Lesotho is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of Parliament, the Senate and the National Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

## Executive branch

Main office-holders :
| Office | Name | Party | Since |
| King | Letsie III | | 7 February 1996 |
| Prime Minister | Sam Matekane | Revolution for Prosperity | 28 October 2022 |
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.

## 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.
2163295145781111 :
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats |
| Party | Party | Votes | % | FPTP | List | Total | +/– |
| | Revolution for Prosperity | 201,478 | 38.89 | 57 | 0 | 57 | New |
| | Democratic Congress | 128,517 | 24.81 | 18 | 11 | 29 | –1 |
| | All Basotho Convention | 37,809 | 7.30 | 0 | 8 | 8 | –40 |
| | Basotho Action Party | 29,285 | 5.65 | 0 | 6 | 6 | New |
| | Alliance of Democrats | 20,843 | 4.02 | 2 | 3 | 5 | –4 |
| | Movement for Economic Change | 17,281 | 3.34 | 1 | 3 | 4 | –2 |
| | Lesotho Congress for Democracy | 12,326 | 2.38 | 0 | 3 | 3 | –8 |
| | Socialist Revolutionaries | 10,738 | 2.07 | 1 | 1 | 2 | New |
| | Basotho National Party | 7,367 | 1.42 | 0 | 1 | 1 | –4 |
| | Popular Front for Democracy | 4,655 | 0.90 | 0 | 1 | 1 | –2 |
| | Mpulule Political Summit | 4,485 | 0.87 | 0 | 1 | 1 | New |
| | Basotho Covenant Movement | 4,117 | 0.79 | 0 | 1 | 1 | New |
| | HOPE – Mphatlalatsane | 3,717 | 0.72 | 0 | 1 | 1 | New |
| | National Independent Party | 3,704 | 0.71 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | Basotho Patriotic Party | 3,201 | 0.62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | United for Change | 2,940 | 0.57 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Lesotho People's Congress | 2,075 | 0.40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Alliance for Free Movement | 2,002 | 0.39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Basutoland Congress Party | 1,911 | 0.37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | –1 |
| | Reformed Congress of Lesotho | 1,809 | 0.35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | –1 |
| | Marematlou Freedom Party | 1,767 | 0.34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | –1 |
| | Basotho Liberation Movement | 1,530 | 0.30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Basotho Democratic Congress | 1,167 | 0.23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Basotho Democratic National Party | 1,165 | 0.22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Lesotho Economic Freedom | 1,153 | 0.22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Basotho Economic Enrichment | 1,076 | 0.21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Basotho Total Liberation Congress | 888 | 0.17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Khothalang Basotho | 828 | 0.16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | African Unity Movement | 750 | 0.14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Your Opportunity and Network Alliance | 719 | 0.14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Lekhotla la Mekhoa le Meetlo | 579 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Basotho Social Party | 557 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Metsi and Natural Resources Party | 533 | 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Basotho Poverty Solution Party | 472 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Bahlabani ba Tokoloho Movement | 468 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Development Party for All | 469 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Basutholand African National Congress | 446 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Revolutionary Alliance of Democracy | 432 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Tsepo Ea Basotho | 423 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | African Ark | 344 | 0.07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Basotho Council for Economic Freedom | 302 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Basotho Redevelopment Party | 288 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Empowerment Movement for Basotho | 282 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Mookoli Theological Front | 264 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Yearn for Economic Sustainability | 231 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | People's Convention | 225 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Allies for Patriotic Change | 195 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Prayer Shawl and Light | 118 | 0.02 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New |
| | Independents | 123 | 0.02 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 518,054 | 100.00 | 80 | 40 | 120 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 518,054 | 98.74 | | | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 6,594 | 1.26 | | | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 524,648 | 100.00 | | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 1,388,117 | 37.80 | | | | |
| Source: IEC ||||||||

## 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.