Lesotho
Lesotho performs in the mid-range across all categories of the Global State of Democracy framework. It is among the worlds’ top 25 per cent of the countries with regard to performance on Freedom of Religion, while it falls among the worlds’ bottom 25 percent with regard to performance on Basic Welfare and Electoral Participation. Over the past five years, Lesotho has experienced notable advances in Credible Elections and Freedom of Expression. Lesotho’s main economic sectors include subsistence farming and small-scale manufacturing, and remittances, mostly from neighboring South Africa, comprise about one-fifth of the overall GDP.
Lesotho, formerly known as Basutoland, was an independent kingdom until it came under British rule in the late 19th century. In 1966, Basutoland became the independent country of Lesotho. Post-colonial Lesotho has been marked by political impunity, military interventions, and a series of coups until the return of multi-party democratic elections in 1993. The coups, including four attempted coups, are a reflection of the power of the army and the constant tussle for power between politicians and the monarchy in a context of underdevelopment. Lesotho’s politics have also been destabilized by its constitutional arrangements, which have produced chronically weak coalition governments, intra-party conflicts, politicized security forces and a judiciary vulnerable to political interference. Since 2012, efforts to address these deficiencies through a comprehensive package of constitutional reforms have been frustrated by the very political instability they are designed to rectify. Furthermore, corruption in the public sector has undermined confidence in key institutions. High homicide rates, murders and intimidation targeting journalists and the recent allegations of abuse of prisoners pose serious threats to press freedom and personal integrity and security.
Lesotho grapples with high levels of poverty, inequality, and unemployment., Having the world’s second-highest HIV prevalence rate (22.7 per cent) and third-lowest life expectancies (52 years for men/58 years for women), public health challenges also remain pressing. In terms of gender equality, some progress has been made, including through the introduction of a 30 per cent gender quota to the local council, measures to protect women from domestic violence, and increasing public support for gender equality. Yet, access to abortion remains illegal, and gender-based violence continues to pose significant challenges. LGBTQIA+ rights also constitute a major societal cleavage, and while same-sex sexual relations were legalized in 2012, no other protections currently exist.
In a context of public concerns over poverty, unemployment and inequality, as well as the declining trust in public institutions, the most recent elections held in 2022 prioritized such national issues over personalities and saw new contenders and a record of 65 parties contesting – signaling prospects for change. Given this context, in the next years, it will be important to watch the government’s performance in addressing development and socio-economic issues, tackling corruption, and restoring public trust, especially considering the pledge to improve governance and the rule of law, as well as the promise to enact electoral reforms aimed at reducing the chance of future coups. It will be critical to monitor actions to advance the constitutional reform programme, which is considered the most crucial intervention to stabilize the country. Also pivotal are laws that delineate the role of key stakeholders, notably the government, political actors, and the public, among others.
(Last updated August 2024)
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
September 2024
Civilians allegedly killed and tortured by army in ongoing operation
Between August and September, soldiers from the Lesotho Defence Forces (LDF) allegedly killed at least two civilians and tortured at least five others, as part of an ongoing operation to confiscate firearms from criminal gangs. ‘Operation Hard Fist’ was launched earlier in 2024 in response to an increase in gun-related violence in Lesotho, but it has been marred by reports of human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, torture and killings. The incidents follow a speech made by Prime Minister Sam Matekane in early August, in which he urged the deputy army commander to ‘do everything in your power to ensure that peace returns to Lesotho’ – although he subsequently clarified that it was not a call for the army to torture and kill civilians. Opposition parties and civil society organisations have condemned the deployment of the LDF, saying it threatened civil liberties.
Sources: Lesotho Times (1), Amnesty International, News 24, Lesotho Times (2)
March 2024
Ombudsman’s report finds that prisoners were abused in Maseru
Ombudswoman Tlotliso Polaki published a report on 19 March that detailed the findings of an investigation into allegations that prisoners were abused at the Maseru Correctional Centre Institution in December 2023. The Ombudswoman’s investigation found that prison staff, and notably trainees of the Lesotho Correctional Service, intentionally provoked a confrontation with inmates. On 21 December six inmates at the facility escaped. The following day, prison officials arranged a search of the facility. The Ombudswoman found that the search was intentionally aggressive in order to provoke fights with inmates, and that 300 of the 650 inmates were beaten. The Ombudsman’s report further identified an orchestrated effort to conceal the abuse and a denial of medical care to those who had been injured.
Sources: Ombudsman of Lesotho, African Legal Information Institute, Lesotho News Agency, News24
October 2023
Security agencies intervene in Lesotho’s politics, warning opposition against no-confidence vote
On 16 October, the heads of three of Lesotho’s security agencies issued a public statement warning the political opposition not to carry out a planned parliamentary vote of no-confidence against the country’s Prime Minister, Sam Matekane. In oblique language, they stated that they would not allow Matekane’s government to be removed from office in this way, raising fears the military has returned to Lesotho’s politics (the country has a history of coups d’état). The Transformation Resource Centre, a civil society organisation, said it was ‘concerned at the intrusion of security institutions in the legitimate political process and governance.’ Opposition parties warned of a coup threat and claimed that politicians linked to the vote of confidence were being harassed by the security agencies. On 31 October, Prime Minster Matekane secured the support of a new coalition partner which gave him a parliamentary majority and thereby diminished the prospect of a no-confidence vote.
Sources: News 24 (1), Lesotho Times, Daily Maverick, Transformation Resource Centre, News 24 (2)
October 2022
Lesotho elects new Revolution for Prosperity party to lead coalition government
Lesotho held its general election on 7 October. Of the 65 political parties that contested the election, the newly formed Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party emerged with the largest presence in the National Assembly, the lower house of Lesotho’s Parliament, winning 56 of the 120 seats - members of Lesotho’s upper house, the Senate, are not elected. The RFP’s failure to win a majority of seats meant they have had to form a coalition government with the Alliance of Democrats and the Movement for Economic Change. The government is headed by RFP’s leader, Sam Matekane, who was sworn in as Prime Minister on 28 October. Voter turnout was 34.7 per cent, 9.0 per cent lower than in the last general election in 2017. The preliminary findings of international observers praised the elections for being well run and peaceful, but raised concerns about poorly regulated campaign finance, a lack of independent information, and the low representation of women (they accounted for just 33.0 per cent of candidates).
Sources: EU, AU, The Commonwealth, Lesotho Times, The Conversation, International IDEA, Government of Lesotho
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