Lesotho - August 2025

On 13 August, Lesotho’s government gazetted the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution Act, the first of three sets of anticipated reforms intended to address the constitutional causes of the country’s chronic political instability. Among other things, the Tenth Amendment establishes parliamentary oversight powers over government expenditure, provides for a parliamentary service, strengthens the independence of the Human Rights Commission and entrenches within the constitution a new anti-corruption commission. Further, it creates a Media Council to regulate the media industry and a Media Ombudsman to settle disputes within the sector, as well as providing for affirmative action in favour of historically marginalised groups, including women and people with disabilities. The approach taken by the current government to constitutional reform (the process began in 2012), however, has been criticised for being piecemeal, top-down and excluding stakeholders. 

Sources: Tenth Amendment to the Constitution Act, 2025, Democracy in Africa, News 24, International IDEA