Southern & East Africa: Lesotho
Political ContextLesotho entered a new phase of multi-party democracy following the passage of a revised electoral framework from a single member district system to a mixed-member proportional representation system in 2002. While multiparty rule existed from 1966-1970, prior to 2002, power alternated between single party and military rule. Allegations of fraud during the 1993 and 1998 elections resulted in political upheaval and the intervention by the unelected Interim Political Authority (IPA), which introduced an electoral framework that gave broad representation to multiple political parties in parliament. The new electoral framework created 40 additional seats in parliament, allocated on the basis of proportional representation and aimed at providing a more politically representative National Assembly through its altered composition. As a result, for the first time since 1970, Lesotho has a multiparty legislature with a significant number of government and opposition members of parliament (MPs). In addition, ten political parties are currently represented in Lesotho's National Assembly. Under the new system, parties that previously were not represented in parliament gained seats.
Given this surge in representation, most party officials had no previous experience representing the interests of their supporters and constituents in the legislature. Parties also struggled to understand the implications of a new electoral system. In addition, political parties in Lesotho remain fragile institutions. Despite positive gains since the political crisis of 1998--when violence and threats of a military coup broke out following a landslide victory of the Basotholand Congress Party (BCP)--politics continues to be personality-based rather than policy-oriented.
Registration site
Past NDI Programs
NDI began a USAID-funded multi-party strengthening program following the introduction of the new electoral framework. The Institute's program sought to strengthen the capacity of political parties by reinforcing linkages between national and district-level party structures to enable parties to become active and visible within their communities. To realize this goal, NDI conducted a training of trainers (TOT) program for national level party agents. These district level-trainings placed an emphasis on developing the provincial or district chapters of the parties in preparation for local elections, which occurred at the end of 2003.
Through its program, NDI trained 18 national-level party leaders, who learned advanced capacity building skills and transferred them within their party structures to another 340 district-level trainers. These leaders then demonstrated the skills they learned by working together to design and realize public works projects by opening schools in their communities, including projects in holistic natural resource management and supporting women's sewing cooperatives. The program was also effective in improving rapport between formerly quarrelling political parties. NDI's party-strengthening program concluded in December 2003. Although the Institute no longer has a presence in Lesotho, NDI continues to follow political developments closely.
Village chief confirms identity of those wishing to register
NDI started working in Lesotho in early 1997 through grants from USAID and Irish Aid. NDI's work there initially focused on strengthening democratic institutions to support the country's political processes. In preparation for the 1998 election, NDI worked to build voter confidence and participation, promote NGOs to assume a major role in voter education, and assist the IEC. NDI also assisted in contributing several Americans to the United Nations-led multinational observer delegation. In July 1999, NDI sponsored a mission to El Salvador and Costa Rica for the Lesotho Defense Ministry's Principal Secretary and one of her senior officers to study applicable civil/military models.
Registration staff complete paper work
Photo is taken for voter identification card
Central America Study Mission
Meeting with El Salvadoran Colonel Cesar Lopez
Visit to Costa Rican command post
Secretary Ramakoae, Major Mahao and NDI staff meet with former Costa Rican President and Nobel Prize Winner, Oscar Arias
Contact Information
For more information on NDI's work in Southern and East Africa, please contact:
Amy Hamelin, Senior Program Manager
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Updated May 2004
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