THE KINGDOM OF LESOTHO COMBINED SECOND TO EIGHTH PERIODIC REPORT UNDER THE AFRICAN
CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS AND INITIAL REPORT UNDER THE PROTOCOL TO THE
AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA
coalition government in Lesotho, in 2014 the first coalition government was dissolved and
snap elections were held in 2015. Similar to the 2012 results, gave rise to the seven-party
coalition government which also did not live up to the five years but was dissolved
pursuant to the vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister and led to 2017 snap elections
the result of which is the current four-party coalition government.
Independent Electoral Commission
106. Both the National Assembly Elections and the Local Government Elections are overseen
by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) which is an independent constitutional
body created by the Second Amendment to the Constitution Act No 7 of 1997. Section
7 of the amendment mandates the IEC to deliver regular, free and fair elections at all
levels of government national and local. Mandate of the IEC include demarcation of
electoral constituencies, compilation of the voter register, organisation and running of
national assembly and local government elections as well as the referenda.
107. In all the elections organised by the IEC, both local and international observers have
expressed their satisfaction with the IEC’s overall management of the electoral process
and its delivery of an acceptable, free, fair, transparent and accessible election to the
people of Lesotho.
108. In line with its legislative mandate, the IEC captured the following information in relation
to national assembly election in Lesotho:
Table A8: 2015 elections- registered voters by age and gender
Age Group
Gender
Grand Total
Female
Male
17-19
19,732
15,928
35,660
20-24
90,165
80,842
171,007
25-29
100,510
87,273
187,783
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