Population: 1,924,886

Constitution: Constitutional Monarchy

Date of Independence: 04 Oct 1966

CPA Branch Formed: 01 Jan 1960

Voting Age: 21

Branch Profile:

Date CPA Branch formed:1960 (Basutoland) 1966 (Lesotho) The CPA Branch was formed in 1960 (Basutoland). In 1966 the country changed from the colonial name Basutoland and took its current official name; Kingdom of Lesotho. The current constitution was enacted in March 1993, marking the return to civilian rule. The original 1966 independence constitution was suspended in 1970, and the Prime Minister was deposed in 1986 by a coup which ushered in a period of military rule. The Parliament is bicameral, comprising of the King, a Senate as the upper house and a National Assembly as the lower house. The lower house has 120 Members with 80 Members directly elected from the 80 constituencies and 40 Members nominated through the proposal representation (PR) to serve a period not exceeding five years. The upper house has 33 Members, comprising of 22 Principal Chiefs and 11 Members nominated by His Majesty with the advice of the Prime Minister. While the National Assembly is the major legislature, the Senate is the review Chamber, scrutinising and reviewing all legislation from the lower house. The Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) retained its overall majority during the 2007 general elections to the National Assembly. The Prime Minister Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili of the LCD, in office since May, 1998, was again appointed Prime Minister after the elections and his reshuffled cabinet was sworn into Office on 2nd March, 2007. The King as the Constitutional Monarch is the Head of State and the Prime Minister is the Head of Government. The role of the King is purely non political in nature: Delivering Speech from the Throne when a new session of Parliament begins and prorogation of Parliament whenever the Head of Government finds it necessary. The King has yet another major function which is Royal Ascent. Current constitution: March 1993, marking a return to civilian rule. The original 1966 independence constitution had been suspended in 1970, and the prime minister had been deposed in 1986 by a coup which ushered in a period of military rule. Legislature: The legislature, the Parliament, is bicameral. The lower chamber, the National Assembly, has 120 members, elected for a five-year term. The upper chamber, the Senate, has 33 members, comprising 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members named by the king. Political makeup of government: The Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) again retained its overall majority in the 2007 elections to the National Assembly. Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili of the LCD, in office since May 1998, was again appointed prime minister after the elections, and his reshuffled cabinet was sworn into office on 2 March 2007. Source: www.peopleinpower.com