Lesotho Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: Kingdom of Lesotho

Type: constitutional monarchy under King Moshoeshoe II; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital: Maseru

Political subdivisions: 10 administrative districts

Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; constitution came into effect 1966; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; legal education at National University of Lesotho, has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: 4 Oc tober

Branches: executive and legislative authority nominally vested in King; real power rests with 6-man Military Council, established after military coup January 1986; 20-member Council of Ministers responsible for administrative duties; judicial—63 Lesotho courts administer customary law for Africans, High Court and subordinate courts have criminal jurisdiction over all residents, Court of Appeal at Maseru has appellate jurisdiction

Government leaders: MOSHOESHOE II, King (since 1966); Maj. Gen. Justinus Mets-ing LEKHANYA. chairman of Military Council and Minister of Defense and Internal Security (since January 1986); other members of council—Col. E. T.

RAMAEMA, Col. A. K MOSOEUNYANE, Col. Μ. K. TSOTETS1, Lt. Thabe L.ETSIE, Lt. Col. Joshua Sekhnbe LETSIE (since January 1986)

Suffrage: universal for adults

Elections: elections scheduled for September 1985 were boycotted by all opposition parties because of procedural irregularities; ruling BNP won all 60 parliamentary seats by default

Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party (BNP), Leabua Jonathan; Basutoland Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu Mokh ehle; Basotho Democratic Alliance (CDA), C. D. Molapo; National Independent Party (NIP), A. C. Manyeli, Marematlou F’reedom Party (MFP), B. Khaketla

Voting strength: National Assembly inoperative as of 20 January 1986

Communists: diplomatic relations with Soviet Union, Romania, North Korea, and Yu goslavia established in 1983; Soviet Union, China and North Korea maintain diplomatic presence in Maseru

Member of: AfDB, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, G ATT (de facto), IBRD. ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, O AU, SADCC, UN. UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

NOTE: The information regarding Lesotho on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Lesotho 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Lesotho 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.