Constitution: 2 April 1993
Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); the king is
the former Crown Prince David Monato BERENG Seeiso and succeeded his
father King MOSHOESHOE II, who died in an automobile accident on 16
January 1996; King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne (November
1990 to February 1995) while his father was in exile
note: the king is a hereditary monarch, but, under the terms of the
constitution which came into effect after the March 1993 election,
he has no executive or legislative powers; moreover, under
traditional law the king can be elected or deposed by a majority
vote of the College of Chiefs
head of government: Prime Minister Ntsu MOKHEHLE (since 2 April 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: consists of 33 members (the 22 principal chiefs and 11 other
members appointed by the ruling party)
Assembly: members elected by popular vote; election last held NA
March 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party
NA; seats (65 total) BCP 65
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court;
customary or traditional court
Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party (BNP),
Evaristus SEKHONYANA; Basotho Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu MOKHEHLE;
National Independent Party (NIP), A. C. MANYELI; Marematlou Freedom
Party (MFP), Vincent MALEBO; United Democratic Party, Charles
MOFELI; Communist Party of Lesotho (CPL), Jacob M. KENA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Eunice M. BULANE
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Bismarck MYRICK embassy: address NA, Maseru mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116