Legal System of Lesotho

Lesotho is located in Africa. It is geographically situated in southern africa, an enclave of south africa. The country achieved independence on 4 october 1966 (from the uk). The capital is Maseru.

Government Overview

Government Type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy Chief of State: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996) Head of Government: Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE (28 October 2022) Cabinet: consists of the prime minister (appointed by the King on the advice of the Council of State), the deputy prime minister, and 18 other ministers; the prime minister is the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the National Assembly Administrative Divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale’s Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha’s Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka National Holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal System

The legal system of Lesotho is described as mixed system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; High Court and Court of Appeal review legislative acts International Law: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Constitutional Framework

The constitution has the following history: previous 1959, 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993 (effectively restoring the 1967 version) Amendment Process: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, including fundamental rights and freedoms, sovereignty of the kingdom, the office of the king, and powers of Parliament, requires a majority vote by the National Assembly, approval by the Senate, approval in a referendum by a majority of qualified voters, and assent of the king; passage of amendments other than those specified provisions requires at least a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament

Judicial Branch

Highest Court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, such number of justices of appeal as set by Parliament, and the Chief Justice and the puisne judges of the High Court ex officio); High Court (consists of the chief justice and such number of puisne judges as set by Parliament) Judge Selection: Court of Appeal president and High Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; puisne judges appointed by the monarch on advice of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body of judicial officers and officials designated by the monarch; judges of both courts can serve until age 75 Subordinate Courts: Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; military courts

Legislative Branch

The legislative structure consists of bicameral Lower Chamber: National Assembly (122 (all directly elected) seats) Electoral System (Lower Chamber): mixed system Upper Chamber: Senate

Citizenship and Suffrage

Citizenship by Birth: yes Citizenship by Descent: yes Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Historical Background

Paramount chief MOSHOESHOE I consolidated what would become Basutoland in the early 19th century and made himself king in 1822. Continuing encroachments by Dutch settlers from the neighboring Orange Free State caused the king to enter into an 1868 agreement with the UK that made Basutoland first a British protectorate and, after 1884, a crown colony. After gaining independence in 1966, the country was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho.

This article provides a summary of the legal system and governmental structure of Lesotho based on the CIA World Factbook. The Factbook is a public domain publication of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.