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2022 Lesotho general election

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2022 Lesotho general election
Lesotho
← 2017 7 October 2022 Next →

All 120 seats in the National Assembly
61 seats needed for a majority
Turnout37.80%
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
RFP Sam Matekane 38.89 57 New
DC Mathibeli Mokhothu 24.81 29 −1
ABC Nkaku Kabi 7.30 8 −40
BAP Nqosa Mahao 5.65 6 New
AD Monyane Moleleki 4.02 5 −4
MEC Selibe Mochoboroane 3.34 4 −2
LCD Mothetjoa Metsing 2.38 3 −8
SR Teboho Mojapela 2.07 2 New
BNP Machesetsa Mofomobe 1.42 1 −4
PFD Lekhetho Rakuoane 0.90 1 −2
MPS Remaketse Sehlabaka 0.87 1 New
BCM Ts'epo Lipholo 0.79 1 New
HOPE Machabana Lemphane Letsie 0.72 1 New
NIP Kimetso Mathaba 0.71 1 0
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Prime Minister before Prime Minister after
Moeketsi Majoro
ABC
Sam Matekane
RFP

General elections were held in Lesotho on 7 October 2022 to elect all 120 members of the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament.[1][2]

Background

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The previous general elections in 2017 were called after prime minister Pakalitha Mosisili lost a vote of no confidence.[3] In the election, the All Basotho Convention (ABC), led by Tom Thabane, won 48 seats. The Democratic Congress (DC) led by Mosisili won 30 seats, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy party (LCD) secured 11 seats whilst numerous minor parties won 27. The ABC won three additional seats; however, the results of those constituencies were declared null and void due to the deaths of some candidates contesting those seats.[4][5] Following the election, the ABC announced its intention to form coalition government with the Reformed Congress of Lesotho, the Alliance of Democrats and the Basotho National Party.[6] The new government was sworn in on 16 June and Thabane assumed office as prime minister.[7]

Thabane's estranged wife, Lipolelo, was murdered shortly before his inauguration.[7] In 2020, Thabane began to face pressure to step down due to his alleged role in Lipolelo's murder. The coalition government subsequently collapsed after ABC's alliance partners withdrew their support.[8] Thabane resigned from the premiership in May, and finance minister Moeketsi Majoro succeeded him.[9] The ABC then formed another government with the Basotho National Party.[10] Thabane later resigned as leader of the ABC, and in February 2022, the party elected Nkaku Kabi to succeed him.[11]

Majoro did not contest the ABC primaries, while several ABC ministers lost their nominations.[12]

Electoral system

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The 120 members of the National Assembly were elected using a mixed single vote with seat linkage system for mixed-member proportional representation. Eighty members were elected from single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting, with the remaining 40 elected from a single nationwide constituency as leveling seats, which were allocated to make seat totals reflect the national vote share. Any party winning more seats in the single-member constituencies than their national vote share entitles them to will not be awarded more seats.[13]

Conduct

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Polling stations opened at 07:00. Delegations from the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the Commonwealth of Nations and the European Union were present to observe the elections.[14]

Voting concluded at 17:00. Whilst there were no reports of significant upheavals to the electoral process, polling stations turned away several individuals whose names were not present on the electoral roll. Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) director, Mpaiphele Maqutu, said turnout was higher than in previous elections. However, the IEC did acknowledge that participation in some rural regions was low, with a lighter voter presence in places such as Thaba-Tseka.[15]

Opinion polls

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Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample ABC DC LCD AD MEC BNP PFD NIP RCL BCP MFP SR BBDP BAP RFP Others Lead
2022 election 7 Oct 2022 581,692 7.1 24.7 2.3 4.0 3.2 1.4 0.9 0.7 2.1 5.4 38.9 5.9 14.2
Afrobarometer/Advision Feb–Mar 2022 1,200 21 42 6 6 6 5 1 3 8 2 21
Afrobarometer/Advision 23 Feb–11 Mar 2020 1,200 18.7 42.3 7.2 7.8 10.9 6.2 1.2 0.2 0.6 1.4 0.2 2.2 0.2 0.9 23.6
2017 election 3 Jun 2017 581,692 40.5 25.8 9.0 7.3 5.1 4.1 2.3 1.1 0.7 0.6 0.5 3.0 14.7

Results

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The elections were postponed in the Stadium Area constituency following the death of the Basotholand Total Liberation Congress candidate.

The ruling All Basotho Convention lost all its constituency seats, including that of party leader Nkaku Kabi.[16] Although the Democratic Congress party ran its campaign opposing the ABC, the party's recent support for the coalition government allowed the new Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party to seem more credible as a new start.[17]

2
1
6
3
29
5
1
4
57
8
1
1
1
1
PartyVotes%Seats
FPTPListTotal+/–
Revolution for Prosperity201,47838.8957057New
Democratic Congress128,51724.81181129–1
All Basotho Convention37,8097.30088–40
Basotho Action Party29,2855.65066New
Alliance of Democrats20,8434.02235–4
Movement for Economic Change17,2813.34134–2
Lesotho Congress for Democracy12,3262.38033–8
Socialist Revolutionaries10,7382.07112New
Basotho National Party7,3671.42011–4
Popular Front for Democracy4,6550.90011–2
Mpulule Political Summit4,4850.87011New
Basotho Covenant Movement4,1170.79011New
HOPE – Mphatlalatsane3,7170.72011New
National Independent Party3,7040.711010
Basotho Patriotic Party3,2010.62000New
United for Change2,9400.57000New
Lesotho People's Congress2,0750.400000
Alliance for Free Movement2,0020.39000New
Basutoland Congress Party1,9110.37000–1
Reformed Congress of Lesotho1,8090.35000–1
Marematlou Freedom Party1,7670.34000–1
Basotho Liberation Movement1,5300.30000New
Basotho Democratic Congress1,1670.23000New
Basotho Democratic National Party1,1650.220000
Lesotho Economic Freedom1,1530.22000New
Basotho Economic Enrichment1,0760.21000New
Basotho Total Liberation Congress8880.17000New
Khothalang Basotho8280.16000New
African Unity Movement7500.140000
Your Opportunity and Network Alliance7190.14000New
Lekhotla la Mekhoa le Meetlo5790.110000
Basotho Social Party5570.11000New
Metsi and Natural Resources Party5330.10000New
Basotho Poverty Solution Party4720.09000New
Bahlabani ba Tokoloho Movement4680.09000New
Development Party for All4690.09000New
Basutholand African National Congress4460.090000
Revolutionary Alliance of Democracy4320.08000New
Tsepo Ea Basotho4230.08000New
African Ark3440.07000New
Basotho Council for Economic Freedom3020.06000New
Basotho Redevelopment Party2880.06000New
Empowerment Movement for Basotho2820.05000New
Mookoli Theological Front2640.05000New
Yearn for Economic Sustainability2310.04000New
People's Convention2250.04000New
Allies for Patriotic Change1950.04000New
Prayer Shawl and Light1180.02000New
Independents1230.020000
Total518,054100.0080401200
Valid votes518,05498.74
Invalid/blank votes6,5941.26
Total votes524,648100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,388,11737.80
Source: IEC

Aftermath

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On 11 October Revolution for Prosperity leader Sam Matekane announced that his party had reached a coalition agreement with the Alliance of Democrats and the Movement for Economic Change. Matekane will lead the government as Prime Minister.[18]

PM Majoro submitted his formal resignation to the King on 14 October; the King accepted, and asked Majoro to remain until the new PM was inaugurated. This occurred on 28 October after the new parliament was sworn in.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Phakela, Mohalenyane (24 March 2021). "Lesotho: General Elections to Be Held in September 2022 – IEC". allAfrica.com. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Lesotho's general elections scheduled on October 7". Africanews. 21 July 2022. Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Lesotho set for elections following no-confidence vote against PM Mosisili". Africa News. 2 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Final Elections Tally Announced". Lesotho Times. 6 June 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Kingdom of Lesotho". Election Guide. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  6. ^ Akwei, Ismail (6 June 2017). "Lesotho: Incumbent Mosisili loses election to former Prime Minister Thabane". Africa News. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  7. ^ a b Akwei, Ismail (16 June 2017). "'Devastated' Lesotho PM inaugurated after fatal shooting of wife". Africa News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Lesotho: Coalition government of PM Thomas Thabane collapses". Al Jazeera. 11 May 2020. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Lesotho's new Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro sworn in". Sowetan Live. 20 May 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  10. ^ Ngatane, Nthakoana (21 May 2020). "LESOTHO PM MAJORO TAPS DC'S MOKHOTHU AS HIS DEPUTY". Eyewitness News. Maseru. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  11. ^ "ABC elects new leader". Africa Press. 2 February 2022. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. ^ Mohloboli, ’Marafaele (16 August 2022). "Majoro out, other ABC bigwigs tumble in primaries". Lesotho Times. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  13. ^ Electoral system Archived 14 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine IPU
  14. ^ "Thousands Vote in Southern Africa's Small Kingdom Lesotho". U.S. News. Maseru. 7 October 2022. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. ^ Moto, Herbert (7 October 2022). "Vote Counting Underway In Lesotho's Polls". Lesotho Times. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  16. ^ "Why ABC lost the elections – The Post". www.thepost.co.ls. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  17. ^ "Why the DC misfired – The Post". www.thepost.co.ls. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  18. ^ "Lesotho Tycoon Forges Coalition After Poll Breakthrough". Barron's. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  19. ^ "Lesotho Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro resigns". SABC News. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.