Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy. King Letsie III serves as the ceremonial head of state. The prime minister is the head of government. The head of the majority party or coalition automatically becomes prime minister following elections.

General elections held in 2022 were won by the newly established party Revolution for Prosperity (RFP). The RFP’s founder and leader, businessman Sam Matekane, took office as prime minister later that month, forming a three-party coalition with the Alliance of Democrats (AD) and the Movement for Economic Change (MEC).

The elections were hailed as peaceful, fair, and safe by various international observer missions. No security breaches and outcome-altering incidents were reported, though observers raised concerns about the accuracy of the voter roll and noted an uneven playing field amongst parties and candidates due to a lack of campaign finance regulations.

The lower house of Parliament, the National Assembly, has 120 seats; 80 are filled through first-past-the-post constituency votes, and the remaining 40 through proportional representation. The Senate—the upper house of Parliament—consists of 22 principal chiefs who wield considerable authority in rural areas and whose membership is hereditary, along with 11 other members appointed by the king and acting on the advice of the Council of State. Members of both chambers serve five-year terms.

In 2022, the newly established RFP won 56 of 120 seats in the National Assembly, becoming the largest party in Parliament. The Democratic Congress (DC) won 29 seats, while 8 seats were won by the All-Basotho Convention (ABC), the ruling party prior to the elections. The RFP formed a coalition government with the AD and the MEC, which combined had won nine seats. The 2022 general elections were hailed as credible and peaceful by various international observer missions and local observers.

Lesotho held local elections in 2023. The RFP won 445 of the 1,268 local council seats, followed by the DC, with 421 seats; independent candidates claimed 105 seats. No incidents of violence and interference were reported; however, turnout was low, at just over 26 percent.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has been commended for its independence and its administration of credible and fair elections, particularly in 2022, when it faced capacity and resource constraints. However, the IEC incorrectly allocated four parliamentary seats following the 2022 polls, though the overall result of the election was not impacted by the error. It corrected its mistake following a court ruling, but questions remain about its integrity.

In 2024, the IEC began a new registration of voters, including both those who were already registered and new voters. It issued a public call to stakeholders to ensure reregistration takes place before the next election, due to be held in 2027, using the new identity card. Voters with expired identity cards were also eligible to register.

Political parties may form freely, and registered parties are allocated funding by the IEC from the Consolidated Fund for expenses associated with campaigning. Parties represented in the National Assembly also receive funding on an annual basis in proportion to the number of seats they hold. Over 50 registered parties contested the 2022 elections, compared to 27 during the 2017 elections.

However, the IEC faces difficulties in regulating campaign funding and holding parties accountable for their use of public funds. In 2023, the IEC said it would sue parties for failing to account for funds received during the 2022 elections; it said only 14 of the parties had fully accounted for the funding. The lack of restrictions on private campaign donations contributed to an uneven playing field during the 2022 elections.

Political instability and associated violence and intimidation have at times prompted opposition leaders to flee the country.

Opposition parties have a realistic chance of gaining power through elections, and power has rotated frequently between DC- and ABC-led coalitions since 2012. The 2022 general elections continued the pattern of voters replacing incumbent governments. Formed in 2022, the RFP overtook well-established parties that have controlled the country’s political landscape for the past decade.

Lesotho has a long history of political instability largely related to disputes among factions of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) and the politicization of security agencies in general. Election observers found no reports of voter interference by security forces during the 2022 elections. In 2024, Major General Matela Matobakele ventured into political terrain when he appeared to criticize the judiciary for imposing lenient sentences on alleged gang members.

Principal chiefs wield some political influence over their rural subjects. Some political parties, particularly the ABC and the DC, recruited members and used the music of Famo music groups, implicated in deadly gang-related activities in both Lesotho and South Africa, during the 2022 elections, raising questions about the amount of influence they exert on elected officials. There were further allegations that gangs have political links after the ABC party leader Nkaku Kabi demanded that a ban on the groups be lifted, prompting the government to claim that gangs had bankrolled his party. Kabi had previously thanked Famo music groups for their support.

The constitution guarantees political rights for all. However, societal norms discourage women from running for office, even though the 2011 Electoral Act requires men and women to be listed alternately on parties’ candidate lists for the National Assembly and a 2011 law requires at least 30 percent of local council representatives to be women. Women are often deprioritized on party lists. Only a quarter of parliamentarians elected in 2022 were women, and few women hold high-ranking positions. In a 2024 report commissioned by Parliament, various stakeholders noted the barriers women face to being elected as members of Parliament.

Persons living with disabilities are not fully represented in government, and accessibility concerns were not addressed during elections. Although the IEC implemented procedures to facilitate assisted voting during the 2022 elections, many polling stations were inaccessible to persons with disabilities. A report commissioned by Parliament recommended clarifying the eligibility of candidates with mental disorders, noting that a lack of clarity means, in practice, that subjective judgements are made on who possesses a “sound mind.”

LGBT+ individuals face societal discrimination and generally do not advocate for their rights in the political sphere.

The stability of the previous governing coalition was undermined by disagreements between coalition partners and factionalism within the ruling ABC, including unsuccessful attempts to oust Prime Minister Majoro. Similarly, the current coalition government led by Prime Minister Matekane faced instability in 2023 after opposition parties vowed to oust him in a vote of no confidence. The vote was put on hold that October after an RFP legislator challenged its constitutionality.

In 2024, the Appeal Court ruled against the ninth constitutional amendment, which sought to allow a prime minister to be ousted in a vote of no confidence motion in Parliament without calling a snap election, unless the call for an election was supported by two-thirds of Parliament, giving the king the power to endorse a new prime minister selected by Parliament without an election. In a split judgment, the Appeal Court ruled that the proposed amendments tampered with the basic structure of the constitution and threatened to remove the electorate from the political process.

Official corruption and impunity remain significant problems. Corruption is especially prevalent in the awarding of government contracts, and customs fraud and the misuse of public funds is pervasive. The main anticorruption agency, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offence (DCEO), lacks full prosecutorial powers and faces capacity and funding challenges. The DCEO has taken few corruption cases to court in recent years. The Asset Forfeiture Unit, which was established in 2016 to recover property connected to corruption cases, is largely ineffective. In 2023, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) urged the government to enact reforms to establish an “independent, well-resourced anticorruption body.”

Lesotho has no access-to-information law, and responses to information requests are not guaranteed. Though reports on public debt are publicly available, the management of public finances is generally shrouded in secrecy. The 2023 Public Procurement Act has the potential to improve transparency by establishing a public procurement authority that will develop an online portal with information on all relevant documents, including tenders, processes, and awards.

One large-scale public project, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), has reportedly displaced thousands without adequate compensation and resulted in the destruction of arable and grazing land for Indigenous communities. In 2023, the Seinoli Legal Centre, a public interest law firm, sued the LHWP for its lack of transparency regarding the impact of the project.

Most public institutions do not have digital platforms to disseminate information. Although high-level government and elected officials are required to disclose their assets and business interests, these declarations are not made public. Enforcement of the rules is limited by resource constraints.

Press freedom is indirectly protected under constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression. However, journalists are subject to threats and intimidation from the authorities and private citizens, and women journalists are often harassed offline and online. In 2024, the government threatened journalists who interviewed and reported on banned Famo groups with criminal charges.

In 2023, popular radio presenter and investigative journalist Ralikonelo Joki was shot and killed outside his radio station in Maseru; Joki had reportedly received death threats from Facebook accounts prior to his murder. Four suspects were arrested and, while awaiting trial, were also charged with two other murders—of a parliamentary coordinator and his companion. Two of the suspects have also been charged with plotting to kill a state witness in the murder case.

The long-postponed trial of four soldiers allegedly behind the 2016 attempted murder of former Lesotho Times and Sunday Express editor Lloyd Mutungamiri is scheduled to continue in 2025.

Journalists face statutory barriers that interfere in their work, including criminal code provisions that bar sedition and offenses against the “dignity of the royal family.” The penal code, adopted in 2010, allows police officers to force journalists to reveal their sources. Threats to media also emanate from private sources. In February 2024, two publications—Lesotho Tribune and NewsDay—were the subject of strategic litigation measures by powerful business entities, prompting calls from the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) for better constitutional protection of media freedom.

The constitution provides legal protections for freedom of religion and prohibits religious discrimination, and religious freedom is generally upheld in practice.

Academic freedom is generally respected in practice, though the government does interfere in the administration of institutions of higher education. In 2023, the National University of Lesotho banned members of the LDF from addressing its community or interacting with students.

The constitution provides legal protections for freedom of expression. However, political violence in recent years has discouraged open political debate.

In 2024, the minister of communications, science, and technology published an updated version of the Computer Crimes and Cyber Security Bill. Although the bill is aimed at complying with international conventions and preventing the use of cyber infrastructure and communications systems for the commission of crimes, there are no explicit safeguards for freedom of expression. Per Section 39, anyone who discloses information regarding a cyber security investigation “without a lawful excuse” could be charged and, if convicted, imprisoned for up to seven years or fined. Section 43 makes it a criminal offence to publish knowingly publish “false information.” Without adequate safeguards, this section could threaten free speech.

The National Security Service (NSS) has been implicated in or accused of monitoring citizens and journalists online. In 2023, the Constitutional Court declared Section 26 (2) of the NSS Act, which the agency had used to seize and search mobile phones of two opposition politicians, unconstitutional. It found the clause lacks protections against abuse of power in the absence of a court order, and violates the right to privacy. The government appealed the decision.

Protests and demonstrations are permitted, but organizers must seek a permit seven days in advance. Police have been accused of using excessive forces to disperse demonstrations. In May 2024, the government invoked the Internal Security Act and banned 12 Famo music groups suspected to have been involved in a deadly rivalry. This has the potential to harm cultural groups whose survival depends on public performances.

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) generally operate without restrictions. However, some civil society groups act cautiously when working on politically sensitive issues. In addition, government rules on registering NGOs are strict; those who are accused of neglecting to register their organization risk a five-year prison sentence. No NGOs have been held to account for failure to register in recent years.

NGOs have criticized the Computer Crimes and Cyber Security Bill, noting that it has the potential to be weaponized against critical voices in the civic space.

While labor and union rights are constitutionally guaranteed, the union movement is weak and highly fragmented, and these challenges have undermined unions’ ability to advance the rights of workers—particularly in the country’s largest sector of employment, textiles. The government has previously been accused of undermining bodies like the National Advisory Committee on Labour (NACOLA), the Wages Advisory Board, and Industrial Relations Council.

In 2023, Lesotho ratified three International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, including one that extends bargaining rights to all workers. In 2024, the Labour Appeals Court reversed the dismissal of a senior employee of the Independent Electoral Commission, who had been dismissed without adherence to a fair process.

The constitution protects judicial independence, though limited resources and funding and poor court infrastructure render the judiciary ineffective. The judicial appointment process has in the past been criticized for lacking full transparency, and members of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) at times acted without proper oversight. However, starting in 2022 the JSC publicly advertised positions and conducted public interviews of candidates.

Judges assert their constitutional right to engage in judicial review of parliamentary and executive decisions. In 2024, the Appeal Court reviewed and struck down the ninth constitutional amendment. The amendment, which was endorsed by the government, sought to allow a prime minister to be ousted in a vote of no confidence motion in Parliament without calling a snap election, unless the call for an election was supported by two-thirds of Parliament. In the event of a prime minister being ousted, the proposed amendment gave the king the power to endorse a new prime minister selected by Parliament without an election. In a split judgment, the majority of the Appeal Court stated that a change of government should occur through the democratic will of the people, and that the amendment violated the basic structure of the Lesotho Constitution.

In May 2024, army chief Matela Matobakele criticized judges for being lenient towards criminals. Matobakele said lenient judges should “be visited and made to feel with their skin, the pain of the victims of these criminals.” He also described judges as “intrusive.” Civil society groups and opposition parties criticized Matobakele for the inflammatory language and for threatening the rule of law.

The courts generally uphold due process. However, fair trial rights are undermined by backlog of cases, which leaves individuals subject to trial delays and lengthy pretrial detention. In 2023, Chief Justice Sakoane said that the recruitment of more judges in 2022 had accelerated the resolution of murder and corruption cases.

A case in which some members of the LDF, including former army commander Tlali Kamoli, are charged with the murder of former LDF commander Maaparankoe Mahao resumed in 2024 after a long delay. The charges date back to 2017.

Lesotho faced years of violence related to factional disputes within the army; the Southern African Development Community (SADC) appointed a National Reforms Authority in 2019 to create a reform process that would partially focus on the security sector, though these major reforms have not materialized.

The constitution provides legal protections against torture, but the country lacks specific anti-torture legislation, and allegations of torture have been levied against police forces, the LDF, and prison authorities. Concerns remain about a lack of accountability for past human rights abuses. Many cases of police brutality, extrajudicial killings, and torture are unresolved. The Police Complaints Authority, which investigates police conduct, is criticized for being ineffective and lacking institutional independence because it can only investigate cases approved by the minister of police.

In 2024, Lesotho faced problems both with the proliferation of gang-related murders and the state’s response. Famo gangs started as competitors in the performing arts space—the word Famo refers to an accordion-based Sesotho music genre popular in Lesotho and South Africa—but have taken a violent turn, threatening the security of civilians. A popular radio journalist, Pulane Macheli, was killed while she was in the company of a Famo member, who was suspected to be the primary target.

The government responded to the surge in gang violence by invoking security legislation. In May, the government invoked the Internal Security Act and banned 12 Famo music groups suspected to have been involved in a deadly rivalry. The government also deployed the army to combat the gangs. At an event to welcome LDF forces returning from SADC duty in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado, where they were fighting insurgents, the prime minister instructed them to turn their attention to gang violence in Lesotho, and urged the army chief to “comb through the villages” and to do everything in his power to ensure the return of peace in Lesotho. The LDF responded by launching Operation Hard Fist. During this military operation, LDF soldiers were accused of torturing four people and killing two. The survivors sued the LDF for damages, and Amnesty International called for an investigation into the allegations of torture.

Rights are restricted for some groups. While same-sex sexual activity is legal, same-sex marriage remains prohibited. LGBT+ individuals face societal discrimination and challenges accessing services, like health care. Discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is not prohibited by law.

Customary laws and other social norms discriminate against women. Women are considered minors under the guardianship of their fathers before marriage and their husbands after marriage.

Schools often lack facilities for students with disabilities. In 2021, Parliament passed the Persons with Disability Equity Act, bringing the country’s laws into accord with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to which it is a signatory. Under the new law, the government introduced a disability grant program for those living with disabilities, and in 2023, established the Persons with Disability Advisory Council to oversee the protection and promotion of the rights of people with disabilities.

The constitution protects freedom of movement, which is generally upheld. In recent years, a high incidence of rape on a path near the Ha Lebona and Ha Koeshe villages prompted some women to reduce travel in the area.

The 10-day nationwide curfew in 2023 ordered after Ralikonelo Joki’s killing allowed only persons with a permit to perform essential services to move freely between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.

The constitution protects property rights, though related laws are inconsistently upheld. Women’s rights are restricted in areas such as property and inheritance, including chieftainships, which can only be inherited by men. After Lesotho’s Constitutional Court declined to declare that provision of the 1968 Chieftainship Act unconstitutional, a complaint was submitted in 2014 to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights; the commission had yet to rule on the issue.

The Land Act of 2010 enables women to hold land titles. In 2022, Parliament passed legislation that enabled widows to inherit and administer their deceased husbands’ estates.

Government instability and the country’s volatile politics hamper normal business activity. In 2020, Parliament adopted new regulations that will reserve a list of 47 business activities for the Basotho ethnic group. Foreigners can only participate in these activities as minority shareholders.

Prominent social norms and harmful patriarchal attitudes negatively affect women, and women’s rights are restricted in marriage and divorce. The UN’s 2022 World Population Review found that 86 percent of women in Lesotho had experienced gender-based violence, and 40 percent had experienced violence at the hands of their partners. Accountability for the perpetrators of gender-based violence is not consistent. In 2022, Parliament passed the legislation to address gender-based violence and better support survivors.

Abortion is illegal, but is allowed under certain circumstances, such as rape. Child marriage remains a problem.

Human trafficking remains an ongoing challenge for Lesotho. The US State Department’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report acknowledged that the government has continued to make improvements. According to the report, the government increased prosecutions of alleged traffickers, allocated more funding for antitrafficking law enforcement efforts, and established 11 community-based trafficking prevention committees. However, the government identified few victims of trafficking and relied on NGOs instead for victim protection efforts instead of funding them itself.

Child labor and forced labor for both men and women remain problems. In 2021, the government introduced new visa requirements intended to further combat human trafficking in the country.