Following last year’s disputed election results, political stakeholders in Lesotho are engaged in debate for change in the electoral system, with a view of coming up with a more democratic and representative model for next year’s multi-party elections.

Negotiators during last year’s political impasse that resulted in violence established an Interim Political Authority (IPA) to represent all political parties that contested the 1998 elections.

The authority is to prepare for next year’s general elections in consultation with government. It also has powers to review the electoral process.

Until now, the mountainous kingdom – like most former British colonies - has been using the Westminster First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system in which to win a parliamentary seat the candidate only needs to get the majority of the votes regardless of how many they are.

A number of opposition parties, led by Basotho National Party (BNP) feel that this system gives all the power to one party, thus, they are convinced the Proportional Representation (PR) system will accord every party an opportunity to be represented in parliament.

In the PR system, a party’s share of national votes is translated into a corresponding proportion of seats in parliament.

Unlike the FPTP system where the vote for a nominated candidate in a constituency, in the PR system, parties list candidates to the electorate and voters vote for a party, which later gives listed candidates seats in accordance with their position on the list. This is the system used in South Africa.

However, the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy does not see anything wrong with their present electoral system, and feels the PR system being advocated for by some opposition parties is undemocratic.

“This system is undemocratic as it deprives the electorate the right to choose the candidate of their own at constituency level. Parties impose candidates upon the electorate,” says Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.

But the BNP and other opposition parties opposed to the status quo disagree saying they are in fact advocating for democracy as their proposed system will ensure that every party is represented in parliament and independent candidates can also be voted into the legislative assembly.

“We are trying to democratise the system of voting, but others want to monopolise it,” argues the Secretary General of BNP, Majara Molapo.

“A dual model which takes both PR and FPTP systems is the only one which respects and gives equal rights and opportunities to candidates and contesting parties alike,” the statement said.

Political parties have taken the debate on electoral systems to the public and are busy trying to convince the electorate to subscribe to an electoral system that advances their (political parties’) interests.

Of the 80 seats contested in the last election, the ruling LCD won 79 seats representing 60 percent of the votes cast, whilst BNP won only one but with 25 percent of the votes cast. Other parties could not secure seats, but managed to get up to ten percent of the votes cast.

Political upheaval and riots rocked the country in protest against the results, threatening peace and stability.

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