Commonwealth envoy to Lesotho urges government to push ahead with reforms

The Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Lesotho, Dr Rajen Prasad, has encouraged the country’s coalition government to move ahead with a range of political and legislative reforms, following an official visit.

Dr Prasad, who was appointed Special Envoy in July 2014, concluded a ten-day visit to Lesotho today to gauge progress on a series of reform recommendations and to provide assistance to build local capacity and ownership.

In December 2014, Dr Prasad proposed guidelines on coalition formation in Lesotho which were developed after months of consultations with national stakeholders. A coalition was the outcome of an election in February 2015 which saw several political parties form the government.

The governing parties agreed to deliver on a programme of reform across five areas covering the public service, parliament, constitution, judicial system and security.

In a

statement issued on 18 March, Dr Prasad said that, in his view, arrangements for the coalition are “being respected and relationships appear sound and collegial”. He said the government is operating “in good heart with all the partners feeling involved, taken seriously and productively engaged in leading their particular ministerial portfolios.”

The Special Envoy noted that, while the Government had committed to undertaking reforms, “work in earnest is yet to begin”. Prasad urged the Government to “place a high priority on this work, as it is this that will enable the country’s people to have confidence in their public service.”

He also urged the Speaker of Parliament to begin the task of reforming parliamentary procedure to make it more efficient, while also conveying the Commonwealth’s readiness to assist and to help achieve a faster rate of reform implementation.

During his visit, which began on 9 March, Dr Prasad met with a wide range of government representatives and civil society stakeholders. It was Dr Prasad’s final visit as Special Envoy to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, who completes his term of office on 31 March this year.

He will submit a report which will be taken into account by the new Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, who takes office on 1 April, on how best the Commonwealth can continue to support Lesotho in advancing democracy, the rule of law and sustainable development.

In his statement, Dr Prasad “conveyed the outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General’s goodwill to the people of Lesotho and his sincere hope of enduring peace and stability in the Kingdom."

“I want to thank all Basotho [the people of Lesotho] for the grace with which I have been received in Lesotho since my first visit in 2012 and trust I have been helpful, on behalf of the Commonwealth, in adding value to the wealth of experiences that exist here and to the solutions many desire to a better and more prosperous Lesotho,” he said.

“I expect to keep in touch and I encourage those who have need for the support of the Commonwealth to write directly with their requests. The door of the Commonwealth is always open to Basotho."

Lesotho had its first coalition government after general elections in May 2012. At the Government's request, Dr Prasad, who had been a member of the Commonwealth Observer Group which observed the elections, was appointed as an expert adviser to assist the Government by the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

In April 2013, he produced a report entitled Sustaining Coalition Governments in the Kingdom of Lesotho, which proposed reforms to the public service, parliamentary processes, and coalition formation and operation. This was supplemented by a set of guidelines, 

Working Towards a Sustainable Democracy in Lesotho, in December 2014.