LESOTHO IN 2019: LOOKING BACK TO FIND A WAY FORWARD

The document examines the persistent instability in Lesotho, focusing on the politicisation of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), the failure of frequent elections to provide legitimacy, and a small economy heavily reliant on government spending. It argues that while security sector reform and electoral changes are necessary, long-term stability requires diversifying the economy and improving the relationship with South Africa to reduce the competition for state resources.

• The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) has a history of political intervention and internal division, characterized by the assassinations of commanders Lt. Gen. Maaparankoe Mahao in 2015 and Lt. Gen. Khoantle Motsomotso in 2017. Despite SADC's SAPMIL mission, risks remain from renegade soldiers, politically sensitive court cases against personnel like Lt. Gen. Tlali Kamoli, and grievances from soldiers persecuted between 2014 and 2017.
• Frequent elections have failed to bring long-term stability or legitimacy to Lesotho's government. The transition from a First Past the Post (FPTP) system to a Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) model increased inclusivity but encouraged political factionalism, floor-crossing, and the creation of fragile coalition governments. Public support for elections as a means of choosing leaders dropped from 73% in 2014 to 48% in 2017.
• Lesotho's economy is small and heavily dependent on the state, with government consumption exceeding 25% of the total GDP. This creates a dynamic where political power is viewed as the primary means of economic accumulation, leading to fierce competition among the elite, widespread corruption, and a partisan civil service.
• To foster economic growth and reduce political instability, the document suggests expanding the regional market for Lesotho's textile and agricultural industries and utilizing more product lines under the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). It also highlights the potential of the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) project to strengthen the private sector.
• Improving the relationship with South Africa is proposed as a key driver for prosperity. This includes relaxing border controls to allow the free movement of capital and labour, as suggested by Tito Mboweni, and acknowledging the reality of dual citizenship, which was enabled by legislation passed in Maseru in 2018.

APA

WILLIAMS, C. (2019). LESOTHO IN 2019: LOOKING BACK TO FIND A WAY FORWARD. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Policy-Insights-68.pdf

Chicago

WILLIAMS, CHRISTOPHER. LESOTHO IN 2019: LOOKING BACK TO FIND A WAY FORWARD. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2019. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Policy-Insights-68.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=WILLIAMS |first1=CHRISTOPHER |title=LESOTHO IN 2019: LOOKING BACK TO FIND A WAY FORWARD |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=January 2019 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Policy-Insights-68.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{williams2019lesotho, author = {WILLIAMS, CHRISTOPHER}, title = {{LESOTHO IN 2019: LOOKING BACK TO FIND A WAY FORWARD}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2019}, month = jan, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Policy-Insights-68.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }