Lesotho

The Kingdom of Lesotho is a country in Africa; Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa.  Maseru is the capital city of Lesotho with a population of roughly two million inhabitants. The country was previously known as  Basutoland, until it declared its independence from England on October 4, 1966. It’s a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and United Nations, and the Southern African Development Community(SADC).

Lesotho is a parliamentary, constitutional monarchy government. The Prime Minister serves as head of the government; he or she also holds executive authority in the country.  The King of Lesotho serves more of a ceremonial function and no longer possesses executive power. Twenty-two principal chiefs make up the Senate; and eleven seats are hereditary and eleven are appointed by the King.

The Constitution of Lesotho calls for a separate judicial system in the country. It is comprised of the High court, the Court of Appeals, Magistrate’s courts, and traditional courts. All justices, but one, are South African jurists. Judges alone make the final rulings in court proceedings, as there is no trial by jury in Lesotho courts. In criminal cases, two other judges serve as observers in the proceedings. The legal system in the country closely resembles Roman-Dutch Civilian law and the English Common Law. Under the Constitution, freedom of speech, press, religion, association, and peaceful assembly are protected for the citizens of the country.

Lesotho maintains foreign relations with the SADC, Commonwealth of Nations, United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, African Union, and other international organizations. The country also maintains international ties with the United Kingdom, the US, Germany, and the Republic of China. The States of Palestine and Republic of Kosovo are also recognized by Lesotho.

Visitors to the National Law Review will find the latest legal news and stories which relate to Lesotho and the country’s international relations. Financial news, health sector reform, the working group, and other news stories are covered frequently. Visitors will also find news relating to Africa, and Lesotho’s international relations on the site.

 

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