Lesotho Congress for Democracy
Encyclopedia
The Lesotho Congress for Democracy is a political party
in Lesotho
.
In 1997, Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle
left the Basutoland Congress Party to form with his faction the new Lesotho Congress for Democracy. The new party won the 1998 elections with 60.7% of the popular vote and 79 out of 80 seats. Pakalitha Mosisili
became the new party leader and prime minister. At the elections
for the National Assembly
, 25 May 2002, the party won 54.9% of popular votes and 77 out of 120 seats. In the 17 February 2007 parliamentary election, the party won 61 out of 120 seats.
Major splits from the party occurred in October 2001, when leading LCD members Kelebone Maope
and Shakhane Mokhehle left the party to form the Lesotho People's Congress, and in October 2006, when Tom Thabane
left the party to form the All Basotho Convention
.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
.
In 1997, Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle
Ntsu Mokhehle
Ntsu Mokhehle was a Lesotho politician. He served as Prime Minister of the country from 2 April 1993 to 17 August 1994 and from 14 September 1994 to 29 May 1998.Mokhehle was born in Teyateyaneng...
left the Basutoland Congress Party to form with his faction the new Lesotho Congress for Democracy. The new party won the 1998 elections with 60.7% of the popular vote and 79 out of 80 seats. Pakalitha Mosisili
Pakalitha Mosisili
Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili has been the Prime Minister of Lesotho since May 29, 1998. He led his party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy , to a near-total victory in the 1998 election, and under his leadership the party also won majorities in the 2002 and 2007 elections...
became the new party leader and prime minister. At the elections
Elections in Lesotho
Lesotho elects a legislature on national level. The Parliament has two chambers: the National Assembly with 120 members, elected for a five-year term, 80 in single-seat constituencies and 40 by proportional representation; and the Senate, with 33 nominated members.Lesotho is a one party dominant...
for the National Assembly
National Assembly of Lesotho
The National Assembly of Lesotho is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament.The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 17 February 2007, has a total of 120 members. 80 members are elected in single member constituencies using the simple majority system...
, 25 May 2002, the party won 54.9% of popular votes and 77 out of 120 seats. In the 17 February 2007 parliamentary election, the party won 61 out of 120 seats.
Major splits from the party occurred in October 2001, when leading LCD members Kelebone Maope
Kelebone Maope
Kelebone Albert Maope is a politician in Lesotho. He served in the Basutoland Congress Party and Lesotho Congress for Democracy governments during the 1990s before splitting from the LCD in 2001 to form his own party, the Lesotho People's Congress .As a member of the BCP, Maope served as...
and Shakhane Mokhehle left the party to form the Lesotho People's Congress, and in October 2006, when Tom Thabane
Tom Thabane
Tom Motsoahae Thabane is a Basotho politician, a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Lesotho, and the leader of the opposition All Basotho Convention....
left the party to form the All Basotho Convention
All Basotho Convention
The All Basotho Convention is a political party in Lesotho. The party was formed in October 2006 and is headed by Tom Thabane, a former minister in the Lesotho Congress for Democracy led government of Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili....
.