THE COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP - LESOTHO GENERAL ELECTIONS, 2002
	'OBSERVERS TO DETERMINE CONDITIONS THAT REFLECT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE OF LESOTHO'. *The Commonwealth Secretary General, Don McKinnon announced on May 15 2002 that he is sending a Commonwealth Observer Group to the Lesotho General Election to be held this May 25. The eleven member group led by the former St. Vincent and Grenadines Prime Minister, Sir James Mitchell was established in response to an invitation from Government of Lesotho, with support of the Lesotho Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and political parties in Lesotho. The group is made up of six eminent Commonwealth citizens, supported by five staff of the Commonwealth Secretariat. The group is meant 'not' to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and form a judgement accordingly. Further, the group is expected to act impartially and independently. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Advance Observers arrived in Lesotho on May 08, preceding the Commonwealth Observer Group. **Addressing a Press Conference in Maseru Saturday, May 18, the leader, Sir Mitchell said, the main focus of the group is to determine whether or not conditions exist to reflect the will of the Lesotho nation concerning the elections. He further noted that, in order to have the image reflected by elections, the commonwealth observers would visit various polling stations during the election day. The visits are to watch the opening of the polls, the counting of votes, observing whether or not papers are put into proper envelopes as well as observing the security of ballots immediately after the elections so that they could issue a detailed report. Sir Mitchell further stated that, one other utmost concern of the observer group is the credibility of the elections, not who wins and who loses; saying, to meet their target, they would keep in contact with politicians and members of the society that would express their state of satisfaction about the process. Sir Mitchell noted that, they would observe also the last national rallies of the political parties to be held Sunday, May 19, in an effort to observe the pre-election atmosphere within the various political parties. He pointed out that, the group is to act impartially and independently; adding that, it has no executive role, while its function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form a judgement accordingly. The group would submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary General, who will forward it to the Government of Lesotho, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of Lesotho, the political parties in Lesotho taking part in the election and thereafter, to all Commonwealth Governments, Sir Mitchell noted. The Commonwealth observers were present in Lesotho for voter registration in August and September, 2001. The group observed also the display of the provisional voters' list in December same year. 19 political parties are due to contest in the general election on May 25.
	SOURCE: *THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, 15.05.2002; **LESOTHO NEWS AGENCY, 18.05.2002