| A Third of Local Government Seats Will Go to Women | |
| A
third of the local government seats will go to women. This was confirmed
when on January 19 the last of the country's 128 community councils, the
Maseru City Council, decided four of their 13 electoral divisions will be
reserved for women candidates.
Fifteen political parties were represented during the meeting that decided on the quota. Deputy Director of Elections Mr. Mphasa Mokhochane led the process. The other districts decided on the following representation for women: Botha Bothe will have 10 out of 96 electoral divisions reserved; Leribe has 18 out of 178 divisions; Berea 10 out of 104; Maseru has 15 out of 147 seats reserved; Mafeteng 12 out of 116; Mohale's Hoek 14 out of 140; Quthing 10 out of 105; Qacha's Nek 11 out of 103; Thaba Tseka 13 out of 127 and; Mokhotlong decided 15 divisions out of 156 will be women only The Electoral Act of 1998, as amended in 2004, regulates that every third division within a community council be reserved for women. 20 January 2005 |
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| source: LENA |