Three names vying for the new chairmanship of Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) were submitted to the Council of State on Monday to select a suitable candidate.

The three names were submitted following the political parties meeting at the State Library in Maseru in which they scrutinised 12 recommended names of people, who had applied for the eminent position of IEC chairman later this month.

In an interview, the Secretary of the political parties’ committee that facilitates the appointment of a new IEC Chairman, Advocate Lekhetho Rakuoane said it is now upon the Council of State to choose among the three final names the new chairman of IEC.

He said, among the contestants, there are women, though he was reluctant to divulge more details, adding that there is no time limit given to the Council of State to make its submission.

The process, he said is being undertaken by 18 political parties registered with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

Advocate Rakuoane said the parties’ representatives were guided by the principles and guidelines from the law to choose the three names, singling out experience, academic qualifications and age in which the candidates were awarded points accordingly.

The end of term in office of the outgoing chairman of IEC, Mr. Leshele Thoahlane comes to an end on Friday this week after serving the commission for the past eight years.

Mr. Thoahlane was the second chairman of IEC, after taking over reins from the then Advocate Sekara Mafisa, who was the first IEC Chairman since 1997.

Mr. Thoahlane also led 2002 as well as 2007 general elections and the Local Government elections in 2005.

Source: LENA 15/04/2008