Senate of Lesotho

Upper chamber of Lesotho's bicameral Parliament

This article is about the legislative body. For the princess, see Princess Senate Seeiso.

Senate

Ntlong ea Mahosana

Type
Type|

Upper House

of the Parliament of Lesotho

History
Founded| 1965
Leadership

President

Mamonaheng Mokitimi
since 11 July 2017

Deputy President of the Senate of Lesotho

Tsukutlane Au

Structure
Seats| 33

Length of term

| 5 years
Meeting place
Parliament building in Maseru
Website
senate.parliament.ls

Politics of Lesotho

Constitution

* Human rights

LGBT rights

Monarchy

* King

Letsie III

Government

* Prime Minister

Sam Matekane
* Cabinet

Parliament

* Senate

President
* National Assembly

Speaker

Judiciary

* Lesotho Court of Appeal

Administrative divisions

* Districts
* Constituencies
* Community councils

Elections

* Recent elections

* General: 2015
* 2017
* 2022

* Political parties

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations

Minister: Mpotjoane Lejone

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Lesotho

* * *

* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

29°19′22″S 27°29′33″E﻿ / ﻿29.322739542481237°S 27.49252454519462°E﻿ / -29.322739542481237; 27.49252454519462

The Senate of Lesotho (Sotho: Ntlong ea Mahosana) is the upper chamber of the Parliament of Lesotho, which, along with the National Assembly of Lesotho (the lower chamber), comprises the legislature of Lesotho.[1]

Bicameralism in Lesotho is specifically modeled after the Westminster system of the United Kingdom,[2] having an upper house weaker than the lower.[3] As such, the Senate holds less power than the National Assembly; it cannot initiate legislation, it does not appoint the Prime Minister, and it does not participate in motions of confidence. The Senate's consent is required to amend certain clauses of the constitution, and for a bill to become law, it must be passed by both chambers of Parliament.[4]

The current Senate has a total of 33 members. 22 are hereditary tribal chiefs who perform executive functions for their respective communities and 11 are nominated by the King on the Prime Minister's advice and generally align with the King in their legislative behavior.[5] Members serve five-year terms. Senators may not serve simultaneously as members of the National Assembly.[6]

Mamonaheng Mokitimi is the current president of the Senate. She succeeded Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso.

## See also

[edit]

* National Assembly of Lesotho – the lower chamber of Parliament
* History of Lesotho
* Legislative branch
* List of national legislatures
* List of presidents of the Senate of Lesotho

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Senate of Lesotho. "Senate of the Kingdom of Lesotho". Retrieved 11 February 2019.
2. ^ Macartney, W. J. A. (1969-12-01). "African Westminster? The Parliament OF Lesotho". Parliamentary Affairs. 23 (1969dec): 121. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.pa.a051517. ISSN 0031-2290.
3. ^ 'Nyana, Hoolo (2019). "Bicameralism in Lesotho: A review of the powers and composition of the second chamber" (PDF). Law Democracy & Development. 23: 19. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
4. ^ 'Nyana 2019, p. 20.
5. ^ Nwafor 2013, p. 59: "The composition of the parliament is very instructive when viewed in the context of separation of powers: the King, a chief executive in his own right; a Senate comprised of the principal chiefs, who perform mostly executive functions in their respective communities; and eleven persons nominated by the King, who mostly owe allegiance to the King in the discharge of their legislative functions."
6. ^ Nwafor, Anthony O. (2013). "The Lesotho Constitution and Doctrine of Separation of Powers: Reflections on the Judicial Attitude". African Journal of Legal Studies. 6 (1): 58–59\. doi:10.1163/17087384-12342020.

## External links

[edit]

* Senate of Lesotho - Official site

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