CIA Factbook The World Factbook 1994: LesothoGovernment Names: • conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho • conventional short form: Lesotho • former: Basutoland Digraph: LT Type: constitutional monarchy Capital: Maseru Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Constitution: 2 April 1993 Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: • chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 12 November 1990) • head of government: Prime Minister Ntsu MOKHEHLE (since 2 April 1993 ) • cabinet: Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consisting of the Assembly or lower house whose members are chosen by popular election and the Senate or upper house whose members consist of the 22 principal chiefs and 10 other members appointed by the ruling party; election held in March 1993 (first since 1971); all 65 seats in the Assembly were won by the BCP Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party (BNP), Evaristus SEKHONYANA; Basutholand Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu MOKHEHLE; National Independent Party (NIP), A. C. MANYELI; Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), Vincent MALEBO; United Democratic Party, Charles MOFELI; Communist Party of Lesotho (CPL), Jacob M. KENA Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: • chief of mission: Ambassador Teboho KITLELI • chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 • telephone: (202) 797-5533 through 5536 • FAX: (202) 234-6815 US diplomatic representation: • chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Karl HOFMANN • embassy: address NA, Maseru • mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho • telephone: [266] 312-666 • FAX: [266] 310-116 Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner