US embassy cable - 05MASERU244

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Identifier:	05MASERU244
Wikileaks:	View 05MASERU244 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Maseru
Created:	2005-05-11 15:15:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	PGOV KDEM LT
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS MASERU 000244 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, LT 
SUBJECT: FINAL RESULTS OF THE APRIL 30 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS 
 
REF: A) MASERU 240     B) MASERU 228   C) MASERU 220 
 
1. The final results of the local government elections held on 
April 30 have been released by the Independent Electoral 
Commission (IEC). The voter turnout was only 30%;  participation 
by young voters seems to have been very limited.     The ruling 
Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) is reported to have won the 
majority of seats in most of the 129 community councils 
(including the uncontested councils), with the Basotho National 
Party (BNP) the largest opposition party, the Lesotho People's 
Congress (LPC) and independent candidates winning most of the 
other seats.      (Per ref C, a group of eleven opposition 
parties refused to endorse the elections, but did not direct 
their members to abstain from participating as voter and/or 
candidates.)   Other parties had very modest showings.   Vote 
totals by party, however, are not available, and may not be for 
a considerable time (see para 3 below). 
 
2.  The voter turnout at national level and at district level 
was as follows: 
 
NATION-WIDE VOTER TURNOUT  = 30.28 % 
 
DISTRICT                        REGISTERED VOTERS       VOTES 
TURNOUT 
 
1. BEREA                        86218                           26656 
30.92 % 
2. BUTHA-BUTHE          46847                           15231 
32.51 % 
3. LERIBE                       122727                          39186 
31.93 % 
4. MAFETENG                     82856                           27535 
33.23 % 
5. MASERU                       213871                          37587 
17.57 % 
6. MOHALE'S HOEK                73142                           26728 
36.54 % 
7. MOKHOTLONG           39943                           16596 
41.55 % 
8. QACHA'S NEK          20433                           8542 
42     % 
9. QUTHING                      45890                           18713 
40.78 % 
10.THABA-TSEKA          51852                           20549 
39.63 % 
 
TOTAL:                                     783,779 
                   237,323 
 
3. COMMENT: 
 
The results reflect a slightly higher voter participation in the 
more rural districts (nos. 7 through 10 above) than in urban 
ones. The general lack of interest in the elections was 
especially pronounced among younger voters.  An IEC spokesman 
claimed this week that the organization lacks the resources  to 
provide a percentage breakdown of votes by party. This seems to 
contradict an earlier statement by the IEC Chairman touting the 
commission's state-of-the-art equipment and adequate manpower to 
hold the elections.  Not providing this information may 
needlessly raise suspicions about the integrity of the election 
process.   However, Commonwealth observers gave the IEC good 
marks for its handling of the elections.  The group of eleven 
major opposition parties which had requested postponement of 
elections is expected to issue a statement within the next day 
or so regarding the election results. The parties are meeting 
May 11 to analyze the results and agree on their next course of 
action.   END COMMENT. 
 
 
PERRY