Resource information
After more than 35 years, the elected
local government system in Lesotho was reestablished in 2005
through the election of the Local Authorities, i.e. the
Community and District Councils (CCs and DCs). Across the
political spectrum, the political will to move forward was
at its peak. An exemplary campaign to educate the entire
population as to the purposes and functioning of the new
Local Authorities, and the electoral process preceded the
election. The purposes of the new system are the improvement
in services and access to government, broad participation of
the local population in their own development combined with
enhanced accountability to them, and promotion of equitable
development in all parts of the country. The establishment
of the Local Authorities and their election was received by
even the remotest populations with great enthusiasm, and the
elected Councilors have taken up their job with energy and
commitment. The objectives of this report derive from the
general priorities of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS)
of Lesotho which emphasizes pro-poor growth, community
empowerment, improved governance and public sector
performance. The specific priorities of the PRS have been
set as employment creation, food security, and
infrastructure development, deepening of democracy,
governance, safety and security, access to health services,
increasing human resource capacity, managing and conserving
the environment, and improving public service delivery.
Cross cutting priorities include combating HIV and AIDS, and
addressing gender inequalities as well as issues related to
children and youth. From among all the possible sectors,
agriculture and natural resources were selected because: (i)
the local authorities have a mandate for the promotion of
economic development and the management of natural
resources; (ii) improvements in these areas are necessary
for economic development, poverty reduction, and for
improving the tax base and revenue generation capacity; and
(iii) improvements require collaboration between local
authorities, communities, sector institutions, and the
private sector, a collaboration in which the Local
Authorities sit at the center of the network of co-producers.
