VZCZCXRO0213
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHRN
DE RUEHMR #0075/01 0471341
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 161341Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2625
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 2972

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO ELECTION COMMISSION SPEAKS ON EVE OF ELECTION 
 
REF: A) MASERU 0060 AND PREVIOUS 
 
MASERU 00000075  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  As Lesotho approaches polling for the National 
Assembly election on February 17, Lesotho's Independent 
Electoral Commission (IEC) has consistently stated that it is 
prepared for polling day.  Ballot papers are printed and are in 
place or being transported by road or helicopter to the nation's 
ten districts for distribution to Lesotho's 80 electoral 
constituencies and 2,558 polling stations.  In a February 15 
meeting hosted by the IEC, attended by development partners and 
political leaders, the IEC Chairman introduced a local auditing 
consortium which has been hired to audit the elections and build 
confidence in its results.  Other issues discussed included the 
difficulties faced by voters during the February 13 advance 
voting period and inter-party alliances.  U.S. Ambassador June 
Carter Perry led the development partners in appealing to 
political leaders to foster a peaceful acceptance of election 
results and to address "timing" issues related to voting in 
districts. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
---------------- 
 
Auditing the IEC 
 
---------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.  In his opening remarks, IEC Chairman Leshele Thoahlane 
indicated that the IEC had hired a consortium of local firms to 
audit the election to enhance its credibility.  Alphonce Bohloa, 
the Executive Director of the consortium, stated that his 
group's task was to ensure the accuracy and transparency of the 
election.  He emphasized that the role of his firm is to ensure 
that the IEC complies with its own procedures, not to perform a 
forensic audit.  He pointed out that his consortium has already 
recruited Audit Assistants who will be deployed in all 80 
constituencies with audit reports made public on February 20. 
 
 
 
----------------------- 
 
Advance Voting Problems 
 
----------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3.  On February 14, advance (early) voters cast their votes for 
the national election.  Only categories of citizens with special 
duties on Election Day are legally permitted to vote in advance 
(government officials, local observers, policemen, soldiers, the 
media, doctors, and Lesotho's diplomats abroad).  As witnessed 
by Embassy Maseru's FSNs who participated in advance voting, 
proceedings were characterized by disorganization.  Three out of 
20 U.S. Embassy FSNs were not permitted to cast advanced ballots 
as their names were not on the advance voting registry.  The 
local wire service described the event in an article under the 
headline, "Advance Voting in Shambles".  Some voters, especially 
a large number of police officers, found that their names did 
not appear on the advance voters' list and were not allowed to 
participate in advance balloting.  For many voters, including 
Embassy staff, it took six to eight hours of waiting in line to 
cast a vote.  The IEC Chair identified the Maseru city 
constituency as a "special case".  He did not anticipate such 
problems in provincial areas. 
 
 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
Controversial Inter-party Alliances 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4.  Also discussed at the February 15 IEC meeting was the 
formulation of party alliances - a significant feature of the 
2007 general election.  Lesotho's presumptive two leading 
parties, the governing LCD and opposition ABC, both do not 
appear on the ballot for the 40 Proportional Representation 
seats out of 120 total parliamentary seats.  Both parties are 
gambling that they will gain enough of the 80 direct 
constituency-elected seats as to preclude them from needing any 
of the 40 Proportional Representation seats under Lesotho's 
Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) formula. 
 
 
 
MASERU 00000075  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶5.  This is a new phenomenon in Lesotho's politics.  The LCD 
forged an alliance with a small party, the National Independence 
Party (NIP).  Controversy has dogged the alliance since it was 
first announced, as the elderly leader of the party has charged 
that the alliance was formed without his knowledge or blessing. 
He successfully contested the alliance in Lesotho's High Court, 
but subsequently lost the case on appeal.  (NOTE: There is 
possibly some discrepancy in the interpretation of the High 
Court's prerogative.  END NOTE.) 
 
 
 
¶6.  The All Basotho Convention (ABC) formed its own alliance 
with the Lesotho Workers Party (LWP), while the Lesotho People's 
Congress (LPC) has merged with the Basotholand African Congress 
(BAC) to form the Alliance of Congress Parties (ACP).  These 
political strategies are based on the risky assumption that 
voters know which smaller party is the LCD or ABC "surrogate" on 
the Proportional Representation party list.  Many voters are 
likely unaware of the "gentlemen's agreements" between these 
large and small parties. 
 
 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
Development Partners Appeal for Peace 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶7.  Also at the meeting, Ambassador Perry led other development 
partners in appealing to political leaders to observe the 
electoral code of conduct and discourage their supporters from 
engaging in intimidation or violence.  Generally, Lesotho's 
political party leadership has been cooperative as election 
excitement and anticipation increases on the eve of polling day. 
 ABC Leader Thomas Thabane indicated that his party wants 
peaceful elections and that he has urged his followers to accept 
election results regardless of the outcome.  The IEC Chairman 
thanked the Ambassadors of the U.S., EU, and Ireland for their 
contributions to the advancement of democracy. 
 
 
 
------------------ 
 
"Tense But Stable" 
 
------------------ 
 
 
 
¶8.  COMMENT:  Lesotho's police force has declared the situation 
in the country to be "tense but stable", and post concurs with 
this assessment.  The IEC will broadcast election results live 
on nationwide radio beginning on February 17.  We expect that 
the first results will begin streaming in on Sunday morning 
following polling day. Maseru's Convention Center, which will 
serve as the National Electoral Results Center, is expected to 
be a hub of activity in the days following the election.  As 
Embassy Maseru's first three election monitoring teams are 
already on the road to Lesotho's hinterlands and another eight 
teams depart at sunrise on polling day, post will have its 
finger on Lesotho's political pulse as this weekend's events 
unfold. 
PERRYJC