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Lesotho General Election Report
Ms Rindai Chipfunde - Zimbabwe Election Support Network
Mr Mandla Akhe Dube - Zimbabwe Student Christian Movement
Rev Maria Masamba - Zimbabwe Council Of Churches
June 06, 2002

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Introduction
We observed the Lesotho 25 May 2002 Election as from 20 - 28 May 2002 under the SADC Electoral Support Network [SADC-ESN] which is being hosted by The Electoral Institute of Southern Africa [EISA]. Foundation for Democratic Processes (FODEP) of Zambia was co-ordinating the observer mission of 15 members.

Assessment
In view of the observations done by ZESN team of observers it is our assessment that the election environment was peaceful and conducive for a free and transparent election despite some logistical inadequacies in some areas.

Conclusion
It is yet to be seen if the MMP poll model is a panacea for the conflict - ridden growing democracies in Africa. For it is to succeed there is need for political will and determination. It is now a challenge for the Basotho people to prove it to the world that it is possible to have a free and fair election in Africa.

Recommendations

1. Reprint of ballot papers should be avoided by all means it creates suspicion and lack of confidence in the electoral authorities.
2. Ballot papers should be printed within the country to cut financial costs, easy supervision of the safe keeping of consignment from the print to the relevant places when all players are involved for voter confidence.
3. Civic education must be intensified to the grassroots people to create competent voter participation and make elections developmental issue-based.
4. We command highly the Independence of Electoral Commission however we request government to fully fund this Commission to do their work in time without financial constraints especially for voter registration.
5. Counting system though costing in time we recommend the process to continue because its transparent and encourages participation to all polling staff and party agency to avoid rigging.
6. Identification and direction arrows of polling station should be put in place international observers getting lost.
7. Polling stations must have facility of better lightening than use of poor gas ones. They should provide more lamps.
8. Capacity building of Local NGOs should be put in place in order improve the mobilisation, training and deployment of domestic observers.
9. Seating arrangement for the counting process needs improvement for all present to have access and see properly marked ballot papers.
10. Party agents need further training.
11. There is need to have one party agent inside the polling station at any given time instead of two [2] in order to reduce congestion and rotate with the one outside the polling station

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