‘Mantšali Phakoana
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) yesterday launched its 2024-2028 strategic plan in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union (EU).
IEC human resource manager, Jobo Rampeta said the plan would serve as a tool for effective and efficient performance.
It also seeks to professionalise election administration in the country and fast-track the growth the electoral body.
Rampeta noted that it is through the plan that the IEC commits to always act with honesty and consideration of the rule of law in executing its responsibility to all electoral stakeholders in the delivery of credible elections.
He added that the electoral body would work hard to promote equal opportunities for all citizens to participate in electoral processes.
“With this strategic plan, we commit and remain non-partisan and transparent in the conduct of all elections and referenda.
“We will always exercise the duty of skill and care, loyalty, and act in the best interest of the organisation in all our transactions as well as act in a manner that promotes transparency and compliance.
“We also commit to instill a culture of practising leadership as a value. This involves everyone including internal and external stakeholders we interact with, to observe their leadership roles,” Rampeta indicated.
Speaking at the launch, IEC chairman Mphasa Mokhochane said the strategic plan would provide them with a clear roadmap of the future of the election management body.
He pointed out that the plan constitutes a commitment to serve the citizens of Lesotho and all key stakeholders in the electoral process and practise.
“It builds on the commission’s achievement of a significant and broad institutional implementation plan that provides clear set goals and strategies to realise the commission’s mandate and enable performance of the commission to be measured.
“This strategic plan should be considered as a pointer through which the IEC will realise its mandate, accomplish it duties and play it role. Furthermore, it is by this strategic plan that citizens, in particular voters and the key stakeholders in the electoral process, will be able to appraise the IEC’s performance and judge whether it (IEC) has attained its functions or not,” he added.
Mokhochane said he was confident that the plan would definitely help the IEC to achieve its goals.
On her part, UNDP Lesotho resident representative, Dr. Jacqueline Olweya commended the IEC for adopting the principle of inclusivity in the strategic plan, among other elements.
She said the element was important as it will help the electoral body to reach out to external stakeholders such as voters, partners, as well as electoral missions in order to deliver, fair, effective and efficiency elections as mandated.
Dr Olweya stated that with the challenges the country faces during elections, the IEC would be able learn from electoral stakeholders its weaknesses and work to improve.
The groups that contributed in the development of the strategic plan are the IEC staffers, development partners like EU, UNDP, political parties, civil servants organisation as well as the media.
