By ‘Majirata Latela
The National Reforms Authority this week released a statement on the progress that authority has made as mandated to do by Basotho, the government and different stakeholders.
The NRA mentioned, among other issues, that a proposal has been submitted to the NRA by political leaders that in future the Prime Minister will be ousted by Members of the National Assembly with a two-thirds majority vote.
According to NRA chairperson, Pelele Letsoela, the proposal has already been adopted by NRA. He said the new amendment if adopted by parliament will ease the fear of the sitting prime minister to be ousted without any solid reasons.
Letsoela also indicated that on reforming Lesotho’s Constitution, NRA has completed the first phase of adopting the 33 amendments. The amendments, he said, are compiled in the Omnibus Bill which has already been handed over to the Attorney General to scrutinise and certify that the Bill can be passed to parliament.
He further mentioned the 14th NRA plenary meeting was held on September 27 to October 1 2021. This is where committee leaders presented the second phase of amendments of the Constitution.
“Of the 28 proposed amendments tabled at the meeting, 26of the proposed amendments were adopted by the meeting; two proposed amendments were returned back to the relevant committees to include recommendations raised by the meeting.
“The amendments include 18 from the judicial committee, seven from parliamentary affairs. Other two proposed amendments are from public sector committee,” Letsoela said.
He also added that on the judiciary amendments, the meeting proposed that there should be a committee formed which will advise the prime minister on the appointment of judges. Another committee, he suggested, will be formed by judges. It will be responsible for appeal cases and constitutional cases.
He also mentioned that there will be three high courts; one in Maseru, one on the northern part of the country and another one in south to speed up cases at the high court.
Moreover, he added, there will also be other courts which will be part of the high court such as the court which will focus of corruption cases only. The aim of the court will be to expedite corruption cases.
He said there will be other committees which will be chaired by the magistrate courts, local courts and customary or traditional courts.
