By Thoboloko Ntšonyane
MASERU- In an effort to enhance youth participation in the upcoming electoral process, the European Union (EU) has engaged two Civic Society Organizations (CSOs) Bacha Re Bacha (BRB) and Development for Peace Education (DPE) to spearhead a nationwide youth voter registration campaign.
This is according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) statement issued on Monday this week.
This initiative, launched in collaboration with the IEC, will run from December 2nd, 2024 to March 31, 2025.
The campaign, aimed at encouraging young people to register under the IEC’s Re-Registration Drive, will be strategically implemented across the country.
BRB will focus its efforts in the northern and central districts of Mokhotlong, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Berea, and Maseru. Meanwhile, DPE will cover the southern districts, including Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek, Quthing, Qacha’s Nek, and Thaba-Tseka.
Both organizations will collaborate closely with IEC District Officers to ensure outreach and community engagement.
The IEC reported that it will provide essential materials, information, and ongoing monitoring to support the initiative’s success.
The IEC has called upon all stakeholders, electorates, and the general public to support this collaborative effort.
By joining forces, these institutions hope to foster greater youth involvement in the democratic process, ensuring broader representation and participation in future elections.
Per the data published by the IEC on November 29th detailing the total active registered electors across the country’s districts since the re-registration campaign started 189,906 voters have been registered.
Maseru district recorded the highest number of registered voters at 52,119, followed by Leribe with 30,781 registrants, while Berea registered 24,791 electors.
Qacha’s Nek recorded the fewest registered voters, with only 5,695 registrations. These figures provide a snapshot of voter engagement ahead of the next elections.
Lesotho held its most recent general elections in 2022, which brought the current government to power. A newly formed party, Revolution for Prosperity (RFP), established six months before the elections, secured victory marking a departure from the usual dominance of the All Basotho Convention (ABC) and the Democratic Congress (DC), which had led coalitions since 2012.
RFP won 56 out of 120 parliamentary seats, falling five seats short of an outright majority.
The voter turnout in the 2022 general elections was 37.71%, marking a decline compared to previous elections as the turnout was 51.86% in 2012, 46.61% in 2015, and 46.37% in 2017.