…consults stakeholders on operationalising constitutional reforms
…mulls new implementation authority
Moroke Sekoboto
THE government has stepped up efforts to operationalise the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution Act, 2025 by launching multi-stakeholder consultations on the establishment of a new, streamlined National Reforms Implementation Authority (NRIA).
The proposed NRIA, which will replace the National Reforms Authority (NRA), is expected to operate for 18 months with a time-bound mandate to oversee the drafting and enactment of legislation required to implement the constitutional amendments. It will be supported by a professional secretariat.
Stakeholders meeting at Avani Maseru yesterday agreed that while the NRA had played a pivotal role in giving Basotho ownership of the reforms process and producing the reform reports and the Omnibus Constitutional Bill, its “unwieldy” (big) size had hampered efficiency and delayed decision-making.
A panel comprising Professor Motlamelle Kapa representing academia, Advocate Lintle Tuke of the Law Society of Lesotho, and Advocate Tsepo Thibinyane of Development for Peace Education (DPE), said the NRA’s broad representation had given the reforms legitimacy but had also created operational challenges.
The panellists said the NRA’s large membership slowed decision-making and weakened monitoring, reporting and enforcement of agreed timelines.
They recommended that the new authority remain inclusive without becoming unwieldy. They proposed that the NRIA be technically competent and supported by experts in law, public policy and institutional governance, while still reflecting the diversity of Basotho society to preserve public confidence and national ownership of the reforms.
They further proposed that the authority be established with a clear, time-bound mandate focused solely on coordinating and overseeing implementation of the Tenth Amendment. It should operate under a detailed implementation roadmap with clearly defined deliverables, performance indicators, reporting obligations and adequate financial resources.
The panellists also stressed the need for operational independence, accountability to Parliament and sustained parliamentary engagement to ensure the enabling legislation commands broad political support.
Opening the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara said the consultations were intended to shape an institutional framework capable of translating the constitutional aspirations of Basotho into effective legislation, public policy, institutional reforms and improved governance.
She said the meeting formed part of the country’s continuing national dialogue on the kind of Lesotho Basotho wished to build and the institutions required to achieve that vision.
Ms Majara noted that the national reforms process, initiated after the 2014 political instability with support from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), had reached a significant milestone with the enactment of the Tenth Amendment in August 2025.
Following that achievement and commendation from the 45th SADC Summit, Lesotho had now entered the crucial implementation phase.
“Constitutional provisions do not implement themselves. They must be translated into enabling legislation, amendments to existing laws, regulations, public policies, administrative procedures, institutional mandates, appointment mechanisms, reporting frameworks, and adequately funded implementation plans,” Ms Majara said.
“The Tenth Amendment expressly provides for the establishment of a new institutional mechanism to oversee the development of legislation required to operationalise its provisions. This institution is expected to serve for eighteen months and ensure that all enabling legislation is enacted within that period.”
She said the government had already begun identifying constitutional provisions requiring enabling legislation, as well as the ministries, commissions, security institutions and public bodies that would be affected.
Ms Majara emphasised that decisions on the implementation structure could not be made by the government alone.
“The government fully recognises that decisions regarding the institutional framework for implementation cannot and should not be made by the Executive alone. These reforms belong to Basotho.
“Accordingly, the institutions established to implement them must enjoy public confidence, national legitimacy, and an unquestionable constitutional and democratic mandate.”
She said the consultations were intended to ensure that stakeholders shaped the new institution.
Without pre-empting the outcome of the discussions, Ms Majara said the new implementation structure should be guided by several key principles.
“First, it must have a clearly defined and time-bound mandate. Second, it must respect Parliament’s constitutional responsibilities and operate strictly within the role assigned to it by the Constitution.
“Finally, it must preserve the values which have characterised the national reforms process from its inception — dialogue, inclusivity, transparency, accountability and national ownership.”
Minister of Law and Justice, Richard Ramoeletsi, said the views gathered during the consultations would be assessed against several considerations, including constitutional compliance, legality, inclusivity, institutional effectiveness, financial sustainability, affordability, feasibility, efficiency, legitimacy and the country’s long-term interests.
He said the government would also consider alternative institutional models proposed during the consultations before selecting the one best suited to advance the reforms.
“Our responsibility, therefore, is to determine the most practical and sustainable institutional arrangement while preserving the fundamental principles that Basotho have consistently emphasised throughout the reforms process — namely inclusivity, fair representation, transparency, accountability and public confidence.
“The government committed significant time, effort and public resources to convene this meeting because your views matter. Every submission has been properly documented and will be carefully consolidated and considered before any final decision is taken,” Mr Ramoeletsi said.
He said one clear message had emerged from the consultations: the implementation structure must be broad enough to inspire national confidence while remaining sufficiently focused to make timely decisions within the constitutional timeframe.
“It should be representative without becoming unnecessarily large or administratively burdensome. Its operational costs should never consume resources that ought to be directed towards the actual implementation of the reforms.”
Mr Ramoeletsi added that although development partners would continue supporting the reforms, the new institution had to be one the government could finance, manage and sustain over the long term.
He said the Ministry of Law and Justice, through the National Reforms Transitional Office, would now consolidate all proposals received before undertaking comprehensive legal, institutional, administrative and financial assessments.
He said the outcome of those assessments would guide the government in selecting an implementation model that would be constitutionally sound, practical, inclusive, representative, efficient and sustainable.
Once the process was completed, the government would move with urgency to draft legislation establishing the new implementation authority.
“We remain committed to keeping stakeholders and the public informed through the appropriate communication channels regarding progress made, as well as any challenges that may arise during implementation,” Mr Ramoeletsi said.
He acknowledged that the reforms process had taken longer than many Basotho had expected because of legal challenges, institutional transitions, resource constraints and political differences.
“These realities cannot be ignored. However, they do not diminish the government’s commitment to completing the reforms. On the contrary, they reinforce the need for greater discipline, transparency, constitutional fidelity and collective determination.”
Mr Ramoeletsi said the government remained committed to providing the leadership necessary to complete the reforms.
“Once the matters that have brought us together today have been adequately addressed, the nation must proceed, without unnecessary delay, to the remaining constitutional amendments and the other outstanding components of the national reforms agenda.
“We must complete this phase with diligence, wisdom and determination so that Lesotho can confidently advance to the next stage of its national renewal.”
