How will the Parliament of Lesotho be different in five years time?

That is the question which the Honourable Members and staff of the National Assembly and Senate of Lesotho are addressing as they engage in a strategic planning process for Parliament. The ongoing planning process commenced in July 2011 and is being supported by UNDP’s Consolidation of Democracy and Good Governance Programme in partnership with Irish Aid and the Parliament of Lesotho.

Many positive initiatives to build institutional capacity have already been undertaken by the two houses of Parliament. The strategic planning will build on these initiatives by providing an overall framework for development and will provide continuity and focus for the work of Parliament. ‘Implementation Roadmaps’ will also be included which will set out in detail how the plans are to be put into action.

Parliament has a key role to play in ensuring accountable and effective governance to Basotho and it is this vision and mission which will guide the strategic objectives prioritized in the planning. Central to the planning will be strategies which support Parliament in fulfilling its oversight, law making and representative roles. In addition, the plans will have a role in supporting the effective administration of Parliament as an independent and public institution.

The finished plans will be the result of a joint effort between Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff and will reflect the priorities and needs of Parliament as whole.  Parliamentary stakeholders such as Civic Society Organization’s have further been consulted in the planning process for their views and contributions. The plans will come into operation in 2012 and will work towards achieving an increasingly effective legislature by 2017.

 Patrice Lucid, Elections & Parliamentary Affairs Officer, UNDP Lesotho