POLITICAL PARTIES AGREE TO POSTPONE LOCAL GOVERNMENT

UNCLAS MASERU 000050 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S, INR/AF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM LT SUBJECT: POLITICAL PARTIES AGREE TO POSTPONE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS REF: Maseru 27 ¶1. As anticipated in reftel, the debate over the reservation system of ensuring 30% of local government seats for women, along with the difficulties inherent in arranging the logistics of local government elections across the nation according to the newly defined constituencies, have led to the postponement of the elections originally scheduled to take place this April. On February 10, 2010, leaders of all 20 political parties registered with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) agreed to petition parliament to extend the mandate of the current local government officials to allow for more time to resolve the above issues. A team of four opposition party members and a representative of the IEC is currently in Tanzania, studying that country's model for women's political participation. ¶2. No proposed date for local government elections has yet been discussed. Post will advise once the elections have been rescheduled. NOLAN