Date: 1st January 2012

Capital: Maseru

Population: 2,84,300

People Groups: 13 – 99% Basotho

Languages: Official–Sesotho and English. Other–Xhosa, Zulu

Religions: Christianity 89.3% (mainly Roman Catholic), ethnic religions 9.5%, other 0.8%

Government: Constitutional monarchy.

Branches:

Executive — monarch is head of state; prime minister is head of government and cabinet.
Legislative — two level parliament consists of elected Assembly and non-elected Senate.
Judicial — High Court, Court of Appeals, Magistrate’s Court, traditional and customary courts.

Living Conditions: There is a high rate of poverty. The textile industry was affected adversely by the opening to Asian products and many were made unemployed. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project, supplying water to South Africa has provided a national income through royalties and benefited the population through the creation of roads and infrastructure as well as employment. However, many poor women resort to prostitution and there is concern regarding increasing sexual activity among children, which contravenes traditional values. HIV infection is high, about 25% and government has taken positive steps to reduce this.

History: Lesotho is mountainous country surrounded by South Africa. During its history as Basutoland it suffered attacks from Zulus and the Boers, losing valuable lowland arable country and was then ruled either by South Africa or direct from Britain. It eventually became independent as the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1965 but internal strife continued between the political parties, the army and the monarch.

Pray for:

1. Government – Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili for wisdom and a stable administration.

2. Equitable distribution of the benefits of national income.

3. A reduction in the incidence of HIV and a return to traditional values based on Christianity.

4. An openness to simple church.

5. The Lord to identify Men of Peace in local areas and Apostles of Peace who can be the opening to the whole country.

6. The gift of discerning of spirits to identify spiritual principalities over the nation.

7. Fruit that Remains: Matt. 4:20 “‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him

8. Faithful Disciple-makers: 2 Tim. 2:2 “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”