- More than nine in 10 Basotho (91%) say they are either “very proud” (83%) or “fairly proud” (8%) to be a Mosotho (Figure 1).
- Seven in 10 citizens (70%) say they identify equally with their national and ethnic identities. About one in six (17%) feel exclusively or predominantly attached to their national identity, while 13% identify more strongly or only with their ethnic identity (Figure 2).
- But only one-third (32%) of citizens see the country as going in “the right direction,” while two-thirds (65%) see it as going in “the wrong direction” (Figure 3).
- More than three-quarters (77%) of citizens see the country’s economic condition and their own living conditions as “fairly bad” or “very bad” (Figure 4).
- The king is the leader most trusted by citizens: Nearly three-quarters (73%) say they trust the king “somewhat” or a “lot.” About two-thirds say they trust traditional and religious leaders (both 65%), while about half express trust in the prime minister (51%) and their community/urban council (48%). Only 29% trust Parliament (Figure 5).
As Lesotho celebrates its bicentennial, recent Afrobarometer survey findings show that Basotho are proud of their nationality as well as their ethnic identity.
However, citizens voice concern about the direction their country is taking, report poor economic conditions, and show limited trust in their political leaders. Only the king and religious and traditional leaders garner the trust of large majorities of Basotho.
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