Lesotho: Bill seeks to allow dual citizenship
Published: 20/Apr/2018
Source: The Post (Maseru)
MASERU – A Bill to amend Lesotho’s constitution to allow for dual citizenship will soon be debated in Parliament, thepost can reveal. Home Affairs Minister Tsukutlane Au is understood to have sent the Bill to parliament earlier this month. The Bill seeks to repeal section 41 of the Constitution which provides that any person attaining 21 years and has citizenship of another country other than Lesotho’s loses the Lesotho citizenship.
Under this provision, a Mosotho child who leaves with his parents to another country and while there is registered as a citizen of that country, will lose his Lesotho citizenship when he turns 21 if he does not declare allegiance to the King and renounce the citizenship of that other country. Under the proposed law, the section provides that a citizen of Lesotho may hold citizenship of any other country in addition to the citizenship of Lesotho.
The Bill says “a person who is a citizen of any country who acquires a citizenship of Lesotho by naturalisation or registration is only eligible for social benefits after ten years of being naturalised or registered as a citizen of Lesotho”. Such person shall not hold a position which will be specified by an Act of Parliament governing citizenship matters. For Basotho who lost their Lesotho citizenship when they attained citizenships of other countries under the current constitutional provisions, their Lesotho citizenships shall be restored “immediately on the coming into operation of this amendment”.
Read further: https://www.thepost.co.ls/news/bill-seeks-to-allow-dual-citizenship/