Disqualifications for membership of Parliament

59. Disqualifications for membership of Parliament (1) No person shall be qualified to be nominated as a Senator by the King acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State or designated by a Principal Chief as a Senator in his place and no person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly if, at the date of his nomination or designation or, as the case may be, at the date of his nomination for election, he - (a) is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to any foreign power or state; or (b) is under sentence of death imposed on him by any court in Lesotho; or (c) is under any law in force in Lesotho, adjudged or otherwise declared to be of unsound mind; or (d) is an unrehabilitated insolvent, having been adjudged or otherwise declared insolvent under any law in force in Lesotho; or (e) subject to such exceptions and limitations as may be prescribed by Parliament , has any such interest in any such government contract as may be so prescribed. (2) Parliament may provide that a person who, at the date of his nomination for election, h ld i ti i ffi th t i ifi d b P li t d th f ti f hi h Page 36 holds or is acting in any office that is specified by Parliament and the functions of which involve responsibility for, or in connection with, the conduct of any election to the National Assembly or the compilation of any register of electors for the purposes of such an election shall not be qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly. (3) Parliament may provide that a person who is convicted by any court of any offence that is prescribed by Parliament and that is connected with the election of members of the National Assembly or who is reported guilty of such an offence by the court trying an election petition shall not be qualified to be nominated for election as a member of the National Assembly for such period (not exceeding five years) following his conviction or, as the case may be, following the report of the court as may be so prescribed. (4) Parliament may provide that, subject to such exceptions and limitations as may be prescribed by Parliament, a person shall not be qualified to be nominated as a Senator or elected as a member of the National Assembly if - (a) he holds or acts in any office or appointment that is so prescribed; or (b) he is a member of the Defence Force; or (c) he is a member of the Police Force; or (d) he is a member of the National Security Service: or (e) he is a member of the Prison Service. (5) No person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly who, at the date of his nomination for election as such a member, is a Principal Chief or is otherwise a Senator. (6) In subsection (1)(e) "government contract" means any contract made with the Government of Lesotho or with a department of that Government or with an officer of that Government contracting as such.