UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday congratulated the people of the Kingdom of Lesotho on the peaceful conduct of the parliamentary elections.

In a statement released here, Ban commended the work of the Independent Electoral Commission of the country in preparing for the elections, as well as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has led efforts to peacefully resolve political challenges in the country.

"The successful completion of this process will be an important step in Lesotho's return to political normalcy," said the statement.

Lesotho was holding its snap general elections on Saturday in a bid to end a political impasse in the kingdom.

The election was held about two years ahead of schedule under a political deal brokered by the SADC.

Twenty-four parties are vying for support among the 1.2 million registered voters in the country, which is surrounded by South Africa.