Lesotho's early elections went smoothly on Saturday and it is hoped results will be declared on Sunday, news agencies report.

The Lesotho News Agency (LENA) said soon after polls closed on Saturday that counting had begun in various constituencies around the capital, Maseru.

Despite the late opening of some polling stations, isolated issues with ballot papers and disruption of voting by rain in at least one area, Public Eye Online reported election commission head Justice Mahapela Lehohla as saying that voting proceeded peacefully.

Some early results in individual constituencies were published on Sunday, but they were too few to discern any trends.

South Africa's deputy president, Cyril Ramaphosa, who facilitated the calling of early elections following a political and security crisis last year, said voters had turned out in large numbers.

The army, which was embroiled in last year's crisis, has been confined to barracks, the country's security chiefs were forced to step aside and leave the country, and police from neighbouring countries have been deployed to support the Lesotho Mounted Police Service during the election period.