- Urges swift action to protect Lesotho’s economy
- Laments poor agricultural output despite substantial funding
- Condemns govt’s inaction on the ongoing chiefs’ strike
Moroke Sekoboto
ALL Basotho Convention (ABC) leader Nkaku Kabi has sharply criticised Prime Minister Sam Matekane for what he describes as a failure to protect Lesotho’s interests in its trade relationship with the United States.
Mr Kabi is calling on the Prime Minister to immediately engage with the US government to address the situation and restore crucial trade agreements.
Speaking at a press conference at the ABC headquarters in Maseru recently, Mr Kabi blamed the government’s inaction for Lesotho now facing steep import tariffs of up to 50 percent under the United States’ latest trade policy.
He argued that this tariff increase is evidence of the government’s inability to defend Lesotho’s already fragile economy.
“The government’s failure to negotiate with the United States and protect agreements such as AGOA, MCA, and PEPFAR clearly shows a lack of effective leadership,” Mr Kabi said.
“After America withdrew the opportunities and agreements it had with Lesotho, the government should have responded with a clear strategy.”
Mr Kabi pointed out that other countries like South Africa had proactively negotiated with the US to secure better terms. He expressed disappointment that Premier Matekane had not done the same to safeguard Lesotho’s interests.
“We have faced similar challenges before, such as when the Compact II trade agreement was threatened, but the ABC-led government at the time went to the US and successfully negotiated for a renewal,” Mr Kabi continued.
“It is troubling that this government has not communicated any concrete steps to address these new trade challenges. We have the experience and expertise to help, and we urge the government to treat this situation as a crisis. The ABC is ready to assist with expert advice to help protect Basotho livelihoods.”
Speaking specifically on Lesotho’s declining textile sector, Mr Kabi said under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a US policy that allowed eligible Sub-Saharan African countries to export goods to the US without tariffs, Lesotho’s textile industry flourished.
At its peak the sector provided 53,000 jobs, making it the country’s largest employer after the government. However, the industry has declined steadily in recent years.
He said with the introduction of a 50 percent tariff on Lesotho’s exports to the US starting on 2 April, 2025, many factories had responded by reducing workers’ hours or putting them on unpaid leave, citing a sharp drop in orders from US buyers due to the new tariffs.
Mr Kabi highlighted the severe impact on families of factory workers and many businesses — both large and small — that depend on their income, all suffering as factories shut down and jobs disappear.
He asserted that during the 2017-2020 ABC coalition government led by former ex-premier Thabane, there were 41,000 factory workers. But since Mr Thabane left office in 2020, the sector has lost jobs each month, weakening Lesotho’s once-vibrant textile industry.
Although government data from December 2024 records 31,000 jobs in the sector, Mr Kabi disputed this, claiming fewer than 29,000 jobs remain, with numbers still falling.
“The number of workers has been dropping month after month since the current government took office. We now have fewer than 29,000 factory jobs, and the decline continues as more workers are put on short time,” he said.
He also criticised factory owners who vanish without paying employees and called on the government to take stronger action against them.
“We urge the government to intervene, and we are willing to provide expert support, given our experience in this sector,” Mr Kabi said.
Mr Kabi also pointed to Lesotho’s economic stagnation, citing Central Bank data showing a 5.3 percent contraction in the economy during the first quarter.
“This downturn has led to greater hunger and rising prices for basic needs. We see no government action to provide relief by subsidising essentials. We urge the government to subsidise basic goods to help struggling communities,” he added.
Mr Kabi again addressed the ongoing strike by subordinate chiefs, highlighting their critical role in Lesotho’s governance and calling them “the great pillar that unites Basotho.”
Subordinate chiefs in Lesotho have been on strike since Monday, 9 June, after the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police failed to deliver on its promise to raise their salaries.
Earlier this year, the Lesotho Association of Chiefs (LAC), represented by the Lesotho Workers’ Association (LEWA), had reached an agreement with the ministry for a pay increase, which was supposed to take effect from 1 April.
However, the ministry later reversed its position, informing the Senate that the matter was still under discussion between the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Ministry of Public Service.
The situation has been further complicated by the College of Chiefs — a group of Principal Chiefs who also serve as senators — who have distanced themselves from the strike. They maintain that subordinate chiefs, as chiefs by birth rather than as civil servants, should not be striking.
Principal Chiefs, who are also senators due to their birthright, receive a monthly salary of M40,000 plus benefits such as M5,000 for fuel, a M150 daily lunch allowance, and M4,000 for housing.
In contrast, subordinate chiefs earn much less, with the most senior earning at least M9,000 with the most junior receiving at least M1,500 per month.
Subordinate chiefs’ wages were last reviewed in 2013 under the coalition administration of former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane.
Thus, Mr Kabi expressed disappointment with the government’s failure to implement the promised salary increases for chiefs.
“The ABC-led coalition last reviewed chiefs’ salaries in 2013. These salaries are supposed to be adjusted every 10 years, meaning they were due for review in 2023. The government’s delay is harming essential services and risks straining relations between chiefs and the public,” Mr Kabi said.
On declining agricultural production, Mr Kabi acknowledged parliament’s decision to raise the agriculture budget from M800 million under previous administrations to M1.3 billion.
“We expected this increased funding to boost agricultural output but, instead, yields have dropped, worsening poverty. Where is all this money going? Despite the larger budget, we haven’t seen any improvement, even as we enter the winter cropping season,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Government Spokesperson, Thabo Sekonyela, told the Sunday Express that he would respond to Mr Kabi’s complaints “at a later stage”.