…as reduced US donor support threatens social services
Mathatisi Sebusi
MEMBERS of Parliament failed to reach consensus over a motion seeking to urge the government to cut spending and redirect funds towards mitigating the impact of the recent withdrawal of US aid.
The motion was tabled by Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) Proportional Representative (PR) Member of Parliament, Mamello Phooko.
Her motion read: “That this Honourable House urges the government of Lesotho to adopt a ‘saving mode’ to mitigate the potential impact of the USA executive orders; as failure to address these challenges with clear commitment could lead to a nationwide social crisis within the health, education, and social development sectors”.
However, the motion was rejected after some Members of Parliament (MPs) argued that it was unclear and needed to be rewritten in a simpler, more understandable way.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Tšepang Mosena, adjourned the sitting to allow time to study the motion and decide whether it should be passed as it stands or should be reworded.
In support of her proposal, Ms Phooko said it was important for the government to stop spending on non-essential items and instead prioritise funding for services that have been disrupted since the withdrawal of US aid.
She identified the ministries of Health, Education, Social Development, Gender, and Youth as key sectors that have been severely affected by the loss of foreign funding.
She noted that although the government had tried to fill the gaps caused by the withdrawal, many shortfalls remain, putting the health and education of communities in jeopardy.
Ms Phooko said following the aid withdrawal, 2400 health workers employed under the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) lost their jobs.
Of these, 1721 were absorbed into government service, but 679 remain unemployed, with the services they provided still unattended to.
She noted that funds previously provided for children’s education have been cut, while the Ministry of Social Development is struggling to settle outstanding fees.
The school feeding programme funded by the US has now been suspended in some districts, she added.
“I believe it is time the government reconsidered its expenditure and prioritised closing these gaps. Instead of buying expensive cars and spending on fuel for multiple vehicles allocated to different ministries, the government can save that money — not only to address the current challenges, but also to ensure that in future, when donors withdraw their funds, public services are not affected,” she said.
Ms Phooko also said the skills of the retrenched health workers are still needed because without them HIV and TB patients would no longer have support to ensure adherence, increasing the risk of relapses.
She proposed that government vehicles allocated to people who are not legally entitled to them should be reclaimed, and that the usage of all government vehicles should be closely monitored.
She further suggested that in the next financial year, the budget should be carefully scrutinised to prioritise basic needs and cut unnecessary spending.
Mokhethoaneng MP and Chair of Chairs, Makhalanyane Mokhothu, supported the motion, saying the ministries of Health, Education, and Social Development are essential services that have been hit hard by the withdrawal of US aid.
From the US grant of M5 billion, M1.4 billion had been allocated to strengthening health systems, with a particular focus on primary healthcare — an area he described as now underfunded despite being a top priority.
Mr Makhalanyane said the US had also planned to strengthen referral, integrated, and electronic systems, as well as decentralisation.
Lesotho also recently lost M130 million in Global Fund support, which he said must be recovered.
“We must make sure we do not lose the human resources that were supported by civil society through US aid. This time calls for us to wake up, focus on domestic funding, ensure there is no wastage of public resources, and cut unnecessary spending. If we do not do this, we will lose both lives and infrastructure,” Mr Mokhothu said.
He also expressed concern over 2500 students from Qacha’s Nek, Semonkong, and Mokhotlong whose school fees had been funded by Catholic Relief Services, warning that their education is now in jeopardy.
MP Malelaka Malakane also backed the motion, saying the use of public funds must be reviewed adding that she expected the Minister of Development Planning to propose that Parliament urge the government to stop paying per diems to ministers travelling abroad and, instead, divert the funds to public services.
“I have no problem with ministers taking international trips. But at least government should look into stopping the payment of per diems and focus on more pressing issues,” she said.
Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane, said she did not fully support the motion because it was unclear, particularly underlining the phrase “saving mode”.
She acknowledged that the withdrawal of US and other donor funding has severely affected many sectors but said she does not support reducing expenditure, arguing that cutting costs could slow overall economic activity.
“Cutting costs means that we will not be going to shops and contributing to local and international economies. These are the same economies we expect to help our people in return,” Dr Matlanyane said.
Instead, she proposed that the government focus on “expenditure-switching”, using money for development projects and public health protection rather than cutting spending altogether.
She argued that development projects create jobs and allow citizens to participate in economic growth, which strengthens the country’s resilience.