Maseru, Feb.18–The 2026/27 budget presentation outcome in relation to public servant’s welfare has turned out to be a worrying factor.
This after Minister of Finance and Development Planning Dr. Rets’elisitsoe Matlanyane during the budget presentation indicated that salaries and wages for public servants will be adjusted by two percent across the board.
Contrary to the financial statement, public servant’s associations through Lesotho Public Employees Union (LEPEU) Secretary General Ms. Motebang Leboela said the budget presentation does not mean anything to them as public servants as it reflects nothing to their demands.
She said the two percent does not counter-balance the inflation rate which is 5.1 percent due to the fact that for the past years, public servants have been getting only two percent. She said there are still public servants whose salary is M2,600 saying after deductions, they take nothing home.
She noted that this goes against the Prime Minister promising reasonable salaries for public servants when he took office.
She added that they are still going to engage with the masses to give mandate.
Earlier Coalition of Lesotho Public Employees (COLEPE) which is a mother body to all public employees’ association had indicated that for the 2026/27 budget, expectation is for the government to include the review of the employee’s salary structure and implement Grade A salary to increase to Grade C in the 2026/27 budget
COLEPE wanted the government to renovate dilapidated infrastructure or provide alternative quality infrastructures such as classrooms, police stations, health facilities and general government offices as well as constantly provide essential resources to enable quality service delivery in the public Sector.
Furthermore, COLEPE had noted that the current 11th administration upon taking the baton, Prime Minister Matekane signed a commitment with COLEPE in February 2023 to pave away for social dialogue, address poor working conditions, non-availability of resources as well as low salaries.
“Three years after the commitment, marginal progress was made with registration of the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSCBC) although negotiations and establishment of secretariat have not materialized”, it had stated.
It added that workers continue to struggle with poor working conditions and non-availability of resources and grade A and B civil servants barely make ends meet as the extremely low salary of M2,691.00 fails to cater for transport, food, school fees and other basic needs.
COLEPE also highlighted that the analysis shows that from 2012 to date public servants have lost 35.6% of the cost of living.
Meanwhile Minister Matlanyane said for the 2026/27 financial year, tax credit and thresholds will be adjusted accordingly to partially offset the effects of inflation, protect lower and middle income earner from bracket creep and sustain fairness with the tax system while preserving revenue stability.
Ends/AT/BM
