Mohloai Mpesi
FUNDS saved from international travel reductions should be redirected towards combating youth unemployment through job creation, internships, vocational training, mentorship programs, and entrepreneurship support.
This was proposed by Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Matala Constituency, Tšeliso Moroke, during a heated debate on the 2025/2026 national budget in the National Assembly on Monday.
Several MPs have called for the government to curb its huge budget for international trips.
But they also say budget cuts on international trips should not merely be about cost-savings but should instead be reallocated to programs that address the country’s skyrocketing unemployment crisis.
A report tabled by the Portfolio Committee on the Economic and Development Cluster on 10 March 2025 recommended a 50% reduction in government-funded international trips, with exceptions for the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and Parliament.
Dr Moroke agreed that international trips by government officials consumed a substantial portion of the national budget yet yielded little benefit for the country. He noted these travel expenses, which include per diems and other allowances, had been increasing annually.
“While working in our different portfolio committees, we recognized that the budget for international trips has been growing alarmingly,” Dr Moroke said.
“In the 2024-2025 financial year, it increased by 102%, which is concerning. For this financial year, it has risen by 72%.”
He said ministries should prioritize domestic efforts to improve service delivery rather than frequent international travel.
Democratic Congress (DC) MP for Mekaling Constituency, Thabiso Lekitla, questioned whether business-class travel should be eliminated, leaving only economy-class tickets for officials. Dr Moroke said even if ministers travelled in economy class, it would not hinder their work, reinforcing his argument that international trips were a financial burden with minimal returns.
“It is time to see real service delivery in this country. Many ministries have large projects that rely on government funding, yet significant amounts are allocated to travel instead of development,” Dr Moroke said.
RFP MP for Matefeng Constituency, Moeketsi Motšoane, seconded Dr Moroke’s motion, arguing that some of the funds saved from travel cuts should be redirected to ministries struggling with insufficient budgets.
“We need to understand that government trips, whether for the executive, parliament, or judiciary, are all important. However, sacrifices must be made. Some of these funds should be allocated to ministries that have the lowest budgets to ensure they can execute their mandates,” Mr Motšoane said.
Basotho National Party (BNP) leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe, mocked the rationale behind some government trips, questioning the necessity of official visits for benchmarking tasks as trivial as street sweeping practices in other countries.
“Is it really necessary to travel abroad just to study how another country sweeps its streets? Does that warrant an official trip?” he asked.
Mr Motšoane echoed Mr Mofomobe’s sentiments, stating that the government should develop its own strategies rather than frequently traveling to study other nations’ methods.
“We must create our own solutions that other countries can, in turn, come to benchmark,” he said. “Each ministry should reduce international trips by 50%.”
Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) leader, Mothetjoa Metsing, introduced an alternative amendment, suggesting that international travel reductions should be assessed on a case-by-case basis rather than applied across all ministries. He argued that some ministries had not significantly increased their travel budgets and should not be unfairly penalised.
“If we implement a blanket 50% cut, some ministries that have not significantly increased their international travel budget will be affected unfairly,” Mr Metsing said.
“Instead, reductions should depend on each ministry’s statutory obligations and budget allocations.”
Mr Metsing proposed that ministers should justify their international travel needs before the National Assembly during Committee of Supply discussions.
“Ministers should come and explain their statutory meetings. For example, the Minister of Tourism indicated that his ministry does not allocate funds to international travel. It is, therefore, crucial to evaluate each ministry individually.”
He said key ministries that should be prioritized for budget allocation due to their potential for job creation included the ministries which deal with agriculture, food security, manufacturing, trade, finance, and foreign affairs.
“The manufacturing sector is labour-intensive rather than capital-intensive. One factory can employ up to 3,000 people. Some ministries, such as Trade and Foreign Affairs, travel abroad to attract investors. These should be considered carefully.”
