‘Declare youth unemployment an emergency’ – gvt told 

Moroke Sekoboto 

A COALITION of youth organizations and political party youth leagues is urging the government to declare youth unemployment a national emergency, citing the alarming 38 percent unemployment rate among young Basotho. 

The groups announced plans to petition Prime Minister Sam Matekane over the unemployment crisis during a press conference in Maseru this week. 

They said youth in Lesotho were drowning in poverty and despair while those in power “enjoyed privileges and paycheques” at the expense of the younger generation. 

The groups said Lesotho’s youth were done waiting and wanted to see concrete action to resolve their grievances.   

They demanded the government declare youth unemployment a national crisis, establish an emergency youth employment fund, and put young people at the centre of national planning and budgeting. 

The youth organizations involved include Bacha Shutdown, On-Point Foundation, Youth AIDS Free Foundation, SAYYE, Youth in Action, Social Reformers Initiative, People’s Matrix, Lesotho Network Development of the Blind, Lesotho Youth Summit and Voice of Youth Society. Also at the event were the youth leagues of political parties; the Democratic Congress (DC), All Basotho Convention (ABC), Basotho National Party (BNP), Socialist Revolutionaries (SR), Basotho Action Party (BAP) and United African Transformation (UAT). 

In her 2025-2026 budget speech to parliament on February 19th, Finance Minister Dr Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane revealed that 38 percent of Lesotho’s youth were unemployed, with young women bearing the brunt at 41 percent. To address this, the government had allocated M400 million to invest in youth-led businesses. 

Just over two weeks ago, Prime Minister Matekane announced another M400 million initiative to boost the private sector. 

This aligns with a recent World Bank report which urged the government to promote private sector led economic growth. 

Youth speakers at the presser condemned the government’s what they described as the government’s lack of urgency and concrete plans to tackle the unemployment crisis. They demanded the declaration of a national emergency, the establishment of a youth employment fund, and the restructuring of commissions to give youth a greater voice in policy making. 

The organizations warned they will not stand by as their futures are “buried under broken promises and political games”. 

They promised to mobilize, organize and “make noise until justice is served”. They asserted they were not just the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today, and would not be sacrificed for anyone’s comfort. 

BAP’s Francis Rapeane said the youth were done waiting for the government to create an even playing field where they can participate in economic development. 

“We are done waiting. We are done pleading. We are done being ignored. Youth unemployment in Lesotho is a ticking time bomb, and the government is not doing anything,” Mr Rapeane said. 

Bacha Shutdown Chairperson, Molise Rasello, said the issue of youth unemployment was a national emergency, not just a development challenge. 

“Lesotho’s young people are being pushed to the margins, turned into economic orphans within their own nation. We witness the effects daily – young graduates roaming the streets with empty pockets and shattered dreams, some drowning in depression and feeling helpless,” Mr Rasello said. 

The ABC’s Keketso Sephohle issued a forceful demand for the government to treat youth unemployment as a national crisis requiring urgent action. 

He called for the establishment of an emergency fund to directly support job creation and entrepreneurship among young people. 

He also demanded the dismantling of “elite-dominated commissions” and their replacement with youth-led structures that can set the agendas for youth empowerment. 

Mr Sephohle emphasised the need to put young people at the centre of national planning and budgeting, not merely as token participants but as co-architects of economic transformation. 

He stressed the importance of investing in future-oriented skills like digital, creative, green and technical training, rather than outdated programs. 

“We are not asking, we are demanding,” Mr Sephohle said in a defiant tone. 

“We will not stand by and watch our futures buried under broken promises and political games. If the government continues to ignore us, we will mobilise, organise and break the silence until justice is done. 

Contacted for comment yester day, Prime Minister’s Press Attache, Thapelo Mabote, said he was not aware of the youth event and no petition had reached Mr Matekane’s office. 

“I am not aware of the youth press conference and their concerns. Neither am I aware that they intend to petition the PM over the crisis,” Mr Mabote said. “I will follow up on the issue.”