Mohloai Mpesi
THE protracted National Reforms have suffered yet another setback after it emerged that no budget has been allocated to advance the process in the 2026/2027 financial year.
This was revealed by Minister of Law and Justice, Richard Ramoeletsi, during ministerial consultations on the 2026/2027 annual budget before the Portfolio Committee on Law and Public Safety this week.
The matter came to the fore after committee member, Advocate Lekhetho Rakuoane, raised concerns that the ministry’s proposed budget for 2026/2027 did not make provision for the national reforms process itself, but only for the National Reforms Transition Office (NRTO), which was allocated M10.5 million.
Advocate Rakuoane warned that failure to allocate funds to the reforms could spark political backlash.
“When the ministry presented its budget, it said it was going to expedite the reforms. But under grants and aid, I only see the NRTO, which I believe is merely the existing structure,” he said.
“Has there been any proposal for a budget when the NRTO merges with the authority?
“It will appear as if we are provoking unnecessary confrontation when the opposition argues that reforms have not been allocated any budget, even after the Tenth Amendment has been passed. Not even a token amount has been set aside to indicate how we intend to move forward,” he added.
In response, Mr Ramoeletsi said the ministry was working within a budget ceiling set by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. He explained that funding for the reforms would instead be sought through the contingency fund once the necessary legal and structural frameworks are finalised.
“On the issue of reforms, we operate within a ceiling provided to us. We believe that once we have completed the structure we are preparing with this committee, and when the law establishing the body has been enacted, we will then request funding under the contingency fund,” Mr Ramoeletsi said.
“These issues have been delayed to the extent that we could not include them in this financial year’s budget.”
He clarified that the M10.5 million allocation was strictly for the NRTO’s operational costs, including rent at the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) building and staff salaries.
“The M10 500 000 is allocated for the existing structure only. The reforms and the referendum have not been budgeted for this financial year. That means the reforms are not included in the budget,” he said.
The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution was passed and gazetted on 13 August 2025. This was followed by a presentation by Prime Minister Sam Matekane before the Southern African Development Community (SADC), after which Lesotho was removed from the SADC Troika oversight mechanism.
However, the amendment subsequently attracted several legal challenges. Critics argued that its passage was procedurally flawed, alleging it did not adhere to mandatory constitutional requirements, including securing a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly where applicable, or holding a referendum for entrenched clauses.
The challenges to the amendment remain pending in the Constitutional Court.
The amendment had initially been referred to the Senate in October 2024, where it remained for several months without progress.
The Tenth Amendment focuses on provisions relating to the National Assembly, its powers and the electoral process, seeking to enhance efficiency and accountability in governance.
Meanwhile, the Eleventh Amendment Bill addresses broader political concerns such as instability, peace and security, floor-crossing and motions of no confidence.
Together, the two amendments are intended to foster political stability and create an enabling environment for Lesotho’s economic and social development.
While the Tenth Amendment requires a simple majority (61 votes) for passage, the Eleventh Amendment requires a two-thirds majority (at least 80 votes) in the 120-member National Assembly. The Eleventh Amendment was first tabled in the National Assembly on 29 July 2024 where it is still pending.
For now, however, the absence of a dedicated budget suggested the reforms process remained in limbo.
