…‘The government sees unemployment as a crisis’
Leemisa Thuseho
PRIME Minister Sam Matekane has declared youth unemployment a state of emergency, expressing confidence that young people are ready to take on the challenge if properly supported.
Speaking at the closure of yesterday’s National Youth Dialogue at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre, Premier Matekane said he was impressed by the youth’s willingness to propose solutions to the country’s unemployment crisis.
Mr Matekane conceded that unemployment in Lesotho has a major challenge for many years is now exacerbated by external factors such as global trade tensions and climate change.
On the advice of the cabinet and Disaster Management Authority (DMA), he declared that unemployment was now officially being treated as a national crisis.
“The government sees this as a crisis. Thus, the cabinet, through the advice of DMA, has decided to declare unemployment as a state of emergency. The relevant ministries are already working on an official announcement,” he said.
Mr Matekane urged young people to continue engaging with the government and partners to find solutions.
“We believe in the saying that there is nothing for youth without youth,” he said.
To address the unemployment crisis, Mr Matekane said it was time to level the playing field and create a conducive environment for young people to get into business. He undertook that his government would make the registration of small and medium enterprises free of charge, and all tender documents will also be available online at no cost.
Additionally, a lease will no longer be required to start trading, and a new policy will reserve 40 percent of government procurement for youth.
The PM acknowledged the youth’s calls for the establishment of a national youth development agency, curriculum reform, and clear strategies to boost production and access to markets.
“We have listened and take into consideration your recommendations,” he said.
He also explained that delays in government action were due to the difficult situation his administration inherited from previous regimes, including empty coffers, outstanding debts, and crumbling infrastructure.
“To stabilise the situation, we worked on fiscal discipline, increased the capital budget to create jobs through major government projects, and promoted growth in foreign direct investment,” Mr Matekane said.
During the dialogue with the PM, Lesotho’s young people had the chance to voice their concerns about unemployment.
They highlighted major issues such as limited access to quality, market-relevant education, insufficient resources, lack of funding, inadequate skills and business networks, and restricted access to land — often due to traditional inheritance customs.
The youth proposed that a portion of government jobs in various ministries should be set aside specifically for young people. They also advocated for the monetisation of social media in Lesotho to create new economic opportunities.
Teboho Mokhele, one of the participants, called for the establishment of a national youth agency to directly address the challenges facing young people.
“We need an agency to bridge the gap between the government and the youth, so we know the government is genuinely committed to including young people in decision-making,” Mr Mokhele said.
Mr Mokhele further emphasised the importance of decentralising job opportunities, urging officials to reach out to rural communities and assist youth with business registration and proposal writing.
Another participant, Thapelo Maieane, urged the government to give youth a higher priority in government employment, suggesting that 70 percent of positions be reserved for young people.
“We have fresh ideas and solutions. Let’s support initiatives like labour migration,” Mr Maieane said.
He also called for a revision of Lesotho’s education curriculum to better align with market needs and global trends.
President of the National University of Lesotho (NUL)’s Student Representative Council (SRC), Tumo Tsanyane, suggested lowering the retirement age for civil servants from 60 years to 55 and for teachers to 50, believing this would create more job openings for young people.
Mr Matekane assured the youth that the government was committed to supporting their efforts to combat unemployment.
“Nothing lasts forever — even unemployment will pass. We won’t leave anyone behind; let’s share what we have,” he said.
He encouraged young entrepreneurs to be trustworthy, especially in repaying loans, so they can continue to benefit from future financial support.
“This is your time — take advantage of the opportunities that will come from partnerships between the government and private sector. Work hard, manage your finances wisely, and invest for long-term growth rather than spending all your earnings on immediate luxuries,” Mr Matekane said.
“After the long deliberations and discussions with you today, I am convinced that the youth are serious in saying they need change.”
Addressing concerns about delayed government payments to service providers, Mr Matekane was firm: “I don’t want to hear that youth have worked but haven’t been paid. If there’s no money, don’t give people work. Why would you give anyone work when you know that you can’t afford to pay for their services?”
In the days leading up to the dialogue, debate centred around Mr Matekane’s pledge to create 70,000 jobs in Lesotho to tackle the country’s high unemployment rate, especially among the youth.
During yesterday’s discussion, social media influencer Tšolo Thakeli — who had been released from police custody on Tuesday after being detained for allegedly inciting unrest with a Facebook post questioning the plan’s feasibility — asked whether the promise was realistic, given that the 2025-2026 national budget makes no provision for such funding.
In response, Mr Matekane boldly reassured everyone that the national budget includes funding for job creation initiatives, promising, “There is money set aside for these programmes.”
