Mokhothu threatens to block budget
Dissatisfied with government’s failure to increase pension allowances
’MANTŠANG KHUTLISI
MASERU – Leader of Opposition, Mathibeli Mokhothu, has threatened to block passage for the 2025/26 budget estimates proposed by finance minister, Dr Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane, this week over the zero percent increase in pension allowances for senior citizens. Matlanyane’s estimates contain no increase in the old age pensions for the 2025/26 budget allocations.
“These are the consequences of running after airplanes and not voting for Democratic Congress (DC), rich people do not care about vulnerable individuals,” Mokhothu said, further adding that the opposition bloc is consideration blocking the approval of the budget until “the government rectifies its mistakes by increasing pension funds” for the aged.
The old age pension scheme was started under erstwhile Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili and the DC jealously boasts about it. Mokhothu, who is the incumbent leader of the DC, said “it is important to protect the vulnerable masses by all means possible.”
He said the government has broken the record by not increasing old age pension funds. During the DC administration of the seven-party coalition of 2015, then finance minister, ‘Mamphono Khaketla, the old age pensions was increased from M500 to M550.
Speaking at party presser held at the Transformation Resource Centre Hall on Wednesday, the DC leader said he does not support the government, noting “the cost of living has increased and the old age have so much burden on their shoulders. Some are bread winners in families.”
Countrywide pensioners look after orphans, Mokhothu said, pointing out that the fact that food prices have increased is not debatable.
“There are other necessities that require money so the failure to increase the old age pension has really not only disappointed them, but has made them question the current government’s interest in them,” Mokhothu continued.
“These people need to stop awarding themselves tenders and give them to Basotho,” Mokhothu added.
Mokhuthu, furious, said, “I plead with the government to reconsider an increase of old age pension funds, I urge the government to priorities social protection.”
“This budget is a cut and paste, and we should fire these people,” Mokhothu continued, adding that the government has no intention to do better. “Who presents a budget speech then later says she has to make corrections on the errors in the budget? I hope the mistakes the minister recognized while delivering her speech are that of an increase of old age,” Mokhothu asked laughing.
“I encourage the government to respect old people, those people go down well in the pages of Dr Pakalitha Mosisili’s heart and the government ought to respect them,” he concluded. Mathibeli also decried the government’s lack of working strategy on job creation saying the “Inclusive Growth Fund is not well grounded as the minister does not fully elaborate how it will work or its functions. 50 million Maloti was set aside for job creation but up to this far, there is high risk of unemployment in the country. Now the government sets aside 40 million yet there were no jobs created with the 50 million.”
One would recall that in 2019/2020 fiscal budget delivered by then finance minister, Dr Moeketsi Majoro, the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development was allocated funds worth M419.2 million and old age pensions funds was increased by M50 since then up until 2025 where the government has decided not to increase with any.
Matlanyane delivered the budget speech of 2025/2026 this Wednesday. In her speech, she noted the Inclusive Growth Fund has increased from M50 million to M400 million which will assist in improving Basotho’s businesses, vulnerable groups as well as funding business by providing capital to such businesses.
