Mohale FM THE 2026/27 national budget, scheduled to be presented next week, is facing resistance from the opposition, which is calling for its deferral pending investigations into government spending from the Contingency Fund.
Leader of the Opposition and Democratic Congress (DC) leader, Mathibeli Mokhothu, has urged that investigations be instituted into the utilisation of contingency funds before Parliament considers the new budget.
Mr Mokhothu’s request is contained in a letter dated 10 February 2026, addressed to Speaker of the National Assembly, Tlohang Sekhamane ahead of the Parliament’s reopening. Parliament is expected to reconvene today following the Christmas recess.
In the letter, Mr Mokhothu formally requested the Speaker to issue a directive for a special audit and a parliamentary investigation into the Contingency Fund before the House debates the 2026/27 budget.
Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Dr Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane, is expected to present the budget speech on 18 February 2026.
However, Mr Mokhothu insists that the budget estimates should be shelved until audits and investigations into the use of contingency funds are concluded.
Prime-Minister Sam Matekane’s administration came under intense scrutiny in November last year after drawing more than M1 million from the Contingency Fund to finance Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara’s trip to Brazil, where she attended the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Frame work Convention on Climate Change, held from 10 to 21 November 2025 in Belém.
12.02.2026
