The Roads Directorate has set out a M1.86 billion plan for 2026/27, covering road upgrades, 22 new footbridges, drainage works and a crackdown on building inside road reserves.
BASOTHO can expect better roads, new bridges and more maintenance work next year after the Roads Directorate announced a M1.86 billion (about US$115 million) plan for the 2026/27 financial year.
The plan was unveiled on Wednesday. It sets out how the government and its partners will spend money on building, fixing and maintaining roads and bridges across Lesotho. Officials say the aim is safer travel, better connected communities and support for the economy.
The total budget is M1,861,492,888.40 (about US$115 million). It is funded from four sources.
| Source | Amount | Share |
| Government of Lesotho | M1.15 billion (US$71 million) | 60% |
| Road Fund | M329.3 million (US$20 million) | 17.7% |
| World Bank | M291.5 million (US$18 million) | 15.7% |
| Ministry of Finance | M86.4 million (US$5 million) | 4.7% |
Speaking at the press conference, Roads Directorate Director General Teboho Mokhoane said the money will pay for several large projects.
“The budget will cover upgrading roads to tar standard, building new bridges, rehabilitating old roads, putting in drainage systems and doing routine maintenance.”
Teboho Mokhoane, Director General, Roads Directorate
The main projects include the rehabilitation of 171km of paved roads, among them St Michael’s to Roma. The Directorate will also survey 640km of urban roads for encroachment, including Kingsway Road in Maseru, to check where buildings and businesses have gone up inside road reserves.
The plan provides for 22 footbridges, among them Seroalankhoana to Mpokochela, to help people in rural areas cross rivers safely. It also sets aside money for drainage and safety works to cut flooding and accidents.
Mokhoane said the Directorate has identified places where people have built too close to roads. The practice, known as encroachment, makes future road widening difficult. He named the TY area of the Maseru central business district and Semonkong.
“We will work with relevant stakeholders to make sure road reserves are protected for current and future road development,” he said.
Officials say the programme rests on three areas: rehabilitation, maintenance and expansion. The Directorate says fixing old roads and building new ones will make travel safer for drivers and pedestrians, connect rural and urban areas, and make it easier to move goods and people.
Mokhoane said the government wants to give Basotho roads that are reliable, accessible and well maintained. The 2026/27 Annual Works Programme runs from April 2026 to March 2027.
