Lesotho’s Parliament is moving to strengthen national policing after its Portfolio Committee on the Law and Public Safety Cluster pledged to recommend increased funding for the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS).

The announcement follows discussions between lawmakers and senior police officials, who raised concerns about insufficient resources affecting the force’s ability to prevent crime and maintain public safety.

Committee chairperson Mokoena Ramakatsa said police operations are being affected by shortages of essential resources, including vehicles, fuel, communication equipment and personnel.

The shortages are particularly concerning in remote and mountainous communities, where officers sometimes have to travel long distances to respond to incidents such as stock theft. Limited transport and operational resources can delay investigations, patrols and emergency responses.

The committee intends to recommend that Parliament increase police funding during the next budget cycle. Lesotho’s police service received a recurrent budget allocation of M560 million for the 2026/27 financial year.

The government is also preparing to recruit 500 new police officers, with training expected to begin in January 2027. However, police leadership has indicated that further recruitment will be needed to address staffing shortages.

The proposed funding increase could become an important development for public safety, particularly for communities that depend on faster police responses and stronger crime-prevention operations.