Botswana

(MISA/IFEX) – On 31 May 2005, the Lobatse High Court upheld a deportation order against Professor Kenneth Good of the University of Botswana Political Science Department. The state, through Deputy Attorney General Abraham Keetshabe and Chief State Counsel Moemedi Modisenyane, contended that the courts are denied jurisdiction to impose interdicts against the government and, for […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Botswana’s government will retain the stringent apartheid-era National Security Act despite complaints from journalists that it limits media freedom. Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Minister Phandu Skelemani told the IRIN news agency that it would be unwise to repeal the law, which was introduced in 1986 at the height of apartheid South Africa’s […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The following is a MISA statement: The Media Institute of Southern Africa condemns the conduct of the President and government of Botswana in summarily declaring an Australian academic, political scientist Professor Kenneth Good, 72, a prohibited immigrant and ordering his deportation from the country with 48 hours notice. Good, who has been lecturing […]

(IPI/IFEX) – The following is an IPI letter to Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration DK Kwelagobe: H.E. Mr. DK Kwelagobe Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Private Bag 001 Gaborone Botswana Fax: +267 581 028 E-mail: op.registry@gov.bw Vienna, 28 February 2005 Your Excellency, The International Press Institute, the global network of editors, […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 17 August 2004, Minister of Land and Housing Margaret Nasha instructed the producers of “The Eye” programme to re-record a segment of the show in order to exclude opposition party member Dumelang Saleshando, who is seeking election as a member of parliament. Saleshando is a member of the Botswana Congress Party. In […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 7 August 2004, Kagiso Mmui, an entertainment reporter with the weekly newspaper “The Voice”, was assaulted in the capital, Gaborone, by Lloyd Mwape, a founding member of a musical band named Wizards of the Deserts. Mmui was allegedly assaulted for writing negatively about the band. Mmui told MISA-Botswana that he was covering […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Communications, Science and Technology Minister Boyce Sebeleta has announced his decision to drop the “Political Profiles” column from the state-owned newspaper “Daily News” and the press review from state-owned Radio Botswana. The minister did not offer an explanation for the move. “This meddling in the editorial policies of these media outlets is unacceptable […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 8 June 2004, photographer Thari Leepile, of “The Midweek Sun” weekly, was assaulted by Elizabeth Surtee and her son, Edward Mzwinila, who are facing trial for alleged armed robbery. In an interview with MISA-Botswana, Leepile said he was covering the court case at the Magistrate Court in Gaborone when he tried to […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Botswana’s government has suspended a segment of Radio Botswana’s popular morning programme “Masa-a-sele” (“Morning has broken”), saying, “it is not accountable.” On 13 November 2003, “Mmegi” newspaper reported that the phone-in segment of the programme would be suspended. As a result, “Masa-a-sele” will become a predominantly “music and announcement” programme, rather than the […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 6 September 2003, the paramount chief of the Batawana tribe, Tawana Moremi, physically attacked Booster Galesekegwe, a photojournalist from the weekly “Mmegi” newspaper, and broke his camera. Moremi also attacked Kagiso Sekokonyane, acting editor of “Mmegi Monitor”, “Mmegi”‘s sister newspaper. Galesekegwe was covering a story about South African DJ Phat Joe at […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 8 August 2003, Charles Kidega, a freelance sub-editor for “Business and Financial Times” magazine, assaulted Gabz FM radio host Jacob Kamodi in the station’s reception area. Kidega alleged that Gabz FM had failed to air the magazine’s advertisements. Kamodi told MISA Botswana that Kidega grabbed him and kicked him twice in his […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The “Botswana Gazette” newspaper has been sued for damages amounting to 10,000,000 Pula (approx. US$200,000) for publishing a 2 July 2003 story entitled, “Protect citizen contractors against Chinese”. The article quoted Mogolori Modisi, vice-president of the Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM), addressing an annual general meeting in which he allegedly […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 11 June 2003, Hloniphani Chengeta, a journalist with the weekly “Sunday Tribune”, was assaulted by the Zimbabwean High Commissioner to Botswana, Phelekezela Mphoko. On 1 June, Chengeta travelled to Zimbabwe to cover the mass demonstrations organised by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The demonstrations were due to start the following […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 5 December 2002, University of Botswana (UB) students, armed with bricks and stones, attacked two journalists from the bi-weekly newspaper “Mokgosi” on 5 December 2002. At around 5:00 a.m. (local time) on 5 December, Moreri Moroka, a “Mokgosi” freelance reporter and well-known poet, who is also a third-year student at the UB, […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Alice Banda, a reporter from the privately-owned weekly newspaper “The Voice”, has received numerous threatening telephone calls following the publication of an investigative article in her newspaper’s 4 October 2002 edition. The controversial article reported on illegal abortions carried out by medical doctors in Francistown, Botswana’s second largest commercial centre, situated some 433 […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 7 July 2002, “Botswana Gazette” sports reporter Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe was assaulted at the newspaper’s offices by prominent Botswana national soccer team player Seabo Gabanakgosi. The incident followed the publication in the newspaper of an article penned by the reporter. The article entitled “Is Seabo born again?” appeared in the 13 March edition […]