The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Botswana Chapter commends the Government of Botswana for the positive steps taken following the 2024 General Election to foster a more open and media-friendly environment.
In particular, MISA Botswana acknowledges the leadership of the Minister for State President, Hon Moeti Mohwasa, in convening the Media Consultative Forum which brought together media practitioners and key stakeholders to engage candidly on long-standing challenges facing the sector.
The subsequent establishment of the Media Review Task Team to examine the legal framework, media sustainability and structural constraints signalled a genuine commitment to reform and inspired renewed optimism within the media fraternity.
However, MISA Botswana notes with grave concern recent developments that risk undoing these hard-won gains. Government’s early commitments to openness and reform now appear to be undermined by actions and rhetoric that are increasingly hostile to independent journalism.
In recent months, journalists have been subjected to sustained public attacks, including accusations of misinformation, unethical conduct and poor professionalism. These attacks, some originating from or amplified by individuals occupying senior public office, have legitimised online harassment and normalised hostility against the media. Such conduct is unacceptable in a constitutional democracy.
Of serious concern are reports that Radio Botswana broadcaster Letumile “Lets” Montsosa was removed from the Masaasele morning programme following a tightly controlled broadcast centred on the Constitutional Court. If confirmed, this constitutes a direct assault on editorial independence and represents political interference within public broadcasting.
Public media cannot function under fear, punishment or intimidation. These developments reflect a disturbing regression towards a culture of control and censorship that many Batswana believed the country had decisively rejected. When journalists are silenced, reassigned or publicly discredited for covering matters of national importance, democracy itself is weakened.
MISA Botswana rejects any attempt to conflate criticism with disloyalty or journalism with hostility. Scrutiny of power is not subversion. It is the very purpose of the media in a democratic society. The persistent framing of the media as adversarial enemies rather than constitutional partners erodes public trust, chills investigative reporting and discourages honest public debate.
History shows that when governments seek to dominate national narratives, corruption flourishes while accountability collapses. Freedom of expression cannot exist selectively. It cannot be applauded in policy documents while suppressed in practice.
The Constitution of Botswana (Section 12) guarantees freedom of expression and the media’s role as a watchdog. These rights are not concessions granted by political authority. They are fundamental democratic entitlements that the state is duty-bound to protect.
MISA Botswana further emphasises that state media belongs to the public, not the government of the day. Its mandate is to inform, educate and reflect diverse national opinion, not to serve as an extension of political communication structures.
While MISA Botswana continues to urge journalists to uphold the highest ethical and professional standards, allegations of factual error or poor judgment must never be weaponised to justify censorship, intimidation or institutional retaliation.
There are lawful and professional mechanisms for addressing complaints against the media. Bypassing these processes in favour of public condemnation or punitive action is itself a violation of democratic norms.
The new administration has an opportunity, and an obligation, to chart a different path from the past. That opportunity will be squandered if reform rhetoric is not matched by restraint, tolerance of criticism and genuine respect for media independence. Democracy is not tested when the press offers praise. It is tested when the press asks uncomfortable questions.
MISA Botswana therefore calls on government to:
▪ Immediately reaffirm its commitment to press freedom and editorial independence.
▪ Protect journalists, particularly within state media, from political interference and intimidation.
▪ Ensure transparency regarding any personnel decisions linked to editorial content.
▪ Accelerate meaningful legal and policy reforms to safeguard media freedom and sustainability.
Botswana’s democratic reputation was built on openness, tolerance and respect for institutions. Allowing fear and control to creep back into the media space threatens that legacy. A free press is not the enemy of government. It is the last line of defence for the public.
Issued by:
MISA Botswana National Governing Council
