Media activists see the governments move to put people from security forces at the Mass Media Complex as an assault on freedom of the press. The executive director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Botswana), Thapelo Ndlovu said if such reports are true, they are alarming. He said the reports come at a time when there is already concern about the militarisation of the civil service.
He said if the government can make such appointments, it shows that it does not take journalism seriously. “We can’t readily accept that. Are there no people who qualify for such positions,” he asked. He wondered why the government is not advertising the positions as is the normal procedure. Ndlovu said MISA is worried about the militarisation of the civil service especially if it is going to affect the government media as well.
Veteran journalist and media activist, Rampholo Molefhe said the move is consistent with the practice of the new regime following the departure of the former president Festus Mogae.
He said the appointment of people from the disciplinary forces to hold strategic positions in the government does not bode well for the freedom of the press.
Molefhe believes that the strategy could be meant for the election campaign purposes. He said the powers that be want somebody they can use to prevent the opposition from having equal access to the government media.
He said such appointees will not behave like information officers but as members of the disciplined forces. Molefhe said he has been expecting a proper transformation of the state media into a public media run by an independent board.
Opposition parties have been complaining that the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has turned Btv into its campaign tool. The spokesman for the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Dumelang Saleshando said the militarisation of key posts in the civil service has become President Ian Khama’s top priority and Btv has become a BDP propaganda tool. He said in the past Btv, was used by the BDP but this is worse under Khama’s rule.
“When you have a president who wants to build popularity, he would like to control the media so that people can hear his side only. How do you bring a retired police officer to head a television station?,” he asked. He said radio and television stations are technically driven and they need to be headed by highly qualified individuals. He argued that a retired police officer would not know how a TV station operates.
“You need young people who are educated in this field,” said the outspoken politician.
Saleshando said the government is only looking at loyalty. He said reports that the retired police officer has been appointed to head Btv could be true because the said man has been seen lurking around the television station.
Botswana National Front (BNF) publicity secretary, Moeti Mohwasa condemned the government move to appoint security men at the Mass Media Complex. “They do not respect the profession,” he said.
Mohwasa said they do not have anything against former members of the disciplined forces. But he said the culture that these security men and women are accustomed to is different from journalism.
He said by the nature of their work, journalists are used to questioning things. But he said a retired soldier or police officer will not question orders. The BNF official said before the onslaught on the rest of the sections of the society, the government will start with the media by making such appointments. “They want to have the media dance to their tune,” he said.
Mohwasa said surprisingly, the government has been talking about privatisation, but when it comes to the media, it speaks a different language.
He reiterated that the government media should be turned into a public broadcaster. This will make the government and the ruling party compete for space in such a media like everyone else. But as it is now, it seems like those who are pro-government are the only ones who have the right to be heard by the state media.
Mohwasa said appointment of military or police officers to positions in government media is a wake up call to Botswana. “You would think that somebody cannot do this on the eve of the elections. So what about after he has won the elections?,” he asked.
The government spokeperson, Dr Jeff Ramsay said he did not know about the proposed appointments. Reports of the impending appointments come at a time when the private press is up in arms against the draconian Media Practitioners Act.
In recent years, there have been complaints in Botswana that the civil service is becoming militarised. The complaints have been renewed since last year when Khama, a former military chief became president. A number of former or soldiers are holding key positions in his office and other government departments. Just after he was elected to become, Vice President, Khama appointed Colonel Isaac Kgosi to be his private secretary even though there were qualified civilians who could do the job. Kgosi has since been elevated to the powerful position of the Director of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security. Other government departments which are headed by military men include the Central Transport Organisation (CTO) and Prisons and Rehabilitation.
Last year, the BDP took disciplinary action against one of its legislators, Pono Moatlhodi after he raised alarm about the militarisation of the civil service.
Mmegi Online
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