When approached by the minister early this year, prominent human rights lawyers Duma Boko and Dick Bayford turned down the invitations to join the same organ.

In a statement released last week, MISA chair person, Laona Segaetsho said they have decided to release Mosanako from the MISA board with immediate effect.

He said Mosanako was expected to write a resignation letter last Friday, failing which her membership will be automatically terminated.  According to information reaching Mmegi, Mosanako, who is a former news reader at Botswana Television (Btv) and currently a media studies lecturer at the University of Botswana (UB), did not write the letter.

Segaetsho said the decision to terminate Mosanako's board membership was taken in line with clause 13.2.7 of the chapter's deed of trust.  The article states that a member's tenure could be terminated for, among other reasons, conduct detrimental to the general purpose and interests of the trust.

He said Mosanako's decision to join the state complaints committee is against the organisation's stance on the controversial Media Practitioners Act, which is viewed by the organisation as a threat to freedom of expression. 

Segaetsho said Mosanako was part of the meetings that denounced the Act that paved the way for the legal case between the publishers and the state over the Act.

MISA Botswana also facilitated a meeting in March in which the publishers made a resolution to provide minimum contribution to the Media Practitioners Act.  This minimum contribution was defined as not taking part in any Media Practitioners Act activities that are voluntary. 

"MISA Botswana is therefore convinced that the conduct of Mosanako compromises the organisation's commitment to the cause chosen by the media fraternity," the statement read.

Mosanako was not available for comment as her phone was off.

The media fraternity has always opposed the Media Practitioners Act as it is felt that it is going to stifle freedom of the press.  Amongst others, the new law seeks that media practitioners should be registered.  It also proposes penalties for journalists.

A similar law in Zimbabwe was used to gag journalists and close down newspapers.