In the dust of Ngamiland, no algorithm could feel their pain
THOMAS NKHOMA | Tuesday August 5, 2025 09:08
Cattle, not just assets but deeply woven into the lives and identities of families, were shot and buried in mass graves. It was not just a veterinary crisis. It was an emotional one. The pain could not be fully measured in numbers. It was in the silence of farmers who could no longer speak. It was in the tear-streaked faces of herders who had watched their way of life disappear in a single afternoon. And it was in the dust that hung in the air long after the gunshots faded. Only journalists could have captured that story. They were on the ground, listening, asking, and witnessing. They stood beside grieving farmers and documented not just the loss of livestock but the erosion of dignity and identity. That form of reporting requires more than data. It requires human presence, compassion, and courage. Fast forward to today.
The media industry is at a crossroads. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to generate headlines, summarise press releases, write basic reports, and even simulate interviews. These technologies offer speed and efficiency, but they also risk replacing depth with convenience and truth with plausibility. AI cannot attend a village meeting, feel the tension in a room, or ask a follow-up question that changes everything. It cannot parse the subtleties of silence or recognise when a subject’s eyes contradict their words. It cannot, quite simply, cry. This is why Botswana still needs ethical journalists. Not just writers or broadcasters but professionals who see journalism as a calling, one that demands integrity, empathy, and accountability. It is in this context that President Advocate Duma Boko’s remarks at the Ghanzi Show take on added significance. Addressing what he described as a tense but necessary relationship between government and media, President Boko urged journalists to be fearless but also fair. “We expect the best from you. You are entitled to expect the best from us,” he said. “You must report without fear, but you must also report without favour.”
He warned against the growing trend of opinion being disguised as fact. “You err greatly when you misrepresent your views as facts. You discredit and you besmirch the craft of journalism,” he cautioned. These are not empty words. In an era where misinformation spreads faster than verified truths, such guidance is not only welcome but also essential. However, the challenge cannot rest on journalists alone. Ethical journalism flourishes only when supported by an environment that respects the right to know. Government, institutions, and the public all have a role to play in defending press freedom and nurturing media literacy. AI might be able to scrape the web for existing content, but it cannot knock on a government office door, follow a corruption trail, or sit down with a grieving mother and ask what her loss means. It cannot hold power to account. It cannot rebuild public trust. And it certainly cannot feel pain or care enough to tell a story with dignity. As Botswana navigates this new terrain, it must do so with clarity. Tools such as AI may assist, but they must never replace the human element at the heart of journalism. Ethical reporting is not just about getting the facts right. It is about being present when truth is inconvenient, difficult or heartbreaking. In the end, journalism is not just about information. It is about understanding. And in times of crisis - from CBPP in Ngamiland to the political and social reckonings of today - it is only ethical, human journalists who can give voice to the voiceless.
Because when algorithms cannot cry, someone must. Thus, those stories from Ngamiland, told with care and integrity, did more than inform. They stirred national conscience, triggered public debates in Parliament, and influenced government responses, including compensation schemes and better disease control protocols. In other words, ethical journalism gave a voice to those who had none, making their suffering visible and impossible to ignore. It is this power - to drive change, shape policy and restore dignity - that makes ethical journalism not just relevant but indispensable in any democracy. In a world of synthetic content, it remains one of the few forces still rooted in real lives, real struggles and real hope.
*Thomas Thos Nkhoma MISA-Botswana Chairperson