BDP accused of stifling democracy

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Wednesday August 5, 2009 00:00

According to sources, there has been uneasiness because some of the debates were covered live.  This meant that there would be no time to edit any voracious attacks on the government and the ruling party.

Botswana National Front (BNF) publicity secretary, Moeti Mohwasa said this is an act of cowardice by the BDP because it cannot tolerate debates.

He said the BDP wants the national media to cover what favours that party only. 

Mohwasa said the Btv covers all the BDP launches irrespective of who would be officiating.  But he said in the case of opposition launches, Btv only covers them selectively especially those featuring party presidents.  Given their meager resources, he said the opposition party presidents cannot be able to launch all their candidates countrywide.

Mohwasa found it unfair that the government media is not giving all the political parties equal access.

He said the government media is there to serve BDP interests.

For Mohwasa, he is not surprised that the government has banned political debates.  He saw it coming.  He said the government started by stopping the political debates that were organised by the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC).  The reason given was that this was beyond the BNYC mandate and that political debates should only be organised by radio and television stations.

Mohwasa said the BDP executive secretary, Dr Batlang Serema has made it clear that BDP president, Ian Khama will not participate in political debates.  He said this shows the attitude of the BDP towards debates.  'If you do not want to debate, you can't do it. 

But this does not mean that you should stop other people from debating,' he said.

'You can't have a politician running a powerful media like the government media when he/she also has interest,' he said.

Mohwasa said everyone has a right to be heard irrespective of whether that person is offering a dissenting voice.  He said Batswana used to criticise the Zimbabwean government because the ruling party was dominating the government media.  'But are we different from Zimbabwe,' he questioned.

He accused the government of not observing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on elections coverage. 

Mohwasa said by suspending the debates, the government is interfering with people's rights to express their feelings.  He said the BDP members only want to hear their own voice in the government media. 

The president of the Botswana Peoples' Party (BPP), Benard Balikani is also disappointed with the government decision.  To him, this is an embarrassing situation.

He said it is clear that the move is politically motivated. 

Balikani said even the employees of the state media are frustrated because the debates have been suspended without valid reasons. 

The BPP leader said the intention is to save the BDP because the party cannot defend its policies in public. 

Balikani said they wanted to participate in the debates after they received the invitation.  However, they were only told that the debates have been suspended.

He said the government is not only stifling debates but even democracy.  In Balikani's book, freedom of expression is expressed by debates.

The executive director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Botswana Chapter), Thapelo Ndlovu also expressed concern about the suspension of debates.

'We don't want a situation where debates are constrained,' said the media rights activist.

Ndlovu said the debates might have been suspended because the BDP was failing to participate.  He could only read mischief in the whole exercise. 

Ndlovu does not buy the excuse that Btv and Radio Botswana will resume the debates after the writ of elections has been issued.  He said it will be too late by then. 

To him, an election is a process that takes a long time.

Ndlovu accused the government of compromising freedom of speech.

In a statement issued this week, the government media said it felt that it would be inappropriate to continue airing political debates until after the official nomination of candidates for the 2009 general elections had been completed.

'This step is, moreover, in accord with the provisions of the 'Code of Conduct for Broadcasters during National Elections', as drafted by the National Broadcasting Board of Botswana in consultation with the Independent Election Commission and other concerned stakeholders, including the broadcasters and political parties,' the statement said. It says among other issues, the Code provides for the equitable treatment of political parties by broadcasters' and the airing of party political broadcasts' during an election period.

The statement said the National Broadcasting Board has recently finalised the Code for implementation and availed it to all relevant stakeholders.

'It is therefore the intention of the Department of Broadcasting Services to ensure that any future debate coverage will be carried out in full conformity with the said Code.'