Commentators slam Jacqueline

OLIVER MODISE
Correspondent | Monday June 22, 2009 00:00

 

Mogapi says that the demand by the President Ian Khama's sister, Jacqueline, that editor, Outsa Mokone, and a reporter, Rueben Pitse, be barred from practicing as journalist, is a clear indication that the Media Practitioner's Act was passed to target journalists.

'This goes to prove that the Act was targeted at journalists,' he said
Mogapi, also co-owner of The Sunday Standard, said that in its first ever case, the complaints committee was seized with deciding a matter involving a plea to disbar journalists.

He condemned the appointment of Nathan Kgabi to chair the committee, stating that he is a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) activist.

He said that the complaint has killed the negotiations between government and media publishers who are in court to challenge the Media Practitioners Act.

Thapelo Ndlovu, MISA Botswana director, denounced the complaints committee stating that there can be no complaints committee when there is no executive committee. He said that from what he gathers, the executive committee is supposed to spearhead the appointments of other structures.

Furthermore, Ndlovu said that the committee does not have a code of ethics, contrary to what the letter from Collins and Newman, who are Jacqueline Khama's lawyers, states.
'They do not have a code of ethics. What they are referring to is the code of ethics of the Press Council of Botswana,' he pointed out.

He said it was surprising that Khama had indicated that he was withdrawing the case altogether, only for it to be tabled by her sister before a punitive committee like the complaints committee.

He said that although Jacqueline was an entirely different person, Ian Khama could not be divorced from the whole saga. 'One may wonder what the motive is, if not to punish the Newspaper,' ponders Ndlovu.

He said given that the appointment of members to serve on the complaints committee was done secretly, the outcome of its hearings was already a given.  'It is like a military court,' he said

Botswana National Front (BNF) publicity secretary, Moeti Mohwasa, revealed that his party was not shocked by the latest development. He said that the Media Practitioner's Act was not consistent with the country's constitution, so it should not be used.

'The idea is to keep people quiet and silence them,' said Mohwasa

He said that the Media Practitioner's Act could not be used in a democratic society, adding that his party supported self-regulation, as it does not infringe on press freedom.

Commenting on the issue, Botswana Congress Party (BCP)'s spokesperson, Dumelang Saleshando, decried the complaint by Jacqueline Khama, arguing that it was a smokescreen by President Khama to intimidate the press. 'There is a relationship between the withdrawal of the suit and the complaint by Jacqueline Khama,' he said. He argued that Khama withdrew the suit because he was afraid that the Standard would challenge his legitimacy as President.He stated that while Jacqueline Khama was entitled to assert her rights, Ian Khama was using her as a proxy against the paper. 'They are taking advantage of the Media Practitioner's Act to curtail press freedom,' he said.