Freedom of the press, now!
Mmegi Editor | Thursday May 8, 2014 15:20
He was speaking at the weekend’s World Press Freedom Day celebrations in Lobatse, whose theme was “Free Media Contributes to Good Governance, Empowerment and Poverty Eradication”. Indeed, Tombale could not be more correct. As journalists we need to introspect and determine whether we are on the right course.
However, during his speech, Tombale made stunning remarks when he stated that lack of transparency ultimately feeds corruption. “A society that is guaranteed access to public documents and public decision-making processes is able to bring conflicts of interest to light and empower citizens with information about development processes,” he said.
He then requested government, particularly the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, to expedite drafting of the Freedom of Information Bill. Tombale added that reform of media and defamation laws is critical in the pursuit of good governance and development.
“Insult and criminal libel laws remain disproportionate in terms of international standards on legitimate limits of freedom of expression. Such restrictive laws artificially protect officials from being scrutinised by media or the public. “They have a chilling effect on freedom of expression and are crippling to good governance in the long run. A thorough decriminalisation of defamation laws is necessary in any regulatory reform process that seeks to shape development through enabling critical debate”.
Tombale is no ordinary man. He has worked in the civil service for more than three decades, with most of these years spent in senior positions. He has held highly esteemed directorships in prominent organisations such as BCL Mine and De Beers. This is the man who was recalled from retirement to rescue the Botswana Meat Commission in 2012, when corruption had cut the organisation down to its knees. Before he took over, the BMC mess had milked government of over P500 million in the space of 12 months, with some exploiting the confusion to line their pockets.
Although the law enforcement agencies are yet to haul the culprits to court, what we can celebrate is that Rre Tombale was able to stir a sinking ship back to calm waters. The revelation of malfeasance at the BMC would have been impossible without the watchdog role of the media, with intense journalist scrutiny eventually tipping over the can of worms. The scandal was one of the few examples in Botswana’s political history where the third and fourth estates, being parliament and media, cooperated in the exposure of public wrongdoing.
In future, such cooperation, the enforcement of accountability among public officers and the media’s watchdog role, will be impossible if the hawks in the executive maintain harsh defamation laws and ignore the freedom of information imperative. As you read this, the BMC is now slaughtering and selling its beef to export markets, including the European Union. We hope that those in power will not trash Tombale’s request for transparency and freedom of information, lest another government institution falls prey to these invisible vultures.
Today’s thought
“It is, however, an evil for which there is no remedy, our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.”
- Thomas Jefferson