Kaboyamodimo promises fair coverage of political parties
Gothataone Moeng | Monday May 26, 2014 15:23
The MoPAPA deputy permanent secretary responsible for media, Mogomotsi Kaboyamodimo, last week told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the ministry is working on an election coverage plan that will provide fair reporting on all registered parties.
This plan will be unveiled in the next two weeks in a meeting attended by the parties and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Kaboyamodimo said. Kaboyamodimo admitted that all political parties involved have contested the state media’s fairness in the coverage of election campaigns.
“Fairness is contested by all politicians equally. This is why we believe that the plan will show the stakeholders that we are serious about fairness,” he said. The DPS said the state media has covered the pre-election campaigns, and that where there has been lack of coverage has been because of lack of material. He also admitted that his ministry had received a formal complaint from the Botswana Congress Party (BCP).
BCP had complained about the 45-minute coverage given to the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) manifesto launch, while the launch of the BCP manifesto was given a clip in the news.
PAC member, Kentse Rammidi, who is also a member of the BCP, had asked why other parties could not be afforded the same coverage.
The ministry’s announcement comes just weeks after Parliament rejected a motion seeking the House to resolve that all political parties participating in the 2014 general elections be given equal and fair coverage by the state media.
The motion was rejected by vote, even though all the legislators who rose to debate supported it. When tabling the motion, Rammidi had said the state media coverage of political party campaigns and other party activities left a lot to be desired.
“State media coverage of political party campaigns and activities in our country defeats the aspirations of our Vision 2016 pillars of an open and democratic society as well as an informed nation and a just one,” he added.