BNF demands Btv airtime

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Tuesday October 5, 2010 00:00

Speaking last week, BNF spokesman, Moeti Mohwasa, said they have realised that the broadcaster leaves them out of its programmes like the Btv's breakfast show and the popular 'Matlho-a-phage'.

'If you have been watching the television station in the past weeks you would have realised that they were inviting the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and other political parties, leaving us out and we wonder why,' he said.

The BNF spokesman said it was wrong and unfair for the state broadcaster to leave out the BNF, 'a party that has a large following. We are one of the political parties that had a large share of the popular vote at the 2009 General Election. This is undermining democracy', he said.

When contacted for comment, the director of broadcasting services, whose department is responsible for Btv, Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo, said they do not sideline any political party. Whenever there is a topic to be discussed they look at which parties are associated with the issue at hand and invite them, he said.

Kaboeamodimo said he is shocked that though he has a scheduled meeting with the BNF, they have never indicated that they have a complaint 'like that one you mention. But our meeting (with the BNF) is a normal meeting like we normally have with all representatives of political parties. Perhaps the issue will come out at the meeting,' he said.

However, Mohwasa stuck to his accusation, saying Btv has been snubbing them since the eve of the 2009 general elections when they were campaigning.

'We have made it clear that we want to meet him over this issue, where we are being sidelined all the time in Btv programmes,' he said.