Understanding Phenyo Butale

| Friday May 11, 2012 00:00

Mmegi: Who is Phenyo Butale?Phenyo Butale is a journalist who hails from Moroka village in the North East District, with a passion for the media and for a true vibrant and thriving democracy whose debates are illuminated with information from a free and unfettered press

Mmegi: How long have you been in the media Industry?

Butale: I have been in the media for about 10 years now. I started off at Radio Botswana News Desk as a News Writer and Newsreader. I was then made an English Editor and English Newsreader. At the time I also produced and presented the popular current affairs program, Around The World Today with legendary international reporters like Dice Muvavarirwa from Zimbabwe, Fred Chela from Zambia and Hilary Mbobe from Malawi. It was during my stay at Broadcasting Services that I was chosen to be part of the presidential crew. This is a group of journalists who gave the President media coverage on international and local trips under President Festus Mogae and under the current President Ian Khama.

I also presented the political talk show Matlho-a-Phage on BTV during my stay at Mass Media and also co-presented the 2009 General Election debates on BTV with Gloria Kgosi. At the end of my journey with mass media I was transferred to BTV as an Editor.

Mmegi: What are you influences?

Butale: I believe strongly in hard work and perseverance as well as in reading in order to keep abreast of the times and in order to take informed decisions. My mum, is my inspiration, she is a living testimony that the above attributes are gold when it comes to personal development and growth.

Mmegi: What is MISA doing to bring the FOI matter to its logical conclusion?

Butale: MISA Botswana will continue to engage stakeholders including government to buttress the importance of this bill for good governance, transparency and to fight social ills such as corruption. We are currently engaged in a media campaign to educate the public about the bill and to dispel some of the myths that are being peddled by opponents of the bill.

We will also continue to address local authorities to educate them about the bill and we also have an upcoming session with members of the House of Chiefs. We are also in the process of arranging a meeting for the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mokgweetsi Masisi to discuss this issue among others.

Mmegi: Personally, what were your reactions when the bill failed to see light at the last parliament sitting?

Butale: I was very disappointed not so much by the postponement for further consultations but by the reasons advanced for the action.

I thought the section in the bill which was pointed out as contentious is normal and common as it simply says if there are other laws that deny people access to information the new law will supersede those laws. It is not rocket science, even the recently passed Children's Act has such a clause and I just didn't understand why it should be a problem with this bill when the same house passed a law that had a similar clause not long ago.

Mmegi:. What is your position on Botswana National Front president Duma Boko's attacks on media journalists?

Butale: I think some of the comments that I have heard attributed to Boko and other leaders are really unfortunate and I believe there is need for dialogue to resolve these issues. Politicians need to take time to understand how the media works and to appreciate the role of the media in a democracy.  I believe the fact the media in this country has been attacked by politicians from both sides of the political divide who at one point or another accused them of bias is a sign of lack of proper understanding of the role of the media.

Nobody should expect any favours from the media and we should all appreciate that on top of informing and educating the public, the media also has a watchdog role, which dictates that they scrutinise the news for the benefit of the nation. A national project like the Umbrella would ordinarily attract such scrutiny.

Mmegi: Do you think information secrecy is the reason why our economy is still lagging behind even though we have a calmer political atmosphere and  'big diamonds'?

Butale: To a large extent yes. The reason why the majority of our people are on the periphery of economic activity is because of lack of crucial information on economic opportunities.

Mmegi: How does MISA protect journalists?

Butale: MISA exist to defend freedom of expression and freedom of the media and we do this by challenging all laws that we deem to be contrary to these rights through advocacy work. We also ensure that journalists are able to do their job without fear or favour. We always rise to condemn attacks on the media and we have also formed the Babegi Legal Fund to assist journalist with legal representation in situations where they find themselves in the courts.

Mmegi: Most Batswana appear not clued-up about MISA, does it ever launch campaigns that inform the nation of its mandates?

Butale: We do hold stakeholder engagement activities but I agree we need to do more public education campaigns not only on the mandate of MISA but more importantly on the role of the media in the development of our country

Mmegi:  Looking at how government is so protective of public information by constantly suppressing the bill and delaying it do you think it will ever see the light?

Butale: We are optimistic that the bill will indeed see the light of day, all the MPs who stood up to comment on it said they support it, so if our representatives are to be trusted then the bill will pass with their modifications.

Vision 2016 calls for this bill and our national development trajectory has identified the need for this law, we have full confidence in the current crop of parliamentarians to rise to this national call.

Mmegi: What would you advise to all journalists?

Butale: Always strive for excellence and for adherence to the highest professional and ethical standards.  The pressures to meet deadlines should not in anyway compromise the quality of our journalism. We should remember to always defend the principle of freedom of the press by striving to eliminate news suppression and censorship.