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That is where Botswana now finds itself. The danger is not only censorship. It is the slow normalisation of fear. As Botswana joins the world on May 3 to commemorate World Press Freedom Day, the occasion should not be reduced to speeches, hashtags...

I consider myself fortunate to have been among the journalists assigned to the presidential beat in the late 1990s and, perhaps more significantly, among the youngest reporters entrusted with covering a man who would come to define an era of...

To understand the present moment, one must return to 2001, a defining episode in the country’s media history. The government’s decision to impose an advertising ban on the Botswana Guardian and its sister publication, The Midweek Sun, was not...

I read a Facebook post recently with a mixture of dismay and disappointment. Not because it criticised government but because of how casually it discarded core democratic principles in favour of political expediency. The post argued that the Umbrella...

I would like to begin by thanking Spencer Mogapi for raising concerns about the state of the media in Botswana. His intervention, published in Mmegi of 16 January 2025 under the headline ‘The Media should demonstrate it knows what is at stake’,...

The late US President, John F. Kennedy, in one of his most enduring reflections on the press, reminded America, and indeed all democracies, that “without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can succeed and no republic can...

Public criticism of the media in Botswana often falls back on a convenient cliché - “journalists slant stories to sell papers.” It is an accusation that surfaces whenever a headline feels uncomfortable or a story cut too close to the bone. Yet...

That invitation was not just a personal milestone, but a powerful reminder of a truth I have long believed: that effective oversight institutions, such as the Ombudsman and a vigilant press, are not just natural partners. They are democracy’s...

That invitation was not just a personal milestone, but a powerful reminder of a truth I have long believed: that effective oversight institutions, such as the Ombudsman and a vigilant press, are not just natural partners. They are democracy’s...

The rest of the week, the newspaper will be available only in PDF format or online. Prior to the digital revolution, Daily News published as many as 80,000 copies each weekday, ensuring nationwide distribution, even in some of the most remote parts...

Criticism of the media is healthy and necessary in a democracy. However, sweeping condemnations lack nuance, evidence and ultimately misunderstand the media’s role in society. Journalism does not operate in a vacuum.As scholars such as Denis...

"They deeply regret the video and have decided to take it down. They acknowledge the mistake and take the concerns seriously." It is also fitting to commend Mascom Wireless for responding swiftly, showing the kind of corporate responsibility that the...

In a speech marking World Press Freedom Day, he subverted the age-old refrain that "the pen is mightier than the sword" with a chilling observation: “The advert is mightier than the pen.” In that moment, Justice Ketlogetswe captured, with...

We also convey our deepest sympathies to the Mmegi/The Monitor newspapers team, the broader journalism fraternity and the nation at large. Mosikare was more than a journalist. He was a passionate storyteller, a dedicated reporter and a promising...

While there are certainly challenges, such a sweeping generalisation overlooks the critical role that the country’s media continues to play in shaping national discourse, holding power to account and promoting social responsibility. From the onset,...