Dada/Patriot saga threatens media freedoms

It is said the printer owned by ruling party treasurer, Satar Dada declined to print The Patriot on grounds that it had a story deemed to be unflattering to the chicken business of the businessman-cum-politician.

Dada owns not just the print press but has shares in some publications as well. The Botswana private press especially the idea of editorial independence, has been under serious scrutiny in recent times because of the evolution of corporate and political interests, which have slowly drifted into media ownership. The Dada-Patriot saga highlights a number of issues the Botswana media needs to consider with the seriousness it deserves.Botswana society has evolved to an extent that the financial power of a few individuals has grown to a point where specific groups have substantial ownership in the economy.