A misspelt name, a transposed figure and a grammatical error made in a rush to meet deadlines, are human failings and journalists own up to these mistakes.
Responsible media outlets correct these errors openly. This is not dishonesty, rather a fallibility. On the other hand, to lie is a deliberate and malicious act. To blur the line between error and deceit is intellectually dishonest. It tars an entire profession with the brush of a few, imagined bad actors. It is like condemning all doctors for a single misdiagnosis. We are of the view that this does not strengthen accountability, but rather weakens trust in a vital public institution.
Mr. President after you won elections in 2024, you expressed a desire to work with journalists and help them avoid imprisonment for defamation, moving from the norm adopted by previous administrations. We would like to make you away that there is a far more effective and democratic way to achieve this. Lead the charge to decriminalise defamation. This is the true mark of a government anchored on human rights, as you promised when you took oath. Botswana is being overtaken by once undemocratic governments and the shining democracy tag is diming.
Across Africa and the rest of the world, nations are recognising that criminal defamation laws have no place in a free society.
Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Sierra Leone have all taken bold steps to abolish these colonial-era laws. They understood that the threat of jail does not produce truth, instead produces silence. It discourages journalists from seeking the truth through proper investigation, while frightening whistle-blowers from alerting authorities of wrong doings, and tells reporters to play it safe. Is that the media landscape we want for Botswana?
If you or your government feels wronged by a story, the path is clear; demand a correction. Equally, you can exercise your right of reply or use the civil courts to seek redress if necessary. These are the tools of a mature democracy.
They address specific grievances with evidence, not general complaints about ‘atmosphere’. Botswana stands at a crossroads despite having described ourselves as a beacon of democracy, built on dialogue and accountability.
Yet our laws still allow journalists to be jailed for their work. True leadership does not meet criticism with warnings that hint at this outdated power. It confronts criticism with facts and demonstrates maturity by reforming the laws that suppress free speech.
Mr. President, if you wish to truly come to the aid of journalists and more importantly help Botswana’s democracy, the answer does not lie in admonishing the messenger as wayward children. The reaction lies in you leading the nation to abolish criminal defamation. That is how you protect free expression. That is how you show the world that Botswana’s democracy is not just a performance, but a living, breathing reality. Everyone, including the media, needs to build a nation in which disagreement is not a crime, and truth is defended by evidence, not by threats.
