Botswana used to be referred to as a ‘beacon of hope’ in Africa, but it seems it is no longer the case. This was because the land-locked Southern African country was known for being orderly with a functioning democracy, maintaining rule of law, respecting property rights and for possessing general harmony and economic prosperity for all. Recently though, our brand identity has gotten a beating. For the first time in history, Botswana has made headlines for the wrong reasons: election fraud, political prosecutions and persecutions, intimidation and posturing by government agencies against adversaries, accusations of a biased Judiciary thrown around, and being dubbed the corruption and tax haven of launderers. Furthermore, the north-south divide sparking regionalism and tribalism, rape, mob justices, killings, freak accidents by road and rail, global environmental headlines around hunting, economic hardships, unemployment and hopelessness, just did not help Botswana’s oft squeaky clean rep and shiny image, even at home.
Unfortunately worse, Brand Botswana is suffering under the ongoing political, legal and personal fights being displayed in the public. Brand Botswana is under attack because of the differences between President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his predecessor, former president Ian Khama. Brand Botswana is a casualty in a war of attrition between the director general of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) Peter Magosi and his own predecessor, Isaac Kgosi. Brand Botswana will be hard to repair if the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) pursues ulterior motives in prosecuting certain individuals. Brand Botswana would be irreparable if the Judiciary lacks independence.
