The family of Mmegi and The Monitor is mourning the fall of a dedicated journalist in Lebogang Law Mosikare whose painful passing was announced yesterday by his family after a short illness. Below, colleagues reminisce about their interactions with the former Francistown-based journo who will sorely be missed by colleagues across the fraternity
TSAONE BASIBANEBOTLHE- Tsoo, as he was popularly known in the newsroom, was a skilled political reporter, one of the best you could think of. Although he was also strong when it came to court reporting, his true passion lay in politics. At one point, he even tried his luck by contesting for a council seat.
Undeniably, he had a soft spot for the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and knew its constitution by heart. Whenever someone wrote a story about the party and he suspected that the facts might not be accurate, he would often ask, “Madam, are you sure of your facts?” This was his way of urging fellow reporters to double-check their work. One incident that stands out the most in my memory was when I asked him to go to Rakops to cover the general elections. He responded, “Mmaetsho, ga ke ye koo. Nna ga ke bate go bolawa, bo ke tsewa di parts.” (My sister, I’m not going there. I don’t want be killed and have my body parts taken.) His response left the entire newsroom in shock, and we had to plead with him to take on the assignment.
SHARON MATHALA- Tso, man Tso- the news of your passing hit the entire newsroom so bad, especially on deadline rush. I fondly remember you from our days at Area W. When I started my journey at the Mmegi head office in Gaborone and you were based in Francistown I used to tease you about moving to the big city, but the big city was never for you - “ Go na le eng hela ko Gaborone Thothi “ you would always hit back. Upon my return to Mmegi 3 years ago, you were still the same Man-Tso. Assertive and free-spirited. “Get a smartphone,” we used to argue because I expected online briefs from you, “Sharon kana ga Ke monkane wa gago” - As I type this, I recall our last phone call. I had you on the loudspeaker so you could also speak to the entire newsroom. You were so happy and looking forward to recovery. Lala sentle Man Tso- you have left your footprints.
PINI BOTLHOKO - had the privilege of working closely with Mosikare at our Francistown office before I relocated to the head office in Gaborone. Our working relationship spanned years, and during that time, he was more than just a colleague—he was a mentor and a friend. Just days ago, I managed to speak to him over the phone. Though his voice was faint and he struggled to speak as clearly as I knew him, his words were filled with hope. “Oba reye ore kea hola, I am getting discharged today,” he said. He asked me to share with our colleagues that he was recovering, a statement that now feels bittersweet in retrospect. Mosikare was a true journalist at heart. He had a deep love for news reporting, with a particular flair for politics and court stories. His attention to detail was unmatched, and he often described himself as "the best writer Mmegi has ever had", a statement he would say with a smile, usually while working on his next big story. I met Mosikare when I was fresh from school, and he was one of the first people to show me the ropes.
PAULINE DIKUELO- I’m deeply saddened by the passing of my dear colleague 'Festival'. He was truly a happy soul and full of life. His light-hearted spirit will remain etched in our hearts. He was more than a colleague, he was family in the hustle of journalism. If he had a business story for The Monitor Newspaper, he would call on Friday morning and say "Cde, kenale sengwenyana hoo, Mme otlase bona kamoso, gakena laptop kana phone" and he would indeed submit the following day with a call "ose bone akere, jaanong why osa bue," Rest well, my brother. Your bylines may end here, but your story lives on in all of us.
GOITSEMODIMO KAELO - I have known 'Tso' since 2015, after I joined Dikgang Publishing Company. Although he was based in Francistown, I realised that Lebogang was a popular figure in the newsroom. We interacted a lot, especially about court stories. A straight talker but very humble and respectful fellow. He was a very passionate court reporter and would often boast that he was the best court reporter in the country. Tso always ensured that he found time to enjoy a drink with us (me, Innocent Selatlhwa, and Spira Tlhankane) whenever he was in Gaborone. Rest well, CDE, you'll be missed. Until we meet again.
SPIRA TLHANKANE - “Comrade kante goko Gaborone koo le bereka jang?” Lebogang would call from Francistown, where he was based. When that kind of call arrived, I knew that Lebogang had spotted some mistakes in one of the stories and wanted us to correct them before it reached the later stages of newspaper production. Lebogang, after submitting his stories, would make sure that he also read other reporters' copies. “I am the best court reporter in the country,” he once said to me when I wanted to clarify something from one of his court articles. Besides the workplace, I once interacted with ‘Festival’ as he was affectionately known when he came to Gaborone for a workshop, and he called me asking where we could imbibe in the capital city. After he bought a crate of 750 ml quarts, we finished the beers in a couple of hours. He expected us to buy another crate to continue the drinking session, but we were broke. “Kante lare le tshela jang mo Gaborone banna?” he asked. That was the Festival, and he decided to buy another crate for the broke hosts at MaGabs. Rest in peace, brother
Please read Lebogang’s full tributes in next week’s edition
