Freedom of Information Bill finally reaches Parley

Virtually addressing a gathering during the World Press Freedom Day in Gaborone on Saturday, Masisi said amongst the efforts that his government is making to ensure a free press is the possible enactment of the Freedom of Information law. He said the Freedom of Information Bill will be gazetted and tabled during the Winter Parliament session. Botswana is amongst African countries without the Freedom of Information law with many quarters calling for its enactment over the years.

MISA Botswana Chapter in partnership with MISA Regional, UNESCO and the Botswana government held the world Press Freedom commemorations in Gaborone on Friday and Saturday. Masisi's remarks come on the backdrop of an Aftobarometer Pan Africa survey, which has seen Botswana score below 50% in media freedom. The survey shows that a slimmer majority of Africans say the media is completely or somewhat free from government interference in their countries. According to the survey whose results were released just recently on April 30, about 57% of citizens believe that there is media freedom in their countries, although assessments vary widely by country.