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Patriotic journalism vs watchdog journalism: Navigating the thin line of truth

Nkhoma PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE
Nkhoma PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE

When journalists navigate sensitive information, they confront a fundamental dilemma - how to balance national loyalty with the duty to hold power accountable. In Botswana, this tension is often compounded by the invocation of the National Security Act, which can limit investigative reporting and chill journalistic freedom, writes THOMAS THOS NKHOMA*

In April 1961, the world watched in disbelief as a small fleet of exiled Cubans, backed by the United States, attempted to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. The mission ended in disaster, hundreds were captured and the US military suffered a humiliating defeat.

In the aftermath, President John F. Kennedy accused the American press of failing to report a leak about the operation, suggesting that, had journalists informed the public, it might have spared the army both embarrassment and unnecessary loss of life.

Editor's Comment
Child protection needs more than prevailing laws

The rise in defilement and missing persons cases, particularly over the recent festive period, points not merely to a failure of policing, but to a profound and widespread societal crisis. Whilst the Police chief’s plea is rightly directed at parents, the root of this emergency runs deeper, demanding a collective response from every corner of our community. Marathe’s observations paint a picture of neglect with children left alone for...

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