Freedom of Expression in Botswana is guaranteed in the Constitution and the country is signatory to numerous regional and international human rights instruments, yet the government’s conduct e.g. during the public workers’ strike shows that the spirit of these documents has not been internalised. Children as young as nine-years-old were arrested and held in jail for two days during the strike, though the government is denying this.

The government owns the biggest media companies and none of them has an independent board of directors. Political interference in editorial matters is the rule rather than the exception. The country still has no community media. The state dominated advertising sector is too small to sustain community and other, private and independent media.

The Media Practitioners Act (MPA) of 2008 contains clauses that could be used against journalists’ integrity who, it is argued by media practitioners; do not toe the government line. Fortunately, it has not been applied so far.

There are also positive developments in Botswana: The split of Botswana’s ruling party in 2010 and the formation of a new opposition splinter appears to have brought more openness and debate to the country. People speak out in e-mails, call-in radio programmes, and on facebook. Moreover, there is a vibrant civil society and media fighting for freedom of the media. Their joint efforts led to an Access to Information Act being tabled in Parliament at the moment.

You will find the report here as well as information on the AMB in general here:  fesmedia.org/african-media-barometer-amb/