Bame Piet
18 November 2008
The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) assault on democracy continued yesterday morning when the popular Radio Botswana Masa-a-sele phone-in morning programme fell victim to censorship.
Just as the show's presenter Mmoloki Mothibi, was about to open lines for members of the public to comment on the issue of Tonota South MP Pono Moatlhodi's recalling by the BDP, he was forced to retract his invitation because the matter at hand was sensitive. He told his audience that stakeholders had informed him that they were still discussing the matter hence it was not the right time to allow people to comment. The topic of the day was whether it was the electorate or political parties who should decide who should be in Parliament.
Mothibi had earlier interviewed a University of Botswana academic, Dr Emmanuel Botlhale, on the subject. The don said it was undemocratic for parties to dictate who should go to Parliament. The topic was based on the recent expulsion of Moatlhodi from representing the BDP in next year's general elections. He had already won the party's primary elections. He was punished for making comments in Parliament to the effect that the current national leadership under President Ian Khama is militarising the civil service. The accusation has been made with increasing frequency after, Khama a former military chief, came to power in April.
The director of Broadcasting Services Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo, said that he was aware of the stoppage of the phone-in programme because stakeholders had said they were still discussing the matter. He declined to name the stakeholders saying: "Go and do research on your own. What the presenter said was sufficient."
He added that this was not the first time they pulled a programme off-air. "We took legitimate action by accommodating stakeholders," he said.
Botswana National Front (BNF) spokesman, Moeti Mohwasa, denied that his party told the radio presenter to withdraw the programme. Attempts to get a comment from Botswana Congress Party (BCP) spokesman, Dumelang Saleshando were futile as he was in Parliament at the time of going to press.
Meanwhile, it is said that Moatlhodi has apologised to the Botswana Democratic Party for making the comments.
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