SECTOR 3

for the media) shall appoint the NBB’s 11 members,
comprising an officer from the Office of the President;
an officer from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry;
an officer from the Department of Cultural and Social
Welfare in the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs;
a representative of the Botswana Telecommunications
Authority (BTA), as well as “seven persons, one of
whom shall be designated Chairman of the Board,
appointed from a list of 10 candidates nominated by
the Nominating Committee”. This committee consists
of a member of the Law Society of Botswana; the
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Botswana or his
or her nominee; and a representative of the Office of the President. The committee
could be seen to be biased towards government

“There is a semblance
of transparency in the
appointment of the board,
but in the final analysis,
the government has a
stranglehold over the
NBB.”

The board’s chairperson is appointed by the Minister of Communications, Science
and Technology and the BTA functions as the secretariat to the board.
“There is a semblance of transparency in the appointment of the board, but in the
final analysis, the government has a stranglehold over the NBB.”

Scores:
Individual scores:
1

Country does not meet indicator

2

Country minimally meets aspects of the indicator.

3

Country meets many aspects of indicator but
progress may be too recent to judge.

4

Country meets most aspects of indicator.

5

Country meets all aspects of the indicator and has
been doing so over time.

Average score: 			

44

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BOTSWANA 2009

1 (2005 = n/a; 2007 = n/a)

Select target paragraph3