Botswana
this type of legislation and that, therefore, nothing is being done
towards promulgating such legislation. It was noted that civil society should probably start cultivating and pushing for a culture of
openness in the civil service so that by the time the FIOA gets considered by government, the situation on the ground would already
be conducive for such legislation to be applied easily.
A younger democracy, the one in South Africa, seems to have overtaken the older Botswana version of democracy since it promulgated a Freedom of Information Act in 1998.
SCORES:
Individual scores:

1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

Average score:

1.0

1.7

Civil society in general and media lobby groups actively
advance the cause of media freedom.

ANALYSIS:
There was a feeling that civil society has recently left MISA Botswana solely responsible for fighting for freedom of expression and
freedom of the media in the country.
It was pointed out that civil society previously lobbied together on
issues with notable success - although this was not done consistently. For example, Emang Basadi spearheaded the lobby against
the Citizenship Act and MISA led the one against the Mass Media Bill,
which led to its blockage.
Even then, it was agreed that Botswana’s civil society organizations
should do more to mobilize and lobby together for various causes or
better coordinate their efforts.
10

African Media Barometer - Botswana 2005

Select target paragraph3