STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2022 MEDIA INDEPENDENCE The Botswana Democratic Party has been in power since 1966 and so their hold over state media is strong. Editorial independence within government media institutions is non-existent. “The party’s influence over the country’s democratic institutions is extensive and the media sector is no exception. State media in Botswana — which are the principal source of news for many people in the country, especially in rural areas — largely operate as mouthpieces for the party. And the BDP has outsized influence over the media market through its instrumentalisation of publicly funded advertising” reports IPI.(7) There have been calls for urgent reforms to ensure that the state media operates freely from government and political interference. Similarly, due to the polarised media environment, privately-owned media are bound to take an opposition approach, which may compromise independence and fairness of the media. INTERNET ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY Botswana is a large territory with a low Journalist Tsaone Basimanebotlhe 36 population density, which makes provision of communications services, particularly to rural areas expensive. About 70 percent of mobile internet prices are attributable to the extensive rollout of 3G and 4G rural coverage base stations. According to Datareportal, there were 1,48 million internet users in Botswana. The country’s internet penetration rate stood at 61 percent of the total population in 2022. Such a high penetration rate has given rise to new online media platforms and content creators who offer alternative narratives to public media, which are under the firm control of the presidency.(8) SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY OF ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS Botswana is one of the countries in the region that has been categorically identified as having purchased surveillance technology. Police and intelligence agencies routinely seize reporters’ equipment — including mobile phones, cameras, and laptops — without any legal basis nor a warrant. The government also routinely uses digital