10 Feb 2016

 STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER FOR PRESIDENTIAL AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION  ON ALLEGED PLOT TO ASSASSINATE SOME OPPOSITION MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Mr Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to make a statement on an ongoing matter of great public interest.

Mr Speaker, the increasing publication of unsubstantiated allegations, gross innuendo and outright disinformation by some through both traditional and new (social) media platforms should be a matter of common concern. 

A stark example of this pernicious trend has been the recent publication by the Mmegi newspaper [8/1/16] of the so-called confessions of a ‘hit man’, which goes so far as to allege a conspiracy to kill a member of this House. When one goes beyond Mmegi’s screaming headline, one discovers that the sole source of their story is one certain individual, whose credibility was even doubted by the said newspaper. 

Here it may be noted that Mmegi itself acknowledges the plain fact that: “Most [friends and family] interviewed attested to the fact that Kgotlhang has a chequered criminal past...” Ordinarily that should have been the end of the matter. Regrettably, however, the matter has not come to a close. 

Mr Speaker, one might ask what then is the supporting evidence to justify Mmegi’s mass circulation of such extreme claims online as well as in print?  Here again by the newspaper’s own admission: “Kgotlhang has no material evidence to support his hit man story (8/1/16)”.

A week (15/1/16) later Mmegi meekly added that it “has not been able to independently verify some of the allegations raised by Kgotlhang.”

The plain truth is that the newspaper has up until now failed to cite anything in support of its allegations. Yet, notwithstanding this fundamental fact, the same newspaper not only reported the matter as “Mokgware’s foiled assassination” but also has posted Kgotlhang’s allegations on YouTube and other social media, in what clearly amounts to a blatant smear campaign by the media house to tarnish the good name of Government and our country.

Mr Speaker, I also note that the same Mmegi further alleges in its 8^th January 2016 edition that Honourable Mokgware foiled Kgotlhang’s so-called assassination attempt sometime last year. If this were so, why was the matter not reported to the police at that time? I further note that the same newspaper article also falsely reports that I, along with the Honourable Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, were subsequently informed about the matter at some unspecified date. I can assure this House that had either of us been actually informed about such a serious matter, we would have promptly referred it to the police.  As it is, Mmegi did not contact me before making its scurrilous claim.

Mr Speaker, clearly the behaviour of Mmegi in this and other instances stands in gross violation of the Botswana Press Code’s basic guidelines for ensuring accuracy in reporting, which affirms that:

“When compiling reports, media practitioners must check their facts properly, and the editors and publishers of newspapers and other media must take proper care not to publish inaccurate material. Before a media institution publishes a report, the reporter and the editor must ensure that all reasonable steps have been taken to check its accuracy. Special care must be taken to check stories that may cause harm to individuals, organizations or the public interest.” 

Absurd stories about state agencies seeking to poison Members of Parliament through Parliament’s own catering can only make us appear ridiculous in the eyes of our own public and the world. 

Mr Speaker, you will recall that the Honourable Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, and I, along with yourself met with the Honourable MPs Pius Mokgware and Phenyo Butale on the 27^th of January 2016 to hear about their fears of some sort of plot in this regard. I must say I found it unfortunate that they chose in the first instance to take their fears to a newspaper reporter rather than to the police. The plain truth of the matter is that the police, upon hearing of these rumours, did contact the MPs. I further note that this particular so-called plot does not appear to have dissuaded them or anyone else with similar wild allegations from continuing to join the rest of us in benefiting from Parliament catering services on the 1^st February 2016 after the Budget Speech presentation.

Mr Speaker, there would appear to be a desire on the part of some, to substitute the circulation of slander, conspiracy theories and rumour mongering as a distraction from facing up to real issues. One can only hope that the ongoing trend on the part of some to promote wild conspiracy theories has not been cynically conceived as a tactic to inundate the public with falsehoods in the expectation that such untruths will stick. When the public demands answers from us politicians, we have a moral responsibility to respond accordingly rather than insult their intelligence.  This is why we in the BDP have never shied away from acknowledging when things have not gone according to our expectations. This is because, in the face of our challenges as well as triumphs, we have always appreciated the need for accountability more especially on issues that are likely to disturb the peace, order and good governance of our country.     It is only sensible to expect the Opposition to do likewise.

Mr Speaker, social media has been yet another tool used to circulate such slander.  Let me here confirm that we have started taking action against those who distort social media to denigrate, slander and otherwise libel others. We cannot allow social media to degenerate into a tool of unbridled defamation. We shall therefore be tightening and enforcing our laws to protect the public without fear or favour. The guilty are therefore warned that they are not anonymous to us, as they seem to believe.

We have a Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security, which, in accordance with the Law, is able to give guidance to the Directorate on Intelligence and Security (DIS) and to also act to caution them on any credible allegation of abuse. Let it be noted that neither the DIS nor its staff, including the Director General, are above the law.  

By the same token, let us appreciate that the DIS and its personnel, including its Director General, should not be subject to constant abuse based on unsubstantiated hearsay.  Let us nip this trend of character assassination by unsupported allegations in the bud.  The DIS is doing a good job to protect this nation and they need to be supported, indeed commended, and I hope this House will join me in doing just that.

Mr Speaker, I do not believe I have to cite any of the various international indices that conclude that despite our political differences and economic and social challenges most of our citizens, as well as institutions, continue to uphold the values of “Botho” and “Kagisanyo” in their daily dealings with one another.  We should not allow a few to maliciously undermine our collective social dignity.

Speaking on behalf of my colleague the Honourable Minister of Defence Justice and Security, as well as on my own behalf as the Minister responsible for the DISS, I can assure each and every Member of this House that both our doors remain open if anyone would wish to approach us about any concerns they might have about the operations of the state security agencies or any other matter of personal or public security.

In conclusion Mr Speaker, I need to reiterate the point that we should all be mature enough to appreciate our common interest in maintaining a society in which peace and the rule of law prevail. Let us therefore refrain from embracing totally unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that only serve to tarnish the good name of our country as a whole.

I thank you Mr Speaker.