Newspapers in Botswana
The distribution of newspapers in Botswana is small (27 newspaper excl. Per 1,000 residents, 2000). The only daily newspaper is the state-controlled Botswana Daily News, which is also published on tswana under the name Dikgang tsa Gompieno (edition: 50,000 copies).
In addition to national broadcasting, State-controlled Radio Botswana has commercial broadcasts over Gaborone. Botswana has no national television, but the state has granted permission to local TV stations that usually broadcast programs from other countries. There are 155 radio and 25 TV receivers per 1,000 residents (2000).
Culture
According to ALLUNITCONVERTERS, the many different ethnic groups in Botswana have very different cultures. Particularly well known is the peculiar and threatened hunter culture of the bushmen (san) in the Kalahari desert.
The art of Botswana has its origins in the craftsmanship of the villages, where they produce appropriate but beautiful tools in, for example, wood carving, ceramics and weaving. The Tswana people are known for their baskets with exquisite designs.
The oral folk tradition, which is rich in legends and poems with religious significance, has been written down in recent decades. The best known modern author is Bessie Head (1937–1986), who was born in South Africa but settled in Botswana and wrote about the punishments and beauty of village life.
An internationally acclaimed series of crime novels, The Women’s Detective Agency, takes place in Botswana. They are written by Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith who grew up in what was then Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and who taught law at the University of Gaborone. A TV series based on the romance series was recorded in Botswana in 2008, by the British BBC, and was the first major TV production in the country.
2020
June
New cases of covid-19 close Gaborone
June 13th
Authorities shut down the capital Gaborone after twelve new cases of covid-19 were discovered. No one is allowed to leave the city and only persons with special permission are allowed to move outside the home. All social functions except the most necessary are closed until further notice. Botswana has so far been successful in the fight against the corona pandemic with only 60 confirmed cases in total, including those now infected. Only one person is said to have died in covid-19.
May
Criticism of extended exemptions
May 7
President Mokgweetsi Masisi receives sharp criticism from the opposition for his decision to extend the state of emergency in the country from the original 28 days to 6 months. According to Masisi, it is necessary to minimize the spread of Covid-19. Parliament, where the Masis party BDP has a majority, approved the proposal last week. Now the opposition claims that the rules are far too strict and that the extension of the state of emergency will mean that the president gets too much unrestricted power. Among the fears is that he will seize the opportunity to seize public funds and try to silence independent media. Opposition politicians also claim to have evidence that government contracts have begun to be awarded to government-friendly companies without the usual procurement.
April
The president released the corona quarantine
April 1st
President Mokgweetsi Masisi tests negative for corona and leaves his two-week isolation. So far, four coronas have been discovered in Botswana. One of these people has died. In spite of the government’s own travel restrictions, Masisi participated in the presidential installation in Namibia on March 21. He quarantined upon returning home.
March
Murdered are hanged
March 28
Two men convicted of the murder of a taxi driver six years ago are hanged in the central prison in the capital Gaborone. Earlier this year, a 29-year-old man convicted of the murder of his employer was hanged. According to Amnesty International, Botswana is the only country in southern Africa that still applies the death penalty.
