27 Jul 2014

Botswana is a secular state and does not have a state sponsored religion, the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu, has said.

“Therefore, we are officially neutral when it comes to matters of religion, but currently we are deeply influenced by Christian values,” he added. Mr Batshu was responding to a question in Parliament from Gaborone South MP, Mr Kagiso Molatlhegi. 

The constitution of Botswana, Mr Batshu said, protected freedom of conscience under Section 11 where it had been provided that “no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of their freedom of conscience and this freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion.” 

The Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, he said was aware that Satanism was a broad term referring to a group of social movements comprising diverse beliefs, “but we have never been given an official view of what beliefs the alleged Satanists in Botswana really stand for as we do not have any registered society that propagates the ideals of Satanism.”

He added that “since we do not know those ideals, we cannot say whether they are consistent with the government’s belief in freedom of religion, freedom of expression and freedom of association,”

Furthermore, Mr Batshu said the Societies Act gave the Registrar of Societies in Section 7 the power to refuse to register or exempt a society from registration where it appeared that any of the objects of the society was likely to be used for any unlawful purpose or any purpose prejudicial to or incompatible with peace, welfare or good order in Botswana. All societies operating in Botswana, he said must pass this litmus test. 

Minister Batshu said the Societies Act “further provides that ‘…every local society, not being a registered society or an exempted society, shall be deemed to be an illegal society…’ and, as such, if there’s a society in Botswana practicing Satanism in whatever form, then such a society is illegal and its activities cannot be condoned.”

Mr Molatlhegi had asked Mr Batshu whether Satanism and what it stood for, according to the proponents of the cult, was consistent with government believe in freedom of religion, freedom of expression and freedom of association. 

If not, Gaborone South MP wanted to know why it was being condoned in the country. ENDS