23 Aug 2020

The Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Kabo Morwaeng says over P100 000  was spent on the live broadcasts of election petition cases.

Answering questions in Parliament on Thursday, Mr Morwaeng said that the coverage was funded by his ministry through the Department of Broadcasting Services and the costs comprised of overtime and feeding of the crew members.

The Minister said all expenditure related to election coverage including petitions was covered through the incidental vote, subsistence vote as well as the overtime vote.

Mr Morwaeng explained that the ministry had the responsibility to inform and educate members of the public on issues of public and national interest.

He said that was what motivated the entire election coverage comprising of political campaigns, the broadcast of debates, the live coverage of the voting, the live coverage of the inauguration and eventually the live coverage of petitions.

Member of Parliament for Nata – Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga had asked the minister  how much was spent on  Botswana Television to live broadcast court cases, who was funding the live broadcasting and whether it was budgeted for.

He also wanted to know what caused the ministry to fund the live broadcast. ENDS