Duma FM sacks three staff members over political broadcast

Two radio personalities at one of the local private radio stations have been fired, after the ruling BDP allegedly accused the presenters of supporting a breakaway party, the Botswana Movement for Democracy.
The two Duma Fm journalists, Moses Maruping, Kevin Thipe, and the station's programs manager Gabriel Rasengwatse, have been given letters informing them to serve a 14-day notice. They claim their dismissal is centred around the live discussions they had, involving the break away party last week.

It is said that a prominent BDP activist Macdonald Peloetletse confirmed to MISA-Botswana that he called Duma fm to complain about the pro-BMD debates and the anti-Khama crusade, carried by the station. But the station has denied the allegations that the dismissals were political. MISA Botswana has meanwhile condemned the dismissals.

MISA Botswana chief, Thapelo Ndlovu, says they believe the firing of the three media practitioners was political. He says the media rights group will assist the journalists in whatever possible way.

Meanwhile... BDP activist, MacDonald Peloetletse, has dismissed claims that he accused the dismissed journalists, of supporting a breakaway party.

This comes after MISA Botswana issued an alert yesterday saying Peloetletse had confirmed to the rights group that he had complained about the pro-BMD debates carried by the station.

Peloetletse says he has never spoken to MISA Botswana. He accuses Ndlovu of having a political agenda...