By Zweli Martin Dlamini

When a sitting Head of State Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi demonstrate a political appetite to arrest former President Ian Khama,as the media,we must never conclude that Khama is a criminal and report in a manner that undermines his personal security.

I am expressing this because some Botswana journalists are flooding me with questions and calls, trying to understand the tension between King Mswati and President Masisi and went as far as asking me where President Ian Khama stays.

The State security officers who shared such information with me, did so in confidence that’s why I did not reveal the exact location of the President in all the previous articles.

Information about the location of a person facing political persecution like Ian Khama should be treated as confidential.

I am therefore willing to share information with my colleagues in Botswana as normally, assist each other when reporting for accuracy purposes, but not the location of the former President.

In my experience, the media is dominated by spies of the State, it’s the same problem in eSwatini where captured journalists spy for the State.

I may not know therefore, why some Botswana journalists want to know the location of a person whose life is under threat, in this matter, a former Head of State.

Well,I spoke to many journalists in Botswana including some diplomats trying to understand why Masisi is desperate to get Khama and the information I have so far suggests that, this is political persecution.

As the media, we cannot therefore assist Masisi to get Khama, our role is to report news without taking sides.

The problem with politics is that, those with power normally yield same to the powerless, President Masisi must convince us if this is not a political persecution.

On another note, King Mswati, in the spirit of humanity(uBuntu), in siSwati we say Buntfu, should not be blamed for accommodating President Ian Khama, there’s a siSwati adage that says “kusasa kuyitolo”.

Journalism should be a fair platform for both Khama and Masisi and in the process, President Ian Khama’s location must remain confidential for security reasons.