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Botswana Records Three Cases of COVID-19 Disinfodemic

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Botswana Records Three Cases of COVID-19 Disinfodemic NEWS: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SHRUGS OFF INDEPTH: DISABLED MAN WITH EPILEPSY CLAIMS POLICE PAGE 3 BOTSWANA’S POLICE BRUTALITY REPORTS PAGE 6 ASSAULTED HIM DURING LOCKDOWN PATROL April 19 - 25, 2020 EXCELLENCE IS STANDARD PRACTICE PRICE: P12.50 www.sundaystandard.info @SunStd_bw COVID-19 Botswana records three cases Child sparks malnutrition confusion of COVID-19 disinfodemic rates among over civil n BPF spokesperson in COVId-19 disinfodemic scandal Botswana’s service salary n UDC closes ranks around BPF colleagues n Local and international free poor likely to increases press champions call for a clamp down on fake news spike THOBO MOTLHOKA SUNDAY STANDARD REPORTER There was confusion this week over wheth- Whilst the Food and Agricultural Organisa- er government will increase public service tion assessment report shows that Botswana salaries for the financial year 2020/21 or is currently battling multiple forms of mal- freeze them because of the COVID-19 cri- nutrition, a new multi-sectoral report shows sis. that malnutrition in the country will get In a savingram released last week, gov- worse as the balance between the global de- ernment raised a flag that it could not afford mand and supply of food becomes tighter public service salary increases for 2020/21 because of the coronavirus. due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The sal- The fresh report prepared by Grain and ary adjustments had been negotiated with cereal researcher, Lakayana Sepapi, states public service unions in 2019. that there is need for the government to “Officers are informed that Govern- take urgent coordinated action to prevent ment has directed that processing of sala- the Covid-19 pandemic from turning into a food and humanitarian crisis in Botswana. Well before the arrival of the coro- navirus, Botswana was already recording In a savingram released increasing cases of malnutrition which were attributed to shortage of food com- last week, government modities, climate change and the increase in raised a flag that it prices of cereals. “Export restrictions and tariffs which have been imposed by some could not afford public countries could result in shortages,” states part of the multi-sectoral report, adding service salary increases that “coronavirus will result in insufficient supply of food required by beneficiaries in for 2020/21 due to the Botswana”. The World Health Organisation (WHO) outbreak of COVID-19. defines malnutrition as deficiencies, excess- es or imbalances in a person’s intake of en- The salary adjustments ergy and/or nutrients. The term malnutri- tion covers 2 broad groups of conditions. had been negotiated One is ‘under-nutrition’—which includes stunting (low height for age), wasting (low with public service weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies or unions in 2019. insufficiencies (a lack of important vitamins and minerals). The other is overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable ries adjustments be in abeyance until fur- Gaborone City Council this week engaged in a fumigating exercise to rid the city streets and communal areas of COVID-19 PIC: OMPHILE VALELA diseases (such as heart disease, stroke, dia- ther notice.” betes and cancer). In terms of malnutrition, The communication however assured Botswana is currently categorised under the that this did not mean the increase will not ‘burdened’ category – which is the worst . be paid, saying they will be authorised at a SUNDAY STANDARD REPORTER government attempt to fight the virus on the COVID-19 disinfodemic. (UDC) which was in a loose alliance with category. A country is considered ‘bur- Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) At the time of going to press, South the BPF in the run up to the 2019 gen- later date when the Ministry of Finance and dened’ by a malnutrition indicator depend- otswana this week joined the spokesperson Justice Motlhabane and Africa had arrested eight people for dis- eral elections issued a statement this week Economic Development advices according ing on whether the national prevalence was growing number of regional two of his party colleagues were this week seminating false information about the stating that it “wishes to express its serious to the country’s financial outlook. greater than a certain cut-off. and international countries charged under “publishing statements COVID-19 pandemic, according to the concern and apprehension with regard to According to Sepapi, latest annual as- The government and unions agreed in battling an epidemic of COV- with intention to deceive persons about country’s Police Minister Bheki Cele. increasing reports of fellow citizens who 2019 that employees who fall under A and sessments of regional agriculture forecast ID-19 fake news, a virus threat COVID – 19 infection.” The trio alleg- While both Botswana and South Af- have been arrested and detained by the alarming trends in southern Africa mainly B grades would be awarded a 10 percent multiplier so big it is now being referred to edly had published a number of Facebook rica are caught up in a COVID-19 disin- Police for alleged inappropriate posts in due to the novel virus which has brought salary increment for both financial years Bas a disinfodemic. conspiracy theories suggesting that Presi- fodemic, what is different about the Bo- the social media. These posts have been the world to a near standstill. Sepapi also 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. For a long-time dismissed as hoax sites dent Mokgweetsi Masisi was using the CO- tswana crisis is the political environment deemed to be criminal behaviour by the indicated that the number of destitutes is Employees who fall under C and D pushing fringe theories, their fake news VID-19 state of emergency as a stalking in which it is playing out. The Botswana government allegedly because they are likely to increase exponentially in the short grades would also be awarded a 6 percent about COVID-19 in Botswana were last horse to attack and destroy his opponents. disinfodemic is riding on the pre-existing offensive to the government and leader- term. salary increase for both financial years week spreading faster than the coronavi- In another post, the trio allegedly falsely dynamics of the online political disinfor- ship of this country. Our concerns are Household surveys conducted over the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. rus, disrupting the official narrative and claimed that President Masisi had paid mation ecosystem, amplifying rumours, magnified by the fact that these arrests past five years indicate that the rate of stunt- At the time of going to press there had spreading disinformation about the pan- ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) misinformation, conspiracies, and outright come close on the heels of the adoption ing among under-five year-olds is twice as been another government communication demic in the country. MPs P12 million each to vote through his lies. by the ruling party dominated parliament high among children in the poorest house- indicating that the initial savingram be with- While thousands of Batswana re- state of emergency motion. For a government seeking to build of a six months state of emergency and holds than those in the richest. Due to eco- drawn. It was not clear if the government mained cooped up in their homes under Botswana became the second country trust and communicate clearly, it’s a night- the accompanying regulations. The state nomic hardships, many families in Botswana had reversed the decision to suspend the strict lockdown laws, a range of bogus in the region after South Africa, and one mare. For those looking to sow chaos and of emergency and its regulations were increments. COVID-19 stories were surging through of more than a dozen in the world to re- doubt, it’s an opportunity. CONTINUES ON PG 2 the internet threatening to undermine the sort to the court in a bid to clamp down The Umbrella for Democratic Change CONTINUES ON PG 3 WEATHER WEATHER SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY SUNDAY STANDARD IS A MEMBER OF THE PHYSICAL ADDRESS: PHYSICAL ADDRESS FORECAST Max: 32°C Max: 32°C Max: 27°C BOTSWANA PRESS COUNCIL AND SUBSCRIBES Commerce Park, Plot 104, Rowland, Ngilichi House (Meriting Spar) Unit 6, Francistown GABORONE Min: 17°C Min: 17°C Min: 13°C TO THE BOTSWANA MEDIA CODE OF ETHICS Unit 21. Gaborone TEL: 3188784 FAX: 3188795 TEL: 2412319 FAX: 2412310 & INFO Source: www.weather.com 2 Behind the News April 19 - 25, 2020 An MP COVID-19 Patient confidentiality educator who places Batswana at higher claims he doesn’t know risk of COVID-19 infection THOBO MOTLHOKA cultural stigma. Knowing the name, enough about location and mobility network of he government’s refusal these cases, they have said, can make to disclose the identity of an invaluable difference in curbing COVID-19 COVD-19 patients may the spread of the virus. With bars In attempt to explain away why he took be putting the public at a Granted, countries worldwide an ill-fated shopping trip when he had higher risk of contracting continue to adhere to the confiden- closed, been told that he might have COVID-19, the virus. tiality practice with those in support TBotswana’s decision to shroud the Tonota MP, Pono Moatlhodi, only raising concerns that suspecting CO- succeeded in tying himself in knots. the identity of confirmed CO- VID-19 victims may be discouraged drinkers turn VID-19 victims with a cloak of se- When parliament convened for from coming forward for fear of crecy means Batswana remain sitting a special session a fortnight ago, a victimization, making it difficult for ducks, helplessly looking to the heav- governments to record such cases to home- government nurse came around to ens for exemption from possible in- and contain the virus. Governments inspect the temperature of MPs, as part fection.
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