On the 29^th of September this year, a day before Botswana’s 59^th Anniversary of Independence – which incidentally was also declared a public holiday in recognition of Team Botswana’s historic feat of being the first African country to clench the 4x400m relay World Championship title – President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko officially launched news broadcasts in four indigenous languages on Botswana Television and Radio Botswana.

Ikalanga, Shekgalagari, and Shiyeyi are the three largest (numerically) minority languages in Botswana – all of which are from the Bantu language group. Naro, on the other hand, represents the Khoisan language group, and contrary to popular belief, is not THE KHOISAN LANGUAGE (Sesarwa), but only one of many – a lot of which are not even mutually intelligible.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the current initiative is its recognition that Botswana is not linguistically monolithic. While Setswana rightfully holds pride of place as our national language, spoken by the majority and serving as our primary indigenous lingua franca, we are also home to speakers of Otjiherero, Tjebirwa, Setswapong, Sesubiya, Thimbukushu, and numerous other languages.

Botswana’s linguistic mosaic reflects a nation built on unity amid diversity. Setswana, the national language spoken by the majority, has long served as a unifying force, embedding cultural values like Botho – the essence of humanity and community. Yet, Botswana’s richness lies in its array of indigenous languages spoken by minority communities, which carry unique histories, proverbs, and worldviews that complement Setswana’s foundational role.

Recent strides to integrate them into mainstream media underscore a patriotic commitment to preserving this heritage, ensuring no voice is silenced in the national narrative. This evolution builds on historical efforts to standardise and promote Setswana while extending inclusivity to all vernaculars.

Setswana, our mother of mother languages, has long stood as the unifying vernacular of our nation. Since the dawn of independence in 1966, the architects of modern Botswana wisely centred the country’s identity around two linguistic pillars: Setswana, as the language of the nation, culture, and kgotla; and English, as the official language of commerce, government, and the global stage. This strategic choice was rooted in a pragmatic and patriotic vision of nation-building, ensuring that the nascent republic, composed of diverse cultural groups, could speak with one voice and move forward as one people. This singular focus on Setswana and English undoubtedly secured a stable, successful, and peaceful democracy, one that has become the envy of the continent.

Yet, the journey towards a truly comprehensive and reflective national identity is a perpetual process of refinement. For decades, the initial policy, which was designed primarily to foster political unity, faced mounting scholarly and civil society pressure. The argument was that national unity should be a function of inclusion, not assimilation. Groups like the Kamanakao Association, dedicated to the Bayeyi language, Society for the Promotion of iKalanga Language (SPIL), and Lentswe la Batswapong (LLB) tirelessly championed the preservation and legal recognition of languages beyond the national-official pair. Their sustained advocacy throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries laid the essential social and political foundation for change.

The first profound structural shift came not in the media, but in the realm of education, a domain crucial for the very survival of a language. It was the crucial recognition of the pedagogical necessity of mother-tongue instruction, a principle long supported by linguistic research globally. After years of national debate and policy review, a decisive move was made. Under the framework of the Draft Botswana Languages Policy in Education, and its subsequent phased implementation beginning around 2023, the two-language education monopoly was finally broken.

This visionary policy identified a pool of local languages for introduction into the early school curriculum, acknowledging that teaching a child in their home language during formative years is paramount to cognitive development, educational equity, and cultural pride. This historic milestone, which emerged from a national desire to address educational challenges and uphold cultural rights, represented the first bold, public commitment to transforming Botswana’s linguistic landscape from a rigid dual-pillar system into a richly woven tapestry of many tongues.

The journey of language promotion in Botswana echoes the orthographic battles of the 19th century, when missionaries like Robert Moffat translated the Bible into Setswana, formalising its written form amid debates over sounds like the ‘ch’ in southern dialects—once spelled with ‘C’ as in “nca” for ntša (dog), later adapted to ‘TŠ’. Native scholars such as Solomon Plaatje advanced literature, while 20th-century conferences, culminating in Botswana’s 1981 Orthography, refined the alphabet, excluding ‘C’ for standardisation. These foundations elevated Setswana in education and media, fostering national identity post-independence in 1966. Yet, minority languages often lingered in oral traditions, underrepresented in public spheres.

Under previous presidents, key milestones laid the groundwork for broader linguistic equity. During President Ian Khama’s tenure (2008-2018), policies emphasised cultural preservation, aligning with Vision 2036’s goals for sustainable development through heritage. This era saw increased recognition of indigenous knowledge in community programmes, though media integration remained limited.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi (2018-2024) advanced concrete steps: In 2019, announcements included indigenous languages in school curricula to promote pride and livelihoods among groups like those in Charleshill. The 2022 Languages Policy advocated mother-tongue instruction for better learning outcomes, with implementation calls growing by 2023. These efforts, rooted in inclusivity, addressed marginalisation, as noted in UN reports on minority rights, where media prohibitions on non-Setswana languages were critiqued. Subtitling films on Botswana Television (BTV) for social inclusion emerged as a tool to protect minority tongues. This period also introduced special use of indigenous languages in critical broadcasts, such as Covid-19 awareness and prevention campaigns.

Building on this legacy, the current administration under President Duma Boko has marked a pivotal advancement with the recent launch of indigenous language news bulletins on BTV and Radio Botswana. Officiated in late September 2025, this initiative introduces broadcasts in iKalanga, Naro, Sheyei, and Shekgalagari, with plans to expand further.

The benefits are profound. For Setswana speakers, who form the cultural backbone, this complements existing broadcasts, reinforcing Setswana’s status while enriching the national dialogue. Minority languages gain visibility, preserving oral histories and idioms that Setswana alone cannot capture. As Setswana birthed sister languages in the Sotho-Tswana family – such as Silozi, Shekgalagari Sesotho, and Sepedi (which in turn gave us Selobedu, Sebirwa, and Setswapong) – these bulletins honour that interconnectedness.

Educationally, they pave the way for curriculum inclusion, enhancing learning as President Boko envisions. In a nation where English prevails in the formal sectors, such media access promotes equity, echoing International Mother Language Day’s ethos and aligning with Sustainable Development Goals.