Paulson Majaga Faces Fresh Misconduct Allegations as Critics Question Party Response

Paulson Majaga, the MP for Nata/Gweta, is facing renewed scrutiny after allegations of sexual misconduct reportedly surfaced during an emergency sitting of Parliament last week. The article says a case was opened against him and describes this as the fourth time allegations of this kind have been made. These remain allegations; the report does not say that they have been proven in court. The source says the ruling party’s response drew criticism, with observers asking why it had not issued a statement sooner given its stated commitment to protecting girls. Social media users also expressed anger, according to the article, because Majaga had previously been accused of misconduct involving a minor. The report cites civil society groups that voiced concern about what they described as unequal treatment of people in public office and argued that the MP should already have been arrested. It does not report an arrest or a finding of guilt. The piece places the case in a wider discussion of how allegations against powerful figures are handled in Botswana. It recalls earlier cases involving MP Fidelis Molao and councillor Kemonnye Amon, and mentions the Ishallnotforget campaign, which it says was endorsed by lawyer and politician Unity Dow. The article argues that victims have not always seen justice, while noting that responses to political scandals vary from country to country. It also points to child-protection concerns during the COVID-19 lockdown. Citing a UNICEF statement issued on April 12, the source reports 22 rape cases and 23 defilement cases in Botswana during the first 13 days of lockdown. It further refers to UNFPA research on adolescent pregnancy, reporting a fertility rate of 51 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 and 1,194 pregnancies among 116,068 girls in junior secondary schools. The article asks how many alleged perpetrators are arrested and held accountable, but the text provided ends before its final thought.