As Police Cyber Forensics chief steers clear of row
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
The Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) has raised concerns over what it describes as government silence on a controversial Facebook pseudo account known as “Happy Omang,” alleging it has been used to harass politicians, union leaders and other public figures.
GOVERNMENT UNDER PRESSURE
BOFEPUSU secretary general Robert Rabasimane says the account has been persistently targeting individuals online, yet the current Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) administration has not publicly condemned or acted against it.
Rabasimane raised the issue in an interview, also linking it to recent Workers’ Day remarks by President Duma Boko, which the federation described as “impolite and unsettling.”
He said the lack of response from government raises troubling questions about possible tolerance or involvement.
“The silence of the government raises suspicion that this could be a government-backed project or something being used by those in leadership,” Rabasimane said.
CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION
BOFEPUSU is now calling for urgent investigations to identify the individuals behind the “Happy Omang” account, arguing that failure to act risks undermining public trust in state institutions.
The federation says authorities should consider involving external experts if necessary to trace the operators of the account and determine whether any state actors are involved.
Rabasimane stressed that transparency is essential to restore confidence in the government’s commitment to protecting citizens from cyber harassment.
REWARD OFFERED FOR INFORMATION
In a rare move, BOFEPUSU has indicated it is willing to assist law enforcement efforts, including offering a reward for credible information that could help unmask those behind the account.
“We want the government to assure Batswana that it is not involved in these operations. As BOFEPUSU, we are prepared to assist in any way possible, including offering a reward,” he said.
PATTERN OF ANONYMOUS ONLINE ACTIVITY
The “Happy Omang” account reportedly emerged after the UDC assumed office and has since been accused of targeting politicians, business leaders and union officials through repeated online posts.
BOFEPUSU has also drawn comparisons to a previous anonymous account, “France Museveni,” which it says was strongly condemned when the UDC was still in opposition—raising questions about what it sees as inconsistent political responses.
POLICE DECLINE COMMENT
Efforts to obtain comment from law enforcement were unsuccessful. Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Kealeboga Keeditse, Director of the Cyber Forensics Branch at the Botswana Police Service, declined to respond to queries on the matter.