• Where are the ladies?October 7, 2025
    Botswana enjoys athletics success but… NANCY RAMOKHUA RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults editors@thepatriot.co.bw   Questionably for several years now, ladies in athletics have their representation visibly missing at international… Read more: Where are the ladies?
  • FMD surges in SAOctober 6, 2025
    Border villages,Tlokweng on high alert Cattle crossing into SA to be slaughtered Farmers to conduct FMD routine checks   BAKANG TIRO RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults editors@thepatriot.co.bw   Government… Read more: FMD surges in SA
  • Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaultsOctober 6, 2025
    Government’s growing fiscal pressures escalate risks of default in household and business loan repayments   RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults STAFF WRITER editors@thepatriot.co.bw Arrears on loans to the household… Read more: Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults
  • Botswana Council of Churches calls for peaceOctober 6, 2025
    GORATAONE KGOSIMORE editors@thepatriot.co.bw RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults   Rev. Mmachakga Moruakgomo, representing the Botswana Council of Churches, on August 2025 undertook a diplomatic visit to Ukraine aimed at… Read more: Botswana Council of Churches calls for peace
  • Botswana defends slaughtering elephantsOctober 6, 2025
    Global uproar over killing 21 elephants for Independence festivities KITSO RAMONO editors@patriot.co.bw RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults   The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has confirmed authorising the killing… Read more: Botswana defends slaughtering elephants
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
  • Login
  • Register
Thursday, October 9, 2025
The Patriot On Sunday
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
No Result
View All Result
Cart / $0.00

No products in the cart.

  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders
No Result
View All Result
The Patriot On Sunday
No Result
View All Result

Religious beliefs vs Covid19 jab

Ricardo Kanono by Ricardo Kanono
September 23, 2021
in News
0
Rari

Rari

‘This is a challenge not peculiar to teachers’ – Dr Nyanga

OARABILE MOSIKARE

RelatedPosts

FMD surges in SA

Botswana Council of Churches calls for peace

Botswana defends slaughtering elephants

editors@thepatriot.co.bw 

As schools welcomed the last batch of learners last week, it has since emerged that some educators have refused to take the jab against the deadly pandemic, citing religious convictions.  

BOSETU Secretary General, Tobokani Rari confirmed being aware that some educators did not take the jab despite the availability of the vaccine. He, however, said the campaign to force government to vaccinate teachers as a priority has borne some fruits. “Government yielded ultimately to our demands. Society also understood our course and supported us,” said Rari.

Vaccination sites dedicated only to teachers, mostly in schools, were opened across the country. According to Government updates, more than 85% of the teaching cadres and support staff in schools have been vaccinated, which has been hailed as a good turn up. “There are of course teachers and some support staff who have not been vaccinated owing to various reasons. Some of them were on quarantine, isolation and some had some various ailments at the time. Of course there are those who called our offices indicating that they do not want to take the jab because of personal reasons such as religious beliefs,” said Rari, explaining that the union leadership has been encouraging all their members to take the vaccine to increase protection against the deadly Covid19 virus.

With regard to those who refuse to vaccinate, Rari said they could only encourage them to vaccinate, but the rest remains with government to decide as to what would happen to citizens who refuse to vaccinate. “Vaccine hesitancy is not only in the teaching faternity, it is there in the whole society,” he cautioned.

Dr Christopher Nyanga, the Ministry of Health and Wellness Chief Public Relations Officer concurred that there are some teachers who did not come for vaccination despite having been given an opportunity to do so. “Some may not have come due to religious beliefs as you say,” he opined, explaining that others may not have managed because they were on isolation/quarantine at the time the vaccination process was ongoing, while others were reluctant to take the Covid19 jab for personal fears like whether or not vaccines are safe for them.

“Since this is not a challenge peculiar to teachers alone, the Ministry is engaged in a robust public education initiative to teach people about the benefits of Covid19 vaccines in fighting against the pandemic. The good news however, is that those unwilling to take vaccines are in the minority compared to multitudes that have so far taken them, especially in the teaching fraternity where so far more than 85% have already taken the jab,” said Dr Nyanga.

Like in many other countries across the world, taking Covid19 vaccines is still voluntary in Botswana. “Therefore, no consideration has as of now been made to force people to be vaccinated. Government is so far satisfied with the level of interest for the vaccination process and will continue to educate the public about the importance of getting vaccinated,” Dr Nyanga emphasised.

Commenting on the legality of forcing people to take the vaccine by imposing restrictions to workplaces or businesses or stadia for the unvaccinated as it is happening in some jurisdictions, attorney Martin Dingake said this seems to be a growing phenomenon. Dingake said President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has mooted the idea of COVID passports. In Zimbabwe, he said civil servants must take the jab or resign. Discovery Insurance Limited is also putting similar measure on their employees and clients who take insurance policies with them.

In New Zealand, he explained that an employee was dismissed for refusing to take COVID vaccine. “In our context, I think the Constitution is instructive in permitting such types of discrimination on justification basis of public health. You will know of our Zezurus who previously refused to have their children immunise. The court directed that they be immunized,” he said. 

“Nations are likely to control movements of people into their countries by insisting on vaccination as sine qua non. Under international law, and in exercise of their sovereignty, nations have absolute discretion as to whom they can allow to enter their country and under which conditions,” said Dingake.

Background

In July, Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) and Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) took the battle far vaccination to government demanding closure of schools until all teachers have taken a jab, following hundreds of Covid19 infections and related deaths. At the time BOSETU and BTU said they would not let teachers return to work when schools reopen if they were not vaccinated. The two unions met and resolved that, looking at the high number of teachers dying due to coronavirus, it would be senseless for them to return to work.

The unions were ready to launch a legal battle if government reopened schools, ignoring their ‘No Vaccine, No Classes’ campaign. Government relented and extended closure of schools by three weeks to prioritise vaccination of teachers, which are classified as essential  service workers.

Previous Post

Tautona Lodge needs P20m renovations

Next Post

Masisi faces Judges revolt

Related Posts

FMD surges in SA
News

FMD surges in SA

October 6, 2025
Botswana Council of Churches calls for peace
News

Botswana Council of Churches calls for peace

October 6, 2025
Botswana defends slaughtering elephants
News

Botswana defends slaughtering elephants

October 6, 2025
Boko gave voices to some, but…
News

Boko gave voices to some, but…

October 6, 2025
Boko CRACKS
News

Boko CRACKS

October 6, 2025
UDC chaos open Up Kgalagadi South
News

UDC chaos open Up Kgalagadi South

October 2, 2025
Next Post
Masisi faces Judges revolt

Masisi faces Judges revolt

Please login to join discussion
  • Where are the ladies?October 7, 2025
    Botswana enjoys athletics success but… NANCY RAMOKHUA RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults editors@thepatriot.co.bw   Questionably for several years now, ladies in athletics have their representation visibly missing at international… Read more: Where are the ladies?
  • FMD surges in SAOctober 6, 2025
    Border villages,Tlokweng on high alert Cattle crossing into SA to be slaughtered Farmers to conduct FMD routine checks   BAKANG TIRO RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults editors@thepatriot.co.bw   Government… Read more: FMD surges in SA
  • Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaultsOctober 6, 2025
    Government’s growing fiscal pressures escalate risks of default in household and business loan repayments   RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults STAFF WRITER editors@thepatriot.co.bw Arrears on loans to the household… Read more: Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults
  • Botswana Council of Churches calls for peaceOctober 6, 2025
    GORATAONE KGOSIMORE editors@thepatriot.co.bw RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults   Rev. Mmachakga Moruakgomo, representing the Botswana Council of Churches, on August 2025 undertook a diplomatic visit to Ukraine aimed at… Read more: Botswana Council of Churches calls for peace
  • Botswana defends slaughtering elephantsOctober 6, 2025
    Global uproar over killing 21 elephants for Independence festivities KITSO RAMONO editors@patriot.co.bw RelatedPosts Where are the ladies? FMD surges in SA Banks report P5.98 billion loan defaults   The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has confirmed authorising the killing… Read more: Botswana defends slaughtering elephants
The Patriot On Sunday

© 2024 Copyright The Patriot On Sunday - Inspired by Search Mart.

Navigate Site

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Cart
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Analysis & Opinions
  • Vacancies & Tenders

© 2024 Copyright The Patriot On Sunday - Inspired by Search Mart.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?