Botswana deports Good

Australian political scientist Kenneth Good was thrown out of Botswana hours after losing his legal battle against deportation for criticising the Government of President Fergus Mogae.

Mr Mogae declared the University of Botswana academic, who has been outspoken on issues of governance and excessive presidential powers, a prohibited immigrant in February.

Professor Good, a resident of Botswana for more than 15 years, unsuccessfully appealed to the High Court on the grounds that the President had exceeded his powers. It ruled that the President has the constitutional right to expel non-citizens at will.

Professor Good was not allowed to return to court to appeal after lunch. He was detained and not allowed to speak to his lawyers. In the evening he was placed on a flight to Johannesburg, having spent less than an hour at home.

One police officer who attended the hearing said: "Democracy is now dead in Botswana."

Many share this feeling. The deportation will complicate the university's efforts to recruit overseas staff. Professor Good's academic collaborator Ian Taylor, now lecturer in international relations at St Andrews University, said: "It is an attack against all notions of academic freedom and democracy, and exposes the growing authoritarianism within Botswana, which many academics simply refuse to confront.

"Ken will be remembered by his students as someone who got them to think critically. Up until the end he was speaking out against autocracy and for a real democratic life in Botswana. He went out fighting."