Kutlwano - Mutual Understanding
Following the leaps of development taking place in the general re-branding and placement of Kutlwano magazine, time has surely come for the people’s magazine to do away with the sub-heading “Mutual Understanding.”
For a very long time Kutlwano mast head has been synonymous with “Mutual Understanding” which is a direct translation of what Kutlwano means. For this reason, the management saw it fit to remove “Mutual Understanding” as it is not necessary anymore starting this financial year.
In an interview with the Managing Editor of Kutlwano magazine, Russ Molosiwa said “we feel the name does not need to be translated,” adding that the magazine does not need to have a sub -heading in a name although it has been part of the brand for a very long time
Molosiwa explained that the first Kutlwano editor was an english speaking person and the idea then was to have a publication that could be read by Batswana and the colonial masters also used it to serve their people by relaying information through this monthly magazine. It was another forum through which the colonial Government informed British administrators about the events in the then
Bechuanaland Protectorate.
According to Botswana Hand book 1999, the first co of Kutlwano magazine rolled out of the printing press 1962 as a small dull looking monthly which resembl a school newsletter sold for two and a half cents. B Kutlwano came into existence, the only newspaper th was read by Batswana was Naledi ya Batswana which v. _ published in South Africa for the South Africans and the:-, was Lobone Iwa Batswana, a quarterly journal which v. _ published during the 1930s. In fact, there was virtual nothing that one could read about the then Bechuanalar.. from anywhere.
In 1962, the Bechuanaland Government set-up ar. information Branch in Lobatse and employed Eainsle; Gratwick to put out press releases and to start a magazine for the Government. Under the leadership of Mr Gratwick Kutlwano took up the difficult task of providing information about government policies and documenting the event-leading to the country’s independence. The name Kutlwano. coined by Mr Daniel Mayisela a messenger at the secretariat headquarters of Bechuanaland Protectorate government in Mafikeng, described the mutual understanding which presumably existed between the colonial administrator-and Batswana leaders during negotiations for independence in the early 1960s. That is how the sub-head line Mutual understanding came about.
Therefore, Molosiwa believes that if the sub-heading “Mutual Understanding” is removed, it will not change the magazine’s image.
That being the case, the Kutlwano team will continue to give our readers quality articles and a platform to educate Batswana and write about people and issues that affect their lives. Keep reading the only magazine that tells you about Batswana.
