PRISCILLA CHIPULU
Ndola
MINISTRY of Information and Media Permanent Secretary Thabo Kawana says the Access to Information (ATI) law will be operationalised by the end of next month.
After a two-decade wait, President Hakainde Hichilema signed the ATI bill into law last December.
With the ATI in place, a citizen can request unclassified information from Government on an issue of public interest.
Human Rights Commission (HRC) is the oversight institution on such requests.
Speaking during an appearance on Diamond TV on Monday night, Mr Kawana disclosed that currently, stakeholders such as Ministry of Justice, HRC, Judiciary, and Ministry of Information and Media are working together to finalise the process.
“Right now there is a technical working group that is sitting and putting everything together and once that is done, a Statutory Instrument will be signed by the Minister of Information and Media and it will be put to operation,” he said.
Mr Kawana said ATI is important for the country’s democracy as it enhances transparency and accountability.
The law aims to provide a right to access information as guaranteed in the UN Convention against Corruption and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights…https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
