Zambian parliament passes 1st-ever bill on access to information

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) – Zambia’s parliament on Wednesday approved the nation’s first-ever bill on access to information.

The bill needs President Hakainde Hichilema’s approval to become law.

Information and Media Minister Cornelius Mweetwa said the southern African country had been on a path to formulate the law for three decades after returning to multi-party politics.

However, two previous governments of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy and Patriotic Front shelved the bill each.

"This government is committed to promoting transparency and good governance by enhancing access to public information,” said Mweetwa, who is also the government spokesman, as he cautioned journalists to use the information accessed using the law responsibly.

In adding to the debate, Justice Minister Mulambo Haimbe said the law dwarfed speculation by opposition elements, which suggested that Hichilema’s administration was flouting human rights.

“This government is committed to the rule of law and preserving Zambia as a bastion of democracy and good governance,” Haimbe said.

In enacting the law, Zambia would join regional counterparts in Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Kenya, which were also used as benchmarking points on the bill.