Maravi

Mumena calls for full implemention of FoI Bill

Mumena calls for full implemention of FoI Bill
By David Chongo in Solwezi
Tue 26 June 2012, 13:23 CAT

THE enactment of the Freedom of Information Bill into law will be meaningless if it is not fully implemented, says chief Mumena.

Speaking during a public discussion initiated by the Coalition on Access to information at his palace in Solwezi on Saturday, chief Mumena said the PF government had done a commendable job in reviving the Freedom of Information (FOI) law, saying it was one way of giving power to the people.

He noted, however, that while there was encouraging political will by the PF administration in making FOI Bill into law, in the past, there had been a tendency by government not to fully implement the provisions of similar laws.

Chief Mumena of the Kaonde people in Solwezi said people would feel cheated if FOI was not fully implemented by the PF government.

He stated that the current government was brought into power by poor people who expected to be given respect and kept informed on important matters related to the governance of the country.

Chief Mumena said there was unfair distribution of the FOI draft copies, saying he himself did not even have a copy and wondered how the ordinary people were expected to contribute to the enactment of a law that should benefit them effectively.

And Coalition spokesperson Kafupi Banda said citizens had a right to demand for access to information through an established law.

He said when society had access to information, it would be easy for them to hold government accountable for its actions, being the ones who choose leaders through the ballot box.

Chief Mumena's senior induna, Jackson Kakoma, said members of parliament had abrogated their responsibility by keeping the electorate without vital information on governance issues.

He said people in rural areas had little information on a lot of issues like constituency development funds and therefore did not have a say in development matters as members of parliament kept them uninformed.

Kakoma, an alderman of the Solwezi Municipal Council, proposed as an alternative that district commissioners be the ones to disburse CDF because they were closer to the people than members of parliament.

Labels: CHIEF MUMENA, FOI, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL

posted by MrK @ 3:30 PM