Zambia seeks help to enact Freedom of Information laws

Delays in enacting a Freedom of Information bill are necessary to ensure that government officials are trained on how the legislation will work, a Zambian cabinet minister has said.

Information Minister Mike Mulongoti visited the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Marlborough House headquarters on 3 April 2008 to seek assistance in the convening of awareness campaigns for public servants and the media in Zambia regarding Freedom of Information legislation.

Mr Mulongoti was in London as part of his tour of Europe and Africa researching how other countries have implemented Freedom of Information laws. Within the Commonwealth, the United Kingdom and Canada are examples of where the law is in operation.

He said he wanted journalists working for both state and private media trained on broad aspects of the proposed law and how it is to be implemented, to avoid confusion or the inability by public servants to comply once parliament enacts the law.

“We want, once we enact the law, to ensure that it is smoothly implemented. To do this requires wide consultations and more importantly, training for all involved,” Mr Mulongoti stated during talks with Eduardo del Buey, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the Secretariat.

“We want both government servants, private and public media, civil society, business, to have sound knowledge of what the legislation entails and what its enacting will bring to their doorstep. We do not wish to rush this law.”

In response, Mr del Buey said: "We stand ready to assist Zambia in this project."

Mr Mulongoti also met Katalaina Sapolu, Head of the Justice Section in the Secretariat’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division, who pledged the Commonwealth’s readiness to assist.

“We’d like to do a needs assessment and determine what assistance we can offer,” Ms Sapolu said. “Zambia has approached this the right way.”

Secretariat Links:

• Law
• Country Profile: Zambia