Malawi CSOs accuse DPP govt of ‘taking people’s trust for granted’
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government is “taking the citizens’ trust for granted” through continued delays in tabling the Access to Information (ATI) bill in Parliament, two prominent human rights groups have said.
Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Timothy Mtambo, and Centre for Development of People (Cedep), Gift Trapence, made the accusation on Thursday following contradictory remarks from Capital Hill regarding the tabling of the bill
In a statement Mtambo and Trapence expressed shock at the delay in tabling the Information, saying it is unwarranted and an insult to Malawians.
The human rights campaigners described the delay as unfortunate, saying “Malawians can no longer entertain further excuses on the bill” from President Peter Mutharika and his government.
“By promising Malawians what he cannot deliver, as is the case with ATI and other numerous instances, the incumbent [Mutharika] is simply taking the citizens’ trust for granted.
“To this end, we call upon the President and the DPP [Democratic Progressive Party] government to ensure that the ATI bill is passed into law in the current sitting of Parliament,” reads the statement.
During the opening the 46th session of Parliament recently, President Mutharika stressed that the bill will be tabled during the current session.
But in a statement released on Wednesday, Information and Civic Education Minister, Jappie Mhango, said Cabinet rejected the bill on Tuesday because of “inconsistencies therein” and that a Cabinet Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs has since been directed to resolve the inconsistencies.
Mhango assured that “Government is doing everything possible to ensure that the Bill is ready for presentation in the National Assembly during the current session. ”
Since 2003, the bill has undergone numerous reviews. In 2007, a draft Bill on Access to Information was ready to be tabled for debate in parliament but the Ministry of Information was sent back to the drawing board to develop an Access to Information Policy which was passed in parliament in January this year.
If passed, the Access to Information law will among others, provide for the right of access to information; define the scope of public information the public has the right to access; establish the (Independent) Public Information Commission and define its functions; as well as promote transparency and accountability of public officers.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
anthu awa aliononga boma la Malawi ndipo sitikuziwa kuti akatisiya kutiko zithu sizikulongosoka ndi boma la dpp mabvuto ayambila paja anasiila malemu a bingu
2019 MAGAZI AENDA UFUNE USAFUNE
munthu oipa iwe .fisi.mbuludzi.fiti.nyalugwe.fulu amanyelera omutola amalawi akusakha koma ndikumawanyoza kodi ndiwe wamtundu wanji??
nonse ndinu agalu iweyo profesa odziwakubweletsa umphawi. malonda afodya akapandakuyenda uthamanga
Do people nowadays take these too fools with seriousness? Which human rights are you campaigning for? Shupiti zanu!
Day one: The new Clerk of Parliament has been appointed on the basis that she the is best legislative draftsperson in Malawi .
Day two: Cabinet declines to authorize to have the ATI Bill tabled in Parliament due to a lo of irregularities and inconsistencies.
Fact: Bill drafted at Ministry f Justice within the Chief Legislative Counsel’s office recently occupied by the new COP
Question: Who drafted the Bill with inconsistencies.
Answer: Check me!
Conclusion: She is indeed the best draftspers
on Malawi has! kkkkk!
CSO can you tackle issues of government failing to run the economy, how can inflation be at 24% the highest in the world kwacha moving from 440 to 620 within 4 months, Please this is effecting us the common man we cant make ends meet
People like Mukhuna are the ones who make Northerners feel superior to other regions. Why should an issue involving one person from the North be for all Northerners? Are you telling Malawians that the views you have expressed in your comment here are the views of people from your region? Am sure if your brain can be extracted from your head and put on a scale it can’t way more than the little thought in you which is below one ounce.
It’s sad some people cannot see the link between this bill and the poor people.
In a nutshel, why is govt dilly dallying in passing this into law? ask yourself !!!!
In a nutshell, the bill will enhance accountability in ensuring that govt resources are being used prudently. Even why we have stockouts in govt hospitals etc, hence this will ensure that govt is more accountable to us.
Dont demonstrate umbuli apa by being always behind govt blindly, suckers !!!!
Mtambo nthawi zina wosangopanga zinthu panokha anthu kumudzi za kudziwa za Information Bill ndi ubwino wake kwa malawi.muwawunikire anthu kaye musapange zanuzo mumatibowanso bwanji.