By: Lloyd M’bwana
The country’s social-economic governance body, National Advocacy Platform (NAP) under State Of the Union (SOTU) on Friday, November 20 issued a seven days ultimatum for the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership to fast track in tabling the much awaited Access to Information (ATI) Bill in the current seating of the August House failing which will use unspecified means till the deal is sealed.
The development comes just a day after the country’s two human rights watchdogs, Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Centre for Development of People (Cedep) accused President Peter Mutharika’s leadership on taking Malawians patience for granted by continuing wasting taxpayers money on political rallies and dilly daring in tabling the ATI Bill.
On Thursday, November 19, 2015 the local press was awash with reports that the cabinet rejected the bill implying that it is filled with a lot of irregularities which has been referred for redrafting before it’s tabled in the Parliament.
The cabinet’s change of heart comes as a betrayal to Malawians after President Mutharika promised in his state of nation address that his administration would table the bill in on going national assembly meeting.
Addressing the news conference in the capital Lilongwe on Friday, NAP which consists of Citizen Alliance, Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN), Eye for Development and others civil society organization (CSOS) demanded full report as to why cabinet rejected the bill saying the move just demonstrated how the current regime was being naïve with politics.
The grouping warns that if the bill will not be tabled with the seven days ultimatum expects unspecified actions to take its course until the matter is addressed decisively saying the bill was a human right and governance issue.
Notable faces at the pressing briefing included Health activist Martha Kwataine, Human rights advocate Robert Mkhwezarmba, Thom Khanje of Misa, Leon Matanda of NAP who vehemently indorsed the call for government to immediately table the bill in the current seating.
The Maravi Post caught up with Leon Matanda NAP’s Vice Chairperson on the prospects of the ultimatum issued by saying the bill was beyond media freedom but rather human right and governance issues which needed urgent attention.
Matanda observed with concerns on cabinet’s allegations that the bill has many abnormalities saying there was nothing of that sort as his organization was part of the team which had a final input on the bill hence the need for tabling it in the current Parliament proceedings.
“Seven days is the final verdict we have issued to government to give us a full version of reasons as to why the bill has been rejected if at all there are enough grounds for the change of heart. We still wonder as to why concealing reasons of changing heart by the cabinet.
“What we observed is fear for unknown. Although, there are claims that it’s impossible to table the bill now because it wasn’t put across to business committee of Parliament within 21 days as recommended, however government can seek court directive on the matter the same way other bills were done in the past.
“The court will be able to interpret on the matter for the public’s interests not for a few individuals who have misguided ideas on the
bill by being political and ignoring the general populace outcry of the need to have such a law for transparency and accountability from the public officers.
“If government won’t give genuine reasons for the change of heart on bill within the seven days ultimatum , expect fireworks with
unspecified actions till the bill is tabled in the current seating as this a prime law on our land”, warns Matanda.
There was no immediate reaction from government on the ultimatum the NAP has issued.
Since 2003, Access to Information (ATI) Bill has undergone numerous reviews. Therefore, if the bill is passed into the law will provide the public right access to information as well as promoting transparency and accountability of public officers.
