Many activists in Malawi are suspicious of State President Professor Peter Mutharika who has insisted government will pass the Access to Information (ATI) Bill not out of pressure but because it is an important piece of legislation for Malawians.
Speaking when he hosted Media owners and Managers in Lilongwe on Thursday, the President correctly noted that the Bill has generated a lot of interest and expectations as some of the country’s cooperating partners are using it as another conditionality for aid despite the fact that most African states have not yet passed it.
Last week when he responded to a media appeal to use his executive powers to reject the version which went to Cabinet; the President said there is need to allow processes to take full course citing anomalies and gross inconsistencies which need to be addressed. Many followers of the Bill see this as merely a delaying tact by Peter Mutharika. They suspect he has hidden skeletons that the bill will bring to light.
President Peter Mutharika however stressed that he will not bow down to ultimatums. “This government will not accept ultimatums. I think the time has come in this country to show respect for each other.”, “No more ultimatums. Let’s act in a fair and respectful manner. The Bill needs to be allowed to take full course” Challenged Mutharika.
He expressed confidence in media practitioners who are crucial in the country’s image building. However among his critics are the same Media Executives he was entertaining at statehouse.
Media Council of Malawi Chairperson (MCM) Professor Chijere Chirwa underscored the public’s right to know which he noted is crucial as government processes need to be open to public scrutiny.
Chijere Chirwa pointed out that secrecy breeds a culture of mistrust and suspicion and worsens poverty hence urged government to state its position on the matter.
The MCM boss noted that government statements on the Bill have been confusing, contradictory and imprecise hence their doubting on its state of readiness and urged government to come out clear on its position on the matter.
“We request your Excellency as the custodian of the Constitution to take due diligence and true responsibility in ensuring that government clearly and thoroughly makes public the inconsistencies as identified by the Cabinet for the public and other stakeholders to get a better understanding of the problems”
“We appeal to you to use your executive powers to reject the adulterations of the Bill and uphold the original Bill,” Appealed Chijere.
Reacting to the request the President dismissed the proposal put forward by the media Executives and maintained that he will uphold a Cabinet’s decision that was made on the ATI which his cabinet approved.
“In the Cabinet we have collective responsibility. Therefore on my own I can’t reverse a Cabinet decision as it is a fundamental principle. I cannot change a provision of the law that Cabinet has enacted” stressed Mutharika.
At the interface, the managers appealed to government for media independence, review of colonial laws on sedition and signing of the Table Mountain Declaration.
On his part President Mutharika said he was happy that most of the country’s media outlets were locally owned and urged practitioners to help in disseminating the right messages to the public.
He further stated that he has no intentions of stifling the media and pledged to ensure that they are responsible to issues of national security.
The Media however has questions they need answered before they can support his version of the Bill.
Elwin Mandowa Managing Editor
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