JULY 4, 2025
MONICA KAYOMBO, Lusaka
FOLLOWING the approval of the regulations, guidelines and rules to operationalise the Access to Information ( ATI) law by Cabinet, Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia Zambia has called on Government, the ATI Coalition and other stakeholders to come on board and help mobilise resources to capacitate citizens on how to use the ATI online tool that will be used by people requesting for any information.
And Ministry of Information and Broadcasting says Government will now embark on a massive exercise to educate the information holders on ATI so that they are able to execute their duties effectively.
Speaking yesterday during the ATI Coalition meeting with Ministry of Information and Ministry of Justice to lobby Government to give an update on regulations, rules and guidelines to operationalize the ATI, MISA chairperson Ms Lorraine Mwanza Chisanga said the operationalisation of the ATI will promote transparency, accountability and access to information in Zambia.
She said while the country is celebrating the progress recorded so far, the validated rules, regulations, and guidelines remain pending formal release and enforcement.
“Their (ATI guidelines, rules and regulations) timely publication is critical to ensure that the Act moves beyond paper into practical and meaningful implementation that benefit all citizens,’’ Ms Chisanga observed.
She has since called on the ATI Coalition to remain actively involved in the process as their voices and expertise is cardinal in the process.
Ms Chisanga has commended the Government for making tremendous progress towards the operationalization of the ATI Act with regards the rules, regulations and guidelines required.
“Today’s meeting reflects our shared commitment to advancing Access to Information (ATI) in our country. It is both an honour and a privilege to stand before you as we continue to work together in pursuit of a more open, informed and democratic Zambia,’’ Ms Chisanga said.
ATI Coalition Vice chairperson Guess Nyirenda has since urged Government to expedite the sharing of the critical documents to enable citizens, the media and civil society to exercise their right to information.
“We must be aware also that the ATI’s effectiveness hinges on the release of supporting regulations, rules and guidelines,’’ he said.
Mr Nyirenda says the ATI will help in the fight against corruption as it will allow citizens, media and civil society to contribute to good governance.
Ministry of Informational and Broadcasting Principal Planner Lenham Mudenda said the Government has planned to first sensitise the public officers before it extends the exercise to ordinary citizens.
“ If funds allow, we may do the process in a synced form. But from Government’s plan for now, we want to first flat-out educate the public officer before we can sensitise the general public,’’ Mr Mudenda said.
He said the public officers fully need to understand how the law would be executed as they will be the ones that will handlle the ATI matters.
He says following the approval of the ATI Act, it will go to Ministry of Justice to be finalized after which it will be signed into a Statutory Instrument.
“ The ATI guidelines are also being finalized by the Human Rights Commission which is the oversight institution on ATI law,’’ he said.
On July 2, Cabinet approved the operational of the ATI which republican President Hakainde Hichilema accented to in December of 2023.
