Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu has voiced reluctance to support access to information legislation in the wake of a disclosure that his administration kept a loan from China secret.
Lungu on May 10 objected to an article in The Post that the government is hiding a $192 million loan from a Chinese weapons manufacturer for security purposes. The Post cited a leaked letter sent to Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba from Secretary to Cabinet Dr. Rowland Msiska.
“It is sad that information is circulating. We are not hiding any money. That is why am even thinking twice about enacting the freedom of information bill,” he was quoted as saying in The Lusaka Times and Zambian Watchdog.
Chief government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili, also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said it was irresponsible of The Post to disclose the matter knowing that it was “of a high security nature.” A leak investigation in under way and Post editors have been questioned by police, as described by The Daily Mail.
“He has with immediate effect directed the Police to take keen interest in the matter and bring the culprits to book, and further warned civil servant leaking sensitive information to the public that government would soon catch up with them,” The Lusaka Times reported.
Kambwili further appealed to the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) to play regulate the media, which he said is losing its ethical standards.
In a subsequent article in The Post, a leading member of parliament and a former Zambian foreign minister, Kabinga Pande. questioned the government’s argument that the loan and its uses should be secret.
Reaction Critical
The opposition United Liberal Party said Lungu should not to allow irresponsible media coverage to stand in the way of an access to information bill, noting that an access law would include safeguards to protect national security information, according to a summary of reactions in The Lusaka Times.
The United Party for National Development also issued criticisms.
The Media Liaison Committee said it was shocked by the president’s statement, stressing that an access law was not just for the media.
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia Chapter Hellen Mwale challenged to tell the nation what he is scared of in enacting the Access to Information Bill, The Zambian Watchdog reported.
Zambia’s Civil Society Coalition on the Access to Information bill said it is very disappointed and disheartened.
Views From the Media Differ
The Zambia Union of Journalists advised journalists against colluding with government officials to leak state documents and supported passage a an access law.
ZUJ secretary general Angela Chishimba said, “First, ZUJ agrees with Government concerns over too many leakages from Government institutions and wonders whether there is collusion between some government officers and some journalists, and if so, what is the motive of these journalists and Government officials?”
Chsihimba also said, “As ZUJ we feel the cure of leakages would in fact be the passing of the ATI which would allow free flow of information, barring that which borders on national security.”
Less critical of the media, Press Association of Zambia President Andrew Sakala said an access law should be enacted so that citizens can legally access any information of national importance.
He said. “… as long as there is no access to information, people will be using all sorts of methods to obtain information. So, it’s important that the ATI law is enacted so that people can access information using the law. If there is no law and things are being hidden, people will use underhand methods to obtain information.”
“This is public information and people have a right to know what is going on. But if the government becomes reluctant, if there is no ATI law, that’s why now people are using other methods to obtain information,” said Sakala.
Fast Track Reported in February
In February, Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo disclosed that the Access to Information Bill has been submitted to the Attorney General for clearance. Kasolo said the process towards the enactment was on track.
Freedominfo.org in December reprinted a report by Edem Djokotoe, a Ghanaian journalist and media consultant, on the 12 year pendency of access bill in Zambia.
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