Malawi President Peter Mutharika has pledged to introduce an access to information bill this month, according to media reports.
“Yes, Yes, Government will table the Access to Information bill,” said Mutharika in a speech to Parliament, reported The Nyasa Times.
Minister of Information Jappie Mhango said the processing of the bill is at a very advanced stage and will be tabled in parliament soon, the paper reported.
The president’s assurance came after a period of uncertainty including rumors that the government was not ready with the bill. A House leader, Francis Kasaila, had told the press that the bill was not yet ready, prompting a statement to the contrary from the president’s office prior to his speech.
“It is worth reminding the public that passing of the Access to Information Legislation was part of the campaign promises of the Democratic Progress Party (DPP), which was given the mandate to govern. As such passing of that Bill is one of the priorities of Government, ” reads the statement.
The leader of opposition in Parliament, Lazarous Chakwera, had promised to lobby for enactment of an ATI bill, as reported by the Nyaasa Times.
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