In a historic moment, the National Assembly of Zambia has passed the Access to Information (ATI) Bill, a significant achievement that places the country among nations with ATI laws in their statutes for the first time. The journey to this milestone has spanned nearly three decades, with advocates and stakeholders tirelessly pushing for its enactment since 1998. Various activities, including community engagements, signature collection campaigns, and parliamentary picketing, marked the long-standing efforts to bring this legislation to fruition.
ATI Coalition Chairperson, Fr. Alex Muyebe, highlights the significance of this achievement, emphasising that Zambia has surpassed the efforts of previous governments by taking concrete steps toward delivering freedom of information to its people. The ATI law, often a recurring promise during election cycles, has now moved from rhetoric to reality under the UPND government.
While celebrating the passage of the ATI Bill, Fr. Muyebe expresses disappointment in the legislative process. Despite stakeholders actively participating in the parliamentary committee’s submissions, it appears that the final document did not fully incorporate their recommendations. However, he acknowledges that the mere passing of the ATI Bill is a substantial stride toward bolstering democracy, transparency, and accountability in Zambia.
Recognising that the ATI law may have inherent limitations, Fr. Muyebe remains hopeful that its enactment will open avenues for refinement through legal reforms and court interpretations. Despite potential challenges, the ATI Coalition sees having a framework to work with as a significant step forward for the nation.
