Melo Media, Saturday, 11th November, 2023
Operation Young Vote (OYV) has urged members of parliament to carefully examine the Access to Information-ATI- bill, which has been presented in Parliament for its initial reading. This bill is being prepared to become a law, and it is important for MPs to thoroughly review its contents.
Yesterday, Minister of Information and Media, Cornelius Mweetwa, presented the ATI bill 24 of 2023 to Parliament for its first reading. The public’s opinion on this presentation remains to be seen.
Guess Nyirenda, the Executive Director of OYV, expressed his support for the presentation of the ATI Bill to Parliament. However, he also urged lawmakers to carefully review the bill and remove any foreign content that may not be beneficial for the country.
Mr. Nyirenda anticipates a thorough discussion involving various stakeholders from different sectors of society, aiming to promote increased participation and submissions.
The Executive Director of OYV expresses satisfaction that the government has finally listened to the public and other interested parties by presenting the long-awaited ATI Bill to parliament.
Enoch Ngoma, a member of the CSO Coalition on the Access to Information Committee, is optimistic that the ATI Bill will be fast-tracked now that it has been presented to the legislature.
Mr. Ngoma has urged all Members of Parliament to back the ATI Bill, stating that its passage into law would enable the country to establish efficient systems of checks and balances.
Bernard Uteka, Secretary General of Community Action against Political Violence, has expressed his appreciation for the government’s decision to present the ATI bill to parliament. He believes that this bill will play a crucial role in preventing the spread of misinformation.
