EU to push for Access to Information Bill

The European Union (EU) says it will lobby for the tabling of Access to Information (ATI) Bill in Parliament to enhance democratic principles which are some of its core values.

New EU Ambassador Marchel Germann made the pledge on Thursday in Blantyre during a reception he had with journalists to discuss media and current affairs.

Civil society organisations (CSOs), including Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Chapter, have been calling for the tabling of the Bill which will guarantee access to information.

The Peter Mutharika administration promised to table the Bill in Parliament during the Mid-Term Budget Review in February, but failed to do so, prompting Misa Malawi to express disappointment.

Through its chairperson Thom Khanje, Misa Malawi observed that the Bill was ranked highly on Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) manifesto in the run up to May 20 Tripartite Elections and wondered why things have stalled.

But Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture Kondwani Nankhumwa said the Bill is stuck at the Ministry of Justice where it was being vetted.

However, the EU Ambassador said his office  will help to push for the passing of the Bill.

On the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest positive review on Malawi’s economic programme, Germann said it shows the impact of reforms the Malawi government is implementing.

He hoped that the momentum will not be lost in the process although he indicated that it did not mean an automatic resumption of budgetary support. But he emphasised that the EU will continue with the rest of the support through programmes and projects which cost even more than budgetary support.

“Despite the freeze in budgetary support in 2013 and 2014, assistance from the EU to Malawi has continued at very high levels. In the last fiscal year [2013/2014], the EU delegation disbursed approximately $130 million [around K55 billion], broadly the same amount as in 2012/2013,” said the ambassador. n