PAZA demands for enactment of FoIB 

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 10:34:42 +0000

By MARY KACHEPA

 THERE has been enough debate and submissions on the Freedom of Information Bill (FoIB) and it is now time to enact the Bill into law, Press Association of Zambia president Andrew Sakala has said.

Mr Sakala said the enactment of this Bill into law will help journalists and other sections of society to obtain accurate and correct information, instead of speculations.

“We have talked so much about the Freedom of Information Bill since 2000 and by now sufficient debates have been done,” he said.

Mr Sakala added that the Bill had been taken to Parliament and withdrawn, and it was now long overdue because for almost 17 years the Bill was not yet enacted into law.

“When this Bill is enacted into law, it will help in having access to information and in the fight against corruption, thereby enhancing accountability of public resources,’’ Mr Sakala said.

He stated that the absence of this law increases speculation, rumor mongering and spreading of inaccurate and false information because of the limitation to the access of information.

“We would like to urge Parliament and the President to enact the Freedom of Information Bill into law,” Mr Sakala said.