The Malawi Human Rights Commission has decried low funding as well as low compliance to the provisions of the Access to Information Act by public institutions in the implementation of the law.
The commission has this year been allocated 35 Million kwacha to carry out its activities in overseeing the implementation of the Act out of the budgeted 500 Million kwacha.
In an interview with MIJ Online Chancy Kalolokesya Deputy Director for Civil and political rights at the Malawi Human Rights Commission said “We have mentioned issues of funding which is insufficient for us to be able to carry out our mandate as the Human Rights Commission”.
Kalolokesya added “one big challenge we have seen is that not so many Malawians are aware of this law, as such it is difficult for them to enjoy their right to access to information”.
He further disclosed that the commission will partner with the civil society in the implementation of the law.
However Arthur Chipenda, Deputy Director of information from the Ministry of Information and Digitalization said “solid foundation in the implementation of the Act has been set, we have the Act in place, we have the regulations in place and information holders as well as officer have been trained but now what is remaining is for the minister of information to publish the names of information officers”.
Chipenda added “We have a total of about 98 institutions that have designated information officers and we have reminded the remaining 58 institutions to do the same”.
Meanwhile Rune Skinnebach, Ambassador of the European Union to Malawi has challenged Malawians to make use of the access to information law in promoting democracy.
“Democracy is not only voting and having fair election results, democracy is accountability transparency, it is raising your voices, holding people to account” Skinnebach said.
The Access to Information Act came into operation in 2020.