Media demand access to information

Members of the Zambian media are to march to the centre of the capital, Lusaka, on Friday to demand enactment of the Freedom of Information Bill.

The march is part of a five-day campaign, running since Monday, to lobby for the bill to be brought before the current session of parliament, said Kellys Kaunda, chairman of the Zambian chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa.

Kaunda said the bill was among three pieces of legislation which were to have been approved by parliament last year. "The other two - the now Independent Broadcasting Authority Act, and an amendment to the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation Act, to transform it into a public service broadcaster - went through parliament. But the Freedom of Information Bill was withheld," he told IRIN.

The government withdrew the proposed legislation last year to hold further consultations.

The aim of the bill was to provide for the right of access to information; set out the scope of information to be made available to the public; and promote transparency and accountability by public officers.

The Press Association of Zambia, the Zambia Media Women's Association, the Zambia Union of Journalists and the Society for Senior Zambian Journalists are all participating in the campaign. The organisations say the bill could assist journalists attempting to uncover corruption in Zambia.