CSAT ponders lawsuits against public officers for withholding information
Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency (CSAT) has expressed concern over continued resistance by public officers to withhold information in spite of the gazetting of the Access to Information (ATI) law.
CSAT executive director Willy Kambwandira has indicated that his organization is now considering taking individual public officers to court for contravening the law.
Kambwandira made the remarks in Lilongwe during a media orientation on Public Finance Management (PFM) and ATI.
CSAT organized the orientation with a grant from GIZ PFM Malawi through its project entitled: “Enhancing Good Governance in Public Finance Management through Citizen Engagement.”
The project seeks to contribute towards government PFM reforms.
During the orientation meeting, journalists lamented that they are still barriers towards accessing of information from public officers.
Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) reporter John Paul Kayuni, who is stationed in Nkhotakota, said there has no change in as far as access to information is concerned in public service.
“Access to information remains a big challenge in public offices. It’s as if there is no law at all,” complained Kayuni.
Kambwandira said it is disheartening to observe high levels of resistance among public officers to provide citizens with information on matters of national interest.
He said it is against this background that CSAT decided to orient journalists on strategies they can use to influence change among the responsible officers in the public service.
