Access To Information Bill Finally Presented In Parliament

Access to Information Bill (ATI) has finally been presented in the National Assembly today.

Minister of Information, Patricia Kaliati presented the bill which has since been referred to the Parliamentary Committee on Media, Information and Communication and Legal Affairs Committee.

Apposition parties expressed the need to refer the bill to the committees for further scrutiny fearing that the House would pass the adulterated legislation.

ATI Bill will allow Malawians to  access to various public information, but people will be required to pay a fee in order to access to the information they might be requesting for.

Minister of Information I an interview also said Government has accepted demands that the bill be applied retroggressively to allow people access to information that existed before the time the bill will be enacted.

Referring the of the bill to the Committee means the bill will come back in the House for debate probably in November this year after the completion of the committee's work of scrutinizing the bill.