MUTHARIKA CLARIFY INCONSISTENCIES IN THE ACCESS TO INFORMATION BILL

President Professor Peter Mutharika said that his Government is not fighting the passing of the Access to Information Bill (ATI) but rather correcting irregularities that are there before passing it.

He said this on Monday at the Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe where he briefed the press on his trips to Malta, United Kingdom (UK) and South Africa.
President Mutharika said he is aware that some donors are attaching the ATI bill as a condition to the resuming of aid in the country.

“My Government has never been against the passing of the bill, but there are some inconsistencies in the Bill that need amendment, and once they are corrected it will be sent to cabinet where after being satisfied with the corrections will be drafted and sent to parliament,” said Mutharika.

He added that he wanted Parliament to pass the bill in the just ended sitting and that it was never a propaganda issue when he announced that the bill will be deliberated on.

“For example there is a consistency in the Bill that states that future parliamentarians will not have the power or mandate to make any amendments to the bill, which is not okay.”

“Parliament is sovereign meaning it has the power to change and make laws, so to deprive the future parliamentarians that power is contradictory,” said Mutharika.

Mutharika then assured the Public that his Government will definitely pass the ATI Bill at some point, and that they have nothing to hide.