Misa Malawi engages Mzimba CSOs on ATI

Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Chapter has engaged civil society organisations (CSOs) in Mzimba on Access to Information (ATI) Act.

In an interview, Misa Malawi chairperson Teleza Ndanga said her organisation is holding meetings with CSOs in the country on the provisions of the ATI Act.

“We hope that by engaging CSO leaders they will be able to deliver the messages to local communities so that they know what to do when they have been denied access to information from different institutions,” she said.

Ndanga said the public has been denied access to information for a long time.

“None of the previous ministers [of Information] set a date to operationalise the Act, but now that the law started operating on September 30 this year, it’s time to test the law and not to wait for government to do it for us,” said Ndanga.

Mzimba CSOs chairperson Teckson Amandu said the law will make CSOs’ work easier.

“The ATI Act has come at the right time because at first it was difficult to get information such as tracking the budget,” he said.

Amandu assured Misa Malawi that Mzimba CSOs will sensitise communities to the ATI Act.

Misa Malawi Chapter is holding meetings with funding from Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa.