Friday, March 29, 2024

Passing the Access to Information Bill will show how serious PF is about transparency-Thornton

Share

British High Commissioner to Zambia James Thornton is welcomed by Western Province Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary Pius Mishengo when he visited the provincial administration in Mongu
British High Commissioner to Zambia James Thornton

The British High Commissioner to Zambia James Thornton has said that the passing of the long awaited Access to Information Bill in Parliament this year will demonstrate the Patriotic Front government’s seriousness of governing the country in a more open and transparent manner.

Mr. Thornton noted that passing of the bill would also bring Zambia a step closer to becoming a member of the multilateral initiative the Open Government Partnership whose aim is among other things to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency and fight corruption.

Mr. Thornton also observed that in order for the media to fulfill the mandate of providing information to the public there is need for the creation of an environment in which the media can operate without undue restriction or hindrance.

He further observed that it was gratifying to note that PF government had prioritized among other media law reforms the transformation of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) in to a true public broadcaster.

The British High Commissioner was speaking during a Civil Society Workshop on Public Service Broadcasting and Media laws organized by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia.

Speaking at the same event, MISA Zambia chairperson Nalumino Nalumino reiterated the need for the government to fully operationalize the IBA in the country.

40 COMMENTS

    • Why do black men feel intimidated when they shake a white man’s hand?
      I have seen this time and time again

      I know they are Superior to us in any comparison on earth, but the picture above speaks volumes !

      Thanks

    • @mushota
      I have lived and worked with white men for a long time and have not seen or found anything that would make me rate them as superior to black men. I think you have a serious inferiority complex. For a person that is doing a Phd, I would expect you to give facts and then support and justify your conclusion. I end by saying that there is a lot of bigotry in a lot of whites which makes them think that they are superior beyond reason. Maybe you can educate me, but so far I see all men as equal.

    • Kekekekeke…..Bushe mwebantu Mushota abashani???

      Mushota,your postings are usually contrary to the discussions.Congratulations for your Phd…when are you doing your Thesis??

    • Mushota is right. Except that I have fired so many white people who tried to bring their color to me, and that’s why I decided to go and teach them some manners.
      I am racist? YES. Just like that useless Zambian with oversize jacket just bought for welcoming a Thorton.

  1. ZNBC is a true public broadcaster unlike the way it was under RB,Shikapwasha and Chanda Chimbwi.At least all political Parties are covered.

  2. No need to worry Thornton it shall be done, this is a serious government which has the heart for all Zambian.

    • Are you in Nort Korea?You are a blind person who cannot see anything,even impofu shilamona not you!!

    • OK, then what should we have been doing the rest of the 1735 days if we had finished all our programmes in 90 days? Remember our mandate is for 5 years. 90 days we set up the systems iwe ka mdala for people to appreciate the change. Don’t be so daft. How did you expect to see tarmac roads in 90 days?

  3. What transparency is there when the ACC needs Sata’s permission to talk to some scared cows?Selective transparency to hide what???

    • Oooh so they came to enjoy themselves. Those oposition dummies, they created fun for a few low level African representatives on the CWealth at the falls. Shame Nervous Mumba and HH. Now even his nephew Simon Mwewa Jr abandoned them at the advice of his mother, Nervous’s blood sister. Yangwe, uluse. What political parties, MMD or UPND? Tapaba mukwayi.

    • Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma wants to hear your views and ideas on the Commonwealth.

      Please send your messages to [email protected] with ‘Ask Sharma’ in the subject line.

      You can also post your comments on our Twitter page, DM us or reply to @commonwealthsec using the #asksharma tag.

      Provide your name, email, and your country, and offer as much information as you wish on your own background and experiences.

      Whilst the Secretary-General cannot reply to all of your messages a selection of them will be featured in this section.

      Please state if you wish any part of your message to remain confidential.

    • @ Phiri, Sharma is Indian not so? They are very stupid those when it come to getting advice from Africans. Stay with him, he is untoucheable to me.

  4. Just as parliament cannot debate a matter that is before the courts of law, the courts also can not determine what motion parliament should debate. THAT IS SEPARATION OF POWERS MWE BANTU. In this particular case, the constitution specifically talks about immunity of a president and that when there are suspicions of impropriety in conduct on the party of a President, PARLIAMENT (not the courts or executive) can strip him/her of that immunity. Not the courts to determine wether parliament can debate the motion to strip immunity of such a one. That is not the business of the court! The separate arms of government compliment one another but are not supposed to cajole or interefere with each other’s business.

    • You are not the only one that would like to know the condition of our dear leader. The powers that be have been very quiet, hence leaving the door open for speculation. As the man himself once said and I quote “Ubulwele bwanfumu butensha ichalo” or something similar. My only worry is that is he in the right frame of mind to make the big decisions that his position entails? Only time will tell.

    • Yes, Sata’s silence and hibernation is a source of worry. The country is without a president (on auto pilot) and no truth about the situation is forthcoming apart from rumours that he has urinal bags strapped on his body.

  5. In the time of RB, the line up on ZNBC was like this, 20 minutes for President Rupiah Banda, 8 minutes for Dora Siliya, 5 minutes for Ronnie Shikapwasha, , 5 minutes for Kalonde, 6 minutes for Humphrey Siulapwa, 5 minutes for Gregory Chifire, 5 minutes for Edwin Lifwekelo, 4 minutes for Elvis Nkandu(ZANAMA). AND THAT WAS THE END OF NEWS, some excited “paid-up” newsreader at ZNBC would announce. After the news, you have 45 minutes for Chanda Chimba III anti Sata propaganda, a full programme. You never got to hear or see what the opposition said or did, but you got a flurry of statements from such rented individuals condemning the opposition. It was pathetic and nauseating. But it served to forment public anger and resentment for the powers behind that below par performance by our ZNBC.

  6. I mean on ZNBC, you never got to see or hear what the opposition did or said verbatim or in pictures. But the news presenters would feed you with a negative, paraphrased report of what was said or done.

  7. This will go against their evil plans. In your dreams Mr High commisioner. These Chimbwis will never do anything which will trap them. Keep on dreaming, not PF!

  8. We shall implement before the end of this year. Just watch this space. We are not poor and mental retards like MMD. We are here to serve the interests of the mass Zambians.

  9. There is no intimidation on that hand shake. It is just poor body lauguage on the african gentleman. So they need to learn things rather than perceive it a negative thing.

  10. What the UK high commissioner is ably but politely demonstrating is what they call “diplomatic pressure”. He is saying “you PF must do within this year, what you promised you would do, only then will you qualify to be considered to join the community of civilized nations. This is intense pressure Baaba! You play around with the Brits like Sata is trying to do with the High commissioner’s visit to Chipata, expect a good hiding from them, and I promise you folks, this is but just a beginning.

  11. Funny Mr. Thornton should make that observation exactly at a time his own Parlimanet has approved the establishment of a Press Watchdog to oversee the media in his own country. Talk about double standards!!

  12. Thonton this was surposed to be done by your foolish government and stop burying your head in the sand you colonial masters. just continue paying back what you stole and leave governance to us

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading