MISA Zambia 2010 report has revealed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services is the most secretive government institution for having an outdated website and failure to respond to written requests.
The 2010 report on the Most Open and Secretive government institutions in Zambia revealed that none of the government and public institutions qualified to be awarded the most open.
It also pointed out that out of the government line ministries; which include Ministry of Education, Transport and Communication, Finance and National Planning, Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS) and Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ as a public institution) surveyed non of them qualifies to be the most open.
Launching the Report in Lusaka today, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Interim Chairperson Fanwell Tembo said the research conducted indicates that the Ministry of Education could have been the most open institution for 2010 if it had not failed to provide functional website which he described was the major criteria for the research.
Mr Tembo disclosed that Ministry of Education was closer to openness and responded to the citizen’s request for information despite not having a functional website.
He named the Ministry of Communications and Transport, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, and ECZ for the well resourced websites which he said were bent on providing the public with necessary and useful information.
He noted that had the three institutions provided information to those who may not have access to ICTs through proactive disclosure and responded to written requests, they would have been among the most open.
[pullquote]He accused MISA personnel of diverting public attention from the problems, the organisation was facing.[/pullquote]
ECZ scooped this year’s newly added award called e-Governance Award, which was for institutions utilising Information Communication Technology (ICTs) for the better provision of information to the public.
But Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has described the MISA report as inaccurate and biased. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha challenged MISA-Zambia to sort out its internal wrangles first than ‘witch’ hunting. Commenting on the Report released to the media today, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha dismissed the report saying it lacked accuracy and was unfounded.
He accused MISA personnel of diverting public attention from the problems, the organisation was facing.
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha said MISA was being insincere by choosing to overlook positive developments, policies, and legislatives that Government had continued to undertake and to enhance public access to information.
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha said in a statement released today that: “it was clear from the tone of the report that MISA’s primary aim was malice and ill will against government.”
[pullquote]Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha said in a statement released today that: “it was clear from the tone of the report that MISA’s primary aim was malice and ill will against government.”[/pullquote]
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister noted that information was the primary product of any media organisation adding that the multiplicity of media houses was an indication that information was not only available but also accessible with Government being a principal source.
He said efforts and measures taken by Government in information provision confirm its unwavering commitment to facilitating the growth of the media and information sector in the country for a well informed populace.
He said Government appreciated the important role information played in national development and that it would continue working and investing in the media industry to ensure an informed and enlightened society.
[ZANIS]
But boses this report izz Truuueee. Getting information from government institutions is like trying to get blood from a stone. Websites don’t work and even embassies out here don’t have websites and those that have have no information, an don’t respond. Take this report in it stride and address the issues it has raised. I don’t think there is any ill will or malice towards the government. The report is indeed accurate. Am sure a lot of people will agree.
Not having up to date information is on the same level as illiteracy-both drag a nation down.GRZ beats the purpose of spending billions on education yet on the other hand choking the info required by that educated citizen make the wisest decision with up to date info.It’s execution,baby.If my team does all its training learning to dribble past oponents it won’t do well if we can’t learn how to execute the all important free kick or penalty.
hey govt of big noses, creation of websites is good development as this can be used to create more jobs as well asproviding relevant info. Gen big nose, please realise that,websites are extremly important, look at the developed world.take note of the report instead of dismissing it like your govt does most things that the common zambians request.just because Big nose RB , like most of the govt does not see the need for websites,they really help.i.e.tourism industry can seriously be developed by this tool.welcome to the 21st century MMD,can you handle the realty
or do we have to replace your govt with young men who understand the 2st century.HH comes to mind rather than you old imbeciles who are brain dead.
Shikapwasha, as usual, the last to know, but the first to deny!! As long as anything is critical of him and/or his government, he will deem it biased or untrue. What as a-hole of a reverend. A total disgrace to the human race!! What a waste of his father’s sperm!
IS IT TRUE THAT RB IS DEAD IN A PLANE CRASH?
Please we need confirmation to this rumor! Ifs its true MHSRIP.
this is positive critism, gov can learn something from the report information is a platform for democracy.
The only problem i have with this reverand is that he doesnt bother to conceal his lack of skill in dealing with criticism,he is such a NUMSKULL.
The least he could do is face this report with a level head and give us his defence as to whether his ministry has a website with all the information and tabulate facts to counter the said report.But all he does is just bark in defence saying the report is inacurate and biased. Inacurate aginst what??,,,biased against what??
mwebo fwe twakana ukubelenga ililyashi
I actually agree with the report #1 is correct. I think the Minister can test this himself. Let him just try to get information from any of the ministries and he will see the hell we go through and government websites are old and stale with old and useless information. There is nothing about being biased. As #8 put it biased against what?
I have no problem with reports from independent institutions, but with the constant tiffs between MISA and MIBS, MISA can hardly be called independent.
this is crap and belongs to the trash can.
How can Shikapwasha equate number of media organisations with availability of information? A lot of government websites are never updated and getting responses to press querries as the ministries usually demand is a nightmare. Just because MISA-Zambia has hiccups should not mean they cannot carry on with their work. What Shikapwasha should do is take the report as a wake up to how much government sits on information and work on it