State House Director of Communications, Sean Kampondeni, has revealed that the press will be provided a platform to ask various questions regarding the presidency, through weekly press briefings which will be taking place every Monday morning at 11am.
The development follows as Misa Malawi and Panos Institute Southern Africa commended President Lazarus Chakwera’s commitment to implement reforms to enhance free flow of information, including the operationalisation of the Access to Information (ATI) Act within a month.
In 2016, parliament passed the access to information bill that would allow Malawians to access information with ease, but has not been implemented since. The newly appointed Minister of Information, Gospel Kazako has expressed commitment to implement the Access to Information Act. Kazako said the implementation is important, saying access to information is a fundamental human right key to the consolidation of the country’s democracy and development. “It is high time the Act became operational.” said Kazako “This Government is committed to be transparent and accountable to the people of Malawi as its employers and this law is a crucial instrument in achieving that transparency and accountability.