[kictanet] Summary of comments KICTANet Freedom of Information Discussions

[joseph kihanya]

Dear All,

Further to the executive summary, these are a summary
of the main concerns that were raised at the meeting
during the presentation.Concerns, raised in the
summary and as  provided  by individual members and by
for instance, ICJ Kenya were supported by reference.


1. That the right of access to information must be
recognised as such in the policy and the legal
underpinning be provided through the constitutional
provisions and international law obligations that
Kenya has under the African Charter on Human and
peoples Rights et al.

2. That the significannce of the right be underscored
as was done under the drafts on the constitution
including the significance that it was one of only 2
Acst that were to be passed within 6 months of the
passage of the constitution.

3.That the argument that the Official secrets Act may
not affect the policy be conceeded as erroneous, given
especially the contribution by the Chairperson of the
law reform commmission to the effect underscored in
his and our presentation that the Act should be
repealed.

4.That the power of the minister to designated an
organization as a "public organization" be only for
private bodies.


5. That the protection of data as one of the
limitations under the proposed legsilation be balanced
against the right to access.


The majority of the views/ concerns in the executive
summary were supported from the floor and form part of
KICTANET contributions within the broad framework of
the policy.

I am reliably informed that the entire report,
including the summary below,  will be available in due
course on the website.


Kind regards

J. Kihanya

 



 
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