The essence of the freedom of information legislation is that it applies vertically, the citizen's rights to demand from the state and not viz a vie other citizens, the citizen can exercise their rights or not,,,its up to them,the law does not confer any responsibility on them.<br>
<br>The issue of a mother denying her child access to polio vaccine is an issue of children's rights.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 1:58 PM, Harry Delano <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><u></u>
<div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Many thanks Kurubo/Grace,</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">I suppose then, in light of the foregoing, State must at all
costs avail "information" under it's possession.</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Citing the "Freedom of information" clause within this context
however, makes it imperative for�State to </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">do so within universally adopted
benchmarks.�</font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">But within �the same context, what is the
citizen's </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">responsibility?</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">I could check this out. But does the clause in the same vein
confer a mandatory responsibility upon the </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">citizen </font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">to </font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">ensure their
exercise of this "Right to access" does not go to waste, or d</font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">oes he/she have
the </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">freedom </font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">to </font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">exercise
</font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">this right/liberty liberally.</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">One can argue that for instance,��a mother who fails
to vaccinate her child against polio, because of
"<b>failure"</b></font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">to access information as opposed
to�"<b>lack"</b> of </font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">access to
information should be held responsible. Is this </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">enforceable�in law..? How?</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Lastly but not least, State has only a tiny custody of
information consumable by the public. I dare say that</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">a lot of information/knowledge sought after by information
consumers fall well outside the State domain.</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">How do we police those outside,�who hoard information
desperately needed by consumers...? And what</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">of those who deliberately avail misleading
information/knowledge, including state..?</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Harry</font></span></div><br>
<div dir="ltr" align="left" lang="en-us">
<hr>
<font face="Tahoma" size="2"><b>From:</b> Kerubo Ombati [mailto:<a href="mailto:kaykerubo@gmail.com" target="_blank">kaykerubo@gmail.com</a>]
<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 18, <a href="tel:2011%2012" value="+254201112" target="_blank">2011 12</a>:35 PM<br><b>To:</b>
<a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke" target="_blank">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a><br><b>Cc:</b> KICTAnet ICT Policy
Discussions<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [kictanet] Freedom of Information laws/ e-
discussion continued<br></font><br></div><div><div></div><div class="h5">
<div></div>
<div>Hi Listers,</div>
<div>�</div>
<div>Harry, the 'Freedom of Information' clause in the constitution is designed
to give citizens free access to public�information held by the state,it
generally does not impose a positive obligation on the state to impart such
information on the individual.</div>
<div>�</div>
<div>However,in certain instances, failure to provide the information to an
individual can be considered to constitute an interference with their private
rights and a breach of the state's human rights obligations. </div>
<div>�</div>
<div>Although, freedom of information legislation is reluctant to impose a
positive obligation on the state,the considered�view as adopted
is�that the freedom of information legislation should impose a duty on the
state to impart information to the
public.<br><br>Regards,<br>Kerubo<br><br></div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 10:10 AM, Harry Delano <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke" target="_blank">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="border-left:#ccc 1px solid;margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;padding-left:1ex" class="gmail_quote"><u></u>
<div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">Hey Grace &
Kerubo,</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">Thanks
for�your summary overview. I wonder aloud whether it should only be the
state�that�maintains this�monopoly over </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">accessibility to
basic </font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">information in as far
as�"<b>Freedom </b>of information" is concerned.</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">Whereas state has
the instruments it can use�to either promote or curtail such freedoms, I
suppose it would also be safe </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">to say that in
quite a number of�</font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">instances, state might be deemed a "lame duck".
</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">How about a
remote Island�sequestered somewhere, about�200 miles�off the
shores of Lake Victoria with no basic </font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">access </font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">to
</font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">communication?</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">Would the
populace there's lack thereof, of basic information access be considered an
infringement on this�fundamental</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">right/liberty by
the state...?</font></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial"></font></span>�</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial">Harry</font></span></div><br>
<div dir="ltr" align="left" lang="en-us">
<hr>
<font face="Tahoma"><b>From:</b> kictanet-bounces+harry=<a href="mailto:comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:kictanet-bounces%2Bharry" target="_blank">kictanet-bounces+harry</a>=<a href="mailto:comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>] <b>On Behalf Of
</b>Grace Githaiga<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 18, <a href="tel:2011%2012" value="+254201112" target="_blank">2011 12</a>:57
AM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:harry@comtelsys.co.ke" target="_blank">harry@comtelsys.co.ke</a><br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br><b>Subject:</b> [kictanet]
Freedom of Information laws/ e- discussion continued<br></font><br></div>
<div>
<div></div>
<div>
<div></div>
<div dir="ltr">Thanks Harry Delano, Washington, Cleophas and Kerubo.
<br>�<br>Harry you raise a good question on�what these terms mean
and whether they are interchangeable. <br>�<br>Washington, you make an
important point about freedom of expression/speech not being absolute, and
Cleophas�affirms your point. <br>�<br>Thanks Kerubo for the
definitions.�Yes, freedom of information�simply means� the
freedom to get certain basic information held by the state, which can enable
one to for example bring a case of human rights violation or any other cause.
<br>�<br>Freedom of expression can mean many things, say freedom to air
your ideas, take a stand, artistic�creativity--simply freedom to express
how you feel. And of course as Washington and Cleophas rightly point
out,�all these freedoms are subject to limitations and therefore not
carte blanche.�<br>�<br>In this case then:<br>
<ul>
<li>Is there conflict between laws on freedom of information and what
citizens demand/require?</li></ul>�<br>Lets hear it from
you.<br>�<br>Rgds<br>Grace<br></div></div></div></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>kictanet
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</blockquote></div><br>