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If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!<br><br><br><div><div id="SkyDrivePlaceholder"></div><hr id="stopSpelling">Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:12:32 -0400<br>Subject: CLD Releases Analysis of Draft Kenyan Freedom of Information Bill<br>From: press@law-democracy.org<br>To: toby@law-democracy.org<br><br><img src="cid:ii_134f64de09579183" alt="mass emails logo.jpg" title="mass emails logo.jpg"><br><div>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><i> </i></span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><i>19 January 2012: For immediate release</i></span></p>
<h1 align="center" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#186498;text-decoration:none">Analysis of
Draft Kenyan Freedom of Information Bill</span></h1>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria">The Centre for Law and
Democracy today published its analysis of the draft Kenyan Freedom of
Information Bill. The draft Bill was prepared following a wide stakeholder
consultation in November 2011, and it represents a harmonised version of
earlier government and civil society drafts</span><span style="font-family:Cambria">. It is hoped that the current process will finally bring to fruition
the long-standing campaign for right to information legislation in Kenya.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"></span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria">“<i>The draft Bill is an
impressive document which scored very highly on our RTI Rating</i></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria">”, said Toby
Mendel, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy. “<i>At the same
time, we are recommending a number of further improvements to help ensure full
implementation of the right to information.</i></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria">”</span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria;color:#262626"> </span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Cambria">The
draft Bill has a number of strengths, including its wide scope, the narrow
regime of exceptions and the establishment of an independent and powerful
oversight body. A number of CLD’s recommendations are fairly technical in
nature, and should be relatively uncontroversial to implement. Some of our key
recommendations are:<b></b></span></p>
<ul style="" type="disc">
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style="color:#262626;text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Cambria;color:windowtext">The
rules on access to information held by private bodies should be better
integrated into the law.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"></span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style="color:#262626;text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Cambria;color:windowtext">The
right of access should apply to everyone, not just citizens.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"></span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style="color:#262626;text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Cambria;color:windowtext">The
scope of the proactive publication obligations should be extended.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"></span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style="color:#262626;text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Cambria;color:windowtext">Some
of the exceptions should be further limited.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"></span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style="color:#262626;text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Cambria;color:windowtext">It
should be clear that public authorities bear the burden of proof in
appeals against their decisions.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"></span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style="color:#262626;text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Cambria;color:windowtext">The
rules on punishment for obstruction of access should be extended.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"></span></li>
<li class="ecxMsoNormal" style="color:#262626;text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Cambria;color:windowtext">A
full system for improving record management standards should be put in
place.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria;color:#262626"> </span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria;color:#262626">The full
Commentary is available at: <a href="http://www.law-democracy.org/?p=1600" target="_blank">http://www.law-democracy.org/?p=1600</a><b></b></span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria;color:#186498"><b><i> </i></b></span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria;color:#262626">The RTI
Rating, developed by CLD and Access Info Europe, is available at:
<a href="http://www.RTI-rating.org" target="_blank">www.RTI-rating.org</a>.</span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria;color:#186498"><b><i> </i></b></span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria;color:#186498"><b><i>For further information, please contact: </i></b></span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria">Toby Mendel</span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria">Executive Director</span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria">Centre for Law and Democracy</span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria">email: <a href="mailto:toby@law-democracy.org">toby@law-democracy.org</a>
</span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria">tel: +1 902 431-3688</span></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Cambria"><a href="http://www.law-democracy.org" target="_blank">www.law-democracy.org</a></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
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