A senior Zambian official said Friday that the government has finalized work on the Access to Information bill, which was now ready.

Minister of Justice Given Lubinda said his ministry was working on creating systems that will readily avail information to the public.

Journalists and other stakeholders in Zambia have long called for the enactment of the law to ensure easy access to information, but the process to enact the bill has stalled since 2002 when it was initially presented to parliament.

A media body has welcomed the latest announcement, saying it was a positive step.

"The enactment of the Access to Information bill is long overdue as it has stalled since 2002 when it was presented to parliament, with successive governments, making vain promises which have not come to fruition," said Helen Mwale, chairperson of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia Chapter.

She however called for the process to be expedited as sufficient consultation has already been undertaken by the government and other stakeholders in the long period that the bill has been shelved. 

source: Xinhua