The current Access to Information Law is vital in highlighting corruption cases, the Office of the Ombudsman has said. This was during a workshop that brought together journalists and communications officers from public and private institutions. The workshop, held on Thursday, aimed at discussing the access to information law and the related ministerial orders. The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Ombudsman, Xavier Mbarubukeye, said the journalists should at all times be in position to get information from information officers. “The Access to Information Law is an avenue that journalists and the public can use to investigate and expose corruption cases as a way to cracking down on the vice,” Mbarubukeye said. “If people are reluctant to release information, it’s an indication that they are hiding something. The role of journalists and information officers in disseminating information is vital to the public,” he added. Marie Louise Uwizeyimana, the vice president of the Rwanda Journalists Association, said some institutions lack experienced information officers which hinders access to information. “Some information officers despise journalists so much they tell them that they can’t avail them with information because they don’t come from prominent media houses. I believe this law will help address such issues,” she noted. Gerald Mbanda, Head of Media and Communication Division at Rwanda Governance Board, said disseminating information was important in improving service delivery. “Journalists should not only seek information from institutions during time of crises,” Mbanda explained. The Ombudsman’s Office said that ever since the law came into force last year, they had received 11 cases related to failure to access information. Jean Aime Kajangana, the officer in charge of monitoring the leadership code of conduct at the Ombudsman’s Office, indicated that only journalists have protested after failing to access information. “The public needs to know that the Access to Information Law caters for everyone. Anyone who is denied information after three days can write to or file a complaint at the Ombudsman’s Office. Most public and private institutions have submitted the identities of information officers in charge of disseminating information and their contacts are published on our website,” Kajangana disclosed. The workshop was organised by the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), Office of the Ombudsman and the Rwanda Journalists Association (ARJ).
