Local leaders tipped on access to information

Rwamagana – Local leaders in the Eastern Province have been urged to avail the media with public information which is guaranteed by the new law guaranteeing access to information expected to be passed soon.Addressing mayors, District Police Commanders, District Public Relations officers and journalists in Rwamagana, yesterday, the Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda GovernanceBoard, Prof. Anastase Shyaka, noted that free access to information was of paramount importance in society.According to Article 79 of the media law, whoever conceals information is liable to a fine ranging from Rwf 100,000 to 300,000.“Access to information paves way for democracy and transparency…values of good governance are accrued in access to information,” he said.The Media Development Coordinator at RGB, Ignatius Kabagambe, said media transformation was mindful of Rwanda’s past, noting that information was a fundamental right. “We are set to promote media literacy…it is a correct assumption that media promotes development. Another law will see for example the status of ORINFOR change…it is all for purposes of quality assurance,” he said.The local leaders complained that some sections of the media were against development programmes.“There are identified gaps in communication; some wrong information is reported on radios. This is because journalists ask wrong people in leadership,” he said.Mayor Protais Murayire of Kirehe, however, noted that local leaders should also know that journalists, like local leaders, aim at building society.“We must agree that we work to develop our society…why should we hide facts from journalists? We have to streamline how we work with journalists in future for the development of our country,” he said.

National

Local leaders tipped on access to information