Rosemary,
 
Thank you for this document. However, in the age we live in now widely refered to as  the "Digital information age", I think
the platform document needs to be reviewed widely, to adequately capture the change of times...
 
We now live in an age where Digital information has become part and parcel of our day to day life, and this needs to be comprehensively
covered in any call to action efforts in information access, and the main Digital information/Communication players brought into the fold to
augument these efforts. The rallying call now should be geared towards action and achieving results against set benchmarks. If I could
borrow from the PS' earlier view for instance, if we make sustained efforts in the next 6 months towards facilitating information access to
farmers in Ukambani to grow cassava and water melon as opposed to maize, one of your benchmarks could be to determine "How much
acreage" is converted from maize to the new crop as a result, and the accrued benefits thereof. This might be for instance what I call,
"The information value chain management".
 
Our home bred solutions, as we take on the key challenges we face boldly, will definitely work out well for us..
 
Harry
 
From: kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Rosemary Okello
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 5:22 PM
To: harry@comtelsys.co.ke
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Freedom of Information laws/ e- discussion continued

Dear Kerubo,

 

This is an excellent discussions and the duty bearer here is the state. Access to information  cannot succeed unless the Government takes the initiative  in ensuring  the development of the legislation and ensuring its implementation. Maybe we can borrow from the  Platform on Access to Information declaration which was  launched in Cape Town s( see attached) and a number of media personalities in Kenya were part of it.

 

Rosemary Okello Orlale

Executive Director
African Woman and Child Feature Service
P.O.BOx 48197 00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel. 254-20-2724756,2720554
Fax: 254-20-2718469
Website: www.awcfs.org

Description: AWC logo

 

 

 

From: kictanet-bounces+rookello=awcfs.org@lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+rookello=awcfs.org@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Kerubo Ombati
Sent: 18 October 2011 12:35
To: rookello@awcfs.org
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Freedom of Information laws/ e- discussion continued

 

Hi Listers,

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

Regards,
Kerubo

On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 10:10 AM, Harry Delano <harry@comtelsys.co.ke> wrote:

Hey Grace & Kerubo,

 

Thanks for your summary overview. I wonder aloud whether it should only be the state that maintains this monopoly over

accessibility to basic information in as far as "Freedom of information" is concerned.

 

Whereas state has the instruments it can use to either promote or curtail such freedoms, I suppose it would also be safe

to say that in quite a number of instances, state might be deemed a "lame duck".

 

How about a remote Island sequestered somewhere, about 200 miles off the shores of Lake Victoria with no basic access

to communication?

 

Would the populace there's lack thereof, of basic information access be considered an infringement on this fundamental

right/liberty by the state...?

 

Harry

 

From: kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Grace Githaiga
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 12:57 AM
To: harry@comtelsys.co.ke
Cc: kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
Subject: [kictanet] Freedom of Information laws/ e- discussion continued

Thanks Harry Delano, Washington, Cleophas and Kerubo.
 
Harry you raise a good question on what these terms mean and whether they are interchangeable.
 
Washington, you make an important point about freedom of expression/speech not being absolute, and Cleophas affirms your point.
 
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.
 
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. 
 
In this case then:

  • Is there conflict between laws on freedom of information and what citizens demand/require?


Lets hear it from you.
 
Rgds
Grace


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