Umthetho oweFreedom of Information, ngomunye wemithetho ebilolongwa ukuze uhulumende akhulule imigoqo ekhona evimba ukuhanjiswa lokwethulwa kwemibiko lezindaba ngokukhululekileyo eZimbabwe ngemva kokwesulwa kwemithetho enjenge AIPPA le POSA ebincindezela amalungelo kazulu wokuthola imbiko lolwazi oluqakathekileyo empilweni yakhe.
Lokhu kutsho ukuba uzulu usengenelisa ukuthola ulwazi lemibiko ephathelane lenhlalakahle yakhe, oluqoqela indlela amankampani kahulumende asebenza ngayo kumbe asebenzisa imali kazulu ngayo.
Umnumzana Kuda Hove owenhlanganiso elawula ukwethulwa kwemibiko ngokukhululekileyo, eye Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) wamukele ngenjabulo lumthetho.
“Namhlanje uhulumende ukhiphe iFreedom of Information Bill kungumthetho okhangelelwe ukuthi unike abantu amalungelo abawathola ku Section 62 eye Constitution ye Zimbabwe, isahluko lesi sikhuluma ngelungelo lokuthola imbiko, kulilungelo elinika abantu abahlala eZimbabwe indlela yopkuthi bethole ulwazi oluphethwe zinhlanganiso zikahulumende kumbe ezizimele zodwa, so ulwazi lolu olukhangelwe ngumthetho lo lumayelana lolwazi abantu abaludingayo ukuze bakholise amalungelo abo. Into engaba ngumzekeliso yikuthi nxa umuntu efuna ukwazi ngezempilokahle yakhe kumbe efuna ukwazi ngezempilo yakhe uyakhwanisa ukuhamba kumbe esibhedlela eyecela ukuthi abone ukuthi isiubhedlela leso silolwazi olunjani ngaye, okwakhathesi asikacubunguli lolugwalo ngokugcweleyo kodwa sizethula umbiko emalangeni azayo”
UHove uphinde wathi loba lumthetho ubunjwe kuhle, uhlupho yikuthi uhulumende akenzi lutho ukujezisa abephula emithetho enje eveza imikhuba yenkohlakalo kungatsha zakhe lakumankampani akhe.
“Kuyinto enhle ukuthi abantu bazenelisa ukuthi behambe kumankampani kahulumende kodwa mina uhlupho lwami olukhulu ayisikho ukuthiu abantu abalalo ulwazi kodwa ungakhangela umzekeliso ka Auditor General lama report akhe. Minyaka yonke uAuditor General ukhipha amareport atshengisa icorruption kodwa kasikaboni lomuntu oyedwa oxotshwa umsebenzi kumbe obotshwayo kodwa ephepheni kuhle ukuthi abantui bazenelisa ukuthola ulwazi lolu. Kodwa njengamaZimbabweans kasilakho ukuhamba siyebuza lolulwazi ngendlela inkampani zikahulumende ezisebenza ngayo
Olwela amalungelo wokutholisisa uzulu ulwazi unkosikazi Faith Ndlovu owenhlanganiso ye Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) uthi laloba bamukele ngenjabulo lumthetho, uhulumende kuzamele abone ukuthi ulinganiswa leminye ekusisekelo sombuso welizwe ukuze kungabi lokuxabana kwale imithetho.
“Esikukhangeleleyo kumthetho lo yikuthi ukhuthaze njalo uvikele amalungelo mkazulu lawo wonke umuntu oseZimbabwe ukuthi akwanise ukuthi athole ulwazi lwembiko aphinde anelise ukukwabelana labanye lolulwazi lwambiko kungela kuncindezela.Sikhangelele ukuthi iFreedom of Information Bill ibe ihambelana leConstitution, sikhangelele ukuthi ihambelane lezivumelwano ezabhalelana phansi nguhulumende lamanye amazwe akhangelane lokuhanjiswa kwembiko okukhululekileyo”
Lumthetho uthi nxa umuntu engacela ulwazi lwembiko ayifunayo emahofisini kahulumende kufanele ayithole phakathi kwensuku ezimbili kodwa nxa lolulwazi lungatholakalanga lelogatsha lulakho ukuphiwa insuku ezilitshumi lane (14 days) ukuthi lwethule lololwazi.
Kodwa abanye abafana loNkosazana Hlengiwe Moyo ongomunye wabatsha uthi abantu bayesaba ukuya emahofisini la ukuyathola lololwazi.
“Umthetho lo owe Freedom of Information Bill ngibona angani awusoze usebenze ngoba khona vele isibindi sokuthi umuntu ayebuzisisa lokhu afuna ukukuzwisisa emahofisini wonawo amakhulu aphezulu uyabe engelaso njalo akala qiniso lokuthi engaphiwa lokhu afuna ukuba kwazi ngakho yini njalo ukuthi akasoze ahlukuluzwe na nxa engathola lolulwazi”
Umthetho oweFreedom of Information Act, wethulwa ngesikhathi uhulumende eqhuba inhlelo emizameni yokuthuthukisa indlela zokuthola kanye lokuhanjiswa kwemibiko lapho akhangelelwe ukuthukulula amagagase abesesipha imvumo yokusungulwa kwemisakazo yezabelweni.
