SCORES: Individual scores: 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 5 Average score: 4.6 1.5 Protection of confidential sources of information is guaranteed by law. ANALYSIS: There is no law in Zambia to protect confidential sources of information (or whistleblowers). The absence of such a law undermines mutual confidence between journalists and their sources and thus freedom of expression as it inhibits sources from disclosing information for fear of being named. The Prohibition and Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2001 imposes an obligation on anyone reasonably expected to know that someone is involved in money laundering to report such person to the authorities. This obligation extends to a journalist who acquires such knowledge in the course of story sourcing and, in effect, undermines the principle of source confidentiality. The media fraternity has made a submission to the Constitution Review Commission for the legal protection of sources. SCORES: Individual scores: 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1 Average score: 1.2 1.6 Public information is easily accessible, guaranteed by law, to all citizens, including journalists. ANALYSIS: Zambia has not yet enacted a freedom of information law. What is still in effect is the State Security Act which prohibits disclosure of government-held information. As a result government operations are, for the most part, shrouded in secrecy. Access to government-held information is not seen as a right but as a privilege. Government’s policy is still based on the principle of need-to-know. Unorthodox means of information gathering put journalists in danger of violating the law: an impediment to investigative journalism. A Freedom of Information Bill was tabled in parliament but later withdrawn by government in December 2001 citing the events of 9/11 as a reason and promising further consultations. A campaign is under way by the media fraternity and civil society to force the government to re-introduce the bill for enactment by parliament. SCORES: Individual scores: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 Average score: 1 So This Is Democracy? 2005 -266- Media Institute of Southern Africa