INTRODUCTION After several years of empty promises by the Namibian government to pass the Access to Information (ATI) law, the bill has finally been tabled in parliament. This long-awaited development was welcomed, not only by Namibian civil society players, but also by regional and international groups who have supported efforts to lobby the Namibian government to expedite the promulgation of an ATI framework. However, the findings of this study show that public officials and citizens still need to be educated on the importance of ATI in people’s lives. The lack of this understanding has led to limited citizen participation in the national discourse. Government organisations seem to have taken advantage of this and have become more secretive, often using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to not provide information. Against this backdrop, it is difficult for ordinary Namibians to access public information. Furthermore, there has been public outcry that the lack of quality information in the public domain, especially in grassroot communities, impacted the results of the 2019 general elections. Many claim that the majority of rural votes were constituted by uninformed voters. In addition, there is also a lack of additional sectoral and other laws which could support access to information. The Whistleblower Protection and Witness Protections Acts of 2017 remain non-operational despite a clear need for such legislation. Ultimately, this research study shows that access to information in Namibia remains limited and heavily dependent on the information sought, who is requesting it, and which public organisation it is requested from. RATIONALE AND RESEARCH PARAMETERS AIM OF THE STUDY Access to information is an important ingredient for a functional democracy. The importance of public participation in promoting transparency and good governance cannot be undermined. This study investigated the extent to which public organisations provide public information to Namibian citizens, as well as to examine the level of transparency in government. The research was conducted from 17 July–12 August 2020. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY y To determine which organisations (both government and public) provide information to citizens upon request, timeously and with relative ease. y To determine which organisations (both government and public) utilise online platforms to promote access to information. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The research adopts both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection, and seeks to evaluate the level of public access to information held by government and public organisations. Each MISA Chapter conducts research by evaluating the websites of government and public organisations along with submitting written requests for information. This method seeks to establish the transparency and efficiency of government and public organisations in providing information to the public. All organisations were given 21 days to respond to requests for information. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE y Many public organisations demanded a formal letter identifying who sought the information, and why, before being willing to supply the information requested. y The COVID-19 pandemic has also negatively affected the flow of information as many public organisations consistently used the pandemic as an excuse to not provide the information requested. 130 NAMIBIA TRANSPARENCY ASSESSMENT REPORT