SECTOR 1 1.7 Public information is easily accessible, guaranteed by law, to all citizens. Zambia does not have a law guaranteeing access to information, therefore accessing public information within Zambia is difficult. It has been observed that it is “sometimes easier to access information outside the country,” including Zambian publications. It was remarked that in Zambia, “access to information is a very sad story.” “Nobody knows where it [the Access to Information Bill] is, nobody knows its content, and nobody knows the way forward.” Over the last few years, the government has promised to enact an Access to Information Bill but has failed to do so. At one point, the government stated that the Bill could not be enacted “because of certain media houses.” At another stage, it was argued that the Bill had to be reconciled with existing national laws. A consultant was appointed to look into the alignment of legislation but since then “it has been quiet.” When it comes to access to government-held documents, “there is a certain level of lethargy in these institutions.” Public and government websites are often “nonfunctional,” restricting easy access to public information held by government and public institutions. The management of documents often makes it cumbersome to make information accessible. Government institutions often use old archiving systems, i.e. folders and files. There generally seems to be an issue with sufficient and effective financial, human and technical resources, as well as with digitalising information and making documents widely accessible. “There is a willingness,” on the part of the government and public institutions to improve their record-keeping system and the accessibility of information because “80 percent of criticism they face” is due to the unavailability of information from websites or from other means. The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was mentioned as a positive example when it comes to making public information easily accessible. “There is a dire need to have a mindset transformation.” “As long as people are fearful of providing certain information” and there is no law that protects them, the situation is unlikely to improve. There also appears to be an issue about who asks for the information. It is not necessarily about the content but about “who you are and what you may use the information for.” It can occur that government and public institutions refuse to provide information or that they complicate the receipt of requested information by making several requirements to the requester, e.g. drafting request letters, 22 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZAMBIA 2017