MALAWI CATEGORY 2: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION The following questions were sent to the Ministry of Information and Digitalisation: What are some notable policy achievements in digitisation that the Ministry of Information has registered in the past two years? What notable steps has the ministry undertaken in implementing access to information since 2020? What is the ministry doing to ensure that the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation is free from political interference as the country approaches the 2025 elections? Does the ministry have a communications strategy? How many information officers, in relation to the ATI law, have been appointed? y y y y y n = 20 Yes No 1. Is there an official, who is designated to take and respond to information requests? X 2. Did the organisation reply within 21 days? X 3. Did the organisation respond to the request for information? X 4. Does the organisation publish their procedures for handling information requests? X 5. Did the organisation provide all of the requested information? X 6. Did the organisation provide written reasons for the refusal of information? X 7. Did the organisation disclose information about its operations, budgets, structure, etc. X 8. Did the authority provide information without questioning the aims and motivations of the applicant? X 9. Did the organisation acknowledge the request for information within 7 days? Partial Additional information Information officer. X X 10. Was the information received clear and understandable? Total score: 6/20 9. MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UNITY AND CULTURE CATEGORY 1: WEBSITE ANALYSIS www.localgovt.gov.mw The Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture has a functional website but does not have up-to-date information. However, the ministry’s Facebook page contains up-to-date information. n = 20 Yes No Partial Additional information Does the website contain the following: X 1. Up-to-date information? 2. A description of the organisation’s powers and structure, as well as its functions and responsibilities? X 3. A list of laws, acts, etc, issued within the scope of its powers? X 50 Facebook page has up-todate information.