SECTOR 1 Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 3.3 (2010: 4.2; 2007:3.9) 1.8 Public information is easily accessible, guaranteed by law, to all citizens. In April 2011, the government signed into law long-awaited regulations for implementing Uganda’s Access to Information (ATI) Act of 2005. The Act and the subsequent regulations are supposed to give effect to Article 41 of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens the “right to access information in possession of the State or any other organ or agency of the State except where the release of the information is likely to prejudice the security or sovereignty of the State or interfere with the right to the privacy of any other person”. The purpose of the 2005 ATI Act, outlined in Article 3, is to: • • • • • Promote an efficient, effective, transparent and accountable Government; Give effect to article 41 of the Constitution by providing the right of access to information held by organs of the State, other than exempt records and information; Protect persons disclosing evidence of contravention of the law, maladministration or corruption in Government bodies; Promote transparency and accountability in all organs of the State by providing the public with timely, accessible and accurate information; and Empower the public to effectively scrutinise and participate in Government decisions that affect them. However, Section 31 of the Act permits government to withhold information related to the operation of public bodies. Meanwhile, Section 27(1)(c)(i) permits the government to withhold commercial information that, if released, could put the third party “at a disadvantage in contractual or commercial negotiations”. Both limitations are open to broad interpretation. 22 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER UGANDA 2012