ZAMBIA SUMMARY Institution Website Request for information Total score 1. National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) 10 14 24 2. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) 7 2 9 3. Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare (MCDSW) 0 7 7 4. Ministry of Gender (MoG) 11 0 11 5. 11 0 11 Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS) 6. Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) 6 2 8 7. 12 12 24 14 2 16 Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) 8. Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS It is a fundamental human right to ask for and receive information held by public institutions and bodies. It is critically important to make sure that information held by public and, in some cases, private institutions is made available and accessible to citizens. The right to seek, receive and impart information has been guaranteed by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, and Article 4 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa. However, this research concludes that a culture of secrecy dominates government and public institutions in Zambia making them among the most secretive in the Southern African Region. This makes it almost impossible for Zambian citizens to access relevant information. While the institutions faired well in the utilisation of ICTs to provide infor-mation to the public, their handling of information requests was dismal and a threat to the people’s right to know. THE MOST SECRETIVE PUBLIC INSTITUTION IN ZAMBIA Based on this research, the most secretive institution is the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare (MCDSW). The Ministry is critical to the welfare of Zambians and thus should be at the forefront of making relevant information proactively available to citizens using any available means, including its website. The MCDSW would do well to invest in its social media presence as well as work on responding to requests for information. The institution urgently needs to evaluate its role as a public institution and determine how it can serve citizens better. In its current state, it is difficult to take the Ministry seriously as custodian of the country’s social welfare services. Therefore the recipient of the 2018 Golden Padlock Award, for being the most secretive and non-transparent public institution of those reviewed, is the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare. THE MOST OPEN PUBLIC INSTITUTION IN ZAMBIA Both the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) and the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) scored a total of 24 points. Although the ZPPA has a more informative website, the NRFA scored better in the information request category. The NRFA was helpful; they acknowledged receipt of the information request and asked the researcher to collect a written response, which was submitted to their offices eight days earlier. The institution also scheduled an appointment with the Public Relations Manager so that the researcher could discuss the information request in more detail. The NRFA is therefore the most open and transparent government institution in Zambia. Using international standards and principles on access to information and the criteria set for this research, this institution faired well. The institution responded to the request for information within a few days. The NRFA could improve its standing by regularly updating its website, which nevertheless contains useful information. The National Road Fund Agency is the recipient of the 2018 Golden Key Award for being the most open and transparent government institution of those reviewed. The Zambia Public Procurement Authority came in a close second. 99