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:

4.7 (2005 = 2.5; 2007 = 1.4; 2009 = 3.5)

1.8
Public information is easily
guaranteed by law, to all citizens.

accessible,

Access to public information is not easy in Mozambique. Moreover, there is no
ordinary law regulating conditions for access to information that is in the public
interest.
Article 3, paragraph 1 of the Press Law states that “as regards the press, the right
to information means the ability of each citizen to inform and be informed about
facts and opinions on a national and international level, as well as the right of each
citizen to disseminate information, opinions and ideas through the press”.
he Constitution of the Republic merely states that “every citizen has the right
to freedom of expression, press freedom and the right to information”. So the
Constitution is not only silent on the content of this right, but also states that
enjoyment of this right is to be regulated by ordinary law regulations (paragraph 6
of Article 48) which have never been approved.
Participants reiterated the need for a law on the Right to Information, to make the
constitutional guarantee operational, and thereby reduce the problems associated
with accessing public information. In this regard, participants regretted that
despite a great deal of pressure by civil society organisations and international
partners, Parliament continues to delay setting a debate on the Bill on the Right to
Information, brought forward by MISA Mozambique in November 2005.
With the growth of the country’s extractive industry, various civil society
organisations have been demanding greater transparency with regards to natural
resource management. hey want the content of contracts the government has
signed with multinationals in this industry, and that are being kept secret, to be
revealed.

86

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MOZAMBIQUE 2011

Select target paragraph3