A Hot Debate On the Access to Information in Rwanda

Sunday, 28, July, 2013,at the Isango Star ,journalists debated on the Law that legally allows them  to have an access to information. They debated on hindrances posed by institutional frameworks and on how they deal with them.

Muvunyi Fred launched the debate by reminding that the Law stipulates that anyone be it journalist or other has a right on information access and share it.

Responding to Ayanone question on whether public institutions and citizens in general know the law,Mr Barore Chreophas said that normally  once a law is made public none has the right to ignore it.

He added that journalists particularly do not have access to news not due to the institutional denial to provide news but rather due to personal attitudes of  a official to provide them.

Backing him, John Williams Ntwali added that denial to provide news to journalist is a serious problem.

Office managers have set a new method to withhold news through unceasing appointments, he revealed

“It is overwhelmingly discouraging to hear  a speaker of a given institution telling you to call him tomorrow  while the news you  are searching for are likely to get outdated very soon” said John Williams Ntwali.

Ntwali added that bureaucracy poses a big barrier to have access to news. Some officials do not provide news saying that it is not on their duty to do so.

Mr Kim Kamasa ,speaking on behalf of the public institution, responded that this misbehavior is not to be generalized to all institutions.

“It can be a case from one public servant not a generalized problem concerning a institution” Mr Kamasa added ,argument he shared with Barore C.

Kamasa reminded the journalists  that they exist different ways to get access to information, via Tweeter,Online websites or anywhere.So according to him ‘doors are open for anyone wishing  to have access to information’.

Ntwali alongside Barore refuted this views saying that these channels of information are meant to publish officials’ views not views and concerns of the citizens.

Barore Chreophas underlined the fact the news pertaining to local citizens are hidden or not fully provided.

Ntwali revealed another misbehavior whereby district officials require a written letter to ask them some information on issues of public interest.

Kim ,reacting to this, said that this is mistake on behalf of these officials but that this should not be set as a institutional problem that qualify it as ineffective.

In the second round of the show,Solange Ayanone brought in another issue known as ‘Giti’(an amount of money reporters are accused to asking in order o cover some stories),an issue that Solange thought it is a barrier for information accessibility.

Barore Chreophas, being a Chief Editor at RTV ,denied that this is a problem as, according to him, a reporter who asks for it does not behave as a professional .For him it is an isolated case.

During the time reserved for public to react to the motion of the day, some listeners thanked the planners of the show .Others tweeted that poor access to information is a common issue that hinder the effectiveness of the journalism as a professionalism .

This show takes place every Sunday,Morning 9h00′ up to 10h:00. It is under the Sponsorship of European Union and passes on Radio ISANGO Star under with the partnership of ARJ (Association Rwandaise des Journalistes).It focuses on current issues that interested journalists throughout the ending week

Nizeyimana Jean Pierre 

UM– USEKE.RW