News - Africa Freedom of Information Centre

Agriculture Critical Issues for Government’s attention

Through the World Bank-supported Global Programme for Social Accountability (GPSA) under the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) in collaboration with the Uganda Contracts Monitoring Coalition (UCMC) undertook a process of monitoring the agriculture procurement process in selected districts of Ntungamo, Nebbi, Mubende and, Nakaseke to ascertain the efficiency of agricultural contracts’ execution and thereafter […]

Change is Possible with Citizens’ Participation in Contracts Monitoring

In 2016, Africa Freedom of Information Center (AFIC) in collaboration with the Uganda Contracts Monitoring Coalition (UCMC) recruited and trained 40 community monitors in Ntungamo district on access to information and contract monitoring with support from the World Bank’s Global Social Accountability Partnership. Over the past three years, Kenneth Mushabe, one of the training beneficiaries […]

Community Monitor’s vigilance leads to improved learning outcomes

Until February 2017, Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC)’s and Uganda Contracts Monitoring Coalition (UCMC)’s efforts to access contracts in the select local governments were futile because contracts’ information disclosure was a new animal in the eyes and ears of the public officials. Most of the public officials didn’t understand this whole phenomenal until they […]

Condolences for the loss of Board Member, Mr Alfredo Cantero

Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC)- CoST International’s- Africa Regional Manager has learned with deep regret the demise of our friend and leader, Mr Alfredo Jose Cantero. Alfredo believed that transparency matters and that public officials were important in making transparency deliver for the people. This was his passion. His message and experience shared with […]

Uganda Launches Framework for Collaborating with CSOs to Improve Public Procurement Outcomes

Uganda’s Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Mr Matia Kasaija has launched a Framework for Collaboration between the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Procuring and Disposing Entities (PDEs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to improve procurement outcomes. The launch took place at the opening of the Public Procurement Performance Review […]

Exclusive Interview with Executive Director, AFIC on the International Day of Universal Access to Information

AFIC has supported campaigns for the adoption of ATI laws in many African countries and this continues as more than half of African Union member states are yet to make progress of on this SDG target regarding adoption and implementation of access to information laws

Why Access to Information is critical for citizens and governments

Citizens should care because information allows them to participate in priority setting and decision-making, to hold their government accountable, and to assure equal treatment and equal justice

Rethinking the Role of Media in Promoting Effective Social Accountability

Media plays a crucial role in facilitating democracy and promoting rights and equitable development.

Making Open Contracting a Norm: Open Contracting Module Incorporated in the Public Procurement and Contract Management Training.

Having partnered with Public Procurement and Disposal Authority to redesign the Government Procurement Portal, AFIC realizes that there is need to increase disclosure levels on the portal and inculcating open contracting in the norm of public procurement of Uganda.

AU – EU Civil Society Seminar – Ensuring respect for human rights in the context of migration and forced displacement

Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) was among the 40 African and European Civil Society including diaspora, that participated in the 9th African Union-European Union Civil Society Seminar on Human Rights which was held in Banjul on 15-16 October 2019. This year’s Civil Society seminar discussions centred on “Ensuring respect for Human Rights in the […]

The United Nations General Assembly Proclaims 28th September as the International Day for Universal Access to Information

We observe, especially in Africa, that individual agencies among the 24 countries that have adopted ATI laws neither allocate budgetary provision nor put in place procedures for effective implementation.

CoST African members convene in Addis Ababa

It notes that informed citizens and responsive public institutions help to drive the needed reforms that ensured mismanagement, inefficiencies, corruption and the risks posed to the public from poor infrastructure are minimized.

Africa Freedom of Information Centre Strongly Condemns Violence Against Journalists in Uganda

It has been reported that Godfrey Twesigye of NTV, Alex Esagala Nation Media Group and Stephen Mbidde NTV among others were performing their duty covering exchanges between students and the military, were attacked by soldiers, physically injuring them and traumatizing them emotionally.

Open contracting: The bricks and mortar of public benefit!

Every year, governments spend huge sums of money through contracts, on everything from pencils and paper to building major infrastructure projects such as airports. Open contracting is the bricks and mortar of public benefit, where taxpayers’ money gets converted into schools, roads and hospitals, into things that ordinary people really care about. Open contracting is […]

Access To Information and Elections in Africa

The right of access to information guaranteed by Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter) is an invaluable component of democracy, as it goes a long way in facilitating participation in public affairs. The importance of the right of access to information is underpinned by the fact that […]

Our Principles

In light of the foregoing, we call on governments in Africa to work with civil society organisations to draft bills and adopt laws that respect, at a minimum, the following principles: Access to information is the right of everyone: Anyone may request information. There should be no citizenship requirements and no need to justify why […]

State of Right of Access to Information in Africa Report in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals

The right of access to information is a fundamental freedom and a human right, an integral part of the right to freedom of expression and the associated right to media freedom. Numerous international and regional intergovernmental organizations have recognized access to information in their conventions and protocols. In Africa, 21 out of the 54 countries (39%) […]

Partnerships and Networking

AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION: AFIC has collaborated with the African Union Commission especially the Department of Political Affairs as well as the Department of Civil Society and Diaspora. Our collaboration has centred on promoting the advancement of the right of access to information in Africa in the context of six African Union treaties that recognize the […]

Message from the Executive Director at the commemoration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information

We are grateful to our membership for the dedication and commitment to generating and sharing knowledge on Access to Information in Africa.

Our Donors

THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE FACILITY: Africa Freedom of Information Centre received a second grant and entered into an agreement with the Democratic Governance Facility to implement a two-year project titled, ”Enhancing Value for Money in Social Services through Open Contracting and Citizens’ Access to Information. AFIC will advocate for increased citizens’ demand for access to information […]

CBS Radio Interview on ATI

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.

Finance Minister on Open Contracting

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.

AFIC Team Leader on ATI

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.

ACHPR must expand, not limit civil society participation

This article was originally published on the IFEX website. The original can be found here. Twenty-eight civil society groups are calling on the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights to broaden rather than limit civil society observation and participation in its activities. The Chairperson,African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, CC: HE. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, […]

Campaign for an International Day on Universal Access to Information Gets Huge Boost

The campaign for proclaiming September 28th as the International Day for Universal Access to Information got a major boost on July 16, 2019 when the Republic of Liberia announced that it will sponsor the United Nations General Assembly on the matter. The announcement was made during a coordinating meeting held at the side lines of […]

Matooke over lunch – A meal like no other at the World Bank

It was on July 10, 2019 when the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) was invited by the World Bank Country Office in Uganda to its special Matooke Lunch. The matooke lunch is a very competitive meeting space to which the Bank selectively invites institutions and individuals with topical issues that are of interest to […]

Road to 2030: Access to Information in the driver’s seat

GFMD, in collaboration with Deutsche Welle Akademie and Free Press Unlimited, in consultation with the Centre for Law and Democracy and Africa Freedom of Information Centre are pleased to announce the release of the “Road to 2030: Access to Information in the driver’s seat” – a report on the state of public Access to Information (ATI) in ten Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) countries. The […]

Access to Information gains momentum in New York

“As a country that has experienced conflict and a major public health crisis such as the Ebola pandemic, Liberia appreciates the value of access to information in combating problems of this scale, and knows firsthand what lack of information can mean for a society – the difference between life and death.” This statement was part […]

Several dozen flock to UNODC training

Close to 80 people flocked to the Fairway Hotel and Spa for a workshop aimed at skilling a select set of women, men and the youth who are presently involved in private business with corruption fighting skills in Kampala. The meeting was organised by the Africa Freedom of Information Society with support from the United […]

GPSA MANAGER: CITIZENS MUST HAVE SAY IN GOVERNANCE

Jeff Thindwa, the Program Manager for the Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA) in the Governance Global Practice at the World Bank. He was in Uganda earlier in April to attend the Africa Freedom of Information (AFIC) and World Bank – Uganda Country office organised Social Accountability Learning Symposium held at the Hotel Africana. […]

Minister Bahati lauds AFIC for people centred activities

The Minister of State for Planning in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. David Bahati, has lauded the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) for putting people at the fore front of the programmes they support. “I appreciate the support of World Bank and the Africa Freedom of Information Centre together […]

AFIC’s ED gets second nod to IFEX Governing Council

The Africa Freedom of Information Centre’s executive director, Mr. Gilbert Sendugwa has been elected to the governing council of IFEX for a consecutive two-year term. IFEX, the International Freedom of Expression Exchange, is an umbrella body that brings together over 120 civil society organisations spanning all continents and is made up of journalists, artists, […]

AFIC congratulates Ghana on ATI law

The Africa Freedom of Information Centre joins the freedom of information advocates worldwide in congratulating Ghana over the passing of its Right to Information law. This has come after about two decades of protracted talks and a number of changes at Osu Castle, the Presidential residence in Ghana, the Right to Information legislation has finally […]

Government Procurement Portal redesigned with users’ needs in mind

Monitoring and tracking public contracts has been an important part of our work at Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC). Now, we’ll have better data and more opportunities to do so. This wasn’t always the case. We went through a period of frustration especially between April – August, 2018, when the Ugandan Government Procurement Portal […]

Making Public Contracts Work for People: Experiences from Uganda

Human capital development in developing countries is affected by lack of adequate investment and leakage of the little resources that are devoted to uplift communities. What happened to the Kasenge Primary School in northwest Uganda’s Nebbi District can help illustrate this. In 1994 the community, with the help of the […]

African countries affirm to enhance Infrastructure Transparency – CoST

Over the last nine years, four African countries – Ethiopia, Malawi, Uganda and Tanzania have made concerted effort towards institutional reform for transparency and citizen participation in infrastructure with focus on strengthening policy and institutional frameworks, by embracing CoST – the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative. To consolidate these gains and respond to the growing demand, CoST […]

CoST-Bridging The Infrastructure Transparency Gap In Uganda

This extract was published in the Ministry of Works and Transport Handbook, 2018; CoST – the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative is the leading global initiative improving transparency and accountability in public infrastructure. CoST works with government, industry and civil society to promote the disclosure, validation and interpretation of data from infrastructure projects. This helps to inform and empower citizens and enables […]

AFIC Software developer Job description

OVERVIEW Authority. The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) was established under the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act 2003. Under the Act and the Regulations issued there under, the Authority is mandated to regulate  public procurement and disposal of public assets in the Uganda. The Authority regulates over 300 procuring and disposing entities (PDEs). Africa Freedom of Information […]

Empowering citizens to influence change: Experience from GPSA project in Uganda

According to Article 38 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995, every Ugandan has a right to participate in the affairs of the government individually and or through his or her representatives in accordance with the law. With funding from the World Bank’s Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA), the Africa Freedom of […]

What Next After Disclosure: Initiative to Develop Use Cases for Public Procurement Data in Uganda

Since 2014, AFIC has prioritised citizens’ access to and use of public contracting information (open contracting) to advance reforms in public procurement, a complex yet one of the most important sectors of the economy in Africa. In 2015, AFIC started a campaign for African governments to recognise the importance of open contracting to improving efficiency, […]

Light in the Tunnel: Scaling Up Open Contracting to improve public contracting outcomes in Africa

Governments worldwide spend over $9.5 trillion annually in public contracting. However, in Africa, an increase of the budget allocated to economic and social development do not match the quality and quantity of the public service delivery. One of the attributes to the poor services delivery has been a lack of public participation in government projects […]

Building a strong CoST Africa: AFIC Appointed CoST Africa Regional Manager

With humility AFIC is pleased at its being appointed by CoST- Infrastructure Transparency Initiative as Africa Regional Manager. The appointment represents a strong confidence and recognition of the work AFIC has done in facilitating the growth of CoST Uganda and its open contracting portfolio in general. AFIC has over the past 18 month been hosting […]

National Forum Calls on Uganda Government to Increase Funding for Oversight Bodies to improve Service Delivery

Participants of a multi-stakeholder accountability forum organised by Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) in partnership with Oxfam have made an urgent call for government to increase funding for accountability institutions such as the Inspectorate of Government, Office of the Auditor General and the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority. Participants also called […]

A case of access to information in Uganda

The right of access to information is tightly linked to other fundamental rights such as access to education, health or food. It is also necessary for realising an open, transparent and accountable governance. Without information, citizens are unable to identify causes of poor public service delivery, monitor the effectiveness of their rights and ask for […]

Ghana Parliament delays RTI Bill debate

The Ghana parliament has postponed the debate on the RTI bill over fears of possible abuse related to the exemption clauses. The decision has been taken in order to give parliamentarians room for extensive consultations. Members disagreed on one of the ten clauses relating to the exemptions for the Office of the President, his Vice […]

Disclosure of election funding necessary

Although elections and access to information are critical issues of governance, to access information on election funding is quite challenging in Uganda and Sengal. This is because of the absence of a law that mandates the practice. From the study conducted by AFIC and Article 19 West Africa on election financing in Uganda and […]

Political Inteferance Hindering Success of Government Projects

Public projects and contracts are intended to improve the lives and livelihoods of the citizens in the country. However, most of the public contracts in Uganda don’t fully achieve their goal due to political interference from leaders who have become the main beneficiaries instead of the citizens. Speaking during a stakeholder workshop on enhancing […]

Kenyan Assembly approves Access to Information bill

On Thursday 28th April, the Kenya National Assembly remarkably approved the Access to information Bill. The bill allows the public to seek for any information from government, and obligates public servants to make sure they provide that information, or risk bulky fines or jail terms. In addition, the bill gives government authority to reject any […]

Oaths of Secrecy a challenge in access to information and Open Contracting, Nebbi

During the stakeholder workshop on access to information and open contracting in Nebbi district, participants noted that public officials do not release information requested from them. However, in shield one of the public officials, Patrick Wamala, senior education officer Nebbi, noted that the nature of contracts they signed do not permit them to reveal the […]

Ghana Court orders disclosures based on the Constitution provision

A human rights court in Ghana has ordered for the disclosure of the controversial contract between the Ministry of Transport and Smartyy’s Productions for the rebranding of 116 buses, and documents relating to the contract, following legal action by seven Ghanaians and citing the below stated article. The ruling states: “… under Article 21(1) […]

Mali in the process of creating a media watchdog

On Tuesday April 13th 2016, during the 58th Session, the ACHPR’s deliberated on Mali’s State Report. The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information and also the Chairperson to the commission appreciated the plurality of media in Mali. However, she sought clarity on some issues among which put to task […]

Redesigned Nigerian Website to receive online FOI requests

Right To Know (R2K), Nigeria and the Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR) have launched a Freedom of Information portal designed to receive electronic FOI requests to the bureau. Being the first of its kind by any public institution in Nigeria, the innovative website has made it possible for the BPSR to fulfill its various […]

Togo votes for freedom of access to information law

The Togo National Assembly voted for a law on the freedom of access to information and public material. Although the constitution and other laws in Togo protect the freedom of speech and the press, enforcement has been problematic for a very long time. Togo did not have a law guaranteeing access to information, and […]

Tunisia Assembly approves Freedom of Information law

The Assembly of people’s representatives has overwhelmingly adopted the freedom of information law with a vote of 123-0 despite of no abstention. However, the bill has undergone several amendments before its passage and these include: • Bodies covered. Under Article 3, the bodies have been expanded to include all bodies in Tunisia: Internal or […]

AFIC members elect new Governing Council

The Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) convened a two day General Assembly in Kampala, Uganda, from the 3-4 March 2016, during which its members elected a new Governing Council. Those elected to the Governing Council are: Mr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai (Executive Director of Society for Democratic Initiatives in Sierra Leone) as Chair; Ms […]

Access to information aids tracking of non-delivered teaching and learning materials in Malawi

For close to two years, government schools in the district of Kasungu located in the central region of Malawi were faced chronic shortages of teaching and learning materials despite Parliament’s approval of funds to cater for the need. Resultantly, the delivery and acquisition of knowledge was negatively affected. The critical casualties were the learners. In […]

African Union Human Rights body Urges Malawi, Uganda and Nigeria to Promote Freedom of Expression and Access to Information

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has called on the Governments of Malawi, Uganda and Nigeria to implement the right to information and promote freedom of expression in respective countries. The call was contained in ACHPR’s Concluding Observations and Recommendations issued following the consideration of the countries’ respective State Reports during the […]

Malawi Advocacy groups disappointed in Revised ATI bill, desire reverse

The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and the Centre for Development of People (Cedep) in a statement made available to Nyasa Times expressed their “disappointment” in the “undemocratic elements” in recently approved ATI bill by cabinet. Citing that vital sections in the bill have been removed by the president referring to them as […]

AFIC CONDEMNS SOCIAL MEDIA BLOCKING IN UGANDA

AFIC condemns Ugandan Authorities for blocking social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and also mobile network services of sending and receiving money which lasted for three days during the recent presidential and parliamentary elections. This move restricted access to social media as voters went voters went to the polls on the 18th of February 2016 […]

Get In Touch

Blog

Join Us By Becoming A Member

Quick Links

Contact Info

Subscribe