Journalists’ experiences with access to information legislation in East Africa
Freedom of and access to information are often considered a fundamental necessity for journalists in the fulfilment of their duties and as pillar of well-functioning democracies. In recent times, more focus has been placed upon considering the existence of legislation and regulation that makes this a possibility. Where such legislation and regulation exists, a central question is how journalists make use of this within their role.
This study focuses on four national contexts within Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda), where adoption of such legislation and regulation have taken place at various stages over the last decade. Uganda was among the first nations in Sub-Saharan Africa to formulate an access to information act when it was passed by the Parliament in 2005, although the law was only implemented after government approval in 2011. Ethiopia passed similar legislation in 2008, while Rwanda and Kenya followed in 2013 and 2016, respectively.
Concentration in the paper is first placed upon outlining and discussing the structures that exist within these contexts to ensure access to information. This is followed by an empirical study of journalists working within these contexts, attempting to discover how the implementation of such legislation and regulation has affected and affects their working life, and in what ways it has influenced the profession of journalism on a wider scale within their contexts.
This study focuses on four national contexts within Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda), where adoption of such legislation and regulation have taken place at various stages over the last decade. Uganda was among the first nations in Sub-Saharan Africa to formulate an access to information act when it was passed by the Parliament in 2005, although the law was only implemented after government approval in 2011. Ethiopia passed similar legislation in 2008, while Rwanda and Kenya followed in 2013 and 2016, respectively.
Concentration in the paper is first placed upon outlining and discussing the structures that exist within these contexts to ensure access to information. This is followed by an empirical study of journalists working within these contexts, attempting to discover how the implementation of such legislation and regulation has affected and affects their working life, and in what ways it has influenced the profession of journalism on a wider scale within their contexts.
Publisert i Paper presented at the 7th annual conference of the East African Communication Association (EACA), Kigali, Rwanda, 2017
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