“On the role of the Ombudsman perhaps you need to strengthen that by giving then investigative power, let them inquire into whatever reason why information was denied,” Gichigi said.
Mbadi said: “It look noble but when you give it to certain public officers they are likely to misuse it.”
“The Official Secrets Act is a very notorious Act, because siri kali is what forms a government,” Maanzo said.
Many government institutions have constantly taken advantage of the Secrets Act to limit transmission of information to the media and to the public but if the Bill sails through, every Kenyan will have the right to access information in the domain of a public authority.
The Bill which after Thursday morning’s debate moves to the Committee of the Whole House (The legislative making stage where MPs consider and vote on whether to include proposed amendments into the Bill) proposes a raft of changes, among them compelling government officials to provide information sought within 21 days.
READ: MPs set to debate Access to Information law
The Bill also comes hot on the heels of the heated debate on the Powers and Privileges Bill proposed by Eldas MP Adan Keynan intending to limit the media from accessing information from Parliament.
Just recently Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery ordered the arrest of the three journalists from the Daily Nation, the Standard and the Star for publishing information on an audit query relating to the alleged misappropriation of Sh3.8 billion by his ministry, the revelations having been made before a parliamentary committee.
READ: Editor arrested over Sh3.8bn audit story at Nkaissery ministry
Nkaissery had demanded that the journalists reveal their sources but after the arrest of John Ngirachu from the Nation, an incident that sparked an outrage, the investigations were called off.
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