…as ZMC trains provincial heads on FOIA
By Faith Ndou
MASVINGO CITY-The Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira (pictured below) has hailed the training of provincial heads on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as a timely and strategic step in advancing transparency and accountability in governance.
Speaking at the official opening of the workshop held today at Flamboyant Hotel in Masvingo, Chadzamira said access to accurate and timely information is a constitutional right under Section 62 of the Constitution.
He urged senior government and local authority officials present to embrace the FOIA as a tool to build trust, rather than view it as a threat.
“The FOIA is not a weapon for criticism but a bridge between government and the people,” he said.
“Provincial Heads are custodians of this right at local level. It is your responsibility to ensure that information is managed efficiently and requests are handled with transparency, fairness and professionalism.”
The training spearheaded by the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) aimed to strengthen the implementation of FOIA through sessions on records management, handling information requests and understanding the balance between openness and confidentiality.
Chadzamira applauded the ZMC for the initiative, linking it to Vision 2030 and the Second Republic’s commitment to devolution and inclusive governance.
In her remarks, ZMC chairperson Professor Ruby Magosvongwe said the Commission will continue raising awareness and training public entities on the FOIA.
She emphasized the importance of compliance with the Act to promote effective service delivery and uphold the public’s right to information.
“It is the ZMC’s mandate to promote access to information,” said Magosvongwe.
“We will continue to engage institutions to ensure they meet their obligations under the FOIA.”
The workshop brought together heads of government departments and local authorities from across Masvingo Province.
