Access to parliamentary information platforms and processes (MW0017)

1. What problem does the commitment aim to address?
The problem that the commitment seeks to address is the disconnect between the constituents and Parliament itself. Often, Members of Parliament (MPs) claim to speak for their constituents and that they consult the people on issues that they present in the August House. However, it is not always the case, and many constituents have not had the chance to interact with their MPs.

Despite constitutional and legislative provisions and growing public interest in democratic governance, there remain limitations in terms of consistent access to parliamentary information, such as Bills, agendas, committee reports, hearings, etc. This is worsened by the limited engagement and feedback channels, including digital platforms, that can enhance access to parliamentary information remotely.

In addition, there is a misconception of the roles of MPs by the parliamentarians themselves and the people they represent. Practice has developed where the roles of MPs overlap with those of ward councillors. For example, constituency development programs are championed by MPs through the Constituency Development Fund. Consequently, most constituents understand the role of MPs to include mainly infrastructure development and charity work. Such practices undermine democratic processes and the effective role of Parliament.

2. What are the causes of the problem?
The root causes of the problem include:
(a) Limited public awareness of parliamentary roles leads to discrepancies between the expectations people have of their MPs and their understanding of the roles of MPs.
(b) Insufficient engagement, communication and feedback channels to reach the public, including language barriers.

Commitment Description

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem?
There have been past attempts to bring Parliament closer to the people through different initiatives. Such initiatives involved public awareness campaigns and interactions with the public at selected spots. However, these were isolated instances and achieved very little coverage of the whole country. Parliament has an official website and has established radio and television stations and is on social media platforms such as X and Facebook. Parliament has further embarked on live radio and TV broadcasts of proceedings in the House.

Parliament has also introduced Parliament Week to bring Parliament to the people. In addition, Parliament has institutionalized public hearings and enquiries on issues of national interest. Further, Parliament has introduced cluster committees for national budget scrutiny where civil society groups and citizens are involved in reviewing government budget proposals. All these efforts are designed to reach out to a larger audience and increase awareness and visibility of parliamentary business throughout the country.

2. What solution are you proposing?
This commitment will bring reform across all three functions of Parliament by:
(a) Enhancing public engagement and feedback on Parliamentary work, such as through Parliament Week and other “Bring Parliament to the People” and Youth Parliament initiatives.
(b) Scaling up the digitalization of Parliament through, among others, an interactive portal on Parliament’s website that will share information on Bills, motions, etc. and provide an opportunity for citizens to provide feedback.
(c) Scaling up Parliamentary Radio beyond the Central Region.
(d) Disseminating Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials and relevant parliamentary information and business through social media platforms, the official website and accessible communication aids.
(e) Increasing accessibility by ensuring that selected local languages, braille and sign language are officially introduced in Parliament and that the information disseminated to the public is translated into selected local languages.

3. What results do we want to achieve by implementing this commitment?
This commitment aims to achieve the following results:
(a) Strengthened connection between MPs and their constituents.
(b) Broadened public understanding of Parliament’s functions.
(c) Increased CSO and citizen participation in parliamentary business.
(d) Improved transparency and accountability in parliamentary procedures.

Commitment Analysis

1. How is this commitment relevant to MW2063?
This commitment will contribute to increasing the culture of transparency, accountability, civic engagement and participation and access to parliamentary information which directly contributes to MW2063 pillars under Enabler 2: Effective Governance Systems and Institutions and Enabler 3: Enhance Public Sector Performance leading to improved public service delivery and trust – overall contributing to the realization of Malawi’s long-term vision.

2. How will the commitment promote transparency?
Through digital and media platforms, Parliament will publish Bills, committee reports, and plenary sessions, while opening up legislative and oversight processes for public scrutiny. Online portals and social media channels will provide open access to parliamentary content in real time.

3. How will the commitment help foster accountability?
The Code of Conduct, oversight hearings, and strengthened MP capacity will enable Parliament to hold the Executive accountable. Public engagement in hearings and feedback mechanisms will keep Parliament responsive and grounded in citizen needs.

4. How will the commitment improve citizen participation in defining, implementing, and monitoring solutions?
Citizens will be involved through localized outreach initiatives, live hearings, public consultations, and translated ICT materials. “Open Parliament” events and digital feedback loops will empower communities to engage directly with legislative processes.

Commitment Planning

Milestones | Expected Outputs | Expected Completion Date

Increase public access to parliamentary information and business;Parliament Information System digitalized and functional; Digital platforms that share information on Bills, motions, etc. developed and functional; Live radio and television programs broadcast on parliamentary proceedings; Radio and television outreach programs produced | December 2028; July 2028; December 2028; December 2028

Enhance communication and engagement between Parliament and the citizenry | Interpretation of parliamentary proceedings into other languages provided; Open Parliament Week scaled up; CSO and Parliament engagements strengthened; Information disseminated to the public translated into selected local languages | December 2028