Yesterday was the International Day for Universal Access to Information.
You might wonder why such a day exists and why it’s worth commemorating. I’ve been reflecting on this because access to information is the backbone of what we do at Thinkillustrate. We believe that without information, there can be no real access to justice.
So today, I invite you into my musings: What does ATI really mean? Why does it matter? And do we actually enjoy this right in practice?
Living in the Information Age
We already know we live in the “information age.” You can look up almost anything with a quick Google search. Like the fact that a new born giraffe is taller than me, lol.
Yes, I recently had an argument with a friend about how tall giraffes are at birth. I guessed 3–4 feet, my friend said about 5’4”. Of course, we Googled it. Turns out newborn giraffes are 6 feet tall! Basically, ready to join a basketball team. If they had thumbs, of course.
It’s funny how easily we can find trivial facts like that. And yet, when it comes to information that actually matters, like information about governance, justice, or accountability, it’s often hidden, inaccessible, or buried deep in some government office somewhere.
What Access to Information Really Means
Under Article 35 of the Constitution, there are three basic elements to this right:
- The right of citizens to request and receive information.
- The duty of the state to proactively publish information.
- The right to have false or misleading information about you corrected or deleted.
On paper, it sounds straightforward. In practice, it’s transformative.
Why It Matters
Access to information is the foundation of public participation, rights protection, and government accountability.
Think of it this way: when you feel unwell and go to hospital, the doctor will ask you some questions, some tests will be conducted, and based on the information uncovered, a treatment plan will be agreed upon, giving you a chance to eliminate the ailment within you and feel better. Without the information, there’s no diagnosis and no healing.
The same is true in public life.
Remember about 10 years ago when Bungoma County spent Ksh 10.9 million on 10 wheelbarrows? That’s Ksh 109,000 per wheelbarrow! Now, I’ve never bought a wheelbarrow myself, so I did what anyone would do – googled the price of a wheelbarrow. The screenshot below shows that they cost about Ksh 10,000 each at most.
If not for the Auditor General’s report being publicly accessible, that little scam would have gone unnoticed, and Bungoma’s bigwigs would have gone on draining the public purse unchecked. Now, I’m not saying that this isn’t still happening, just showing why information such as this needs to be made public. Because when we don’t have access to information, bad things remain in the shadows.
Do We Really Have Access in Practice?
Here lies the paradox of our times: we’re drowning in information, yet starving for truth.
1. The Information Epidemic
With the internet has come not just information, but information disorders:
- Misinformation: false info spread unknowingly.
- Disinformation: false info spread deliberately.
- Malinformation: true info shared to cause harm.
Bad actors can easily flood online spaces with noise to distract or confuse citizens, burying the truths that really matter.
- The Illusion of Transparency
Many institutions publish information, and some do it well. For example, Kenya Law offers access to laws and case law (although ironically, the site was unavailable when I was researching this piece). The Auditor General posts audit reports for national and county government spending.
But too often, transparency is only an illusion. Some institutions, though they publish information online in the name of transparency, make it incredibly difficult to actually access the information you need. This looks like scanned PDFs, so a quick CTL+F won’t be of much help and you have to plod through the entire document to find what you’re looking for. This, of course, makes research incredibly slow, making it even more difficult to publish factual and verified information.
It could also be hidden behind multiple clicks, so by the time you’re on your fourth click, you decide to give up altogether. My last example is using technical language, jargon, or just confusing and ambiguous writing, so even if you have access to the document, you really can’t understand it.
Technically, the information exists. Practically, it’s out of reach. Real transparency requires clarity, usability, and genuine openness.
3. The Equity Question
Access to information is also about fairness. A tech-savvy citizen with internet might dig through clunky portals, but what about rural communities? Or those who primarily speak local languages?
When information isn’t translated, simplified, or shared proactively, entire populations are excluded. Transparency that leaves people out isn’t transparency at all.
Closing Thoughts
Access to information isn’t a luxury, it’s the right that makes other rights possible.
- How do you fight for education if you don’t know how schools are funded?
- How do you demand accountability if budgets and contracts are locked away?
- How do you claim your right to health if you can’t see how resources are allocated?
Without access to information, rights remain theoretical. With it, citizens move from passive recipients to active participants in democracy.
The digital age promised transparency. But abundance alone isn’t enough. What we need is meaningful access, the kind that allows us to ask questions, make informed choices, and hold power accountable.
In the end, access to information is more than a right. It is the right that holds all others together.
Until the next doodle, stay curious!
