IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

As the 21st Century technology wave improves business efficiency and service delivery in the private sector, Government is not be left behind. Through advanced technological processes such as intelligent process automation, advanced analytics and AI, modes of interaction between the citizen and government are rapidly changing, with increased opportunities for quality, efficient and reliable public service delivery. Simply stated, by leveraging on technology, governments’ world over have an opportunity to develop, improve and maximise on citizen-centric service delivery.

Closer to home, it must be noted as a point of pride that Kenya has consistently set herself as a technological trendsetter in the Sub-Saharan region and Africa at large. Particularly, governmental services have increasingly been automated allowing for the delivery of government information and services to citizens ‘anywhere, anytime’. With the advent of online e-government services such as e-Citizen and iTax, Kenya is arguably at the forefront of e-service delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa.

World Bank Country Director for Kenya Diarietou Gaye said the innovative use of ICT will reduce revenue leakages and address other gaps in the revenue collection and management systems of the devolved county governments.

Godia said that under the new government, the ICT policy will be rolled out to the remaining 5,000 secondary schools together with the planned distribution of laptops to primary school children.

The team from IBM's Corporate Service Corps Programme will volunteer their expertise for the next four weeks after which they will present findings and a plan to the government.

"IBM is partnering with the Government of Kenya to propose a framework that addresses Kenyan voting challenges," said IBM Country General Manager Anthony Mwai.

Most of these developments have been mostly pushed by the consumer demands and need to keep up with the global business environment.

In 2006, the government had a plan whose focus was on building infrastructure to connect Kenyans to the internet. Thus, one fibre optic cable was welcome. That was then, now there are four fibre optic cables live in the country, a fifth one is expected to land very soon and two more later.

The e-government Open Data Web Portal launched by President Kibaki last week represents a key milestone in the country’s quest for a more transparent and efficient system of governance in line with the Vision 2030 development blueprint.

Kenya now joins countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Spain, Denmark, Estonia and Greece that are at various stages of implementing Open Data policies.

The county government of Uasin Gishu has partnered with International Training & Education Centre for Health (I-tech) to provide computers to different health facilities.

Hospitals in the county will benefit from automation of their services.

Speaking after touring Huruma Hospital in Eldoret on Wednesday, the county personnel in charge of e-health Dr David Kirui said that the county is spearheading the implementation of Hospital Management System (HMIS).

The exercise was formally launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in Mombasa, with similar launches at ministry and county headquarters.

President Kenyatta emphasised the need for all civil servants to take part in the initiative that is aimed at ridding the government of ghost workers.

The issue around BVR at this point is not just about procurement. The main problem around BVR is implementation. BVR is not just a briefcase with sophisticated equipment. It is an integrated information system that comprises hardware, software, data, processes and people. Procurement will only deal with hardware. The devil is in implementing the software and ensuring the information system unlocks the promised benefits. Unfortunately, our politicians have hyped the benefits and created expectations of unrealistic dimensions.

The kits, which are due in the country within the next two weeks, will be provided as a loan to the government.

Blockchain technology is already making a positive impact in several industries such as banking, supply chain, payments, and health. However, this technology is also solving AI’s biggest challenge: data.

According to VentureBeat, blockchain technology helps power AI systems by providing them with high-quality data.

Summary:

• The new smart-grid solar technology is being piloted in the village by Hivos East Africa.
• The micro-grid is backed by blockchain technology which keeps all the data on power distribution and purchase.
• Details of all the locals using the system are fed and secured using blockchain technology.
• The seller can then check the amount of electricity he sold or the amount of money he has made in a month.

For rural communities across the country where electricity is either non-existent or costly and intermittent, off-grid solar technology is the answer.

“I must confess to you as a Kenyan that I frankly think that the procurement process we have in the country sometimes is unnecessarily punishing, delays things and is too bureaucratic but we have to follow that we have no option,” he said.

More than 41,000 people working in business processing and outsourcing firms are set to benefit from the ongoing digital infrastructure project by the national government, Information Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru has said.

Speaking at Kenya School of Government in Kiambu County on Monday, CS Mucheru said more online jobs will be created once all government departments embrace e-government, making information readily available for better decision making on health, agriculture and investment.

Jacob Kaimenyi, cabinet secretary for education, was speaking at an ICT Integration Forum on Monday when he said the flagship project requires a lot of funding in order to realise a transformed learning system for Kenya’s children.

”I am alive to the fact that integration of technology in the curriculum requires huge financial outlay which government alone is not able to provide,” Kaimenyi said, reported Capital FM.

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has commissioned a National ICT Enterprise Survey on access and use of technologies by businesses and public institutions.

The main objective of the survey which will be done in collaboration with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) is to measure how enterprises are using technologies.

CA Director General Francis Wangusi says the data collected will inform policy makers, investors, academia and business leaders on uptake of ICTs in Kenya for future planning and regulation.

A statement from the Presidential Press Service following a meeting at State House Nairobi on Friday, said that the Cabinet resolved to support the BVR system as a policy guideline to help build public confidence in the electoral system ahead of the polls in March.

Outgoing Canadian High Commissioner to Kenya David Collins assured President Mwai Kibaki that the kits will be delivered before the start of voter registration next month.

He said the kits will greatly help in the identification of voters when Kenya goes to polls on March 4 next year. President Kibaki termed as timely the intervention of the government of Canada in the acquisition of the kits by the IEBC.

CCK bagged the Best Digital Inclusion Award from the Information and Communications Technology Association of Kenya (ICTAK) after beating other organizations that had also been shortlisted for the prize. Rockerfeller Foundation, Media Eye, Enablis, ICTA, and CCK had been nominated for this award.

According to the ICT industry regulator's new strategic plan for the period 2013 to 2018, CCK also wants to have a TV broadcast coverage of at least 80 per cent of the estimated 40 million population in Kenya from 55 per cent at present.