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.
“These applications will integrate the counties to the national government’s Integrated Financial Management Information System and link them to a unified communications system that will enable them to respond to the demand for better services by their citizens,” Gaye said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
She said the new program will enable the national government to work closely with county governments to improve their services through ICT reforms and also enhance transparency and good governance in the management of county governments’ affairs.
It will help all the counties to develop road maps for development and deployment of ICT applications to enhance accountability in revenue management.
The latest funding the Kenya Transparency and Communications Infrastructure Project (KTCIP) will expand open data initiatives to the counties by scaling up the activities being implemented under the KTCIP.
The program is part of the Regional Communications Infrastructure Project supporting Kenya, Burundi and Madagascar.
Its implementation since 2007 has enabled Kenya to lower prices of international capacity and extend the geographical reach of broadband networks.
It has also contributed to improved government efficiency and transparency through e-government applications.
Task Team Leader of the KTCIP project Arleen Cannata Seed the information on the money collected and used by the counties will become an important component of the data needed to revitalize Kenya’s Open Data Initiative in Nairobi and the other counties.
“The ultimate beneficiaries of this initiative will be Kenyan citizens, who will hold their county governments more accountable in the collection and use of county taxes and fees,” Seed said.
The project has enabled Kenya to achieve significant technological advances including digital inclusion, content development and digitization of government records.
It has also expanded eGovernment shared services, contributing to increased efficiency, reduced duplication and cost savings.
Moreover, it has supported Kenya to establish a Business Process Outsourcing and IT-enabled services sector.
In Nairobi and two other counties, it will facilitate the implementation of some aspects of the plans, including rolling out of the Integrated County Management tool to enhance accountability in their revenue management and related functions.
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Quelle/Source: Coastweek, 29.03.2014
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