The Electoral Commission of Uganda tried biometric registration in a bid to reduce fraud. Uganda also used ICT in transmitting the results from the district returning officers to the national tallying centre. This is the kind of system that was used in Kenya during the referendum and by-elections with credible success.
But the hard nut to crack in most African elections lies in digitalising the whole processes involved so as to attain e-voting alongside e-democracy and e-government. Challenges and the dark side usually take centre stage.
Read more: Move over bulky ballot boxes and long queues; the era of e-democracy is here
As well as encouraging a more citizen-centred framework for service delivery, e-government saves time and money for all stakeholders, while making it easier for both parties to communicate with each other in many ways.
Read more: e-Demokratie: Die Rolle des Internet im "Voter Relationship Management"
“As economic and political power moves up to supranational level, there must be a corresponding devolution of power at local level so that the citizen is not excluded from decision-making. “Scotland is already well down the road in becoming an e-country. The aim is to compete globally through e-Business, to inform and involve our citizens through e-Government and e-Administration, and to give them a voice in national decisions through e-Democracy.”
Read more: e-Democracy's value is praised by World Summit on the Information Society
Mary Reid, an elected representative from Great Britain, showed two photos of rooms where public hearings are held in that country. One picture displayed a typical layout where councilors sit at wide desks facing a central desk and another offered a fisheye view from the chairman's position.
"And the question is, 'Where is the public?' " she said. "Well, they're actually sitting up in that gallery behind the green barrier that's really there above the council members. And my question is: What message is this giving to the citizen about public participation?"
Read more: Britain outpaces the United States in e-democracy