Fostering Civic Participation and Public Accountability through use of ICTs: East Africa

The Democratization process of the East African Countries still remains elusive as Civil and Political actors of Governments and top leadership remains major impediments in addressing the underlying problems to social evils such as corruption, poor governance, a declining press freedom and lack of respect for fundamental rights and freedom of its Citizens.

The East African Countries of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania is still bogged down by high levels of corruption, lack of transparency and accountability in the delivery of public service, poor civic participation by Citizens and lack of feedback mechanisms from leaders to citizens in addressing major concerns that directly affects the well-being of communities. This has created a situation whereby we live in a society in which people are less informed about government functions and systems typically breeding an environment in which corruption and poor service delivery can thrive.

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Spider Initiative to form a Network for ICT in Education

Spider ICT for Education Network Workshop held in Uganda, August 28-29

Spider project partners at the workshop. From left John Sebaganwa (Open Learning Exchange Rwanda), Regina Monyemangene (Open University of Tanzania), Iryna Kuchma (EIFL), Tito Okumu (Makerere University), and Ulf Larsson (Spider). Raul Silveti (Fundacion LaPaz) participated via skype. Spider and five project partners within education has held a successful workshop in Kampala, Uganda where the Network for ICT in Education was formed.

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We Are Watching You! Tech Helps Africans Hold Governments To Account

By Loren Treisman (CNN) – With hundreds of millions of Africans owning mobile phones, citizens are becoming increasingly well connected. This is providing a powerful opportunity for citizens to access critical information about their parliaments and to report on human rights violations, corruption and poor service delivery.

These interventions are amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and helping citizens to hold governments to account.

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Civil Society Coalition to Stop Maternal Mortality in Uganda Reaction to FY 2013/14 Budget Speech

In reaction to the release of the Uganda Budget FY 2013-14 on 13 June, 2013, a coalition of health advocacy organizations released the following statement: Reaction to the Financial Year 2013/14 Budget Speech.

In summary, from the Health Sector point of view projected budget for FY2013/14 is Shs 940.4BN compared to Shs 852.2BN approved budget FY 2012/13. This means its share of national budget is 7.4% from 7.8% in 2012/13. Hence an increase in absolute terms but decline in percentage share of the national budget.

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A summary of the partner’s activities May 2013.

The network is comprised of 7 partner organisations in Kenya (2), Tanzania (1), and Uganda (4) and this is a summary of their activities in May 2013. More details available on the respective websites.

CHRAGG – Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance
The Commission has continued to create awareness of human rights and the SMS for human rights system, the campaign involved three regions (3) of which fourteen districts (14) were visited. The aim of this campaign was to educate ward leaders and districts officials. It also involved the training of three hundreds (300) students of Pendamoyo secondary school in Temeke, Dar es Salaam.

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Five Health Workers of Otwee Health Centre III in Amuru Town Council arrested over negligence of duty

Laying on the veranda of Otwee Health Centre III in Amuru Town Council are the patients who visited the Health Centre on the 9th May 2013 to access medical services. However, it was unfortunate that there was no health worker at that time to attend to them. Having no alternative, the patients wait patiently for the health workers who end up reporting for duty at leisure. It clocks mid-day and no health centre staff has yet reported for duty.

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Uganda’s Assurances on Social Media Monitoring Ring Hollow.

The Uganda Government’s attempt to reassure citizens that its plans to monitor social media users were not intended to curb internet rights has failed to assuage fears that authorities are clamping down on free expression of the burgeoning Uganda online community.

For one, observers say Uganda has a bad record as far as respecting citizens’ right to free expression is concerned. And this record seems to be getting worse. Secondly, the country has precedents in recent years, when the government ordered clampdowns on the citizens’ right to seek, receive, and impart information through digital technologies.

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Expanding Outreach for Citizen participation and Improved Service Delivery in Uganda

WOUGNET with financial support from the Swedish Program for ICT support to Developing Countries (Spider) conducted awareness raising meetings in the District of Tororo and Busia in Eastern Uganda from the 23rd -27th of September 2013. The awareness meetings was aimed at introducing the new project to the district and mapping stakeholders and partners to be involved in the Project.

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ICT4Democracy In East Africa April 2013 Newsletter

In its April 2013 publication, the ICT4Democracy in East Africa Network – of which CIPESA is a member – highlights stories and experiences from the field.

Download the full publication here.

The network is premised on the recognition that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enhances communication and the right to freedom of expression, as well as the right to seek, receive and impart information. In this respect, ICT has the potential to increase citizens’ participation in decision-making processes, thus strengthening democratisation.

Health Service Delivery: Development Pact signing

The principal objective behind development pact is to ensure transparency, accountability, public participation, standard of services and community inclusion in Health reforms and policy changes. Pact signing involved different stakeholder like district health officers, health workers, sub county chiefs, community volunteers  (Voluntary accountability committee), Village health teams, health management committees, health workers, HIV/AIDS focal person and local leaders who pledged their commitments and team building towards improving health service delivery.

The development pact therefore mainly empowers existing structures and the entire communities to work together in improving service delivery; in this way they take ownership of project intervention and results.

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