A new report by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) illustrates how Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are aiding citizen participation in Uganda, but also points to the challenges that need to be overcome for these technologies to have a wider impact on governance.
The report reviews various ICT tools being used to promote transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in Uganda. It examines the utility and shortcomings of these tools, the challenges they face, and the factors contributing to their success. Furthermore, it offers suggestions for improving the utility, reach, and, hopefully, the success of initiatives that utilise ICT to improve citizen participation.
Category: News
ICT4Democracy in East Africa: March 2012 News
ICT for Human Rights and Democracy in Kenya
ICT for Service Delivery in Northern Uganda
SMS for Human Rights in Tanzania
ICT for Human Rights and Democracy in Kenya
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) trained 22 grassroots-based Human Rights Network (HURINET) members in the use of ICT, especially social media, for monitoring and reporting human rights violations. Installation of three ICT platforms – bulk SMS facility, a civic action website and an intranet to engage the HURINETS – are currently underway and could be ready during April.
3rd International Mobile Communication for Development Conference in India (New Delhi 28-29 Feb 2012)
The major theme of the conference centered on how mobile communication could be used for development, presentation from different panelist provided knowledge sharing, giving success stories on how ICT is being used for community empowerment. It was noted that technology alone cannot solve world development challenges but rather the proper use of these technologies to enhance project interventions.
ICT4Democracy in East Africa: February 2012 News
Monitoring Public Service Delivery in Northern Uganda
The Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) this February continued with its awareness campaigns on good governance and effective service delivery in Northern Uganda. During the Voluntary Social Accountability Committee (VSAC) meetings held to report on poor service delivery in the districts, discussions were dominated by the issue of poor school governance.
Participants reported that some primary schools remained closed for up to three weeks after the start of the new school term. For others, due to insufficient space, pupils of different classes were combined in a single teaching room, while poor teacher housing facilities meant that teachers shared accommodation with students. Poor sanitation was also reported. These problems have been reported by WOUGNET to the school management and local district education officials.
User Experience Pre-Test on M–Governance Applications
Leveraging the extremely high mobile penetration and uptake of mobile applications across the country, iHub Research is exploring the conditions needed for successful use of mobiles that could bypass the need for physical interaction and communication.
The user experience pre-test conducted by iHub Research looked at three applications that have been developed to encourage communication with the government through mobile and web platforms. These applications enable citizens to review their leaders (Mzalendo), comment on difficulties they encounter using government infrastructure through a USSD short code *318# (Huduma), as well as monitor constituency development funds through an Android application (MsemaKweli).
M-governance: Exploratory Survey on Kenyan Service Delivery and Government Interaction
This exploratory study formed the basis for our accepted paper to the IST Conference (to be held in Tanzania in May 2012). We will be presenting these findings at the conference.
A one-week of exploratory fieldwork was conducted in Nairobi in November 2011 , with the aim of investigating citizens’ opinions on the best methods to interact with government. The focus was on how Kenyan citizens understand governance and how they currently interact with the government. The initial write-up can be found here. The information that was gathered is important as a first step to studying the potential role of technology in Kenyan governance.
Workshop on Mobile Democracy in East Africa
February 28, 2012, New Delhi, India
The ICT4Democracy in East Africa Network will hold a stakeholder workshop on mobile phone enabled democracy at the 3rd International Conference on Mobile Communication for Development (M4D2012). The workshop will showcase innovative cases from East Africa.
Organisations and individuals interested in the role of mobile phones in democracy are invited to attend the workshop
Further details are available here.
ICT for Democracy in East Africa: January 2012 News
SMS for Human Rights
In addition to Lindi, Mwanza and Iringa regions, the Tanzanian Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) extended its field studies to gather user requirements to Dar es Salaam. With a clearer indication of what citizens want, the Commission has now started work toward the system requirements and features design of the mobile phone based Complaints Handling Management Information System.
During December, CHRAGG undertook a study tour to the offices of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). The two organisations shared knowledge and information on the technology aspects of their ICT for Democracy projects.
Catalysing Civic Participation and Democracy Monitoring Using ICTs
The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) in December undertook a mini survey to identify the knowledge, attitudes, and the needs of citizen groups and local governments regarding the utility, effectiveness, and security of ICT for democracy in the country’s western region. The survey involved focus group discussions at the Rwenzori Information Centre Network (RICNET) and individually administered questionnaires in the town centres of Kabarole and Kasese districts.
At Kasese e-Society, CIPESA’s western region grassroots based partner, staff were trained in the use of a collaborative workspace that will be used to document the centre’s activities related to the project. To improve its work in using ICT for enhancing civic participation, CIPESA provided to the centre two desktop computers, a digital camera and monetary contribution toward its internet connectivity.
M-Governance: Exploring Conditions for Successful Mobile Governance in Kenya
iHub’s research team are undertaking work to ascertain the numerous mobile technologies out there in relation to governance. They are currently approaching governance application (apps) developers to seek permission to test their apps in a usability focus group during January. The aim of the tests will be to understand how various stakeholder groups would interact with the technology. The usability tests are to be carried out initially in Nairobi with the findings used for future testing in other parts of the country.
In early February, iHub Research plans to hold a second workshop to disseminate the findings from the exploratory research and the Nairobi apps usability testing. The workshop will take on the same format as the one held last October.
Reforms through Citizen Participation and Government Accountability
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) is in the process of procuring ICT equipment for 10 community-based Human Rights Networks (HURINETs). Information and work from the HURINETs on the ground will feed into the crowd sourcing and civic participation website KHRC is developing.
Website development is nearly complete and KHRC is due to hold a press conference to launch its project. The HURINETs, upon receipt of the equipment, will be trained on how to effectively use ICT to engage citizens and hold their leaders accountable.
Promoting Social Accountability in the Health Sector in Northern Uganda
In December, Transparency International (TI) Uganda carried out health centre visits in Lira and Oyam districts. Talks with centre users and arrival logs for health workers indicated that whereas health centre workers were reporting to work on time (8am), service did not begin until about 10am. TI Uganda staff advised patients that they would soon be able to log complaints about health service delivery through a toll free helpline.
Talks are underway between TI Uganda and one of Uganda’s telecommunications service providers to install a call centre before the end of February. TI Uganda is also in the process of organising a press conference to inform the community about its project in northern Uganda. The aim is to sensitise citizens about the ongoing work and seek their involvement and support.
Empowering Local People and Communities to Monitor Districts’ Service Delivery Through ICTs
The Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) conducted two awareness-raising workshops on good governance and effective service delivery in Apac and Kole district during December. An Ushahidi platform was launched for Voluntary Social Accountability Committees (VSACs) to report and map prevailing poor service delivery issues in the districts. Workshop participants were trained on how to upload content and access information.
ICT for Democracy in East Africa: November News
SMS for Human Rights
The Tanzanian Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) in November started field studies to gather user requirements. Conducted through questionnaires and interviews, the survey was undertaken in the Mwanza, Lindi and Iringa regions. The results of the study, which will go toward the features design of the mobile phone based Complaints Handling Management Information System, are due to be published during December.
Catalysing Civic Participation and Democracy Monitoring Using ICTS
One of the two grassroots based organisations that the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) has partnered with is eKasese. Because eKasese is a local government run centre, CIPESA has experienced delays in undertaking the Western region survey of the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPS) to determine the ICT for democracy tools used, user and non-user profiles and their [de]motivations it had anticipated to carry out this month. The KAPS study, focus group discussions and citizen journalism training have been confirmed for early December.A Wiki, as part of CIPESA’s work to champion the development of a network of CSOs, media, citizens’ groups and local governments that use and promote usage of ICTs in governance is under development here.
An analysis of Ugandan policies and practices that enhance (or undermine) eDemocracy is complete. A briefing paper for this is in its final editing stages. Circulation is expected to start in January 2012, and the paper will form the basis for an advocacy campaign targeted at the media and legislators.
CIPESA attended the November 14 – 15 2011, Euro ICT Africa Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa.
M-Governance: Exploring Conditions for Successful Mobile Governance in Kenya
iHub’s research arm completed a literature review and exploratory study. The results are available here. The team will be performing a pre-test in January 2012 to understand the usability of the current Kenyan mobile governance applications. They will be hosting a second m-governance workshop with various stakeholders from government, academia, and tech in February 2012.
iHub has submitted a paper under the eGovernment & eDemocracy theme for the IST-Africa 2012 Conference and Exhibition. The conference is due to take place from 9–11 May 2012, in Tanzania.
iHub attended the UNDP Africa Civil Society and Governance Assessments Forum on November 10 -12, 2011 in Dakar, Senegal. Some insights from the forum are in a blog post here.
Reforms through Citizen Participation and Government Accountability
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) crowd sourcing and civic participation website is under development. KHRC has also identified a service provider for its bulk SMS system. However, due to various concerns expressed about data protection, the deployment of the bulk SMS platform has been delayed until December.
KHRC attended this November’s Africa human Rights Consortium on New Media and Human Rights held in Botswana. As a result, the Commission is developing an ICT policy for the various ICT based platforms in its project. The policy will draw on these guidelines.
Promoting Social Accountability in the Health Sector in Northern Uganda
The Transparency International (TI) Uganda team is currently concentrating on the project’s social media presence (see Stop Health Workers’ Absenteeism facebook page). A blog component is being added to TI, Uganda’s website to further increase the project’s visibility. During December, TI Uganda is to determine the requirements and specifications of its short code platform. The code is to be shared with WOUGNET. TI Uganda will next month also hold a press conference and publish articles about its project.
Empowering Local People and Communities to Monitor Districts’ Service Delivery Through ICTs
The Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)’s mobilisation exercises have now covered 5 districts (Gulu, Amuru, Apac, Kore and Oyam). The next stage in the project is setting up Voluntary Social Accountability Committees (VSACs) in each district to report on poor service delivery. Once a chairperson and secretary for the committees have been identified, the committees are expected to sit monthly. Prevailing service delivery and governance issues are to be compiled as meeting minutes (without the specific details of the reporting individual) and mapped on a web platform being developed by WOUGNET’s technical team.
Other news
- During the upcoming International Conference on Mobile Communication for Development (M4D2012), the East African ICT for Democracy network will hold a 2–3 hour workshop for stakeholders in the ICT for democracy field.
Preliminary program:
* Introduction. Spider and ICT4Democracy facilitator CIPESA
* Presentation. Photo gallery of m-Gov interventions in East Africa. Presenter TBC.
* ICT4Democracy panel. Moderator iHub. Panel participants: Kenya Human Rights Commission, Transparency International Uganda, WOUGNET, CIPESA, CHRAGG, iHub Research.
ICT for Democracy in East Africa: October News
SMS for Human Rights
The Tanzanian Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) is due to undertake field studies to gather user requirements this November. The results of the study will go toward the features design of the mobile phone based Complaints Handling Management Information System.
Catalysing Civic Participation and Democracy Monitoring Using ICTS
IT support equipment has been procured for the two grassroots based centres that the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) entered into MOUs with last month. A needs assessment including survey of the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPS) to determine the ICT for democracy tools used, user and non-user profiles and their [de]motivations is scheduled for November and December. CIPESA’s analysis of Ugandan policies and practices that enhance (or undermine) eDemocracy is also to be finalised in November.
M-Governance: Exploring Conditions for Successful Mobile Governance in Kenya
The literature review as part of iHub’s exploratory research into the successful conditions for mobile governance in Kenya is complete. The review that aims to identify a Kenyan definition of good governance is to be circulated pending final edits. A workshop to identify issues in Kenya’s governance structures with an emphasis on stakeholder roles and relationships was held at iHub on October 27, 2011. The workshop also explored ways in which technology could facilitate and potentially enhance good governance. Further information is available here. Expert interviews and pilot questionnaires are scheduled for November and December.
Reforms through Citizen Participation and Government Accountability
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has contracted a web developer for their human rights issues crowd sourcing website. Information and work from Human Rights Networks (HURINETS) on the ground is to feed into the website using the Ushahidi crowd-map platform. One of the HURINETS working in partnership with KHRC is the KURIA Human Rights Network. The initiative, under the western region Kuria Reform Agenda Consortium, seeks to address systematic insecurity in the Kuria constituency. KURIA’s recently set up crowd mapping platform can be found here.
Promoting Social Accountability in the Health Sector in Northern Uganda
Transparency International (TI) Uganda in October held a workshop where Voluntary and Accountability Committees (VACs) members of Oyam districts were trained on how to report health worker absenteeism and poor service delivery. So far, the project has seen a slight indication of improvements in health service delivery in Lira and Oyam district. Based on arrival logs, health centre workers are recorded as reporting to work on time. For more information, visit TI’s Stop Health Workers’ Absenteeism facebook page.
Empowering Local People and Communities to Monitor Districts’ Service Delivery Through ICTs
Following the Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)’s mobilisations exercises in Gulu and Amuru districts held last month, similar exercises were undertaken in Kole, Oyam and Apac districts during October. The exercises, which involved community meetings, informed stakeholders on how ICT can enable effective service delivery. As per the project scope, the mobilisation targeted more women than men (ratio of women to men being 70:30).
Other news
- A number of organisations have inquired about possibilities of working with the regional network and/or different projects within. Partner organisations are exploring ways in which to collaborate with the interested organisations.
- During the upcoming International Conference on Mobile Communication for Development (M4D2012), the East African ICT for Democracy network will hold a workshop for stakeholders in the ICT for democracy field. The open session will engage practitioners in experiences and opportunities in the mobile component supporting democracy and governance.