Re: [kictanet] Day 3 of 3: 2016 ICT Year in Review Feedback - Information Infrastructure Issues
Sorry for the cross-post but figured it will may make life easier for those compiling. Here are some thoughts on information infrastructure: *a) 86% of the respondents felt that government digitization (Huduma Centers, eCitizen portal, etc) program has been useful to a very large extent. 12% felt it was moderately useful with a very small minority1.5 thinking it has not been useful.* Comment: Digitizing operation has been a great idea. But is it widespread and consistently applied? E.g. getting an abstract at a police station means paying a certain fee for the photocopy usually available at the station’s kiosk. Yet if I go to Huduma Centre, I should get it at no fee and it’s a downloadable form. If I need to get the abstract over the weekend, I’ll pay for the photocopy at the station, yet I could have gotten it for free at a Huduma Centre. Government should therefore also invest in awareness programs that inform citizens about the digitizing of services, how to get them, what to expect etc. This can be done to grassroots level, and should include creative people like the Nakuru chief who tweets to residents in his location. Stability of the digitized systems should be guaranteed. ID replacement services recently had been shut down for several weeks at Huduma Centres because the system was down. I was told that that wasn’t the first time, and the system has even gone almost a month without working. *b) 48% of the respondents felt that the digitization of government operations has gone to the other sectors to a moderate extent. 30% felt this cross-sector absorption of ICTs has not really happened while 10% feel it has to a very large extent.* Comment: Same thought as presented in a). *c) 52% of the respondents felt that the local content industry has NOT been well supported. 34% felt it has been moderately supported while only 8% felt it has been supported to a very large extent.* Comment: I agree that the local content industry is not well supported. At my university for example, I have many students bubbling with ideas for online content such as shows, blogs, information hubs, etc. But they’re afraid their ideas will be stolen if they ask for advice, they wonder what resources – financial or other – they will need, and sometimes they don’t know where to start. Content also is often the target of existing and proposed law, and even when it is encouraged (such as the CAK’s call for more local content on TV), it often seems to be most vulnerable to overzealous and sensitive authorities. The proposed Film Bill and pressures on bloggers come to mind. I think support should come from a variety of sources: government can provide a regulatory and policy environment that not only supports, but encourages the development of local content; government can partner with industry, academia and communities to raise awareness about local content, create opportunities for it, and enable creators to protect their intellectual work while getting paid for it. *d) 70% of the respondents felt that the issue of information security has not been adequately addressed. 25% thought it had been moderately addressed while only 4% felt it had been addressed to a very large extent.* Comment: I agree that information security is a weak point. I have questions about whether any of the digital information on our systems is well protected, whether it is sold to the highest bidder, who is watching what, etc. I have no solutions, but regulatory authorities and whoever else is concerned should consider that this is not just a technical issue, but one about trust. People may choose to do certain things on digital platforms, or to keep off, based on how much they trust the systems. d) The following were mentioned as key info-infrastructure interventions that have not been addressed/misaddressed: *Misguided/aggressive e-Content regulation maybe counter-productive to local content industry. Security surveillance without Data Protection Act is counter-productive. The Government Shared Service concept still not effective, particularly at County levels. Expand eGov Services to be accessible thro USSD, Improve the user-interface on most Government websites, enhance cyber security and offer public awareness programs on the same. * Comment: Let more digitization services start from the grassroots up, not from the top down. The tweeting chief in Nakuru offers an example of how a digital tool (Twitter) can be used to reach a large number of people (in his case, via sms) to address local challenges and provide information about local matters. On Wed, Nov 30, 2016 at 1:31 AM, Walubengo J via kictanet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
My bad,
I had the wrong the subject line - now refreshed. Body message + attachments remains the same.
walu.
------------------------------ *From:* Walubengo J via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> *To:* jwalu@yahoo.com *Cc:* Walubengo J <jwalu@yahoo.com> *Sent:* Wednesday, November 30, 2016 7:23 AM *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Day 2(a) of 3: 2016 ICT Year in Review Feedback - Human Capital Feedback
Thanx Bomu, Wangari, Rop, Barrack, Wambui and others for your reactions...the floor is actually open for belated reactions on previous thematic areas, just keep the subject line in context.
Today we share the feedback on the last thematic area :- Information Infrastructure as given below.
*a) 86% of the respondents felt that government digitization (Huduma Centers, eCitizen portal, etc) program has been useful to a very large extent. 12% felt it was moderately useful with a very small minority1.5 thinking it has not been useful.* *b) 48% of the respondents felt that the digitization of government operations has gone to the other sectors to a moderate extent. 30% felt this cross-sector absorption of ICTs has not really happened while 10% feel it has to a very large extent.* *c) 52% of the respondents felt that the local content industry has NOT been well supported. 34% felt it has been moderately supported while only 8% felt it has been supported to a very large extent.* *d) 70% of the respondents felt that the issue of information security has not been adequately addressed. 25% thought it had been moderately addressed while only 4% felt it had been addressed to a very large extent.* d) The following were mentioned as key info-infrastructure interventions that have not been addressed/misaddressed:
*Misguided/aggressive e-Content regulation maybe counter-productive to local content industry. Security surveillance without Data Protection Act is counter-productive. The Government Shared Service concept still not effective, particularly at County levels. Expand eGov Services to be accessible thro USSD, Improve the user-interface on most Government websites, enhance cyber security and offer public awareness programs on the same. * The detailed report is attached and we have until tomorrow mid-day to close this up.
best regards.
walu.
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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
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Wambui Wambui