[kictanet] E-Government is it a myth or a reality?

[Harry Delano]

Barack,

Agreed. To be FRANKLY HONEST,it will be entirely of no value at all to carry
out strategy meetings
after strategy meetings when little impact is felt on the ground - as in,
the average person you 
and I meet out there has no inkling of what it's all about.

E-Government will only make "national" sense, when delivery and access is
felt right upto the grassroots. 
It's not happening yet. We need to decentralize and devolve, and take ICT to
the citizens, asap. I think
it will defeat the purpose to build up capacity just to equip our hq offices
with the latest technology 
and forget who are our real customers - those who need service delivery, and
the tools to interact with
Govt.

While at it, we have work cut out. We need to apply a portion of the
resources we have to transport this
Technology to those at grassroots. Market it to them, sensitize them on it's
relevance as one way that 
would promote uptake.

Mediums of delivery, are  as crucial - such as Broadband. Infact this is of
top priority. It's still too 
costly, for those who would need to interact with Technology, maybe just to
access basic Govt. services.
We need to decisively drive pricing downwards for broadband at grassroots
level as a matter of urgency, 
otherwise projects like E-Learning, will make little sense to those who need
equipping most. We have to
bring service providers around the table and impress upon them why we feel
they hold the key to the 
nation's developmental agenda, and why it's important they partner to drive
pricing to 10% of the current
rates, especially in low income areas - and institutions of basic learning.
Is it a far fetched idea..?
I do not think so...

Lastly, please let's drive out "vested" interests from the national agenda,
and be pragmatic..

Thanks, ladies and gentlemen..

Harry

-----Original Message-----
From: kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf Of Barrack Otieno
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 7:44 PM
To: harry at comtelsys.co.ke
Cc: ke-users; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: [kictanet] E-Government is it a myth or a reality?

Listers,

I have been following discussions on this list that seem to be touching on
the above mentioned subject. We seem to be spending large sums on meetings
strategizing and restrategizing however are we really making any headway?
at this point in time we are still required to "fill in some forms" whenever
we seek government services is this e-government? we are now talking about
shared services i thought e-government implemented a project that networked
most government offices, however you have to travel physically to offices to
get services, at times we confuse the public with ICT jargon what the public
needs is efficiency and effectiveness in service provision.
ICT4D on the other hand has been infiltrated by commercial interests, i
wonder what should prevail when "commercial" and "public" interests meet,
probably we should spend more money on change management, capacity building
and awareness campaigns as opposed to this "strategy meetings" which will
only lead to analysis paralysis

My thoughts

--
Barrack O. Otieno
Administrative Manager
Afriregister Ltd (Ke)
P.o.Box 21682
Nairobi 00100
Tel:
+254721325277
+254733206359
+254202498789
Riara Road, Bamboo Lane
www.afriregister.com
www.afriregister.co.ke
ICANN accredited registrar.
Skype: barrack.otieno

_______________________________________________
kictanet mailing list
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet

This message was sent to: harry at comtelsys.co.ke Unsubscribe or change your
options at
http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/harry%40comtelsys.co.ke