[kictanet] Board members should beware leaving IT projects to professionals

[Mwendwa Kivuva]

The recent fiasco surrounding allegations of compromised Integrated
Financial Management Information System (IFMIS
<http://www.ifmis.go.ke/>)passwords
and attempts to embezzle funds from government coffers should serve as a
wake-up call. The integrity of our information systems is an urgent
priority.

To be fair, Kenya is not the first country to experience IFMIS
challenges. In fact, in Malawi, Joyce Banda’s recent failure to win a
second term as president has been attributed to IFMIS-related corruption
scandals <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_Hill_Cashgate_Scandal>.

The objective of IFMIS is in line with most automation projects – to
increase efficiency, transparency and accountability. What most people
forget, though, is that automation by itself is not a magic bullet against
corruption.

In fact, if a developer blindly – or deliberately – automates corrupt
processes, the end result is the enhancement and increased efficiency of
corrupt activities. Wheeler-dealers can now enjoy the convenience of
embezzling funds from their laptops, rather than having to walk to
government offices with big brown envelopes in broad daylight.

Read more...
http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/blogs/dot9/walubengo/-/2274560/2819968/-/y95a7jz/-/index.html
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