[kictanet] [no local solution?] Kisumu turns to WhatsApp for better services

Sat Jan 19 12:26:08 EAT 2019

 Just a general comment as I have heard of similar moves in other counties. 
I think using WhatsApp (or Telegram) is a risky move. To promote transparency, official gov communications IT should be auditable and traceable. WhatsApp, as I know it, is designed for opaqueness and not suitable for official public sector use.

Secondly we claim to have a thriving tech scene. Why not offer tenders to Tech startups based in the county for a local solution to create jobs and boost MSMEs here in Kenya?
Thirdly we have no idea exactly how WhatsApp works (other than what Facebook, a notorious exploiter of data, tells us). This could potentially expose county comms to  faceless entities who might not have Kenya's interests at heart.
Also in the event of a security breach FB does not have enough local presence and/or assets to be held accountable. Or do they?
Further, they being a foreign entity (from a friendly but powerful and aggressive country) would create jurisdiction and diplomatic complications should there be a problem. Is the risk worth it?
Extensibility will be an issue should the county want monetised services. Revenue share with foreign entity takes money *out* of Kenya. The best initiatives bring money *in* to the county or country.
Loss of opportunity to develop local capability. As Kenya relies on "free" (subsidized / data supported) technology, by rent seeking multinationals, we are blocking  the development of our local tech scene. 
This is how textiles bowed out to mtumba industry, which Kenya is now *locked* into and cannot exit without some serious consequences from the US (which aggressively protects it's businesses).
I urge government officials to be cautious and *strategic* when making ICT choices and to try use local expertise (which we have in abundance across the multiple ICT disciplines that should be considered when selecting an official app).
PS: Another lesson that should not be ignored: Digital learning went south after getting hijacked by *multinational rent seekers* whose only interest was to sell or test gadgets/software/content in an attempt to get a dominant brand position in EDU sector. Where are they now??? They don't care if our children are actually benefitting from what was offered but I bet they can point fingers at anyone but themselves. The shareholders are not Kenyans, and their own children don't study in Kenya, so the *long term* impact of their *experiments* on our children's future doesn't matter to them.
Good day. Patrick A. M. Maina(Independent Public Policy Analyst - Indigenous Innovations)

    On Saturday, January 19, 2019, 6:57:06 AM GMT+3, Victor Kapiyo via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:  

 Kisumu county is testing a county 'digital assistant' to provide information relating to different functions. I think its a good initiative by the county. See story below.
Are there any innovative implementations of such or similar systems being implemented in other counties that listers may be aware of? I think it's a useful start, and they are taking in feedback and suggestions to improve the service. Hopefully, some of you might want to try it out and see what gives. I wouldn't mind having a similar Chatbots for eCitizen or iTax, whose numbers sometimes hardly go through. 

____________
This week, the county has been testing an interactive WhatsApp platform that allows residents to get information promptly. All that one needs to do is to send the word “hello” from a WhatsApp account to +254 756 742 421.
That message prompts the county digital assistant to release a drop-down menu that asks the user to select a code representing their area of interest. There is a separate code for government ministries, healthcare services, tourists sites, hotels and radio stations. “When you send the word “hello”, it gives you an automated “welcome” response and from there, you can get information on anything,” says Levit Nudi, one of the brains behind the platform. “It is very similar to USSD codes like *100# with the only major difference being that it's running on WhatsApp, which is not a common thing to find anywhere,” he said, adding that future plans include creating codes for information on county jobs, tenders, and other opportunities.
https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/corporate/tech/Kisumu-turns-to-WhatsApp-for-better-services/4258474-4938278-ghvpo3/index.html

Victor KapiyoPartner | Lawmark Partners LLPSuite No. 8, Centro House, Westlands, Nairobi | Web: www.lawmark.co.ke ====================================================
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude” Zig Ziglar

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