UN urges Kenya to use ICT to promote citizen participation

The UN on Tuesday urged Kenya to use Information Communication and Technology (ICT) in order to promote citizen participation in the development process.

UN Kenya Resident Coordinator Nardos Bekele-Thomas told a technology forum in Nairobi that ICT has the potential to ensure sustainable human development through efficient service delivery.

"Recent developments in the global economy has seen ICT take on a central role in fostering development and bringing efficient services to doorsteps of citizens," Bekele-Thomas said during the opening ceremony of the National Workshop on Developing Capacity for e-Participation.

The four-day forum drew participants from key stakeholders and partners keen on ensuring efficient service delivery to the citizens of Kenya through innovations and ICT.

The East African nation has in the recent years introduced many innovations through ICT, which have improved the ways of delivering services to the people.

"They have at the same time minimized corruption and malpractices in the public sector. Some of these innovations are the introduction of mobile money on which Kenya leads in the world, " added Bekele-Thomas.

According to the UN, the initiatives are also helping to make service delivery in the public sector more efficient.

The UN official said Kenya's constitution has increased the expectations of citizens to have critical services administered closer to the people.

"However, citizens still find it difficult to access these services or even have a say in the provision of these services," she said.

Since 2004, the UN system has been supporting Kenya in its reform agenda in improving service delivery to its citizenry.

"One of the impactful outcomes of the support is the highly innovative Huduma Centers that has been successful primarily due to their innovative use of ICT,"said Bekele-Thomas. "The centers have to a large extent addressed the endemic service delivery challenges faced by the public sector in some areas."

The UNDP is also assisting Kenya to set up business centres that are aimed at unlocking challenges that small- and medium- sized entrepreneurs face.

"They will become ICT-driven innovations centres that will promote inclusive economic growth and job creation," she said.

Kasirim Nwuke, Chief of New Technologies and Innovations with the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), said the thirst of citizens to participate in decisions that affect their everyday lives is the reason why innovations in mass communication have grown at a rapid pace.

Nwuke added that these technologies also provide immense opportunities for governments to promote active engagement of its citizens in policies that affect them. Endi