Title: ICTs and governance: understanding citizen-engagement in implementation of e-governance in Kenya

Authors: Gatana Kariuki

Addresses: Department of Management, Swiss Management Centre University, Vorstadt 26a, 6300 Zug, Switzerland

Abstract: E-government and e-governance share the same critical and fundamental components: utilisation of modern information and communications technologies (ICTs); and partnerships among all stakeholders. Without government effectively using ICTs, it is unlikely that the citizen-state-private sector interaction would become as integrated as it is today. Reciprocally, healthy e-government systems can flourish more easily in collaborative environments where stakeholder partnerships are not merely superficial, but veritably realised in the daily lives of citizens. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how effective and efficient the e-government portal is rendering services to the Kenyan citizenry. A qualitative phenomenological descriptive approach was used in this research to better understand the individuals' experiences of the phenomenon. The research study recommends that intense interest in m-government should be the focus for service delivery of government information and services especially in Kenya where mobile penetration rates are high as 60% and adoption of mobile services such as MPESA are well in use. Secondly, Kenya should focus on developing its local governments (counties) because they are the main point of contact for service delivery and delivery of national programs under the new governance system of devolution.

Keywords: e-governance; e-government; e-infrastructure; ICT; information and communications technology; Kenya; electronic governance; citizen engagement; information technology; electronic government; electronic infrastructure; m-government; service delivery; government information; mobile government; mobile services; m-services; local government.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2015.071565

International Journal of Electronic Governance, 2015 Vol.7 No.3, pp.232 - 252

Received: 13 Oct 2014
Accepted: 11 Mar 2015

Published online: 01 Sep 2015 *

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