The initiative
In 2010, a new Kenyan constitution was codified. It included access to information obligations, which required the government to publish and publicise any important information affecting the country. The citizens’ rights to information are set out in Article 35, Access to information. “35.(1) Every citizen has the right of access to — (a) information held by the State; and (b) information held by another person and required for the exercise or protection of any right or fundamental freedom … (3) The State shall publish and publicise any important information affecting the nation.”
In 2011, Mzalendo, a civil society group that aimed to increase public participation in government, advocated for the release of financial data to allow citizens to scrutinise the government’s management of public resources. In a response to increasing pressure, President Mwai Kibaki launched the Kenya Open Data Initiative (KODI), making key government data freely available to the public through a single online portal. Under the programme, the 2009 census, national and regional expenditure, and information on key public services were some of the first datasets released on the portal. Kenya was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa, and second on the continent after Morocco, to undertake such an initiative.
The challenge
The public impact
Stakeholder engagement
The Kenya ICT Board acted on behalf of the national government to carry out the initiative. The Board played a crucial role in setting up and implementing the KODI. Within the government, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) assisted in collecting statistics in the country for and from various ministries and making them available.
The Kenyan office of the World Bank provided financial help for the initiative. A strategic technology partnership was developed between the Kenyan government and the Seattle-based company, Socrata, to deliver the KODI to the public through a user-friendly platform. Google provided a team of managers and visualisation tools that helped represent the available data in more readable formats. Microsoft helped sponsor the training and development of tools.
Political commitment
Public confidence
Clarity of objectives
Objectives stated at the outset were clear although not measurable. The objective was to increase transparency and deliver on the citizens’ right to information.
In July 2011, when it went live, the KODI “held more than 160 datasets organised under six subheadings: education, energy, health, population, poverty and water and sanitation. The platform included newly created geospatial boundaries for Kenya’s 47 counties and geocoded datasets … Data was pulled in from the national census and government ministries as well as from the World Bank.”
In 2015, this had grown to over 500 datasets while infrastructure, among other topics, was added to the portal, which shows that the objectives were maintained throughout.
Strength of evidence
Feasibility
The initiative was financially feasible through the funding of the World Bank.
The technical feasibility was demonstrated by Socrata, the platform provider, through its previous open data projects in American cities such as San Francisco and Seattle. They were supported by Google and Microsoft (see Stakeholder engagement above).
Management
Measurement
Alignment
The Kenya ICT Board played a crucial role in setting up and implementing the KODI in partnership with Socrata. It collaborated efficiently with Ministry of Information and Communications, the ICT authority, and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics to provide automated data updates and necessary platform for the initiative. “However, three years after the open data platform’s launch, the initiative still faced a major barrier; public institutions refused to post their information while claiming ownership. While access to information may be enshrined in the bill of rights it is not institutionalised in law.”
The World Bank Kenya office is also a key development partner as it not only helped with finances but also with manpower and the required knowledge. The private sector (Google and Microsoft) also supported the initiative. However, government inefficiency of enforcing the “”Access to information”” law supported by the fact that draft bill supporting the law is still pending in parliament, makes this a good case of alignment.
Resources
Together Let’s Build Solutions With Open Data, Kenya Open Data
Government of Kenya open data initiative, 2012, Kenya Open Data
The Constitution of Kenya, LAWS OF KENYA
Kenya opens its books in revolutionary transparency drive, Claire Provost, 13 July 2011
Open Data – How Kenya Did It, Linet Kwamboka, Kenya Open Data