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An Unfamiliar Territory for Technology
What is like to live large? Ask a Kenyan government official and you have the full story - http://kenyanpundit.com/docs/transparency.pdf
Sounds like a small problem if you live in the developed world. What if yours is a developing country struggling from the ashes? I suppose it is not a Kenyan problem, but indeed global.
Food for thought: what is it that technology can do to help those poor masses that sweat hard and painfully to pay the taxes that help foot the bills?
If technology can help provide transparency in government it might help reduce corruption.
ICT can only do so much in facilitating awareness on government spending and the proper and efficient use of public funds.
The true challenge is accountability.
Of course fundamental reform and changes are required both in the justice, executive and administrative systems for accountability to work.
But there can only be accountability when people are ready and enabled to raise their voices and demand and ask for justice.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can make sure that these voices are heard and can not be shut down by harrassment, persecution, jail, murders, ignorance or information manipulation.
ICT are the ultimate tool agains corruption and government excesses and abuses.
Through ICT people can be educated on the existence of justice and different systems and realities.
Through ICT no information can be wiped out and any information can be disseminated and remain available to the public through different sources.
Finally and from the execution side, ICT can improve the efficiency of funds, as well as the productivity of any initiative, enlarging its impact and reducing the time to reach goals in any sector, from health to food to agriculture to security and living conditions.
In most cases, it is not because these benefits are not appreciated. This story in the bbc will give you hindsight about what I mean: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4698634.stm
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