As the digital revolution takes place in practically every sector, governments globally are participating in seeking to adopt to the vast change.
Surveys have spotted many countries worldwide adopting information and communication technologies (ICTs) to deliver services to stakeholders, including their citizens. Making many processes easier and less cumbersome.
The Covid-19 pandemic escalated the quest for digital transformation worldwide.
Likely, Kenyan government is embracing on the journey of digital transformation among other obligations. Following the pandemic peak, Kenya embarked on establishing digital government tools such as dedicated web portals to offer public services related to the pandemic.
It is against this backdrop that every Kenyan should support the latest push for digital transformation, to enhance e-government as it is the future of governance in many aspects of life.
The World Bank (2012) defines e-government as “the use of information technology by government agencies that are responsible for transforming information between people, businesses and all other government stakeholders.”
E-government is an essential tool for economic growth, more so, the digital economy. Research has defined E-government as the arithmetic mean of three indicators: Telecommunication infrastructure index, Human capital index and Online service index.
The telecommunication infrastructure index is formed by the following constructs per 100 inhabitants: Internet users, number of fixed (wired) broadband subscriptions, number of main fixed telephone lines, number of mobile-cellular subscriptions and number of wireless broadband subscriptions.
Human capital index comprise of, adult literacy rate, tertiary, secondary and primary gross enrolment ratio, expected years of schooling and the average years of schooling.
On the other hand, Service Index is made up of the scope and quality of online services. Hence, the three indicators must be put in place for a successful digital transformation agenda.
The United Nations E-government Survey of 2022 on the future of digital governments highlights the increasing contribution of digital transformation and e-government in enhancing the realization of the year 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
The U N e-government Survey indicates the top five leading countries globally in e-government development index, 2022 as, Denmark, Republic of Korea, Finland, Estonia and Netherlands.
The United States and United Kingdom ranked 10 and 12 respectively while Kenya featured far down the list.
Even so, Kenya is ranked number 10 in Africa, after South Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Cabo Verde and Algeria in that order.
Estimates have it that the Kenya’s e-government development index moved from 0.5326 in 2020 to 0.5589 in 2022, as compared to South Africa’s 0.7357 in 2022, up from 0.6891 in 2020.
In consideration with Kenya’s passion in technology from the leaders, a prediction that Kenya’s e-government development index is bound to improve remarkably very soon.
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This will be in tandem with the digital economic growth, hence pushing for general economic growth of the country.
Its clear that the underlying benefits of e-government include, a cost effective way of running government, improved efficiency and effectiveness in management of public affairs.
The e-government environment generates increased esteem making it responsive in meeting stakeholders’ needs, improving the quality of service delivery as well.
This is achievable through increased happiness index of the stakeholders.
The flip side, digital transformation can easily be derailed by the lack of the necessary infrastructure and skills, calling for the government to address the shortfalls to implement the e-government agenda successfully.
For a successful establishment of e-government development index all the stakeholders must participate.
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