4.1 Defining Roles

Kenya’s ICT sector and market reform process is supported by the sector ministry, the national ICT regulatory authority and the relevant Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications. From an implementation perspective, Kenya’s market oriented approach sees licensed operators responsible for implementing the aspirations set out in national policy. This is done by private operators and also through a number of innovative joint ventures and Public Private partnership models. Further to the institutions that have become the norm in liberalised markets (i.e. policy maker, regulator, operators), Kenya has a fairly unique framework which demonstrates its commitment to increasing universal service and access of ICTs, and also the strategic importance of ICTs and specifically broadband and Internet access in the economy.

Kenya’s institutional framework as it relates to promoting broadband uptake and impact, is closely tied to a relatively new organisation called the Kenya Information and Communication Technology Board (KICTB). It plays an important role in terms of the promotion of the BPO industry, and also with respect to the facilitation and subsidization of projects that drive demand, such as the creation of “Pasha Digital Villages” and the rollout of the “Wezesha”*  The program provides a voucher of KES 10’000 (US$120) towards the purchase of a laptop. The subsidies for the first phase will cover the purchase of around 16’000 laptops. See: http://www.ict.go.ke/index.php/sport/wezesha/about programme to subsidize laptops for university students. In addition, the establishment of the Government Information Technology Services (GITS) in 2000, a Directorate of E-Governance (created in 2004), and a National Communications Secretariat (NCS) (created in 2006) points to the strategic import of ICT to the government and its recognition that it is important that it creates content for users to access. Each of these institutions has a critical role to play in promoting and facilitating broadband access, mainly on the demand side.

These ICT sector specific institutions are further supported by a Monopolies and Prices Commission which deals with competition issues and levelling the playing fields across the Kenyan economy.

4.2 Line Ministries and Departments – Breaking the Silo

The promotion of broadband presents both opportunities and challenges in light of the cross cutting impact of broadband on the economy, and the role that government as a whole (and not just the Ministry responsible for ICT) must play to meet the country’s ICT targets and objectives. Kenya has learned that the promotion of broadband requires a level of coordination across line Ministries that appears to be unprecedented in recent history; hence a common concern is raised about the “silo effect.” Public administration, health, education, agriculture and trade and industry departments are key institutional stakeholders in the development of broadband in Kenya. Their role is to ensure the promotion of broadband for their own internal efficiency, as well as to deliver content and services to their respective constituencies. Kenya’s experience demonstrates that once the cables have landed the effective use of broadband by line ministries requires that they:

• Recognize the value of broadband
• Are themselves comfortable with using technology in general, and broadband in specific
• Trust technology
• Have the capacity to evaluate broadband projects and initiatives
• Coordinate their policy intervention and projects

The above does not seem to be the case for all government departments which is leading to delays in the achievement of some of the Vision 2030 targets, particularly as they relate to digitisation of government content and e-government. Looking outside of the MOIC, in Kenya a policy exists for ICT in Education, however, no formal ICT policy seems to exist for other sectors. As such, the extent to which they are coordinated with the National ICT Policy is unclear, and monitoring and evaluation of such policies is done by line ministries, with sharing of information across ministries reliant on the relationships between particular government officials, as opposed to mechanisms built into the institutional framework. This has the potential to increase costs and duplicate efforts – for example when the Department of Health promotes projects aimed at connecting rural clinics without collaborating with the Department of Education which may be addressing the rural schools divide simultaneously. Similarly, where Local Government Departments may initiate infrastructure projects, without having regard to projects underway that may be led or funded by other ministries.

4.3 Too Many Actors?

While on one hand the institutional framework can be seen as a strength in that all aspects of policy formulation and its implementation are comprehensively addressed, on another it has been criticized for causing duplication in functions for example between the National Communications Secretariat and the better known KICTB which are both responsible for advising the government on policy issues;*  Waema, Timothy, Catherine Adeya, and Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u. 2010. Kenya ICT Sector Performance Review 2009/2010. Cape Town, South Africa: Research ICT Africa. http://www.researchictafrica.net/publications.php . and the KICTB and the Brand Kenya Board which both promote the ‘ICT image and reputation’ of the country. In addition, the role of the KICTB (funded primarily through donor funding) and the newly established Universal Service Fund (funded through levies on operators) may overlap with respect to the promotion and subsidization of projects which seek to increase accessibility, availability and affordability of ICTs and in particular broadband. Projects such as the telecentres and community access points projects that are promoted by the USF and provide communities with a server, computers, printers, and free Internet connectivity for at least one year, may overlap with the KICTB’s Digital Villages programme discussed later in this report. The presence of a strong MOIC Permanent Secretary who has a good understanding of the sector and how best to use the institutions effectively is central to minimising conflict and reducing overlap.

4.4 The People Factor

Many countries have excellent ‘paper policies’ but are thin on implementation. A significant contributor to the success or otherwise of a broadband strategy is the commitment of the people implementing it. In Kenya, a strong Permanent Secretary and dedicated and charismatic leaders of key ICT sector institutions are an important part of the country’s success. In addition, the entrepreneurial nature of Kenyans has played a role. The conceptualisation and implementation of TEAMS and NOFBI required strong leadership to push national objectives, particularly in the face of regional challenges and the need to negotiate implementation with regional political and private sector players. The Kenyan case, like that in countries like Rwanda, South Korea and Malaysia, shows the importance of a “champion” to meet targets.