M-governance project - NRBuzz presentation by A.Salim, A.Orwa & H. Moraa

NAIROBI RESEARCH BUZZ

Use of Mobile Technology in

Promoting Transparency Issues in

Water Governance

Nairobi Research Buzz Presentation

Anne Salim, Albert Orwa and Hilda

Moraa

Outline

• Background

– Briefly talk about iHub Research: our goals and vision

– Mobile Telephony in Kenya

– M-gov Field research overview

• Research Objectives

• Methodology

• Findings

• Considerations

• Next steps

• Limitations

• Conclusion

• African research community

• Creating new and impactful knowledge

• Research skills building

www.research.ihub.co.ke

http://www.research.ihub.co.ke/

Governance in Kenya

70-80% of e-governance projects in developing

countries= total to partial failure

Why? Limited access to computers, internet and

electricity

Mobile phones have been cited as the best

technology for interacting with citizens due to

widespread user uptake

Mobile Usage Patterns in Kenya

• 74% of all Kenyans own a mobile phone (RIA 2011);

• 60.5% of Kenyans earning less than US$2.5 per day (BOP) own a mobile phone (RIA 2012);

• All mobile phone owners make and receive phone calls and at the same time send and receive SMS (text messages) (RIA 2012, iHub Research 2012).

• 35.5% of Kenyans currently access Internet services (CCK, June 2012)

MGovernance Project

• Began in September of 2011 from SPIDER

funding

• Aim: to evaluate how mobile technology can be

used to improve Kenyan Governance

• Research is thematically focused on Water

• Channels- by enhancing Transparency and

Access to information

Past Activities

• Exploratory research: Exploratory Survey on Kenyan Service Delivery and Government Interaction

• User Experience pretest on mgovernanceapplications –Mzalendo, Huduma, Msemakweli

• Workshops with stakeholders

• Fieldwork

Initial findings of the research

• Citizen’s understanding of Governance

Additional findingsAfrican Institute

13.5% demanded right at one point

23.9% in water related issues

71.6% of citizens stating they had a

problem when trying to access rights

TISDA (2011)

reports that most residents in

informal settlements suffer acute

shortages of water because some

landlords have illegally continued to

control access & cost of water

without approval from WSP

Tenants in low income areas pay

more for water for example average

consumption per household is

78.7litres per day translating to

2.4m3 per month

Issues Demanded Rights For

0 5 10 15 20 25

Roads

Agriculture

Land

Education

Licenses/permits

Governance

Others

Health

Security

Infrastructure

Justice

Water

Research Objectives

• Investigate the type of water information citizens

desire;

• Understand the gaps faced by different stakeholders in

accessing water info;

• Identify the tech platform that citizens and

stakeholders would prefer for receiving and sending

water information;

• Evaluate how mobile phone tech can be used as a tool

for improving the gaps faced by the different

stakeholders in the access of water.

Methodology

• The project has employed

both quantitative &

qualitative methods

including:

• in-depth interviews with

stakeholders, structured

questionnaires with

citizens in 3 Kenyan

counties, (900) and desk

research on existing

literature.

Methodology contd..

• OTHERS…TO COME

• Workshops: design

thinking

• Mock ups

• Focus groups

• WHY we did not use ODK

for this field work?

• Challenges with ODK in

huge data collection

Field Pics

61%55%

95%

69% 68%

39%45%

5%

31% 32%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Kiambu Migori Makueni Urban Rural

Have you or any of your household members faced any challenges while trying to access your

main source of water?

Yes

No

Some of the challenges faced

What are the challenges faced?*County Cross tabulation

Kiambu Migori Makueni

Failed to get water for a couple of weeks 43% 30% 24%

Hiked water bills 12% 3% 7%

Price exploitation by the water vendors 14% 4% 25%

Water from the main source is not continuous 35% 9% 37%

Received/bought dirty water for a couple of

weeks11% 55% 28%

I can’t remember 1% 1% 0%

Other (long distances to the main source of

water)8% 42% 36%

Did you or any member of your household complain to anyone about the

problem?

County Area of interview Total


Yes % within County 38% 41% 37% 46% 35% 39%

No % within County 58% 59% 63% 54% 63% 61%

Total % within County 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

who did you complain to*county Cross tabulation

County Total

Kiambu Migori Makueni

Ministry of Water & Irrigation % within

county

39% 10% 14% 22%

Public administration officer

(e.g. Chief, D.O)

% within

county

8% 32% 26% 21%

Friend/relatives % within

county

0% 3% 3% 2%

Youth/women groups % within

county

0% 3% 15% 6%

Media % within

county

0% 1% 1% 1%

Religious leaders % within

county

0% 3% 0% 1%

I can't remember/i don't

know

% within

county

2% 1% 0% 1%

Other % within

county

59% 68% 42% 55%

3.8 What were your reasons for you not complaining?

Reasons County Area of

interview

Total


I don't know who/where

to complain

48% 58% 78% 57% 62% 61%

Am always busy 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2%

We have alternatives 14% 5% 5% 7% 10% 9%

I can't complain to

anybody; it's a natural

disaster

1% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1%

No one listens/acts; so

it's needless to complain

14% 26% 7% 16% 14% 15%

Am used with the

problem

2% 3% 1% 3% 1% 2%

I have no ability/courage

to complain

19% 3% 5% 14% 9% 10%

People we can complain

to are far away

0% 2% 1% 0% 1% 1%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

What kind of information do you currently access?County Area of interviewKiambu Migori Makueni Urban Rural Total

Government water projects in the region

18% 29% 27% 32% 20% 23%

Prices of water in the region 18% 1% 10% 7% 12% 11%

Water availability updates (e.g. from vendors)

51% 10% 17% 24% 35% 32%

Invitation to give opinion on water issues in the area

3% 4% 14% 8% 5% 6%

Water supply services in the region

19% 17% 35% 26% 20% 22%

Complaints raised on water 1% 6% 6% 8% 3% 4%

Other information accessed 18% 57% 22% 25% 31% 30%

I don't know 0% 5% 0% 0% 2% 2%

What would you like to access or be informed of regarding water?



Rationing of water/water shortages 26% 3% 3% 19% 12% 14%

Any valuable news 1% 16% 6% 5% 7% 7%

How to treat and make water safe for consumption

25% 38% 33% 34% 29% 31%

Information on water related diseases 19% 4% 1% 13% 9% 11%

Water projects in the region 9% 21% 11% 8% 14% 13%

Progress on complaints raised 0% 1% 0% 0% 1% 1%

None 14% 8% 5% 11% 10% 10%

Where to get clean water 29% 17% 40% 27% 29% 29%

Where to raise complains on water issues 3% 2% 1% 2% 2% 2%

Water charges/bills 6% 0% 4% 4% 4% 4%

I don't know 2% 0% 0% 0% 1% 1%

Percentages and totals are based on respondents.

57%

36%

6% 6%

1%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Talking face-face

TV/Radio Sending SMS Making phone call

Internet

What communication medium do you currently use to access information on water in your area?

4%

7%

9%

9%

15%

56%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Victimization

Failure to get response/action done

Long distance

Time/financial constraints

Missing out the targeted person

Missing out the news/meeting

Challenges currently faced in trying to access information using the different channels of

communication

What technological platform do you think would be best in information dissemination between you and the concerned parties in the water sector?



Use of phone calls

23% 55% 33% 27% 38% 35%

Use of Internet 1% 5% 4% 5% 2% 3%

Use of USSD short code

10% 3% 0% 6% 5% 6%

Use of Social Media e.g. Facebook, Twitter

0% 1% 2% 0% 1% 1%

Use of SMS 63% 33% 52% 57% 49% 51%

Other 2% 3% 6% 4% 3% 3%

I don't know 0% 0% 3% 1% 1% 1%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Reasons for choosing a particular platform

Reason

Platform

TotalUse of phone calls

Use of Internet


Use of Social Media e.g. FB, Twitter

Use of SMSOther

(Radio/TV)

Easy to send/receive information 40% 13% 32% 0% 25% 7% 29%

Cheaper in Sending/receiving information

5% 8% 7% 0% 11% 4% 8%

It is faster/instant 9% 17% 0% 0% 6% 3% 7%

Can engage the respondent 18% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 6%

Direct in conveying information 7% 0% 12% 0% 3% 11% 5%

Can reach a large group of people 1% 16% 2% 50% 7% 48% 8%

Convenient/effective 9% 46% 45% 50% 44% 4% 30%

I don't know/no reason 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 2%

Most Kenyans have access to phone

1% 0% 2% 0% 2% 3% 2%

No skills to use other platforms 7% 0% 0% 0% 0% 10% 3%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Preferred technology * Foreseen challenges in using the technology

Platform Total

Use of phone calls

Use of Internet


Use of Social Media e.g. FB, Twitter

Use of SMS Other (Radio/TV)

Expensive 9% 0% 2% 0% 35% 0% 45%

Delays/failure to respond 3% 0% 1% 0% 11% 0% 15%

Missing out the call/information 12% 0% 0% 0% 3% 5% 20%

Inability to use the platform 2% 1% 2% 0% 8% 0% 13%

Inaccessibility to the platform e.g. Internet 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1%

People may fall prey to conmen 1% 0% 0% 0% 2% 0% 2%

i don't know 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 1%

Fear of being tracked down 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1%

Receiving so many SMS that becomes nuisance

0% 0%0%

0% 1% 0% 1%

Total 27% 3%4%

0% 60% 6% 100%

What measures would you recommend so as to avoid problems in future with the platform you would prefer to use?

Measures Percent

I be sent SMS when my phone is off 4%

Cost of sending/receiving should be cheap/free 37%

I'll ensure phone is charged and available all the time 11%

People should be assisted/educated/sensitized on water/technology issues 21%

I don't know 4%

Immediate response to be guaranteed 3%

Network boosters to be improved 5%

Nothing can be done 1%

Face-to-face chat to be done 1%

Calls to be made at known specific time 1%

Decentralize information nearer to the people 1%

Local language to be used 1%

SMS to be made brief 3%

Reports

• Documenting findings in three reports

Series 1: Role of technology in promoting transparency to citizens in water governance sector

Series 2: Role of technology in promoting transparency with local stakeholders in the water governance sector

Series 3: Understanding communication and decision making process in the water governance sector

Next steps

• Water ideation Hackathon in April –

working with stakeholders

• GAP: Needs identified by citizens VS

already existing solutions

• Partnering with stakeholders

• Design thinking to come up with POVs that

can be developed into solutions

Conclusion

• Need for clearly understanding the role of

technology in solving real needs of the citizens

• TRANSPARENCY is a huge problem. No

Transparency = no democracy

• Sustainability: applications and collaborations

• No need of reinventing the will- focus on

untapped areas

Thanks

Email:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Twitter:

@anny320

@albertorwa

@hildamoraa

• @ihubresearch|@ihu

b

mailto:[email protected]

