The Governors Baraza, a high-level breakfast meeting that brought together Governors, civil society organisations and development partners was co-organized by the Open Institute, The SDGs Kenya Forum and Baraza Media Lab. The Governors Baraza’s ultimate goal is to enable CSOs to provide support, build relationships and to advocate for the governors to adopt good practices from the onset.
Nandi County’s Data Desk was officially launched on 5th May 2022 amidst pomp and glamour at the County headquarters in Kapsabet, making it the second county to establish the facility that collects, curates, analyzes and publishes relevant county data, in line with their commitments to the Open Government Partnership.
It is no secret that we live in a data-driven world. Everyday, quintillions of data are generated and utilised by Big Data and private sector companies, who weave data analytics into their operations in order to deliver value and target their customers. Governments hold more data now than ever, and by harnessing the power of…
Open government is an inclusive and participatory approach to governance that allows citizens to be involved in the formulation and eventual implementation of public policies, and has been recognized as a catalyst for democracy and inclusivity in sustainable growth. Government is open when it follows the principles of transparency, accountability and participation; key initiatives include open data, public participation, open contracting, open parliament, among others.
We at the Open Institute, are proud to announce that our Founder, Al Kags, has been invited to join the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD). GPSDD comprises of Data Champions who aim to harness the data revolution to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Open Institute…
Recently, we participated in a national Open Government Partnership forum was held in Nairobi. This forum, organised by the Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO), brought together civil society, academia, media, private sector and multilateral institutions. The debate focused on the progress of implementation of the OGP Kenya commitments. At this forum, key issues emerging…
We are happy to unveil Badili (Swahili for Change), which is an on-line resource to share stories and experiences, initiatives, content, and generally track progress on the data revolution in Africa. This initiative, driven in partnership with Development Initiatives – Africa Hub, Hivos East Africa and the Association of Freelance Journalists, is a contribution to the growing momentum…
Yesterday at the World Bank in Washington DC, I had the pleasure to spend lunch hour reflecting with colleagues there about the progress that Kenya is making with bringing government closer to citizens – especially using devolution. In my reflections, I also discussed not just the practical gaps that exist in making devolution work, but…
Having been involved in promoting the Open Government Partnership over the past couple of years in Africa, I have had a couple of experiences that have introduced a nagging worry at the back of my head that has continued to grow. Today, in conversation with colleagues at OpentheGovernment.org, where I am spending my days, the nagging worry codified…
Earlier this year, I published my thoughts on the general direction in which a partnership for development data could take in Africa. While we acknowledge the possibility of a loose flotilla of efforts in the early days of such an effort I believe two critical factors should be kept front-of-mind. We cannot wait for a finalised…
