Using technology to engage in international development is difficult in a region of the world where the Internet has not reached every sector of the population. However, Kenya is leading the way in transforming information technology usage in Africa. Creative talent, curiosity, and innovative entrepreneurial spirit have helped shape the Kenyan technology community.
Constraints to technology growth in Kenya
1. Lack of Connectivity
Local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) generally do not offer connectivity in the remote areas and mobile phone data networks often have limited reach and can be prohibitively expensive.
2. Expensive Electricity
Rural and other underserved locations rarely have a reliable electrical power infrastructure that can support a standard ICT implementation. Traditional computing systems are therefore cost-prohibitive because they require so much electricity.
3. Lack of technological skills
Lack of properly trained staff with the right technological skills has derailed technology growth since there are no people to diffuse the technology and also to train the targeted audience on how to use the new technology effectively. The quality and quantity of available human resource can directly affect the growth of technology.
4. Lack of funds
This is one of the main issues affecting technology growth in Kenya. Many people come up with new ideas every day but are hindered from implementing them dye to lack of resources. There has not been enough government support in terms of finance until recently. It's also hard for innovators to find alternative sources of funds other than the government.
5. Access to raw materials
In Kenya there few companies that deal with raw materials concerned with technology resulting in limited access to raw materials for innovators. The only option left is for innovators to import which can be straining for those who don't have adequate financial resources.
Review of existing policies
The current national Technology policy of 2006 is the first for the country and was published through a special issue of the Kenya Government Gazette (MoIC, 2006). The vision in this Policy is of “a prosperous technology-driven Kenyan society”, and its stated mission is “to improve the livelihoods of Kenyans by ensuring the availability of accessible, efficient, reliable and affordable technological services”.
This Policy is currently under review in light of changes that have taken place in recent years and changes that are anticipated. For example, there is a converged legal and regulatory environment; there is new submarine fibre bandwidth; there is an economic blueprint, Vision 2030 (RoK, 2007), that the policy needs to align with; and the new Constitution provides a Bill of Rights outlining fundamental freedoms to citizens (some of which require delivery through responsive technological policy making). In addition, there have been, and will be, many other regional and global changes. There has been an effort to initiate a review of this Policy since 2009, and a draft technology policy has been on the website of the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) since February 2011, for comment. There are also indications that an ICT master plan is being finalised by the MoIC.
The Kenya Vision 2030 document, finalised by the government in 2007, represents the blueprint for the country’s development up to year 2030 (RoK, 2007). Vision 2030 states that its aim is to make Kenya “a globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life by 2030” (ibid). The Vision has three pillars, namely an economic pillar, a social pillar and a political pillar, and the overall objective is to realize higher and more sustainable economic growth in a more equitable environment, accompanied by increased employment opportunities. The Vision is to be implemented in five successive Medium-Term Plans (MTPs), the first of which ran from 2008 to 2012 (RoK, 2008). The overall sectoral goal of the ICT sector MTP is “to facilitate provision of equitable and affordable quality information and communication services countrywide”.
Today, the sub-component systems of the national technology system in Kenya comprise:
• Coordination of science and technology activities.
• Research and experimental development by national research institutes, commodity based research foundations, private local and international research bodies.
• Scientific testing and standardization services by Kenya Bureau of Standards, Materials Branch of the Ministry of public works and Housing, Government Chemist, etc.
• Technological education and training by national public and private universities, national polytechnics, technical institutions etc.
• General purposes social and economic data collection (Central Bureau of Statistics ),
• Technological and scientific advisory, consultancy and extension services, including patent offices by Kenya National Academy of Sciences, Kenya Industrial Property Institute, professional associations, etc.,
• Library and information services for dissemination of results of scientific and technological activities (Kenya National Library Services, university libraries).
• Popularization of technology by various means,
• Application of technology in industrial and agricultural production, and
• Services of all kinds including routine design, engineering, production control and marketing, routine medical services, and administration.
Reasons for minimum impact on technology development
1. A high rate of population growth
The number of people inhabiting a country is an important factor in determining the impact of human activity on the environment. Also important are the rate of population increase and the distribution. The rate of population growth influences human ability to adapt to changing conditions. Slow rate of growth enables faster adaptation of human behavior, institutions and technology. Rapid growth on the other hand puts more stress on environmental resources and physical infrastructure thereby compromising ability of governments to cope with the demands of the population.
2. Environmental Decay A direct consequence of use of technology would be overcrowding and potential threats to the environment, especially the degradation of land resources, overcrowding in urban centers and pollution.
3. Slow growth of the industrial sector
The slow growth of the country’s industrial sector constrains growth in the other sectors, especially technology. The slow pace of growth is compounded by the existence of weak linkages between technology and other sectors of the economy.
4. Growing National and International Indebtedness
The negative socio-economic impact of the country’s growing international indebtedness has led to serious balance of payments problems and the country’s inability to raise sufficient development capital. The unfavorable international terms of trade for the country’s primary exports has exacerbated the problem. Also, a growing public sector budget, a large proportion of which is financed through borrowing has left little financial resources for the private sector business.
5. Slow Rate of Technology Adoption
Slow rate of adoption and application of available technology is evident in all sectors of the economy, especially in industries.
6. Growing Pressure on Social Services
There is growing pressure on social services especially on education, health, housing, and public transport. This is at a time when the population is surging and exerting more pressure on the available resources while the country is experiencing financial and other resources constraints. While in the rural areas the population pressure calls for intensified agricultural production, in the urban centers it requires municipal authorities to provide basic services to more people and where not possible, the number of people without the basic services increases in the urban centers.
7. Unfavorable Environment for Research, Science and Technology
Due mostly to lack of awareness on the role of science and technology in national development, difficulties persist in creating favorable climate and strategies conducive to a strong and sustainable public support for research, science and technology.
General proposals on government policies on technology
1. Accelerate IT adoption throughout the public and private sectors.
2. Encouraging growth of industrial companies,
3. Injecting technological innovation into traditional fields which are not traditionally research and development dependent,
4. Strengthening research infrastructure as well as capital and labor,
5. Harnessing innovation for the improvement of the public sector
6. Increasing the participation of sectors currently underrepresented in the technology work force.