kenyaimagine.com

The changing face of government

Written by Rebecca Wanjiku

Sunday, 29 April 2007

The first time, Bitange Ndemo, Information and Communication PS responded to an article I had sent to the KICTANet mailing list, I could not believe it. I thought someone else was doing it on his behalf.

After all, we are used to government officers who are such strident followers of protocol that even responding to straight forward questions is a problem. Clarifying issues is for them, a tortuous task from hell. So, for me to read from a Permanent Secretary explaining how I had left out vital points or misconstrued facts was amazing. He did not condemn, only clarified. He also encouraged dialogue, invited list members to ask, and he answered promptly.

Dr. Ndemo is now well known by members of that list and does not wait or give appointments just to explain about the fibre optic cable. He is known to visit forums such as Mashada and explain issues concerning his ministry. For a journalist, this is easy, just drop him an email and you have his authority and knowledge within your grasp.

Ndemo may be exceptional because he is trying to promote ICTs but there are other instances where the face of government has changed. Sample this, during the KICTANet monthly forum, a Robert Ogutu, from the ministry of youth affairs was present to explain about their projects at the ministry. He was accompanied by a colleague who was speaking about reviving the village polytechnics and the inherent challenges.

What was good about the presentations was that both presenters had just a day to make presentations; they worked hard and their commitment showed in their knowledge and readiness to respond to the audience. They extinguished the preconceived ideas that civil servants are lazy and will always point to red tape as a reason not to participate in events especially organised by private sector.

This is in my opinion, the kind of country we would like, where government officers freely interact with the public and can participate easily with private sector and civil society and share ideas. Almost there.

Rebecca Wanjiku
		About the author:
		Rebecca Wanjiku is a Kenyan journalist and entrpreneur. She writes on technology and media issues and publishes the BeckyIT blog.

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written by Tim Norwood , May 01, 2007

Take a chill pill, Mr That Kenyan. No ammo about, it is merely debate.
All the reports that came from the conferences and even press reports from back home set Dr. Ndemo apart from say Kimunya. Was he recruited from the Universities or is this just his manner?

Perhaps we should take after the French and the British and have government by the civil servants with the very best of the national talent being taken into the civil service? I have always felt that the likes of Kibaki, Raila and so on dearly want to engage with the mwananchi but have not enough knowledge or empathy to do so. This is why Moi's Dream Team idea was so inspired.

I will not be cheering Mutahi Kagwe though. The Standard raid and the shameful affair surrounding Wachira Waruru's exit from KBC are proof that he is compromised and weak.

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written by mosaisi , May 01, 2007

A few months ago I sent an e-mail to the PS and a number of government offices. The e-mail was about a number of personal and private web pages that were operating within the .go.ke domain name. He was out of the country but his response was prompt.

The gov web administrators that I sent the mail to did not even bother to respond. May be they were more busy than that PS.

A few days later the web pages were deleted.

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Characterisation
written by aeichener , May 02, 2007

Actually, Rebecca's title gives me an idea for a new article. I think I will call it:

"New Masks, Old Faces".

Dixi, feci.

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written by aeichener , May 02, 2007

FYI: Bitange Ndemo might well be chummy with some journalists (if so, fine).

But he is also as Permanent Secretary responsible that his ministry's "website" (bwahahaha) does not have a contacts.htm page (dead link), has a service charter consisting of a single page without text content (only the title page), has a departments listing consisting of nought (nil, zero), and which up to a few weeks ago DID NOT EVEN HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS. Yep, that's right. The Ministry of Information and Communication did not even communicate an email address to the visitors of its website.

And this bloke you hail as an example for liidaahsheep, Bosibori? And Rebecca: maybe you would like to try to be just a bit less sycophantic.

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Give credit where credit is du
written by j otero , May 02, 2007

I think Rebecca's experience was refreshing and she was right to praise the PS. That hardly constitutes sycophancy it is just good manners to show appreciation for good service.

In general I think it is fair to say that Kenya government is more responsive to wananchi than it has ever been. The e-government effort is impressive and Dr. Bitange is largely responsible for the Kenyan governments efforts to finally enter the information age.

Cynics will always nitpick and look for blemishes but I prefer to acknowledge the hard work that has been done. Kudos Dr. Bitange.

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written by aeichener , May 02, 2007

I agree that good service should be acknowledged and maybe appreciated. And I also agree that this is not done often enough in the Kenyan media.

However, doing one's duty does not constitute a reason for special praise. And he did not even do his elementary duty. Really ridiculous, these massive failures.

Alexander

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sycophantic or truth
written by bex , May 03, 2007

I believe this forum is for everybody to share their experiences. If such will be labelled sycophantic or otherwise, its good to alert writers otherwise it defeats logic.
Only a Kenyan who has experienced the challenges of getting government information and simply being held back by bureaucracy will appreciate.

I think its fair to appreciate the little things people do to make it easier.

Just to have a PS chat you on Mashada (like somebody confessed the PS educated him on fibre optic)
Or getting a chance to shoot questions to the PS on a mailing-list and he answers, I think its good.

Call it sycophantic or whatever, it think he is doing a good job and if its a mask he is wearing, I bet it works for me.

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written by That Kenyan Loser , May 03, 2007

However, doing one's duty does not constitute a reason for special praise. And he did not even do his elementary duty. Really ridiculous, these massive failures.

Here you go again with your we-want-it-all-now attitude.

This right here is what is wrong with Kenya, ladies and gentlemen. People do no acknowledge others. It's why people walk into restaurants harassing waiters just because it is their job.

You tend to read that we are advocating taking to the streets with twigs in our hands singing, "Ndemo ni baba wa Internet." All we are asking for is a pat on the back.

Ndemo highlighted what he is doing to improve Internet connection. Let's be fair to him. If he fails, I will be the first to join you in condemning him, but only after I have seen that he was negligent.

Being critical of everything in the name of democracy is unfortunately a drawback to the principle itself. Democratic societies emphasize on cool heads and fairness. To call someone names based on the character of those who previously held his/her position in undemocratic.

Don't just look at the dictionary meaning of words. There is something called context, which is in fact more important than definition.

Your post inspires me to write a piece about cynicism, and oh, it's gonna be good!

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Kenyans!!!
written by newafroguy , May 03, 2007

However, doing one's duty does not constitute a reason for special praise.
Alexander

This statement needs to be published in every legible Kenyan language and in every Kenyan media available. Why be so ecstatic about someone MERELY doing PART of their job, and one for which they are superbly remunerated, for that matter.

Acknowledgement is fine, but let it reflect the level of achievement. For Pete's sake could we please raise our expectations even if just a mite higher?
At my job, I have been expressly told by my boss that merely doing the same thing the same way for 365 days does not merit a raise. One has to constantly improve and be part of an improved productivity in order to lay claim to its benefits. The same goes with what we expect and praise among our leaders. Kenyans please!!!

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I Agree
written by That Kenyan Loser , May 04, 2007

I met Dr. Ndemo during the Kenyan Diaspora investment convention in Atlanta, Georgia, last month and was equally impressed by how accessible he was. The whole entorage that accompanied Finance Minister Amos Kimunya was phenomenally open to the press and so was the minister.

Another very friendly chap worth mentioning is Dr. Wahome Gakuru, the director of the Social Sector in the Office of the President, who I didn't see decline a conversation with anyone.

Earlier this month in Oakland, California, Ndemo's boss Mutahi Kagwe, Tourism Minister Morris Dzoro and Internal Secutity Asst. Minister Peter Munya also mingled freely with Kenyans. Some Narc-Kenya gatekeepers tried to shield the ministers from the audience afterwards but Kenyans quickly let them know who was boss.

It's possible that the ministers are performing the rest of their duties poorly. But they should be commended for striving to end that "Big Man Syndrome" that is evident among older leaders. Only through sharing information shall leaders be able to earn the electorate's trust.

Finally, Rebecca's article calls for a need to reward those who are doing good. The reward here could be just the words, "Well done." It's something we Kenyans could improve on and must start by teaching our children. Throughout my 12 years of school, I never heard one teacher tell me, "Great job for scoring 80% on the exam." It was always, "Why didn't you get 100%?"

Things weren't any better at home and I know I'm not the only one. While it's important to push a child, or an employee for the best possible, how you do it matters. Polite words in the beginning, followed by positive criticism encourage people to aim for the best. Scolding only produces anger and resentment.

DISCLAIMER: Save your ammo for later. The kudos given here are solely for the government officials' accessibility to the press during the times and places mentioned.

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written by Bosibori , May 04, 2007

I feel that Dr.Ndemo is proving to be an effective and exemplary leader, who is bringing steady progress in his ministry, less beauracratic,efficient and involved. Maybe the young blood is what we Kenyans need as opposed to experienced professional embezzlers.

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balance
written by Tim Norwood , May 04, 2007

This right here is what is wrong with Kenya, ladies and gentlemen. People do no acknowledge others.

Come now. The issue of how we treat the little people is very different from how we treat the bosses. Even the most mediocre PS in the most mediocre Ministry gets a lot of undeserved praise, and it is not infrequent. If anything I believe we acknowledge our 'leaders' a little too much, it is what gets them to take wananchi for granted.

Best way out I believe is to qualify any judgement of a civil/public servant and to be just as generous with criticism as with praise. Hence a 'this is OK, but could we have better' approach.

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written by aeichener , June 15, 2007

Sycophantic (consult a dictionary) is not the truthful sharing of one's personal experience, which is always welcome, but the wording that one consciously chooses for expressing and conveying such experience.

Apart from that, you just carefully aimed and judiciously shot into your own foot. It is exactly the point that this high-ranking and very, very highly paid government official does not care about the little (but important) things that would make it at all possible (let alone "easier") to get government information (to which every citizen has a right, bex: it is not a gracious privilege given from the high throne) and to make oneself accountable. As he ought to, however. That is his basic duty. Not a special achievement. And yet this duty is not fulfilled, as I have demonstrated.

Kenyans still have this ever-so-pervasive slave mentality:
"Bwana has shaken my hand!" "The White Man has said to me 'Good job!'" "Mheshimiwa has responded to my email!"
To become a democrat, one must first get rid of this underling attitude. Get real.

Alexander

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