Data is critical for service delivery

There are practical benefits that accrue when national and county governments make data open, affordable and accessible.

Accurate, timely, disaggregated and accessible data is essential for governments to deliver services efficiently, equitably and transparently.

The World Bank recommends using data to help understand and address the fiscal implications of revenue sharing with particular attention to imbalances especially in marginalised regions. Strengthening access to national and county level data and monitoring of sub-national performance encourages public participation and social accountability mechanisms.

Data for measurement, evidence, decision making, reporting, planning, accountability, management, monitoring, resources allocation and strategic intervention should be the cornerstones for good governance and for the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Publishing frequently requested data in an open format allows people to self-serve, and leaders can make informed decisions on how to allocate resources and make timely interventions. It also improves public confidence.

Data access will help strengthening public financial management and public sector capacity building at the county level. County governments and the national government can make a difference by sharing data. This can also lay the foundation for a different, equally important kind of sharing – sharing data across government agencies. Keeping the records of crime or disease in structured formats, say in one part of the country, helps the leaders make informed decisions on how to deploy the police for security operations and or which medical supplies to stock where and when.

Provision of accurate, timely and essential data can help the national and county governments deliver services more efficiently. It was laudable that Deputy President William Ruto convened the first ever National Forum on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Data that brought together government, civil society, innovators, private sector and the academia to discuss how to improve the informational aspects of decision making and to enshrine principles for the provision of accurate, timely and essential data for government to deliver services efficiently.

With increased internet reach among Kenyans and the rapid absorption of mobile telephony, it should be easy to access basic data like births and deaths, the size of labour force, the number of children in school and disease patterns in each county. With a country endowed with innovative youth, Kenya is well positioned to harness and champion data revolution targeting homegrown solutions that will elevate agricultural practices beyond subsistence and help the county governments address unique challenges like licensing and revenue collection.

The government should continue to encourage real partnerships with the private sector and academia that are sustainable, coherent and futuristic in the provision of accurate data to the government. More progress can be made if accessing data is made affordable and not as prohibitive as it is now.

A clear legislative framework should be championed by the Ministry of ICT and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and backed by operationalising the long-awaited access to Information Law and Data Protection Law, which experts argue have the potential of creating incentives for data revolution.

Kenya has taken the first steps towards data revolution. This will see significant improvement in agriculture, education, water and sanitation, climate change, public finance and management and information and communication technology. For counties, the availability of data is critical in budget-making. It can help especially in the division of revenue, where accurate data is needed for accurate distribution.

Many counties do not have proper evidence for example on the poverty and wealth index. Communities of data producers and consumers, coordinated by the secretariat of the inaugurated National Partnership on Data for Sustainable Development ought to frame policy recommendations and practices.