ZANZIBAR eGOVERNMENT AGENDA AND IMPACT ASSESSMENT

05 December 2011 Overview Zanzibaris expectation to a positive social and economic impact out of the ongoing Zanzibar eGovernment agenda will be the benchmark for eGovernment investment value for money. However, the real benefits will be often hard to quantify till majority of Zanzibaris understands and empowered to be fully engaged with the scheme. World Bank eGovernment Practice Group, Washington DC, believed to be the only International organisation set a favourable framework in developing eGovernment policy, and accepted by many developing countries particular those on emerging economy as a inducement on how to conduct impact assessment for the eGovernment project, though there is no yet unified accepted requirement definition for the eGovernment impact assessment established, this framework suits the needs of developing countries1. Most eGovernment initiatives in developing countries centre around positive effects on how government services and openness to its citizens as a yardstick, and as a result of promoting the use of information and communication technology in government institutions improved efficiency of their internal administrative operations2. An often used illustration for an eGovernment impact assessment, is a dimension on how to engage the citizen with their government through electronic means and to what extent they will be empowered to do so, on this regard the scale are the national backbone, government data centres, computing facilities such as telecenter, and community Internet kiosks, as well as availability such computer penetration, Internet devices penetration and affordability the country Internet consumer price index.
1 CAROLYNE STANFORTH (2006), Analysing eGovernment Implementation in Developing Countries Using Actor-Network Theory, Development Informatics Group, Precinct Centre, UK. 2 JANE BRINGOLF (2008), Universal Design: Is it Accessible?, In Multi: The RIT Journal of Plurality and Diversity in Design Vol. 1 No. 2 (Spring/Summer 2008) 45-52

It is appeal noticing that among the impact of an eGovernment initiative may also exists the negative one, the introduction of an online government service may make some of civil servants redundant, which clearly will be a negative impact out of Zanzibar eGovernment agenda and for the labour force affected. As eGovernment is an information system platform that is dynamically complex, due to the nature of its dynamic interactions among the system and end-users, and yet, there are hardly any mathematical modelling frameworks have dealt with that. This leading for Zanzibar to have a robust impact assessment for an eGovernment policy framework, which will set country on how best to address implementation issues for the Zanzibar eGovernment agenda based on a vigorous methodology, that should enables Zanzibar to take an informed decisions, to facilitate the alignment of the use of information and communication technologies and human capital for internal process in order to achieve optimal government service delivery3. Designing eGovernment system to be a user-friendly and useable by the majority of Zanzibaris, it is an underpinning concept of universal design, and therefore impact assessment is necessary to laid down policy principles to be addressed at all time till next review. In a less serious situation, however, universal design may fails to meet its principles. But this normally resulted in a lack of understanding of the concept, which in turn, will allow the term un-accessibility to be inhabited to the concept of which will be deemed as Zanzibar failure in value for money. This means Zanzibar eGovernment agenda universal design should be bounded by the concepts of citizens rights, accessibility and regulations, rather than focus only on intellectual challenges of scheme4. eGovernment Policy Designing Tool The results of well designed and a non-biased impact assessment will give a clear indications on where Zanzibar eGovernment policy should be heading. A number of

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VAV DER, VLOEIMANS J. et. al. (2006). "The Impact of eGovernment on the Organization : A Case Study in Amsterdam," University of Amsterdam, Netherlands Remaining challenges of measuring the accessibility of websites according to WCAG 2.0

pragmatic studies suggest that electronic government services have had an enormous impact in improving government performance and openness. However, in public sector, delivering service electronically its investments needs a different approach to list success. Its process for implementation requires a wider spectrum of benchmarks of a coherent evaluation methodology comprising of a set of explicit indicators for transparency, accessibility, efficiency, and value for money5. The overall aspiration of Zanzibar eGovernment policy should be expressed in the terms of its ultimate impacts to Zanzibar society. These will normally not be expressed as eGovernment objectives, but rather as societal objectives to which successful eGovernment development should contribute, such as Zanzibaris participation to their government functions and government openness on its decision making6. eGovernment solutions promises to deliver a number of direct benefits but to make sure that the agenda works as intended there is a need for better measurements, and that is impact assessment. However, finding suitable approaches to design an impact assessment that will distinguish the successful eGovernment project from those which needs improvement depends on what was the policy. Because the majority of the methodologies and analogous tests rely on human judgment, as eGovernment benchmarking mostly carried out manually. These tasks are error prone and time consuming, which in practice means that Zanzibar eGovernment surveys should not focus on one component, small geographical area, or evaluate diminutive samples of country, on what is look like for a case of Zanzibar is the national backbone barely, but should include as many socio-economic hindrance components to be taken into account for a well functioning eGovernment system7. A well defined policy on eGovernment set a clear vision on harnessing the phenomenon, to improve service delivery and internal efficiency of government institutions, and redefine the existing and future relations with citizen in the internal and external
SCHRANER, I (2006), Economic Evaluation of Assistive Technology : Challenges for the Discipline, Resources from Feminist Economics, Essays in Heterodox Economics : Proceeding of the Fifth Australian Society of Heterodox Economists Conference, Edited by P. Kriesler, M. Johnson and J. Lodewijks. Sydney 11-12.
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MORTEN GOODWIN (2011), Towards Automatic Monitoring of eGovernment PhD Thesis, Aalborg University, Department of Computer Science, The Faculties of Engineering, Science, and Medicine, 12.08.2011 7 th MORTEN GOODWIN (2010), Digitizing Public Services in Europe: Putting Ambition into Action 9 Benchmarking Measurements, IDC, December 2011

environment in order to create value of service. Consequently a robust impact assessment for Zanzibar eGovernment agenda will be a useful tool, to list Zanzibar eGovernment scheme as a success project8. Developing Full Functional eGovernment In 2001 Government Information Quarterly a highly recognised journal for public sector information management systems publishes four stage of eGovernment model which receives significant acknowledgment from many information scientists9. The four stage model based on Layne model in technical, organization and managerial feasibility, of which suggests that eGovernment, is an evolution phenomenon and not an event, which have stages of growth, named cataloguing, transaction, vertical integration and horizontal integration10.

Figure 1 : Stages of eGovernment Development (Layne K. et. al, 2001)

BEKKERS, V. (2003), E-Government and the Emergence of Virtual Organizations in the Public Sector, Information Polity 8: 89-101. 9 PERISTERAS, V. et. al. (2001), Analyzing eGovernment as a Paradigm Shift, United Nations. 10 LAYNE, K. et. al (2001). "Developing Fully Functional E-government : A Four Stage Model." Government Information Quarterly, 18: 122-136.

On Layne model the vertical axe shows the organisational and technological complexity, and the horizontal axe shows the integration of services and cooperation, from sparse to complete, with the perspective of the potential user. The stages described from the perspective of the functionalities of eGovernment offered to users, intended to promote better service delivery in line with the ambition of eGovernment should be a successful. Taking the state of affairs of the Layne model to Zanzibar eGovernment agenda, the stage 0 indicates currently traditional government functionalities with no eGovernment and use of technology implemented, while stage 1 cataloguing, this stage encompasses the provisioning of a static information to the Zanzibar government portal, this stage is called cataloguing because efforts should be focused in cataloguing government data and information to be presented online, also focusing on establishing an online presence, a innovative brand for the government. Stage 2 transaction, this stage encompasses mutual communication between Zanzibaris and the government enabling online service delivery, at this stage eGovernment initiative will focus on connecting the internal government systems to online interfaces and allowing citizen to transact with the government electronically, it is also called transaction-based eGovernment, because eGovernment initiatives efforts consists in putting live database links to an online interfaces. Stage 3 vertical integration, in this stage Zanzibar will transform its government processes and possibly the perception of government itself, but citizen demands and changes within Zanzibar society at this time will push government to go further as the critical benefit of implementing eGovernment, and actual will be derived from the integration of underlying process, not only across different levels of government, but also different functions of government. Zanzibaris will then desires to see the government as an integration information base with solitary contact point to interact for any government transaction or interaction, information management systems professionals refer this stage as one-stop shopping concept11.

RICHARD HEEKS (2001), Building eGovernment for Development : A Framework for Nation and Donor Country, Institute for Development Policy and Management, Manchester UK.

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While stage 4 is horizontal integration, at this stage Zanzibaris will be seen fully engaged in using the bursting potential of ICT should the project be successful, from the users perspective, the horizontal integration is the government services delivery across different functional walls. The integration will happen in equally, vertical and horizontal, vertical integration refers to the local and central administration connected for different functions or services of government, but horizontal integration defined as integration across different government functions and services12. The Layne model is helpful to give Zanzibar insights of actual eGovernment functional developments. The first stage from traditional government to cataloguing and to transaction, can be well and quickly adopted in practice, while the horizontal and vertical integration stages are of more or less hypothetical in context, which needs more local product knowledge of eGovernment functionalities and the Zanzibar government functions, because there are indications that most of the developing countries governments used the model listed as successful projects13. A quantity of research suggests that, the Layne model is not the only silver bullet for developing a well functioning eGovernment project, the initiative will needs lots of refining inputs to ensemble Zanzibar needs. Other than, Layne model there are ones contained more sophisticated stages in nature with Zanzibar situation while we are just imaging what is like to have eGovernment, and yet we are not setting out our vision clearly with the absence of policy document. Nevertheless it might be worth to consider an alternative in future developments of the scheme such as one below developed by Richard Heeks an information scientist at the Institute for Development and Policy Management of the University of Manchester UK. But for now Zanzibar have to stick with basic acceptable principles like the Layne model in developing and effective eGovernment concept, for a point of view lets have a glance of Richard model to realised the complex nature of the process.

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DEVADOSS, P. et. al. (2002), Structurational Analysis of eGovernment Initiatives : A Case Study of SCO, Decision Support Systems, 34, 253-269. 13 PROF. BHATNAGAR S. et. al. (2007), Impact Assessment Study of eGovernment Projects in India Center for eGovernance, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, January 2007.

Figure 2 : Stages of eGovernment Development (Richard Heeks, 2001) Surely Richard model is more detailed in entities relationship and system independence, but will need more organisations and adequate human capital, though is very possible. Since there is no definitive model yet on the shelves to guarantee triumphant accomplishment for Zanzibar eGovernment agenda in a less pain way, but all have one thing in common, that implementing eGovernment project is not an event as we can think, rather a dynamic process which requires careful consideration, relevant skills and product knowledge.

It is only then this can give Zanzibar immense self awareness, the aptitude to understand and find solutions of within on how Zanzibaris can get the best out of Zanzibar eGovernment agenda. The policy framework is a starting point to set a robust vision, standards and procedures to allow smooth integration of information and service between government institutions and the citizens. eGovernment for Open Data Initiative The 2010 United Nations eGovernment Survey reveals various roles for eGovernment in addressing the citizen conviction to their government, which is normal gained through transparency, where eGovernment platform can easily facilitate lucidity, and that can be further enhanced through sharing of government data and information based on open data protocol. According to the United Nation report the ability of eGovernment to handle the speed and complexity of open data initiative is out of question, and can also strengthen Zanzibar policy formulation. Zanzibar eGovernment agenda through Open Data Initiative it may gives Zanzibaris the power to question the actions of government and bring systemic issues to the fore. Equally, eGovernment can add dexterity to the government service delivery to help Zanzibar act in response to an expanded set of demands to its citizens. Since the last publication of the United Nation eGovernment survey, in 2008, governments particular in developing countries have made walk of long steps in the development of online services. Though the issues associated with eGovernment scheme on human capitals may seems to encumber eGovernment development, but deep down policy can takes Zanzibar to a justification. It is therefore utterly imperative the policy to be for the Zanzibar eGovernment agenda should define clearly datasets standards and publication schemes framework for open data initiative14. Through a well defined datasets formulation and government data publication scheme, Zanzibar eGovernment agenda will facilitate in building a new
14 WAM Abu Dhabi, Sept. 22nd, 2011 (WAM), Emirates eGovernment welcomed a team of Seventeen from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, Republic of Korea, to learn about the eGovernment programme in UAE.

paradigm of our infants democracy, The Government through eGovernment platform will releasing public data to help Zanzibaris understanding how their government works and how decision were made. Some of these data may be already available in public domain, but eGovernment scheme may bring it together in one searchable place, and therefore meets the most criteria of open data initiative, easy access to government. Making government data easily available through eGovernment, means it will be easier for Zanzibaris to be engaged in decision making process and make suggestions about government policies based on detailed information, a new way of citizen participation to the country decision making process, instead of a traditional one which heavily depend on politicians representation. The clarity within the Zanzibar eGovernment policy framework about open data initiative will allow Zanzibar to determine in future what sort of freedom of information (FoI) legislation to have, and what publication scheme government institutions needs to follow in publishing information or data for public consumption, as it is the availability of data will attract investors, and Zanzibar builds its own version digital economy, but all start with the policy framework. Conclusion In line to a beyond doubt Zanzibar eGovernment Agenda, and as it has been clearly known that a fighting fit running eGovernment, a scheme to benefit Zanzibaris at all levels, that, it should be implemented as a vigorous process not an event. Since many of the stages within the said process has not been achieved yet by Zanzibar authority, to suggest that Zanzibar will adopt eGovernment norms by April 2012, as it has been announced by government official through media on behalf of the government15, that will be a white lie which needs to stop. Zanzibaris deserves better around this time of a government of good governance at all time. The effective Zanzibar eGovernment agenda will well depend highly on what will
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DAILY NEWS (Last Updated : 11 October 2011), Zanzibar to Adopt eGovernment 2012, (Tanzania - In Ed. by : Ali Sultani) Available at http://www.dailynews.co.tz/business/?n=24431&cat=business (Accessed : 28 November 2011).

be the policy. It will be a practical instrument for the scheme to set out Zanzibar vision towards a well functioning eGovernment, but to have an effective policy requires a non bias impact assessment to root out issues with which will need to be addressed in the policy document. Research evidence suggests that impact assessment used for deriving policy issues shouldnt be done by the policy implementers, because it is the impact assessment to set out parameters for policy document, and therefore it should be free from any form of bias. To warranty the best output of the impact assessment, it is therefore advised for the government to task higher learning institutions and potential stakeholders (organisations) to form an impact assessment team, such as State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), Zanzibar University (Tunguu), Karume Institute of Science and Technology, Zanzibar Chambers of Commerce, Zanzibar Association of Disables for disabilities issues to be in policy, Zanzibar Law Society, Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors, Zanzibar Institute for Research and Public Policy and alike. Such a team of a gratis from government behavior constrains will be free to obliterate issues, which will be the foundation and framework of the policy document, and that have to be Zanzibar principle to a full functioning decorated eGovernment scheme. Reference MBWANA ALLIY et. al. (2010), Connecting Tanzania to Silicon Valley Through I/O Ventures : A Feasibility Study on Establishing a Technology Incubator to Grow the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Sector In Tanzania, I/O Ventures, USA. GRAHAM COLCLOUGH et. al. (2010), Digitizing Public Services in Europe : Putting Ambition into Action, 9th Benchmarking Measurement, European Commission, Directorate General for Information Society and Media, November 2010 HAJI, H. M. (2003), Do Converged Regulatory Authorities Represent the Optimal Way Forward for the Regulation of the Communications Sector? : A Case of Tanzania, University of Strathclyde, June 2003, Glasgow, UK.

WENDY GINSBERG (2010), The Obama Administrations OGI, Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 7-5700, 2010. UNITED NATIONS (2010), United Nations E-Government Survey 2010 : Leveraging eGovernment at the Time of Financial and Economic Crisis, The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, New York, 2010. JULIE NYANGAYA (2011), 2011 East Africa Security Study Report : Protecting What Matters, Enterprise Risk Services, Deloitte East Africa, November 2011. RICHARD HEEKS (2003), Most eGovernment for Development Projects Fail : How Can Risks Be Reduced?, The Commonwealth Network of Information Technology for Development, UK. WORLD BANK (2011), Tanzania Takes Seventh Place in African Telecom, In By Citizen Reporter, (ed) The Citizen on Sunday 16 October 2011, Dar es Salaam, 2011 CAROLYNE STANFORTH (2010), Analysing eGovernment Project Failure : Comparing Factoral, Systems and Interpretive Approaches, IDPM SED, UK. ZANZIBAR GOVERNMENT (2011), The Public Service Act No. 2 of 2011, House of Representative of Zanzibar, 27 January 2011, Zanzibar. Part IX, Part X SIGNORE, O. (2003), W3C Technologies : A Key for Interoperability, Journal of Computer Resources Management, Issue 110, 2003 TALERO, E. et. al. (1998), Harnessing Information for Development: A Proposal for a World Bank Group Vision and Strategy, Information Technology for Development, Washington, USA.