The Future of Devolution is Citizen-Led
Citizens in Kilifi met with their Governor and his cabinet to present their needs – with data.
We Each Hold a Piece. Let’s Build the Full Picture — Together
By Florence Syevuo and Al Kags At a recent breakfast gathering in Nairobi, we asked each person who walked into the room to take a single puzzle piece. No explanation. No picture of the final image. Just that small fragment, handed over with a quiet challenge. As the morning unfolded, something wonderful happened. Strangers began…
More Openness, Not Less: Why We Must Defend Transparency in a Shrinking Civic Space
In recent years, the global civic space has been shrinking at an alarming rate. Governments are cutting budgets, laying off staff, and scaling back initiatives that support openness, transparency and accountability. At the same time, restrictions on civil society, the media, and digital freedoms are making it harder for citizens to access information, engage with…
Emerging Issues in Civic Tech: Reflections from CTIF 2024
The Civic Tech Innovation Forum 2024 opened up fresh perspectives on the interplay between technology, data, and governance across Africa. Themed “Under The Hood”, it caused civil society players to reflect on the relationship between self, community and tech while looking under the hood, underneath the surface of our work, our communities and the technology…
Unlocking Africa’s Data Potential: Insights from the Innovate Africa Symposium
By Loise Mboo & Al Kags The vibrant city of Kigali became the epicentre of Africa’s data future last week as we joined thought leaders, innovators, and policymakers at the Innovate Africa Symposium. We engaged in powerful discussions for two and a half days exploring how data shapes the continent’s development. From economic growth and…
National Action Plan V: A Bold Leap Toward Transparency and Citizen-Driven Change
Kenya has embarked on a transformative journey by launching the 5th National Action Plan (NAP V) under the Open Government Partnership (OGP). This is not just another policy initiative—it is a bold leap into a future where governance is transparent, inclusive, and powered by the people’s voices. The sheer ambition of this plan makes it…
Nandi County’s Data-Driven Revolution: A Model for Effective Service Delivery
For years, the Open Institute has worked diligently to guide counties towards more effective, data-centred decision-making. Our focus has been on equipping local governments with essential tools and expertise, ensuring better resource allocation, stronger policies, and improved public services. In the last two and a half years, our partnership with Nandi and Kilifi counties has…
Investing in Changemakers for Social Progress in Africa
For the first time in a decade, the world has witnessed a significant decline in social progress. The Social Progress Index highlights that last year, 61 countries saw a decline, 77 stagnated, and only 32 made real progress, with the UK falling into the second tier for the first time. With 4 out of 5…
Data for Development: A citizen-led initiative in Kilifi County
One of the main goals of our active citizenship work is making sure that data is widely accessed and used not just by governments but by citizens. We cannot achieve true data democracy when citizens are not involved in an active way in the data life cycle. We need to move away from only seeing…
Hyperlocal Social Infrastructure for Systems Change
Systems change is the goal of our work, promoting Responsive Governments and Active Citizenship. Our pursuit of this goal has continually convinced us that systemic transformation must be built from the ground up. Actual progress lies in adjusting policies and reconfiguring the societal and governance ecosystems that determine whose voices are amplified and silenced. To…
