Open Data Archives

Category Archive For "Open Data"

The barriers to citizen engagement

The Open Institute works in two main ways as regards government – citizen relations. First, we promote proactive government transparency and second, we work with citizen groups and CSOs to foster active citizenship. Government transparency has in the past decade been achieved, to some level of success, by implementing ideas such as building open data platforms, and …

Data Governance: We must be careful how data is used in fighting COVID

Originally published in the Standard, April 3, 2020 Times of crisis require difficult trade-offs between competing public interests. On one hand for example, the government has announced a curfew as a means to working to halt the spread the COVID-19 virus, and on the other, there are challenges with contraventions of constitutional freedoms like the …

Last year, I attended the very successful Africa Open Data Conference and there I said some things that I was later told are unpopular within the Open Data industry – particularly in the civil society. On reflection, I find that I still stand by what I said then. In a nutshell: Motivations for Open Data …

Essential Question: Can Open Government Really Change the World?

I have just started the six-week academic sessions of the Washington Fellowship at the Arizona State University. During this time, I shall spend my time learning and considering many aspects of civic leadership and most of all, I shall be considering an essential question, which is the over-riding reason why I do what I do or …

Open Data Day Kenya a major success!

Open Data Day Kenya was a huge success. I am so proud of the Open Institute Community team (Led by Simeon Oriko – pic left) who coordinated with volunteers and communities in three cities – Kisumu, Mombasa and Nairobi. So many great outcomes that will be blogged in the course of the next couple …

I am a writer first and foremost. I am passionate about social entrepreneurship, which I define by finding ways to innovate the world’s processes to make life better for people – whether in business or in the non-profit sector. I am professionally involved at the Open Institute, Thellesi Co and various agricultural ventures.