A Situational Analysis of Information Management in Selected Government Ministries in the Context of Kenya Vision 2030

Abstract

Information is the fuel that drives government programmes and services. For Government ministries in Kenya therefore, effectively managing information is key to provision of service delivery, development and growth of the country, especially in successfully implementing strategies articulated in the Kenya Vision 2030, the country’s long-term socio-economic development blue-print whose aim is to create a globally competitive and prosperous country with a high quality of life by the year 2030. Unfortunately, the role of information and by extension that of information management (IM), as an essential foundation upon which to base this growth strategy is not articulated. Yet, there is urgent need to ensure that line ministries focus on effectively managing information as a driver for the socio-economic transformation envisaged in the Kenya Vision 2030. This article presents findings of an investigation into the state of IM in selected Government ministries as a prerequisite to the successful implementation of strategies outlined in the Kenya Vision 2030. In carrying out this study, three broad objectives were pursued, that is to: establish the extent to which IM is implemented in Government ministries in order to support the realisation of the Kenya Vision 2030; investigate the issues that the ministries face with respect to their ability toeffectively manage information within the Vision 2030 framework; and suggest measures that can be taken to ensure that IM is successfully integrated in Government ministries in support of the Kenya Vision 2030 implementation. Qualitative research methods, including in- depth interviews with 60 respondents drawn from six line ministries that have crucial projects to be implemented in six foundation areas of the Kenya Vision 2030, document and literature analysis, were used to build an understanding of the extent to which IM has been implemented in Government ministries. The data was analysed and interpreted qualitatively. T he findings show that IM infrastructure is inadequate.