Can ICTs bridge the gap of accountability in Kenya?

After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, in just 48 hours online mapper volunteers came up with a highly effective online collaboration resulting in the development of a comprehensive Port- au- Prince Relief Map; this demonstrated the power of social networks and crowdsourcing. Technology has highly being hailed not only for its effectiveness in improving access to relevant, time and actionable information but also reducing transaction costs; time spent obtaining and accessing information or direct transactions like obtaining an ID, Driving license or a birth- certificate. The big question in its glamour remains; can ICTs  Bridge the Gap of Accountability in Kenya and under what conditions?

Although Technologies can empower the public to hold the governments and donors accountable, true accountability will only be a product of recognizing the gap between the demand (Citizens, communities, and CSOs) and the supply (governments, donors and service providers) and determining frameworks to bridge the gap from both sides. Although different forms used traditionally have proved success; citizen report cards and community score- cards, there are enough reasons to believe that ICTs will by far help shrinking the accountability gap through empowering the government and citizens alike. This will accelerate two- way interaction and engagement between the governments and the citizens giving the citizens a stake in decision making hence improving intermediate and ultimate development outcomes.