Strategic Interventions to enhance adoption of Open Source Applications and Creative commons licensed Open Content in the Kenyan Government

Abstract

Open source software (OSS) is a viable alternative for proprietary software (PS), particularly in the government sector globally for reasons such as lowering software costs, growing local software development industry, and bridging the digital divide. On the other hand CC licensed open content is also very useful and can be effectively used to supplement the content the government has in various thematic areas. However the Kenyan government has not harnessed the benefits that these afford. This research sought to realize the current status of OSS and CC licensed content usage in the Kenyan government by surveying top level ICT management in the e-government directorate, ICT staff as well as availability and skill of OSS software developers and willingness of content creators to share content appropriately licensed with an aim to proposing strategic interventions to enhance the adoption of these in the Kenyan government. The U.S Department of Labor E-Government framework was adopted to inform this research. The results indicate that OSS and CC licensed open content usage within the ministries is not yet extensive and measures need to be put in place to enhance the utilization of these. Various challenges and obstacles are hampering full OSS and CC licensed open content implementation and utilization within the ministries and agencies. These can however be combated and OSS and CC licensed open content adopted once these strategies have been adopted and implemented.