Development of an Inter-Organizational Electronic Information Sharing Framework for Person’s Data in Kenya

Abstract

Interoperability of person’s data in institutions dealing with registrations of persons who are primary stashers of person’s data is of paramount importance for Kenya to have an accurate person’s data that can be considered as a single source of truth. The purpose of this research project was therefore to interrogate the interoperability and data sharing issues in relation to person’s data information with an aim of developing a framework that forms a basis for person’s data interoperability improvements. The factors affecting person’s data interoperability were categorised into three areas. This included i) technical interoperability which evaluated security, databases and proprietary biometric systems, data heterogeneity and legacy system; ii) Organisational interoperability which considered stakeholder involvement, data ownership, bureaucracy and business process reengineering and lastly; iii) peripheral interoperability that was composed of economic, legal and policy as well as political and donor impacts. The research was conducted in selected institutions either dealing with person’s registration or directly involved in management of processing of persons data. The research targeted officers from Civil Registration Department (CRD), National Registration Bureau, Integrated Population Registration Department and ICT officers across the Ministries. Results of the survey clearly show the need for person’s data interoperability. The results assert the need for ICT use in order to achieve interoperability that would lead to accuracy of person’s data in Kenya as well as elimination of duplications in registration process. The results identified the top most key issues that have to be addressed to achieve interoperability in person’s data in order of priority as data security, data heterogeneity, elimination of bureaucracy, enabling legislation policy and strategies, data ownership. The results of the survey further identifies data ownership, bureaucracy, and business process reengineering and stakeholder involvement as being closely related in respect to person’s data interoperability. The research proposes a deliberate effort by the government to address person’s data interoperability in Kenya during formulation of policies, master plans and strategic documents for the specific person’s data interoperability to be achieved.