The County Government of Nandi has entered into an agreement with Open Institute (OI) towards ensuring verified and updated data and information is readily available for the citizenry, county staff, partners, and other stakeholders through the establishment of a county Data Desk, complementing the county data center.
Putting pen on paper, Deputy Governor Dr. Yulita Mitei revealed that Nandi County and OI agreed to form a joint collaboration to contribute towards the adoption of the Open County (OC) Initiative in Nandi County tailored to promote open governance at the grassroots.
“This will provide a framework through which county-level engagement between County Government, private sector and civil society is initiated and sustained,” noted the DG.
She added that the partnership would also ensure citizens participate in governance processes critical to the improvement of their livelihoods such as county budgets, service delivery, and the use of devolved funds.
Speaking during the signing of the agreement, Open Institute Executive Director Al Kags said the partnership that includes the establishment of a data desk will be useful for the citizens of Nandi and even investors who will easily access data that will have all information they need to know about the county.
“If an investor comes to Nandi, they are able to know what kind of resources are available in detail and these will help them make informed decisions. More importantly, the citizens are the bosses of the government and they should be engaged proactively by accessing open data,” Kags said.
He said Open Institute will provide the Nandi County with technical support and tools that they need for openness so that citizens can access data easily.
They also provide capitation for the team so that they can harness and collect data well, analyze and structure it well for better decision making.
The agreement with Open Institute comes just months after Nandi County was ranked second in the 2021 Open Government Partnership (OGP) award – OGP Local Innovation Award in Africa.
The county was feted for its use of the toll-free call center 1548 to enhance civic engagement.
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