Kenya, April 20 -- The government of Kenya is having a hard time controlling important technology systems that are essential for delivering public services.

Private companies are taking over many of these operations, which raises worries about transparency, accountability, and the country's control over its own systems.

One important program is the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), which is meant to help provide healthcare for everyone in Kenya.

Private companies have received contracts totalling 104 billion shillings for this program. However, government officials have said that the state does not have proper control over the system, making it prone to mismanagement.

The E-Citizen platform, which handles millions of payments for government services each year, also has very little government control over its systems and financial transactions.

This lack of control has made it difficult to ensure that services run smoothly and that revenue is tracked correctly.

The Hustler Fund, which is supposed to provide low-cost loans to small business owners, is fully managed by private companies.

Because of this, the government cannot oversee loan records and repayment processes. This has raised concerns about data security and financial mistakes.

Moreover, the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, created to make visa processing easier, has also raised issues.

A private vendor reportedly takes 23% of the earnings from this system, with money allegedly sent to Swiss bank accounts. This has led to questions about how the government shares its revenue.

The Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), critical for managing public finances, has spent billions on updates and improvements, but problems continue, and the government is still struggling to have full control over it.

The National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) is also owned by a private company, making it hard for the Ministry of Education to check the accuracy of student data. This undermines effective planning and resource allocation.

Experts warn that relying too much on private companies can endanger national security and reduce public trust in the government.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.