Critical Success and Failure Factors of e-Government Project Implementation in Kenya
Use of ICT in Government has ability to improve service delivery to its citizens, and yet many developing countries have lagged behind in the implementation of e-Government. Many e-Government initiatives also failed to achieve their objectives in developing countries. This paper therefore aims to identify critical failure or success factors in Kenya, using Heeks’ Factor Model. A survey questionnaire was developed and data were collected and analyzed from officials and interested citizens. The analysis results enabled to highlight seven specific success and failure factors, and their constituent elements in Kenya. The Kenyan overall e-Government implementation score belongs to the Zone of Improvement (3.52 of total 5.0), which means partial success or failure. The enablers of e-Government projects are good strategy formulation, and internal and external drive, whereas main failures of e-Government are weak ICT infrastructure. The areas for improvement are project management, design, competencies and funding. Data analysis highlights both strengths and weaknesses for each factor or variable. In particular, Kenyan government excels at the drive for change by top to bottom government officers as well as external stakeholders, while the government officers who are using e-Government are satisfied with the availability of vision, strategy and plan of e-Government implementation. Both technologies and e-transactions laws were the worst of all the variables in e-Government implementation. Two areas should be improved using immediate corrective action. In-depth study reveals that government officers and citizens can’t fully use their laptop and mobile devices due to the lack of both ICT network and its operating technology, and legal system associated with the transaction of business information. Finally, the study ends up with recommendations for policy makers to shape the future of e-Government system in both developing and developed countries.