Mar 30, 2010
Has technology boosted the ability of citizens
in African countries to influence their governments? This week, I'm
joined by Rakesh Rajani, founder and head of Twaweza, an initiative that promotes
transparency and accountability in Tanzania and other countries in
East Africa. His organization has made good use of both new and old
technologies—cellphones, TV, and radio broadcasts—to expand the
ability of citizens to access government information and hold their
leaders accountable.
Rakesh tells me that cellphone use has exploded in the last decade in Tanzania, rising from perhaps 200,000 users to over 14 million today. Except for the most remote areas of the country, he says, just about everyone can access a mobile phone. That new connectivity, Rakesh explains, has opened new channels for reducing corruption in government.
Read a full summary on the Wonkcast site.