Why activists drum up for OGP membership

A farmer, Mr Apollo Chamwela, shows a sunflower grown in his farm.

ACTIVISTS are calling for the government to consider returning its membership in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) that they say, among other advantages, would be promoting technology and innovation as well as creating jobs for the youthful population.

This comes at a time when Information and Communication Technology (ICT) platforms become important tools for sharing information and giving feedback more effectively through social media platforms.

Other advantages cited in a democratic country like Tanzania with on-going efforts on law reforms, free media, democracy, human rights protection, and rule of law joining OGP, are pertaining to the promotion and protection of human rights and good governance.

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OGP is described as a powerful global movement of 77 national and 106 local governments and thousands of civil society partners, all working for more openness and deeper democracy. OGP also has a simple but powerful mission that 100 per cent resembles the mission of the sixth phase of government, which is aiming to leave no one behind when it comes to serving and empowering Tanzanians.

According to the letter to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, this week by the  250 members of Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) OGP would as well promote the creativity of using ICTs and monitor the accountability of the government to its citizens.

“The government recognises that investment in technology and innovation is an important factor for success in the spirit of democracy and economic development. OGP supports technology and innovation and hence, Tanzania restoring its membership will provide an important platform for improving transparency and inclusion of citizens, accountability and integrity which are the main pillars of a prosperous society,” quotes part of a letter signed by Advocate  Onesmo Ole Ngurumwa,  THRDC national coordinator to the president.

THRDC has hope in the government’s commitment to improving learning platforms, and hence it has put in place the ICT Policy as a platform to transform Tanzania into a society with knowledge, where the policy has been the basis for Government departments, academic institutions, activists as well as entrepreneurs to find ICT solutions to support service delivery.

Tanzania under the sixth phase government has already promoted some service delivery systems like financial management systems, National Salary Systems, Human Resources management systems, websites, and special support systems for the sector needed to be complemented by a freer platform like OGP if they are to prosper.

THRDC explains its motive which looks at the bringing of a Health Management Information System (HMIS) for collecting and managing statistics related to health matters for planning and managing and Establishment of a comprehensive Water Sector Management Information System (WSMIS) as part of  OGP to grow the ICT sector.

At the national level, the OGP platform can be used as a means available to convenience, jointly owned by the country to bring about effective reforms that will be part of Tanzania’s OGP Action Plan if it considers reinstating its membership.

The OGP process requires Member States to develop Plan of Action for effective implementation and monitoring of the OGP agenda. These Plans are co-created by combining the forces of government and civil society, together defining ambitious commitments across a range of issues. All action plans are assessed by OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM), to help monitor their implementation and provide learning for future reform efforts.

“We would like to recall here that, Tanzania’s  intention to join OGP in 2011 under the Leadership of former  President Jakaya Kikwete was to make Government business more open to its citizens in the interest of improving public service delivery, Government responsiveness, combating corruption and building greater trust and the culture of human rights,” the letter states further

describing that another reason for joining OGP in 2011 was to enhance proper management of public resources and fight corruption, to  Strengthen mechanisms for citizens’ engagement and participation in improving public service delivery systems in their areas.

On promoting inclusive citizens, THRDC insists that through the Country OGP Action Plan, the Government commits itself to promoting increased access to information about Government operations and publishing data on the prioritised sectors of Health, Education, and Water.

Promotion of public integrity and transparency, Tanzania’s OGP commitment in   2011   before withdrawal from OGP in 2017 focused on the four pillars namely transparency, accountability, citizen’s participation, and technology and innovation. The main focus is on the Health, Education, and Water sectors, where Tanzania had already developed two Action Plans between 2011 and 2017 to enforce those commitments.

THRDC describes other advantages of OGP that are boosting international recognition and providing the opportunity to showcase Tanzania’s reform successes. For instance, High-profile OGP events serve as action-forcing moments for government officials to meet deadlines or announce ambitious reform commitments.

Currently, Africa has 14 countries that have joined these mechanisms. The countries include Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Senegal, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Cabo Verde, Seychelles, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire.

As a multi-stakeholder initiative, OGP has since its founding in 2011, brought together thousands of reformers, development stakeholders, and CSOs from both government and Civil Society Organisations. They jointly co-created more than 4800 concrete commitments that foster transparency, accountability, and inclusion across sectors.

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