Impact - Africa Freedom of Information Centre

AFIC- GROW Project Impact On Women Inclusion In Public Procurement

The collaboration between the AFIC and TISA through Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GROW) under the project “Fostering Gender-Responsive Public Procurement: Understanding the Barriers and Solutions to Include Women-Led Businesses in Public Procurement in East Africa” continues to play a pivotal role in influencing policy changes at both the national and county government levels […]

From disclosure to impact: Deepening open contracting in Africa- Project Stories of Change in Malawi

With support from Hewlette foundation, Africa Freedom of Information Centre has worked to improve delivery of health and education services through promotion of disclosure, public participation, efficiency, value for money and competition in public contracting in Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Tremendous impact has been made across the project countries. Stories of Change from Malawi […]

Towards gender responsive public procurement: Project outcomes

Government procurement is the biggest public market in the world, with many governments, including across Africa, spending roughly 15% of GDP on goods, works, and services every year. Given the huge sums of money involved, government procurement has the potential to play a game-changing role in tackling labour market segregation and employment gender gaps, which […]

Unveiling Gender Realities of Journalists’ Safety in East Africa 2023

Secrecy is the freedom zealots dream of: no watchman to check the door, no accountant to check the books, no judge to check the law. The secret government has no constitution. The rules it follows are the rules it makes up”, U.S. journalist Bill Moyers commented in 1987 in regard to the secrecy of government […]

Open Contracting Improves Social Service Delivery in Uganda-Success Stories

Ministry of Public Service Mainstreams Open Contracting in the Curriculum of the Uganda Civil Service Open Contracting Improves Social Service Delivery in Uganda Introduction Globally, governments spend approximately USD 9.5 trillion annually in public contracting . However, the rate of return on this investment is quite low because public procurement is faced with a myriad […]

Community monitoring influences Local Government action on open contracting

Community Monitoring Influences Local Government Action in Kanungu The challenge Since the year 2018, AFIC has been training civil society organizations and community monitors on public contracts’ monitoring. Before AFIC’s interventions, the phenomenon of contracts’ monitoring was unheard of and no citizen could relate to contract information. Through continuous coaching and mentoring, citizens have been […]

Transparency issues in the distribution of sanitary towels to primary and secondary schools in Nambale sub-county, Kenya resolved

Year: 2016 Country: Kenya Requestor: A member of civil society organization, Young Leaders of Kenya (YOLEKA) Issue area: Health The issue/Story: Since the financial year 2011/2012, the Kenyan Government committed Ksh. 240 Million for the purchase and distribution of sanitary towels to 443. 858 girls in primary and secondary schools12. The project was to be […]

Citizens empowered to hold their leaders accountable in Mbale

The challenge: Before 2020, poor selection of contractors and execution of government contracts in Mbale region was common with resultant shoddy works, delayed completion of projects and suspicion of collusion amongst suppliers and government officials among many other challenges. This affected the quality of implementation of government projects in Mbale City and Mbale District. However, […]

Case studies on the impact of ATI and Anti-corruption in Uganda, Kenya, and Malawi

Find out how access to information has inpacted service delivery in Uganda, Kenya and Malawi Click here

Children attendance of school improves as a result of increased access to clean water

Sickness of pupils and absenteeism from school used to be a big problem at Khamoto Primary School in Mbale District. Pupils especially those in lower primary school used to fall sick from diarrheal diseases quite regularly and not attend school. Others would be discouraged because they would be required to walk long distance to fetch […]

Placenta pit constructed at pemba health centre as a result of citizen demand for information

Placenta Pit Constructed at Pemba Health Centre as a result of Citizen Demands The challenge: The discharge of medical waste at Pemba Health Centre in Salima district of Malawi was for a long time a significant community concern due to bad odor and ugly scenes of places where damping was taking place around the health […]

Fostering a gender responsive public procurement in Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda

Fostering a gender responsive public procurement in East Africa In 2021, Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) in partnership with The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA) and Open Contracting Partnership carried out a research study to understand barriers and solutions to include women-led businesses in Public Procurement. It was discovered that only 1% of women-led […]

25 Billion Spent But No Water: An Information Request Brings Clean Water to Communities

An Information Request Brings Clean Water to Communities In 2015, the government of Ugandainjected sh25 billion in the Alwi dry corridorwater project in an effort to improve accessto water in 10 sub counties of Nebbi andPakwach districts. This was an initiativeby The Ministry of Water and Environmentto supply water to the people of Nebbiand ensure […]

WOBs trained on bidding process for public procurement in Uganda

AFIC’s study on Understanding Barriers and solutions to include Women Led Businesses in public procurement in Uganda identified successes, gaps and constraints of women led businesses. This is against the progress made in women’s rights and opportunities, a robust legal frame work for affirmative action yet women entrepreneurs still face significant challenges in participating in […]

Scarcity in Digital Inclusiveness amidst opportunity in public procurement in Ethiopia

Bridging the disproportionate lag in access to fixed internet in Ethiopia at 6% less for women compared to their counterparts currently at 20%, not only composes a hindrance to realizing the SDGs but also broadens the inclusive participation in sustainable development. This eliminates 61% of Women In Businesses from contributing to sustainable economic growth majorly […]

Contractor asked to Refund 200,000MKW after 4 Years of Abandoning a Project he was contracted for!

Shortage of classrooms had always been a big problem at Linthipe Primary School in Salima District in Malawi. To address this problem, in 2015, parents mobilized themselves and engaged a contractor to undertake the construction works. Unfortunately, the contractor abandoned work before completion but after receiving payment. Following training by Africa Freedom of Information Centre(AFIC) […]

Trained Community Monitors Drive Transparency and Accountability in Health Service Delivery in Uganda

Challenge: Due to corruption and inefficiency in the execution of government contracts and services, many Ugandan communities have long struggled to exercise their fundamental human right to adequate healthcare. Despite commendable efforts by the government and other organizations to combat this vice in the sector, significant obstacles remain. This was the case at Lapeta Heath […]

Changing Lives: Citizen Engagement in Mbale District helps School and Community Access Clean Water

Water is a basic prerequisite for schools to function properly. It is impossible to maintain basic hygiene standards in the absence of water, which can lead to the development of diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid. Furthermore, a lack of access to water can lead to absenteeism, especially among young girls who may have […]

Citizen Engagement in Local Government Projects: How Citizens Can Fight Corruption in Local Government Projects.

The quality of citizen feedback has a significant role in determining the quality of integrity in public procurement. Under the Hewlett Foundation-funded project, From Disclosure to Impact: Deepening and Broadening Open Contracting in Africa, the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) works to ensure quality citizen feedback by deepening and broadening their timely access to […]

Who Wins in a Low Transparency, High Corruption Environment?

Some government operations rely heavily on digital technology, which includes software, hardware, and services. Technology is used to generate revenue, deliver services, and engage citizens. Digital technology facilitates the delivery of public services, creates efficiencies, encourages citizen participation, and improves communications for local governments. “Digital Technology Systems are increasingly being embraced by governments in […]

Gambia becomes the latest addition to the African Union Member States with the Access to Information Act.

Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) joins the rest of the world to congratulate the Gambia upon getting new Access to Information Act which was accented to by President Adama Barrow, after the National Assembly passed the Bill on 1st July, this year. The signing of ATI Bill 2021 into law makes it the first […]

Digital rights featured prominently at African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights 68th session

Digital rights featured prominently at the 68th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), held virtually from 14 April to 4 May 2021. The session also provided a platform to take stock of the general state of the human rights situation on the continent and brought together, for frank and constructive exchange, various […]

Who should control what gets shared over social media

Recent decisions on regarding one of social media’s well-known users, former US President Donald Trump, have ignited a broad, global debate on Big Tech’s role in controlling content. With the public space having moved online- it’s where we live, learn, work and protest- there’s a lot at stake with content moderation. IFEX reached out to […]

Increase in hiring of additional human resource persons for health Tier 2 health facilities in Nyanza region

Year: 2015-2016 Country: Kenya Requestor: A member of CSO, National Taxpayers Association (NTA) Issue area: Health The issue/Story: The National Taxpayers Association (NTA), one of the partner organizations working with ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa on transparency in the education sector embarked on a study to establish staffing levels in tier 2 health facilities in the […]

Category: Impact