Mobile technology and development
Mobile technologies are creating unprecedented changes in Kenya. The ways in which people conduct business have been disrupted, and citizens can access information and services in a more efficient manner. Kenya is also among the leading countries to leverage mobile technology for greater financial inclusivity. This chapter reviews the policy framework that has underpinned Kenya’s digital transformation, as well as the impact and disruptions caused by innovations in information and communication technologies (ICT) that have been introduced as a result. The chapter considers the potentially transformative role of emerging mobile and digital technologies by assessing the favorable economic, organizational, political, social, and cultural environments necessary for their development. It concludes that the development of a progressive policy in a fast-changing technological landscape has catapulted Kenya to the ranks of innovative nations, but that such technology is not a panacea for broader development and governance concerns.