Using Software Applications To Enhance E-Government Service Delivery In Botswana
Abstract
Scholars, the ICT community, and policy experts argue that ICT benefits have not been harnessed by most citizens in developing countries, particularly Botswana, due to lack of indigenous software applications for e-commerce, health, customer services, and mismanagement of the ICT infrastructures. Considering the huge investment of public funds on broadband fibre hub, acquization of ICT infrastructures, various committees and sub-committees setup for the management of these infrastructures, it should be expected the the country is well equipped to become the centre for ICT hub in Africa, which unfortunately is not so. Thus, researchers and the media have decried the lack of ICT infrastructure utilization and lack of software applications to utilize the vast infrastructures. To ascertain these reports and better understand the situation, there is a need to holistically research into the ICT project's activities. The mixed research methodology was used in this research which comprised qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis to gain an in-depth understanding of the broadband development services and users' experiences in Botswana. Also used is the Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOAD) methodology with a specific method known as Rapid Application Development (RAD), which enables the researchers to develop software prototypes for Children quickly -Parents Immunisation Alert, License Examination Booking System, and End-user query register as a consequent of the survey conducted that identified these applications as urgently needed to turn around the service delivery and improve on ICT access across the country. The local software developed in this research is expected to boost economic activities and provides a platform for users to adequately utilize the facilities and thus turn the ICT project of Botswana into the type that benefits its populace and creates employment for its youth.
Downloads
References
S. Tsholofelo and K. J. Bwalya, "Botswana's e-Government Development Trajectory: The Experience of Local Authorities," in Digital Access and E-Government: Perspectives from Developing and Emerging Countries, IGI Global, 2014, pp. 151–163.
R. M. Moatshe, "E-government implementation and adoption: the case study of Botswana Government," 2014.
A. Nyamaka, A. Botha, J. Van Biljon, and M. Marais, "Challenges Botswana's Mobile Application Developers Encounter: Funding, Commercial and Technical Support," 2018.
BOFINET,“BoFiNet,”BOFINET,2022. https://www.bofinet.co.bw/index.php
BOFINET, "Botswana Fibre Networks ANNUAL REPORT 2019 ACCELERATED," 2019.
Ministry of Transport and Communications, National Broadband Strategy, no. June. Gaborone, Botswana, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.bocra.org.bw/sites/default/files/documents/National-Broadband-Strategy-FINAL%28June2018%29.pdf
United Nations, “EGOVKB | United Nations > Data > Country Information-Botswana.”2020.[Online].Available: http://unpan3.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data/Country-Information/id/136-Portugal
ITU, "Botswana Speech - ITU PP-18 - Plenipotentiary Conference," 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.itu.int/web/pp-18/en/speech/133
International Telecommunication Union, Measuring the Information Society Report Volume 1 2018 ITUPublications Statistical reports, vol. 1. 2018.
K. Garg and V. Varma, "Software engineering education in India: Issues and challenges," in 2008 21st Conference on Software Engineering Education and Training, 2008, pp. 110–117.
O. Y. Sowunmi, S. Misra, L. Fernandez-Sanz, B. Crawford, and R. Soto, "An empirical evaluation of software quality assurance practices and challenges in a developing country: a comparison of Nigeria and Turkey," Springerplus, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1–13, 2016.
B. Naresh and B. S. Reddy, "Challenges and opportunity of E-learning in developed and developing countries-a review," Int. J. Emerg. Res. Manag. &Technology, vol. 4, no. 6, pp. 259–262, 2015.
T. A. Samboma, "E-government, A tool for service delivery in Botswana's local authorities," Glob. J. Hum. Soc. Sci., vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 1–4, 2019.
A. P. Shemi and C. T. Procter, "Challenges of e-commerce adoption in SMEs: An interpretive case study of Botswana," 2013.
S. Mutula, "Local content development projects in Africa," South African J. Libr. Inf. Sci., vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 105–115, 2008.
J. W. Creswell and V. L. P. Clark, "Chapter 6 Collecting data in mixed methods research," Sage Publ. May, vol. 16, no. 2006, pp. 73–74, 2006.
Statistics Botswana, "Census 2021 _ Statistics Botswana," Statistics Botswana, 2022.
WorldAtlas.com, "Where is Botswana? / Where is Botswana Located in TheWorld?/BotswanaMap-WorldAtlas.com." http://www.worldatlas.com/af/bw/where-is-botswana.html
Krejcie and Morgan, "Sample Size Determination Using Krejcie and Morgan Table | Kenya Projects Organization [KENPRO]," Kenya Projects Organization, no. 1970. pp. 1–4, 1970.
UNICEF-Botswana, "Botswana Budget Brief- Health," Gaborone, Botswana, 2019.
D. H. S, "Botswana ICT Challenges: In Quest For A Knowledge-Based Society."2021.[Online]. Available: https://cipesa.org/2021/05/botswana-ict-challenges-in-quest-for-a-knowledge-based-society/
John Churu, "Khama explains E-Government initiatives _ Government News in Botswana."
P. Shackleton and L. Dawson, "Doing it tough: factors impacting on local e-Government Maturity," 2007.
Fialkowski K., "Software industry in the developing countries: the possibilities", Inf Technol Dev. 1990; vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 187–94.


- I certify that I have read, understand and agreed to the Journal of Information Systems and Informatics (Journal-ISI) submission guidelines, policies and submission declaration. Submission already using the provided template.
- I certify that all authors have approved the publication of this and there is no conflict of interest.
- I confirm that the manuscript is the authors' original work and the manuscript has not received prior publication and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere and has not been previously published.
- I confirm that all authors listed on the title page have contributed significantly to the work, have read the manuscript, attest to the validity and legitimacy of the data and its interpretation, and agree to its submission.
- I confirm that the paper now submitted is not copied or plagiarized version of some other published work.
- I declare that I shall not submit the paper for publication in any other Journal or Magazine till the decision is made by journal editors.
- If the paper is finally accepted by the journal for publication, I confirm that I will either publish the paper immediately or withdraw it according to withdrawal policies
- I Agree that the paper published by this journal, I transfer copyright or assign exclusive rights to the publisher (including commercial rights)