ICT and Democratic Parliament in Africa: State of the Matter

Abstract

Modern legislatures across the world are utilizing ICT to strengthen the hitherto weak citizens-representative interactions. For the legislative institutions of many African countries however, effective platforms for citizens-representative dialogical interaction for the purpose of making informed decisions and exercising influence on behalf of the represented are largely non-existence. The product of this is a disconnect between citizens and their representatives with its concomitant public distrust of political institutions and a decline in citizens’ loyalties and attachment to the government. This research paper draws from case analysis and literature search to examine the extent of electronic parliament implementation for re-engaging the electorate in the democratic states of Africa. Findings also reveal that despite such challenges as inadequate infrastructural facilities and capacity building in most African States, the exponential growth of ICTs in the continent, has the potential for strengthening interactive deliberation between citizens and their representatives and thus reduce citizens- representatives’ estrangement and make democratic processes more inclusive and transparent. This paper therefore argues that with effective ICT strategic planning and management and a mechanism for ICT skill training and development for all stakeholders, e-parliament presents a glimmer of hope for responsive and accountable governance in Africa.