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Focus on adoption gaps: Software developers worry over Buy Kenya, Build Kenya snubs
If companies felt that by adopting the eTIMS system, they would be able to go about their daily operations without being targeted, then they would be more than willing to onboard.
Over the past two years, Kenya has taken significant steps to align policy, skills, and infrastructure with the new trend that has seen modern technologies such as artificial intelligence become more integrated into daily life.
In March this year, the government, through the Ministry of ICT, launched a five-year National Artificial Intelligence Strategy to guide the country’s development into a leader in AI innovation.
Private sector actors have also been playing an integral role in advancing the use of AI by investing in the development of tools that help to streamline work across key sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, finance, and healthcare.
However, while these steps have helped the country edge closer to realising its ambition, gaps in the adoption of locally developed AI and automation solutions threaten to reverse the gains made.
“When the government needs software for elections, for example, they often outsource, even though local companies are capable of delivering solutions that work, at three-quarters or half the price,” says Alexander Odhiambo, the CEO of Solutech Limited, a company that develops AI and automation solutions.
Compared to the foreign software providers, Alexander says that local software providers possess a more in-depth understanding of the specific needs, preferences, and operating conditions of the local market.
As a result, they are able to develop solutions that are more relevant and effective in the local market. Their proximity to clients also allows for quicker delivery, faster adjustments, and more responsive technical support for urgent issues.
Ironically, the software developer observes that many people still believe that local technology solutions may not have the same advanced features, scalability, or integration capabilities as international ones.
In addition, because local founders are easily reachable, people tend to expect that their solutions will be cheaper than those developed by international firms, even when the quality is the same or even superior.
“When we started marketing Solutech after our launch in 2014, one of the questions clients would ask was why they should pay as much for our products, not because of quality, but because they could put a face on our name,” says Odhiambo.
Rayyidh Bayusuf, a software engineer, observes that since they are designed with the needs of their source markets in mind, quite often, many imported solutions do not speak to the unique needs and challenges of other markets.
For instance, real-time order or logistics management tools developed abroad do not speak to the infrastructural challenges that make it difficult for manufacturing and distribution companies to effectively plan routes and track sales teams in Kenya.
“We had a good use case of one of the largest sweet manufacturers in Kenya, who was struggling to monitor whether their agents were selling the right products to the right people,” says Bayusuf.
“While there were many imported solutions available for use, there was no off-the-shelf local software tailored to the unique needs of the manufacturer, a challenge that many other manufacturing firms also faced,” he adds.
To grow the local IT industry, Mutie Mule, a computer scientist, recommends the formation and implementation of policies that will encourage both the public and private sectors to adopt solutions developed in the country.
“We have seen the ‘Buy Kenya Build Kenya’ campaign being amplified on products that are tangible, but we hardly hear the same for technology. A policy on 'buy Kenya' in the tech space would be a big boost for local IT companies,” states Mule.
Brian Amani, a computer scientist, agrees, adding that policy incentives for organisations that adopt local digital solutions could encourage more businesses to integrate local IT solutions deployed by both the public and private sectors into their operations.
“Two years after the electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS) was rolled out, many businesses are still reluctant to onboard because they fear the Kenya Revenue Authority will be knocking on their doors the moment they do,” observes Amani.
If, however, companies felt that by adopting the eTIMS system, they would be able to go about their daily operations without being targeted, then they would be more than willing to onboard.
“This will be a big boost for companies that help businesses connect their accounting, Point of Sale (POS), and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to eTIMS for automated, real-time tax compliance,” says Amani.
In addition, deploying digital upskilling programmes can help to equip organisations with the foundational knowledge and technical skills required to effectively use and integrate emerging local tech solutions into their operations.
Mark Kiarie, an application programmer, says that, of importance also, would be for stakeholders such as the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner to conduct data privacy sensitisation programmes, to promote a culture of responsible data stewardship, among local tech firms.
“There has been some effort toward that; however, many businesses still lack clarity on compliance. Conducting thorough sensitisation on the importance of proper data management can enhance compliance,” says Kiarie.
