Bunge SMS

BungeSMS was featured at the Roundtable on ICT, the Media and Governance Reform in Kenya held at Panafric Hotel on 30th September  2009. The event was convened by Africa Peace Forum (APFO) as part of a new forum to examine how Information Communication Technologies have in the past been used to better governance in Kenya as well as new possibilities of how ICTs, in the era of new media, can be used to help the citizenry keep check of government work.

The event started with an opening remarks from Jonathan Wesaya Maina, an Advisor with the Africa Peace Forum. The discussants included Ambassador Bethwel Kiplagat, the patron of the Africa Peace Forum. Dr. Bitange Ndemo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information & Communications had been expected at the event to answer concerns on how effective the ban on live coverage was during the post-election crisis. Macharia Gaitho of the Editors’ Guild further revealed how the Media responded to the government ban on live coverage.

Operators of new media such as Joyce Lukwiya of Haiya.com and Wainaina Mungai of BungeSMS.com debated the relevance of such a ban on live coverage in the age of new media.

On the issue of legality, Henry Maina of Article 19 enlightened the audience on the circumstances under which the law provides for a ban on coverage. He was categorical that the ban on live coverage had no basis in law.

In light of increased regulation and condemnation of the media in the report of the Waki Commission, Dr. Levi Obonyo of Daystar University and The Media Council had the tough task of answering whether the Kenyan media can be trusted to do its work without government regulation.

The moderator at the event was Prof. Kimani Njogu of Twaweza Communications. He facilitated the event and enabled participants and members of the press to ask questions.

The home of BungeSMS - MadeinKenya.org - was featured amonst the TOP 10 DIGITAL ACTIVIST SITES of 2008 by Digital Native.

Digital Native is an academic research team - joining people from the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School and the Research Center for Information Law at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

In the listing, they stated, "http://www.madeinkenya.org Made in Kenya’s focus is the application of information and communication technologies for development. It offers consultancy services and applies ICTs in profiling the development activities of the youth, their products and destinations in Kenya. They created the “BungeSMS” campaign (http://www.bungesms.com) - a mobile phone based campaign that combines the internet and mobile telephony with the aim of empowering every Kenyan to influence Local Governance in their Constituencies.Its achievements to date have included the establishment and coordination of the WSIS Youth Kenya Caucus and facilitation of the WSIS/ICT policy-related campaign on youth issues in Kenya. So far we have made gains in increasing youth awareness, participation, recognition and representation of youth within various areas."

BungeSMS is also featured in MobileActive.org: A global network of people using mobile technology for social impact; was featured as a case study during the M4D in East Africa Workshop in Kampala Uganda in 2008; and the Kabissa Member Spotlight.