An examination of the e-governance position of selected National Archives in ESARBICA

Abstract

This article undertakes a critical examination of the role of national archives in the East and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA). Based on a literature review, this article summarises findings and reports from previous studies on e-Governance adoption and capacity building strategies undertaken by various ESARBICA states. The major revelation is that while countries in the region are at different levels in their e-governance strategies, some national archives play a more active role than others. The article highlights efforts individual countries have taken in a bid towards e-governance. It explores the extent to which national archives are involved in the e-governance initiatives. The article concludes that most of the national archives in the region have not been pro-active enough to be involved in their countries’ e-governance agenda. This could be attributed various factors including the low status accorded to archival institutions in the region, the absence of a supportive legal and regulatory framework, and a lack of IT skills to effectively contribute to the e-governance initiatives.