Building Trust through E-Government: Leadership and Managerial Issues

Erosion of citizen’s trust in Government due to rampant corruption at various levels in the Government ought to be an area of serious concern for developing countries and development agencies. A well-planned e-government strategy can build a more efficient, accountable and transparent government. If planned in consultation with representation from key stakeholders, e-government applications can rebuild citizen trust in government, by improving service delivery, reducing corruption and empowering citizens to participate in advancing good governance. The paper discusses few examples of eGovernment where corruption was significantly reduced and draws lessons on leadership and managerial issues in deploying ICTs to combat corruption. What is Public Trust? According to an OECD report public service is a public trust 1. Citizens expect public servants to serve the public interest with fairness and to manage public resources properly on a daily basis. Fair and reliable public services inspire public trust and create a favorable environment for businesses, thus contributing to well-functioning markets and economic growth.