The Elephant in the Room: The Implications of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) proliferation in Kenya for Archiving and Historical Research

Abstract

This paper analyzes the implications of ICT for the preservation of publicly owned digital records in Kenya. It examines both efforts to digitize traditional records and the issue of the preservation of born digital records. The study finds that there is a considerable lag between the rate at which the Kenyan government is digitizing its operations and that at which it is developing and implementing protocols and systems for preserving digitally born records. This will impact both historical research and national heritage in future.