Blockchain technologies in digital governance: the Kenyan experience with promoting public accountability

Blockchain is one of the recent digital governance technologies in public administration. Others include artificial intelligences, the Internet of Things, machine learning and mobile money technologies. Global trends have suggested that governments and their subsidiary institutions have leveraged these technologies, progressing from traditional methods where citizens could physically appear and queue for services to the adoption of digitalization. Blockchain technologies are central to this transformation to enhance public accountability and transparent decision-making in public services. This chapter showcases the potential of blockchain technology leveraged in the public sector and how it promotes public accountability and decision-making with specific reference to Kenya. It shows how blockchain-based supply chain, identity management and land registry public administration systems offer innovative public services for better delivery. The Kenyan experience shows how these aspects allow governments to promote transparency and accountability and provide insights on how blockchain technology can enhance effective and efficient digital public governance.