Designing and Implementation of Indigenous Knowledge Management Framework for Gumaa in Oromo Gadaa System (in Case of Siko Mando)

Indigenous knowledge (IK) systems play a vital role in social governance and conflict resolution in many African societies. The Oromo Gadaa System (OGS) represents one of the most established indigenous governance systems in Ethiopia, within which the Gumaa institution serves as a traditional mechanism for conflict resolution and social reconciliation. Despite its continued relevance, Gumaa knowledge remains largely tacit, orally transmitted, and weakly supported by modern knowledge management (KM) practices, posing risks to its preservation and intergenerational transfer. This study aims to design and implement an Indigenous Knowledge Management Framework (IKMF) for Gumaa within the OGS to enhance the acquisition, capture, representation, sharing, utilization, and preservation of this knowledge. A mixed research approach was employed, combining surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis among Siko Mando Oromo communities of West Arsi and Bale zones. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, while a rule-based prototype was developed using Prolog to demonstrate the framework’s applicability. The proposed IKMF was evaluated using ISO-9126 quality attributes, yielding satisfactory results across usability, functionality, efficiency, and portability. The findings indicate that the proposed framework offers a practical and scalable solution for preserving and managing Gumaa knowledge and contributes to broader efforts in indigenous knowledge digitization and peacebuilding.