Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique

by kiwanja

In this, the twentieth in our series of FrontlineSMS guest posts, Marcelo Mosse – Executive Director of the Centre for Public Integrity in Mozambique – talks about their use of the software in promoting citizen engagement in monitoring their national elections, and in their efforts to promote transparency in government

“The Centre for Public Integrity of Mozambique (CIP) is a not-for-profit, non-partisan, independent organisation, endowed with legal status, and with administrative, financial and patrimonial autonomy. Our general objective is to promote integrity, transparency, ethics and good governance in the public sphere, and to promote human rights in Mozambique, and we use our website to launch campaigns, document events, and publish case studies and reports on Mozambique’s political process.

In 2008, local elections took place in Mozambique and the CIP decided to try using SMS to collect events reported by citizens. We implemented FrontlineSMS and launched a press campaign aimed at making the public aware of the opportunity to report and comment on events on the electoral campaign, and events at the voting posts.

Telephone lines were made available and FrontlineSMS was installed and used by CIP staff in charge of coordinating the publishing of text messages on our website. Response from the citizens was considered satisfactory – with mobile phones in use over most of the country and accessible to almost all economic level layers, citizens showed they were eager to contribute.

Later in 2009, during the general elections in Mozambique, we increased the number of available lines for the public and launched a more comprehensive campaign (newspapers, television, and radio). The outcome was considered very satisfactory with SMSs being received right from the beginning of the electoral campaigns. FrontlineSMS was also used to get instant reports from the CIP’s correspondents placed at the 43 municipalities all over the country.

Thanks to FrontlineSMS we were able to compile reports on party and candidate practices during the electoral campaigning, citizen’s reactions and opinions on the electoral process and anomalies at the voting posts.

User experience from those using the software was positive. It was easy to understand and operate, to add phones, and manage and classify messages received. The CIP intends to continue using FrontlineSMS on other campaigns where we believe citizen contribution can be valuable”.

Marcelo Mosse
Executive Director
Centre for Public Integrity Mozambique
www.cip.org.mz

54 comments

1 Ken Banks { 02.14.10 at 4:59 pm }: How SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
2 iPayStation { 02.14.10 at 5:02 pm }: RT @kiwanja: How SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
3 Keith Soifer { 02.14.10 at 5:06 pm }: RT @kiwanja:SMS promotes governmnt transparency. Mobile meets citizen reportr in Mozambique http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile @alexdc
4 Keith Soifer { 02.14.10 at 5:06 pm }: RT @kiwanja:SMS promotes governmnt transparency. Mobile meets citizen reportr in Mozambique http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile @alexdc
5 Jessica { 02.14.10 at 5:11 pm }: RT @kiwanja: How SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
6 changefeed { 02.14.10 at 5:13 pm }: ->@kiwanja: Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique http://bit.ly/aYzU5F
7 topsy_top20k_en { 02.14.10 at 5:13 pm }: How SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
8 uberVU - social comments { 02.14.10 at 5:19 pm }: Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by kiwanja: How SMS helps promote government transparency. “Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique” http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile…
9 Jamie_472 { 02.14.10 at 5:21 pm }: Another great use of Frontline SMS. Seems to be increasingly influential in election and governance work — how long before there’s a FrontlineSMS:Elections initiative?!
10 @mikegechter's RSS { 02.14.10 at 5:23 pm }: Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique: In this, the twentieth in our series of FrontlineSMS guest posts, Mar… http://bit.ly/aYzU5F
11 FrontlineSMS o/ { 02.14.10 at 5:27 pm }: Latest FrontlineSMS Guest Post – "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" – at http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
12 activism { 02.14.10 at 5:50 pm }: RT @kiwanja: How SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
13 nselegzi { 02.14.10 at 6:25 pm }: RT @FrontlineSMS: Latest FrontlineSMS Guest Post – "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" – at http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
14 David O Thomas { 02.14.10 at 6:40 pm }: RT @kiwanja: How SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
15 Bill Barhydt { 02.14.10 at 7:18 pm }: RT @FrontlineSMS "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" – at http://is.gd/8n8as #mobile
16 AK*2= A.Karriem A.K { 02.14.10 at 7:18 pm }: RT @billbarhydt: RT @FrontlineSMS "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" – at http://is.gd/8n8as #mobile
17 giantpandinha { 02.14.10 at 7:45 pm }: [Impact?] RT @kiwanja How SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" http://is.gd/8n8as
18 Ken Banks { 02.14.10 at 7:56 pm }: @giantpandinha Impact? Leave a comment and ask them! http://is.gd/8n8as
19 carlos montes { 02.14.10 at 10:05 pm }: RT @kiwanja: @giantpandinha Impact? Leave a comment and ask them! http://is.gd/8n8as
20 carlos montes { 02.14.10 at 10:07 pm }: Agree it is 2 easy 2 ask questions more difficult 2 do RT @kiwanja: @giantpandinha Impact? Leave a comment and ask them! http://is.gd/8n8as
21 activism { 02.14.10 at 11:51 pm }: Latest FrontlineSMS Guest Post – "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" – at http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
22 digitalforgood { 02.15.10 at 12:19 am }: ->@kiwanja: Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique http://bit.ly/aYzU5F http://ow.ly/16zWWD
23 Dibussi Tande { 02.15.10 at 3:24 am }: RT @activism: Latest FrontlineSMS Guest Post – "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" -http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
24 kiwanja { 02.15.10 at 8:07 am }: @Jamie_472 – There are a number of new initiatives being discussed by independent groups, including the use of FrontlineSMS in this area, so soon we might see a new project focusing purely on elections. Watch this space!

@giantpandinha – The best place to find out about impact, and how CIP measure their success, is to either contact them through their website or leave a comment on the post here. FrontlineSMS Guest Posts are written by users themselves, and they don’t generally go into great detail
25 Fondapol { 02.15.10 at 8:16 am }: Build it Kenny, and they will come… / Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique http://ff.im/-fXowj
26 svaroschi { 02.15.10 at 9:00 am }: RT @Fondapol: Build it Kenny, and they will come… / Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique http://ff.im/-fXowj
27 Marc López { 02.15.10 at 9:17 am }: RT @svaroschi: RT @Fondapol: Build it Kenny, and they will come… / Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique http://ff.im/-fXowj
28 Ken Banks { 02.15.10 at 10:21 am }: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
29 Ngopulse Sangonet { 02.15.10 at 10:26 am }: RT @kiwanja SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
30 Hapee { 02.15.10 at 10:26 am }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
31 georg_neu { 02.15.10 at 10:34 am }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
32 Transparency Int'l { 02.15.10 at 10:34 am }: On our chapter in Mozambique: RT @kiwanja SMS helps promote government transparency http://is.gd/8n8as
33 Egghead Odewale { 02.15.10 at 10:40 am }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
34 Brian Conley { 02.15.10 at 10:46 am }: dont miss htis @rrbaker "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile h/t @kiwanja !
35 Asteris Masouras { 02.15.10 at 11:09 am }: RT @kiwanja SMS helps promote govt transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique" http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
36 Afrika Kabissa { 02.15.10 at 11:17 am }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
37 BOP Innovation Lab { 02.15.10 at 11:52 am }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #BOPlab #bijikon
38 caitlin klevorick { 02.15.10 at 11:56 am }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
39 alimerifield { 02.15.10 at 12:15 pm }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
40 Mary Mamadi { 02.15.10 at 12:31 pm }: RT @eggheader: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
41 Inayet Hadi { 02.15.10 at 1:23 pm }: RT @anticorruption: On our chapter in Mozambique: RT @kiwanja SMS helps promote government transparency http://is.gd/8n8as #Afghanistan
42 Alex de Carvalho { 02.15.10 at 2:05 pm }: Texting campaign promoted citizen engagement in monitoring Mozambique's elections http://is.gd/8n8as via @keithsoifer @kiwanja
43 Vincent R. { 02.15.10 at 2:18 pm }: RT @alexdc: Texting campaign promoted citizen engagement in monitoring Mozambique's elections http://is.gd/8n8as via @keithsoifer @kiwanja
44 Rebecca MacKinnon { 02.15.10 at 2:55 pm }: RT @alexdc: Texting campaign promoted citizen engagement in monitoring Mozambique's elections http://is.gd/8n8as via @keithsoifer @kiwanja
45 Moui { 02.15.10 at 3:06 pm }: Texting campaign promoted citizen engagement in monitoring Mozambique's elections http://is.gd/8n8as via @keithsoifer @rmack
46 FrontlineSMS o/ { 02.15.10 at 4:15 pm }: Latest FrontlineSMS Guest Post – "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
47 james doel { 02.15.10 at 4:38 pm }: RT @FrontlineSMS: Latest FrontlineSMS Guest Post – "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
48 Tiago Peixoto { 02.15.10 at 10:21 pm }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
49 Keith Soifer { 02.16.10 at 1:32 am }: RT @alexdc: Texting campaign promoted citizen engagement in monitoring Mozambique's elections http://is.gd/8n8as @kiwanja RT Tx. #gonorway
50 Keith Soifer { 02.16.10 at 1:34 am }: RT @moui:Texting campaign promotd citizen engagement in monitoring Mozambique's elections http://is.gd/8n8as via @keithsoifer @rmack RT Tx.
51 giantpandinha { 02.16.10 at 8:46 am }: I’ve been working in provincial Mozambique on and off over the past three years, and just spent some time there post-election.

I do have some questions about the impact of such a project in Mozambique. No doubt, CIP is the best (and only?) NGO of its kind in the country, and nobody would question that they are innovating and doing their best under quite large constraints.

The real question is not so much whether to set up a system like this – but how to stimulate interest and demand for it in a country where the ruling party has effective structures down to the village level and is synonymous with Power itself. How can an initiative like this become truly demand-driven, and not merely supply-driven (some bold NGO in the capital city experimenting with ICTs)?

What is the incentive – except maybe a kind of catharsis? – for denouncing irregularities or intimidation via SMS when you live in a world where there is no real viable alternative? (See this Global Voices post for an idea of what I am talking about http://bit.ly/c3IFrl.)

And, just to push things a little further – I always like to provoke – does publicizing this project at such an early stage actually promote in admiring outsiders a sense that there is transparency and competition where in fact things are much more bleak?
52 Manuella Ribeiro { 02.16.10 at 12:08 pm }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile
53 Paulo Saavedra { 02.16.10 at 12:11 pm }: RT @kiwanja: SMS helps promote government transparency. "Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique". http://is.gd/8n8as #africa #mobile +1
54 Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique | Build it Kenny, and … | Drakz News Station { 02.16.10 at 4:47 pm }: [...] the original post: Mobile meets citizen reporter in Mozambique | Build it Kenny, and … Share and [...]