Promoting E-Democracy and Citizen Participation through ICT Initiatives in Parliament: The Malawi Case

This chapter proposes an experience-based model for the low-ICT resource countries that promotes the use of multiple ICTs, both traditional (radio, television) and contemporary (computers, mobile phones, internet), as a way of enhancing citizens’ participation towards issues that are deliberated in parliament. In general, the technological change pace is slower in developing countries. For this reason, e-democracy can not be achievable using contemporary technology alone. Based on the Malawi experience, where ICT availability and access is still low, this chapter argues that use of multiple ICTs may be an appropriate approach in low-resource context. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61350-329-4.ch018