Capacity-building requirements for e-records management The case in East and Southern Africa

Purpose - This article aims to examine capacity building requirements for e-records management in East and Southern Africa. It argues that e-records management poses a number of problems and challenges that include but are not limited to: lack of skills and competencies, inadequate resources, lack of awareness among government authorities and records professionals, fragility of media and the need for specialized storage. The paper provides the current status of e-records management in ESARBICA with emphasis on e-records management capacity building. Last but not least, it proposes a number of strategies and solutions for the management of e-records in ESARBICA. Design/methodology/approach - This article is based on a literature review in general and desk research based on professional consultation and the experiences of the authors within the region. Findings - Authors' findings indicate that there is a dearth of e-records management skills and inadequate capacity in the ESARBICA member countries. Research limitations/implications - The study was limited to ESARBICA member countries, whereas it would have been more inclusive if all the countries of East and Southern Africa were involved. More research is therefore needed to cover the rest of the region. Practical implications - Effective e-records management has the potential to improve service delivery and enhance accountability and transparency in government but only if requisite skills needs are met. Originality/value - This is the first attempt to explore capacity-building issues in East and Southern Africa in the area of e-records management. However, it provides a generic model that can be replicated in similar research elsewhere.