Impact of Open Data Policies on Citizen Access to Government Information in Kenya's Secondary Cities: A Time-Series Analysis

Open data policies have been implemented in Kenya to enhance transparency and accountability in government operations. However, their impact on citizen access to government information varies across different regions. The study employs a time-series analysis with a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative data from government databases and qualitative interviews with local residents to assess policy impact. A preliminary analysis indicates an increase of approximately 35% in citizen access to government information through open data platforms in secondary cities compared to urban centers. This trend is statistically significant (p < 0.01). Open data policies have shown promise in improving citizen access to government information, though further research is needed to understand long-term effects and potential disparities. Future studies should consider incorporating more diverse datasets and longitudinal analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of open data's impact on secondary cities. Policy makers could also explore mechanisms for enhancing user engagement with open data platforms. Open Data, Government Transparency, Citizen Access, Secondary Cities, Time-Series Analysis Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.