Moreover, by giving users access to its inner workings, open source could stimulate the local software industry. GITO was not unrealistic, acknowledging that while acquisition costs were low, total maintenance costs could vary widely and account for the major portion of the bill. But it concluded that open source would improve the efficiency and economy of service delivery by goverment to its citizens.The change would not be instant, however, as SITA has issued a tender calling for Microsoft resselers to supply Microsoft licences, services and technologies to government bodies. That tender only closed in March 2020, proving that while Micosoft may no longer hold a place in government's heart, it will still hold a polace on its desktops.

Advocates of Africa's open source software movement-who believe that the continent's goverment can boost their local software industries and save millions of dollars currently being spent on proprietary software-received a boost with launch of the Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA) at the world Summit on the Information Society in Geneva in February.

Business Day reports that FOSSFA will act as a platform for programmers to meet and exchange ideas and develop home-grown solutions for ICT users in Africa, according to their Nairobi-based co-ordinator, Bildad Kagai.

Open source software is making in roads on the continent:

• Namibia runs one of Africa's groundbreaking Linux projects:SchoolNet Namibia is a volunteer-driven organisation that is working to see that all Namibian schoolchildren get access to a computer and the Internet and run its system solely on Linux.
• In East Africa, a goverment policy document under development in Kenya calls for utilisation of open source software. Uganda also has a vibrant Linux community.
• In West Africa, Senegal is expected to issue a strong statement on open sourse in the near future, says special advisor on ICT to the president, Thierno Ousmane Sy.
• Ghanaian authorities say they may consider open source for education and research institutions and sections of the civil service that are not mission-critical.
• In Nigeria, agroup of charitable organisations is promoting open source to develop ICT in Africa's most populous nation.

This Article was first published by Business Day