Bridging the Last Mile: County-Proximate University as a Local Implementation Anchor for Two Parallel Digital Systems in Western Kenya

Abstract

This paper examines the role of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) as a County-Proximate University (CPU) in implementing two parallel digital systems in Kenya's Western Region: The Health Information System (HIS, funded by USAID) and the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS, supported by UNICEF). A case study approach documented MMUST's partnership with the University of Nairobi (UoN) and strategic donor funding, comparing implementation bottlenecks of fragmented vertical systems versus locally anchored support. The centralised national model failed to resolve frontline officers' unsustainable burden of these digital systems with distinct technical platforms, training requirements, and support channels. MMUST's CPU role enabled contextualised training, sustained support, and successful parallel system operation at county and sub-county levels, achieving DHIS2 reporting timeliness improvement from 68% to 91% and CPIMS case registration completeness from 47% to 83% within 18 months. The findings demonstrate that empowering regional universities as local implementation anchors is essential for equitable digital transformation, where multiple parallel systems must coexist effectively. This paper proposes a five-component replicable framework for using county-proximate universities as local implementation anchors in decentralised governance contexts.