January 2008 - KICTANet

Alari's Fundraiser
by Harry Hare 02 Feb '08

02 Feb '08

Dear Colleagues, I have information that friends and well wishers are convening at Tanager Restaurant (Kaunda Street---I think) in the city centre on Thursday 31st January from 6:00pm. Should you need further information please contact Henry Ochieng on 0725 777708. Kindest Regards Harry African eDevelopment Resource Centre 3rd Floor, Nelleon Place Raphta Road, Westlands PO Box 49475 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Cel +254 725 650044 Land +254 20 4453445 www.africanedevelopment.org *********************************************************** February 2008 Capacity Building Opportunities VSAT Field Engineering: 5-8 Records Management: 13-15 Fiber Optics: 26-29 Book Now, Limited spaces available

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Day 4 of 5:- Quantifying the Impact of the Post-election Violence
by John Walubengo 01 Feb '08

01 Feb '08

Morning all, Here's part of what I could quickly gather as the possible short-term interventions from some of the posts. 1. Encourage balanced reporting by Media and avoid glorifying destructions, killings 2. Consider Filtering hate mails, messages, websites 3. Corporates going the extra mile (e.g mobile operator becoming banks to ensure service provision...) 4. Ensuring that basic Operator service is maintained particularly in the current environment 5.Create portals that provide linkages between the needy and their potential donors Feel free to add more. But today I invite you to attempt to quantify the loss this chaos continue to wreck on our organisations. What do you think is the the toll per day in terms of lost business opportunity, man-hours, equipment, etc? only 1 day on this theme because tomorrow we finish of this discussion. walu. Quantify the Impact of Post-election violence on ICT organisations (1day) -What is the toll per day in terms of lost business opportunity, man-hours, equipment, etc l Ensure balanced reporting by Media Filtering hate mails, messages, websites Corporates going the extra mile becoming banks Ensuring that Operator service continue Create portals that provide linkages between the needy and the donors Avoid glorifying destructions ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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Fibre Cut disrupts 70% Internet in India & Egypt
by brian 31 Jan '08

31 Jan '08

As we prepare to light up TEAMS we had better be thinking about redundancy ...... Brian ---------------------------------- Cut Fiber: Internet Services in India and Egypt Disrupted January 30th, 2008 Via: Reuters: A breakdown in an international undersea cable network badly disrupted Internet links to India and Egypt on Wednesday. Egypt’s Telecommunications Ministry said a communications cable in the Mediterranean was cut, disrupting 70 percent of the country’s Internet network. The ministry said in a statement it was not known how the cable was cut but that services would probably take several days to return to normal. India reported serious disruptions to its services and one Indian Internet service provider linked the problem to the Egyptian outage. “There has been a cable cut on several cable systems in Alexandria, Egypt which has impacted internet connectivity in India,” Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), an internet service provider, said in a statement. VSNL said its service had been “largely restored” by diverting to another cable. India said it had lost more than half of its capacity. “There has been a 50 to 60 percent cut in bandwidth,” Rajesh Chharia, president of the Internet Service Providers’ Association of India, told Reuters. He told the Headlines Today news channel that a “degraded” service would be activated by Wednesday night, but full restoration will take 10 to 15 days. Chharia said companies, including some of India’s many outsourcing businesses, had been affected.

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Chronicle of Fiber Cuts
by brian 31 Jan '08

31 Jan '08

This website provides a scary analysis of the recent fiber cuts as well as a chronicle of past incidents. http://www.dailywireless.org/2008/01/30/oceanic-fiber-cut/ It is becoming clearer that the international submarine fiber game can get very dirty. Our own efforts here in Kenya to get TEAMS going have been plagued with sabotage attempts from 'competing' cable projects....... Brian

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Fwd: Firms Plan Private Placements - Business Daily
by Bill Kagai 31 Jan '08

31 Jan '08

--------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Stock Detective <stock.detective(a)mediacorp.co.ke> Date: Jan 31, 2008 7:42 AM Subject: Firms Plan Private Placements - Business Daily To: MediaCorp.Research(a)mediacorp.co.ke http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5597&Item… Firms Plan Private Placements Written by Emmanuel Were BUSINESS DAILY January 31, 2008: Resolution Health and MediaCorp plan to sell a stake of their shares to private investors within the year. The private placements will follow closely those of CIC Insurance and SPS, which were to be concluded last year but have been extended to accommodate the interests of investors. The insurance firm will file the placement at the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) having concluded the initial stages of the placement. "We are at a conceptual stage and we will obviously follow CMA requirements," said Peter Nduati, CEO, Resolution Health. Last week, the markets regulator issued a notice reminding companies wanting to raise money from the public to seek its approval. Resolution Health has, however, established investment groups and their members as the target market for the placement, taking a cue from CIC which was selling its share exclusively to co-operative societies and their members. Investment clubs in the country have recently been organised into a credible lobby through the Kenya Association of Investment Groups (KAIG) which now has 30 investment groups and five corporates. Mediacorp, one of the licensed Nairobi Stock Exchange data vendors, shall offer a 20 per cent stake worth Sh20 million, with the minimum amount of application standing at Sh500, 000. It hopes to raise the funds by the end of February 2008. "The funds will enable us set up an agency for stock broking services through a licence acquired from Faida Investment Bank," said Bildad Kagai, CEO, Media Corp limited. The stock broking agency, to be known as, MediaCorp Capital, will offer services in trading of equities and bonds initially to subscribers for its data vending services. It will also have its eyes on the regional market in anticipation of the formation of the East African Stock Exchange by opening four sub regional offices in Mombasa, Kampala, Kigali and Dar-es-Salaam. "We hope to become the leader of financial and stock information in East Africa," said Mr Kagai. In the case of Resolution Health, a Medical Insurance Provider (MIP), it needs to raise it core capital in line with the proposal by the Finance minister in his 2007/08 budget who proposed to increase the paid up capital of General Insurance from Sh100 million to Sh300 million. Resolution Health is looking for a maximum of 50 new share holders willing to part with Sh10 million each, taking its paid up capital to Sh610 million through the private placement. The increase in the capital will come at a time when according to the CEO, Mr Nduati, Resolution Health plans to convert to an insurance company by the end of this year as well as making a foray into the Ugandan market. The Medical Insurance Provider (MIP) whose insurance covers includes paternity, HIV and dental covers has been in the Kenyan market for the past six years. On the other hand MediaCorp began its operations in June 2006 offering subscribers access to the Nairobi Stock Exchange real time trading data via the Internet with a current subscription base of 600 subscribers. Investment groups need to broaden their portfolio to cover risks arising from uncertain times like the ones being experienced in the country presently, said KAIG chairperson Patrick Kariuki. "All investments have different levels of risk but if you hide from risk you hide from returns. Diversity helps reduce exposure to specific risks," he said during a seminar hosted by the two companies for KAIG members. Returns from the equities market have fallen sharply amid the violence set off by the outcome of the presidential election a month ago. Investors in the hard currency market, especially those who had backed the shilling to depreciate, have been the main beneficieries of the prevailing situation. http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5597&Item… -- -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com

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Day 1 of 5 - Challenges Posed by Post-Election Violence on ICT Organisations
by John Walubengo 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Greetings all, As mentioned last friday, we need to engage positively around the current crisis stalking our country. One suggested method was that we share experiences, impacts and how we are coping with the challenges occassioned. The overal aim is to enable members to learn from each other while emphasising the impact the crises continues to have on ICT organisations. Today is Day 1 and from the program below. We have 2days to share the challenges posed by the Post Election Violence on ICT organisations. I know quite abit is already shared in the press but no harm done if a brief re-run on our list for the benefit of those who may have missed out. So feel free to speak as (Telco) Operators, Consumers,ICT Service Providers(BPO,ISPs,etc) Media, Academia or all of the above ;-) walu. ~~~~~~~~Full Program~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Objectives~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Share the Challenges posed by the Post-election Violence on ICT organisations Share current interventions employed to overcome these Challenges Quantify the Impact of Post-election violence on ICT organisations Way forward and conclusions Deliverables. eWorkshop Report containing the deliberations, consensus and action points arising from the online discussions. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Methodology~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Online discussion will be structured along 4 themes, to be discussed across the 5days as follows. Share the Challenges posed by the Post-election Violence on ICT organisations (2days) -Economical, Social, Technical Challenges. Share current interventions employed to overcome these Challenges (1day) -What short-term tactics are you using to work around the challenges -What are your long-term options with regard to the challenges Quantify the Impact of Post-election violence on ICT organisations (1day) -What is the toll per day in terms of lost business opportunity, man-hours, equipment, etc l Way Forward and Conclusions -1day. -what are the lessons learnt? -what can the ICT community do to accelerate 'back-to-normal' situation ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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Day 3 of 5:-Possible Interventions to overcome the Challenges
by John Walubengo 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Thanx all, it does seem we are getting somewhere in this discussion (even without the worthy services of K. Annaan ;-) Anyway, very interesting and captivating experience from both M Joseph (Safaricom) and Gilda (BPO/ISP). Ofcourse with Edith (IDRC) picking off a tangent from MJoseph contribution that treads the murky area between censorship and freedom. I would imagine that requires a whole new discussion on its own later... Bill (Mediacorp), Alex (Consumers) and Mike E.(Symphony)comments prepare us better for todays discussion. The idea of HR Counseling within organisations is a to me a frank and bold step towards admitting that theres a problem and it is being addressed. The idea of mobile broadcast SMS reminding citizens of their liability in wanton destruction of property is timely. I would add, that probably the TV broadcast should adopt a name and shame approach to this destruction. Methinks at times they broadcast this images with an angle of 'celebrating' the killings and destructions :-0( Anyway, the floor is open your contributions. 1 day only on possible interventions. But feel free to contribute on previous post (just keep correct Subject lines). walu. Share current interventions employed to overcome these Challenges (1day) -What short-term tactics are you using to work around the challenges -What are your long-term options with regard to the challenges ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

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Small Medium Entreprise Symposium in March.
by Jose' 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Kimathi Information Centre P.O BOX 57741-00200 Nairobi Contact People: Carthy Atieno carthy.atieno(a)kimathiinformationcentre.com Jose Njuki-Imwe jose.njuki(a)kimathiinformationcentre.com FOR IMMIDIATE RELEASE Kimathi information Centre in its quarterly year calendar holds symposiums for Small Medium Enterprises that involve networking and exposing entrepreneurs to possible business partners, mentors and loan granters. Last year we brought in up to 187 Small Medium Enterprises with much emphasis on the youth fund. This year our focus is directed to emerging entrepreneurs with the theme; Emerging People, Emerging markets, Emerging technologies. We anticipate bringing about 300 registered Small medium Enterprises, in which 50 businesses will be exhibiting their products. They in return will have an opportunity to network with fellow entrepreneurs by forming new partnerships, getting new businesses and basically enjoying the moment. Small Medium Enterprises have a challenge in keeping track. This is due to high constraints on raising proper capital and lacking mentors to guide them through the process. It with this concern that we introduce a Mentoring Clinic Tent during the one day symposium in which we shall see Professional Jornalists, Lawyers, Bankers, Telecommunication engineers and Entrepreneurs come on board to take part in this Nobel initiative. With this situation in mind, we are asking professionals to get in touch with the event organizers and be part of the mentoring tent team in which we shall give certificates to the list of professionals. We crown the day by listening to the Key note speakers from Kenya Youth Business Trust whose mandate is to give loans to viable SMEs at a reasonable rate. The symposium date will be on the Saturday, 22nd March 2008 at the kenya assemblies Of God-Bahati Estate.(Nairobi) For more information, please contact: José- 0728878744 ngunjirijnr(a)gmail.com Carthy-0724940237 atienocarthy(a)gmail.com --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

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Weak Mobile Phone Signals
by Alex Gakuru 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

A mobile phone signals are very weak around the Upper Hill/Community area. As a result, for example, forced to step out of their offices subscribers at one building parking in that area constantly pace up-and down whenever they receive or have to make calls. Could the network providers check their signal strengths or explain. Or perhaps CCK should send their signal monitoring equipment to ensure service quality is constantly maintained? Are there other areas experiencing this problem? Regards, ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

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REMINDER
by nancy bosire 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Dear Members and Partners, This is to remind you of tomorrows KIF and Kenya ICT Board luncheon at Nairobi Safari Club from 12.30pm to 2.30 pm. Charges are Ksh.2,000 for Members and Ksh.3,000 for Non-members. see you there. -- Sincerely yours, Secretariat Manager Kenya ICT Federation Tel: 020 4440102 Mobile: 0721907995 secretariat(a)kif.or.ke, info(a)kif.or.ke http://www.kif.or.ke Mahatma Gandhi once said:- First they ignore you, Then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, AND THEN YOU WIN!!!

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Re: [kictanet] Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed byPost-ElectionViolence on ICT Organisations
by Edith Adera 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Michael and Walu, Indeed the mood is dampened! Two points: *to Michael - I bought a scratch card this morning that gave me less money than printed on the card! What's happening? * Both of you have raised interesting issues that need further discussions - effects of the ban vs possible censorship of content by Safaricom as indicated by Michael. In a situation of media ban the only "live" coverage is informal networks and under these circumstances sms' come in very handy, so people are able to move "live" news quickly to family, relatives and friends. It worries me to hear Michael taut censorship of sms content. It raises many issues: - is there infringement of personal rights in reading people's sms content to determine which is suitable to censor? - who makes this decision? - should we feel exposed? In addition to discussing these issues, I strongly feel we need to do something practical to support those suffering..... kind regards Edith At / À 14:09 29/01/2008, Michael Joseph wrote / a écrit: >I think we are all trying to deal with the crisis which seems to grow >every day with no-one seemingly concerned enough to stop it. > >With regard to the scratch card prices, the problem was, and is still to >some extent, the disruption of our supply lines due to the violence and >the closing of the banking network for more than 10 days. In a, mostly, >informal economy, the impact of lengthy bank closures has a significant >impact on the economy and is even outlawed in some countries. The >problem is that stocks are kept to a minimum due to cash flow and >security problems. So if there is a minor blip this does lead to >significant shortages. We are looking, as are others, for alternative >solutions to deal with this problem. > >At one point we became a bank and collected billions of shillings in >cash (and stored them in our vaults) from dealers in order to get the >supply process going. > >Fortunately we never experienced severe disruption to our network except >for some areas in Western (where else) due to the inability to get >diesel fuel to some key sites. But the threat was always there. > >The other threat worth mentioning is the ever increasing hostile hate >SMSs which were circulating after the elections and continue to >circulate. We are introducing a filtering system which will hopefully >stop some of them, but we must realize that the communications networks >are vital in times of unrest and if we are forced to close down some >elements to stop these hate messages, the impact could be felt even more >widely and may even introduce panic. We must guard our freedom but we >must also act responsibly to protect that freedom. I know I am preaching >to the choir, and may even encourage some debate, but it is a fine line >in these critical times. > >Regards, > >Michael > >CEO >Safaricom Limited > > >-----Original Message----- >From: kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >[mailto:kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] >On Behalf Of John Walubengo >Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:45 AM >To: Michael Joseph >Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions >Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed >byPost-ElectionViolence on ICT Organisations > >mmhh, looks like very few contributions. I understand the >dampened mood. But really, we have to talk. Unless you >guys want us to bring Koffi Anaan here to make us share... > >Anyway, Thanx Alex, Bill, and Brian for your contributions >so far. I was just thinking at a national level...the >impact so far. >1. Mobile Operators (earlier in the fracas I bought a >scratch card worth 250sh for 500sh, black market rates) >2. BPO projects (whats happening at Kencall and others?) >3. ICT Board (with World Bank threatening to hold back >funds, what happens to the Infrastructure projects that >were to provide Bandwidth to BPOs and Academia?) >4. Media (how are you coping with the live transmission >ban?) >6. ISPs, ASPs, Cybercafes (any impacts) >7. Our members in the region UG, RW (any impacts?) > >Plse talk, we have only four more days to go. It is >refreshing to talk about this things. It is part of the >healing process. > >walu. > >--- Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > Ok, I was silent because Brain Longwe had earlier > > asked that the list be what it was meant to be. Since > > that position has changed, I want to start with > > "funny" joke. We have a saying in this regard. > > > > Have you been one of those who have tried or struggled > > to guess the tribe of the person sending emails to > > mailing lists? Please own up:) Last week we considered > > assessing the psychological consequences the crisis > > was having on consumers with regard to email and blogs > > posts. > > > > It turned out that some tried to "align" their views > > on e-mail senders whom they perceived (or imagined?) > > to be of the same or "friendly" tribes. Our > > conclusion, listers were not tribal, yet the stress, > > politics and media had forced them to seek tribal > > alignments. We were happy to discover that. > > > > Next we discussed tensions at workplace Telkom Kenya > > being our sample. We learnt how badly it had divided > > staff there. We overheard employee conversations! We > > wished companies would hold extra parties to lessen > > tensions at work. I have just noticed a ke-users > > lister has posted a very positive message. Their HR > > department today held an organisation-wide > > counselling session. That was excellent. All companies > > should start similar initiatives. Thanks Saidimu! > > > > > > Terrible for us because when we engaging Telcos and > > ISPs we never ask for okuyu, jang or kale etc tariffs > > or quality of service standards. Our engagement covers > > coast to lake, Turkana to Namanga, Garissa to Busia. > > > > At such moments, Information and Communications > > Consumer protection is more than ever necessary. We > > are battling rights of the people know on one hand, on > > the other we are urging responsibility to accompany > > freedom of expression, fighting against ban on live > > broadcasts also aware of the dangers of misuse, > > against sms sniffing very aware of misinformation > > dangers. > > > > We noted and appreciated the media's own intervention > > early and responsibility but also appreciate the role > > of government to protect everyone. > > > > This thread is on the challenges hence I stop there > > for now to hear others' lest I be accused of > > monopolising on opinion. I will be back;) > > > > Regards, > > > > > > Alex > > > > > > --- John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > >________________________________________________________________________ >____________ > > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > > > > > > >________________________________________________________________________ >____________ >Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. >http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >This message was sent to: mjoseph(a)safaricom.co.ke >Unsubscribe or change your options at >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mjoseph%40safaricom >.co.ke >The information in this email and any attachments is confidential and may >be legally privileged. It is intended only for the use of the named addressee. >Emails are susceptible to alteration and their integrity cannot be >guaranteed. Safaricom Limited does not accept legal responsibility for the >contents of this email if the same is found to have been altered or >manipulated. >The contents and opinions expressed in this email are solely those of the >author and do not necessarily represent those of Safaricom Limited. >Safaricom Limited disclaims any liability to the fullest extent >permissible by law for any consequences that may arise from the contents >of this email including but not limited to personal opinions, malicious >and/or defamatory information and data/codes that may compromise or damage >the integrity of the recipient's information technology systems. >If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender and >immediately delete this email from your system. > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >This message was sent to: eadera(a)idrc.or.ke >Unsubscribe or change your options at >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/eadera%40idrc.or.ke -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.

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Alari fundraiser
by Rebecca Wanjiku 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Hi Just to let you know Alari Alare's fundraiser will be held tomorrow (Thursday) 6pm at Tanager bar and restaurant. Funeral arrangements will be availed during the fundraising. Please come or send your donations. I am sure Alari touched you in one way or another. -- Regards, Becky ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

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Re: [kictanet] Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed byPost-ElectionViolence on ICT Organisations
by Michael Joseph 29 Jan '08

29 Jan '08

Re the scratch card - It is very unusual for that to happen. I would like to have more details about the card if you still have it. On sms we will not be censoring or reading any messages but propose to have a filter that could block messages that contain unacceptable words. Nothing has been decided but the new smsc has this option. We are committed to responsible marketing and this includes setting up systems to block pornography etc. We know this raises important issues and we will consult before deciding anything. Michael Joseph CEO Safaricom Limited BlackBerry powered by Safaricom ----- Original Message ----- From: Edith Adera <eadera(a)idrc.or.ke> To: Michael Joseph Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Tue Jan 29 15:04:41 2008 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed byPost-ElectionViolence on ICT Organisations Michael and Walu, Indeed the mood is dampened! Two points: *to Michael - I bought a scratch card this morning that gave me less money than printed on the card! What's happening? * Both of you have raised interesting issues that need further discussions - effects of the ban vs possible censorship of content by Safaricom as indicated by Michael. In a situation of media ban the only "live" coverage is informal networks and under these circumstances sms' come in very handy, so people are able to move "live" news quickly to family, relatives and friends. It worries me to hear Michael taut censorship of sms content. It raises many issues: - is there infringement of personal rights in reading people's sms content to determine which is suitable to censor? - who makes this decision? - should we feel exposed? In addition to discussing these issues, I strongly feel we need to do something practical to support those suffering..... kind regards Edith At / À 14:09 29/01/2008, Michael Joseph wrote / a écrit: >I think we are all trying to deal with the crisis which seems to grow >every day with no-one seemingly concerned enough to stop it. > >With regard to the scratch card prices, the problem was, and is still to >some extent, the disruption of our supply lines due to the violence and >the closing of the banking network for more than 10 days. In a, mostly, >informal economy, the impact of lengthy bank closures has a significant >impact on the economy and is even outlawed in some countries. The >problem is that stocks are kept to a minimum due to cash flow and >security problems. So if there is a minor blip this does lead to >significant shortages. We are looking, as are others, for alternative >solutions to deal with this problem. > >At one point we became a bank and collected billions of shillings in >cash (and stored them in our vaults) from dealers in order to get the >supply process going. > >Fortunately we never experienced severe disruption to our network except >for some areas in Western (where else) due to the inability to get >diesel fuel to some key sites. But the threat was always there. > >The other threat worth mentioning is the ever increasing hostile hate >SMSs which were circulating after the elections and continue to >circulate. We are introducing a filtering system which will hopefully >stop some of them, but we must realize that the communications networks >are vital in times of unrest and if we are forced to close down some >elements to stop these hate messages, the impact could be felt even more >widely and may even introduce panic. We must guard our freedom but we >must also act responsibly to protect that freedom. I know I am preaching >to the choir, and may even encourage some debate, but it is a fine line >in these critical times. > >Regards, > >Michael > >CEO >Safaricom Limited > > >-----Original Message----- >From: kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >[mailto:kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] >On Behalf Of John Walubengo >Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:45 AM >To: Michael Joseph >Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions >Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed >byPost-ElectionViolence on ICT Organisations > >mmhh, looks like very few contributions. I understand the >dampened mood. But really, we have to talk. Unless you >guys want us to bring Koffi Anaan here to make us share... > >Anyway, Thanx Alex, Bill, and Brian for your contributions >so far. I was just thinking at a national level...the >impact so far. >1. Mobile Operators (earlier in the fracas I bought a >scratch card worth 250sh for 500sh, black market rates) >2. BPO projects (whats happening at Kencall and others?) >3. ICT Board (with World Bank threatening to hold back >funds, what happens to the Infrastructure projects that >were to provide Bandwidth to BPOs and Academia?) >4. Media (how are you coping with the live transmission >ban?) >6. ISPs, ASPs, Cybercafes (any impacts) >7. Our members in the region UG, RW (any impacts?) > >Plse talk, we have only four more days to go. It is >refreshing to talk about this things. It is part of the >healing process. > >walu. > >--- Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > Ok, I was silent because Brain Longwe had earlier > > asked that the list be what it was meant to be. Since > > that position has changed, I want to start with > > "funny" joke. We have a saying in this regard. > > > > Have you been one of those who have tried or struggled > > to guess the tribe of the person sending emails to > > mailing lists? Please own up:) Last week we considered > > assessing the psychological consequences the crisis > > was having on consumers with regard to email and blogs > > posts. > > > > It turned out that some tried to "align" their views > > on e-mail senders whom they perceived (or imagined?) > > to be of the same or "friendly" tribes. Our > > conclusion, listers were not tribal, yet the stress, > > politics and media had forced them to seek tribal > > alignments. We were happy to discover that. > > > > Next we discussed tensions at workplace Telkom Kenya > > being our sample. We learnt how badly it had divided > > staff there. We overheard employee conversations! We > > wished companies would hold extra parties to lessen > > tensions at work. I have just noticed a ke-users > > lister has posted a very positive message. Their HR > > department today held an organisation-wide > > counselling session. That was excellent. All companies > > should start similar initiatives. Thanks Saidimu! > > > > > > Terrible for us because when we engaging Telcos and > > ISPs we never ask for okuyu, jang or kale etc tariffs > > or quality of service standards. Our engagement covers > > coast to lake, Turkana to Namanga, Garissa to Busia. > > > > At such moments, Information and Communications > > Consumer protection is more than ever necessary. We > > are battling rights of the people know on one hand, on > > the other we are urging responsibility to accompany > > freedom of expression, fighting against ban on live > > broadcasts also aware of the dangers of misuse, > > against sms sniffing very aware of misinformation > > dangers. > > > > We noted and appreciated the media's own intervention > > early and responsibility but also appreciate the role > > of government to protect everyone. > > > > This thread is on the challenges hence I stop there > > for now to hear others' lest I be accused of > > monopolising on opinion. I will be back;) > > > > Regards, > > > > > > Alex > > > > > > --- John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > >________________________________________________________________________ >____________ > > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > > > > > > >________________________________________________________________________ >____________ >Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. >http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >This message was sent to: mjoseph(a)safaricom.co.ke >Unsubscribe or change your options at >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mjoseph%40safaricom >.co.ke >The information in this email and any attachments is confidential and may >be legally privileged. It is intended only for the use of the named addressee. >Emails are susceptible to alteration and their integrity cannot be >guaranteed. Safaricom Limited does not accept legal responsibility for the >contents of this email if the same is found to have been altered or >manipulated. >The contents and opinions expressed in this email are solely those of the >author and do not necessarily represent those of Safaricom Limited. >Safaricom Limited disclaims any liability to the fullest extent >permissible by law for any consequences that may arise from the contents >of this email including but not limited to personal opinions, malicious >and/or defamatory information and data/codes that may compromise or damage >the integrity of the recipient's information technology systems. >If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender and >immediately delete this email from your system. > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >This message was sent to: eadera(a)idrc.or.ke >Unsubscribe or change your options at >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/eadera%40idrc.or.ke -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. The information in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the use of the named addressee. Emails are susceptible to alteration and their integrity cannot be guaranteed. Safaricom Limited does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this email if the same is found to have been altered or manipulated. The contents and opinions expressed in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Safaricom Limited. Safaricom Limited disclaims any liability to the fullest extent permissible by law for any consequences that may arise from the contents of this email including but not limited to personal opinions, malicious and/or defamatory information and data/codes that may compromise or damage the integrity of the recipient's information technology systems. If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender and immediately delete this email from your system.

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Tribute to Alare
by Paul Kukubo 29 Jan '08

29 Jan '08

A couple of days ago, the ICT community - indeed, Kenya - woke up to the shocking news that one of our own, Alari Alare had passed on. Members of the ICT community will particularly feel the loss of this great man, who was more than a journalist. Many of us especially those of us who have worked in Public Service will fondly remember the terse messages that he would send us saying that the public needed to know what we are doing. He constantly reminded of our responsibility not only to perform but also to inform the public of our work. As the board busies itself crystallising many years of thoughts and ideas from the wider ICT fraternity into concrete action plans in the form of ICT strategic plan, (which is now being finalised) I am very saddened that he has passed on. He input would have been very useful in validating our thinking. When I met members of the ICT Journalists team in December, we spoke about the need to carry along all Kenyans in what we did at the board. I am sure the other members of the ICT Journalists fraternity will maintain the pace. Alari went often well beyond the call duty to find out and demystify for Kenyans what ICT was about and clarify its place in their lives in simple language. I cannot forget the number of interviews when I heard him sardonically commend us for making a good pubic statement, and then ask, "Could you now translate that into normal-speak?" We shall miss Alari Alare. We shall miss his passion and commitment to the cause of ICT. We shall in steadfastly rededicate ourselves to our work and passions in ICT; try to remember what he stood for and what he taught us in the short time we had him: "if people understand what you are on about, people will jump on board." The Kenya ICT Board, on behalf of the ICT Fraternity, wishes to convey its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues, of our friend, Alari Alare and wish him, God's speed. Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Celtel Kenya

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Alari Alare Passes on...
by John Walubengo 29 Jan '08

29 Jan '08

Just read in today's East African standard (offline edition) that one of our KICTANet members and ICT journalist Alari passed on over the weekend. Some road accident along Mombasa Road. I ask that you observe a miniutes silence in memory of his contribution to the ICT community both online and offline. May God rest his soul in peace. walu. Becky (fellow journalist), plse keep the community uptodate on anything they may do to assist or join his family in this time of mourning. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

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Freedom of Information Training Programme
by Alex Gakuru 29 Jan '08

29 Jan '08

Colleagues; All conflicts , including World Wars, come to an end some day. Therefore, our unfortunate ongoings will end sometime for some reasons one way or the other. I beg your pardon and allow me to briefly divert to a related but a major post-crisis issue. A peaceful future is guaranteed in our society when we "seek to empower the people with the economic, political and social structures that will prevent them from becoming pawns in a system that sees them as numbers, commodities and reservoirs of cheap labour, and violence when needed." Business Daily, 25 January 2008, 'The next movement after embers die out' Freedom of Information is the avenue to lasting peace and fairness for sustained prosperity. The systems for implementation of access to information held by public entities is greatly boosted by modern communication media and instruments (or ICTs). I suppose Reclaiming the future and our national aspirations by engaging ICTs forms the foundation of kictanet? The FOI-net coalition appreciates last year's firm confirmation by Information PS of government support to the enactment of the Freedom of Information law by the parliament. We look to kictanet to support it from policy to operationalisation. Information benefits will be tremendous to all citizens, the media, and businesses alike as they will better plan their economic and social activities from informed vantage points. For example, feelings of being "left-out" of official procurement, sharing of national cake, region development will be minimal if not eliminated. Corruption will be least where such information is readily available to all citizens. Towards building this information society, find below information on upcoming FOI training. There's little time left and sincerely hope the public officials onlist will pass on this information also to legislators and any other persons interested. ----- Training programme being carried out by Public Administration International on the 31st of March to the 4th of April in the U.K. The training is on Freedom of Information: achieving open and transparent government and the following are the programmes objectives: 1. to explore the purpose and key elements of FOI legislation 2. review infrastructure required to implement the legislation successfully 3. identify benefits and risks 4. confront challenges in achieving and maintaining compliance with the legislation 5. develop action plans to take forward initiatives in this area 6. discuss the effectiveness of the legislation from the perspective of the citizen and the media. For more information visit www.public-admin.co.uk ( Please Note: they have other training programmes for those interested.) ----ends---

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Challenges posed by Post-election violence
by godera＠skyweb.co.ke 29 Jan '08

29 Jan '08

John, Let me take this moment to contribute on this very important topic. I happen to wear two hats- an ISP and Call Centre. Saying that we have been affected would be an understatement. I would really not say the situation "is getting out of hand" as Kabenn has said below, it got out of hand weeks ago! Like many other businesses in the ICT sector, the ISPs have not been spared. The unrest in various parts of the country has necessitated the shut-down of several businesses such as cyber cafes and even offices that use the Internet. Revenues flow from such areas have scaled down quite substantially. The outsourcing industry has taken a big hit, especially those of us serving international clients. Some have lost contracts, some have seen suspension of work being sent to Kenya and others have simply lost golden opportunities to run their pilot tests with potential clients who are being very cautious (and we cannot blame them)to send their work to Kenya having seen the news coverage on CNN, BBC and other television stations. It has taken some of us the last 2 and a half years to generate an interest in Kenya as an off-shore outsourcing destination. Just one month ago, this year showed promising growth in the industry. Today we are seeing a totally different scenario unless all this negative headline-making chaos stops. And even then, it may take time. That is just I must admit it feels pretty discouraging seeing all our great efforts going down the drain at this rapid rate. Gilda Odera Managing Director Skyweb Technologies Ltd & Skyweb-Evans Ltd Tel:254-20-2711446/2711760 Fax:254-20-2713934 URL:www.skyweb.co.ke/www.skywebevans.co.ke Quoting kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke: > Send kictanet mailing list submissions to > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > You can reach the person managing the list at > kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed by Post-ElectionViolence on > ICT Organisations (Bernard Mwenda) > 2. Re: Alari Alare Passes on... (Eric Osiakwan) > 3. Alari's Fundraiser (Harry Hare) > 4. Re: Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed byPost-ElectionViolence on > ICT Organisations (Michael Joseph) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:46:37 +0300 > From: Bernard Mwenda <bmwenda(a)iwayafrica.com> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed by > Post-ElectionViolence on ICT Organisations > To: John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Message-ID: > <8F5B649086B43845822600B44C6AC6C201347AA41693(a)mail1.IWAY.LOCAL> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > John, > > I know for a fact that our distributors (ISPs) in kenya have recorded very > low sales for this time of the year compared to previous years. We have also > had some accounts which have been deactivated, mostly from the hospitality > industry. Hotels are the worst hit right now and such we expect very little > business from this sector. I guess we have to live with the situation as is > or alternatively do something about it. > > I think it is time Kenyan professionals from all walks came out and did > something about this. This situation is now getting out of hand. > > Kabenn. > > ________________________________________ > From: kictanet-bounces+bmwenda=iwayafrica.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > [kictanet-bounces+bmwenda=iwayafrica.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of > John Walubengo [jwalu(a)yahoo.com] > Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:45 AM > To: Bernard Mwenda > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed by > Post-ElectionViolence on ICT Organisations > > mmhh, looks like very few contributions. I understand the > dampened mood. But really, we have to talk. Unless you > guys want us to bring Koffi Anaan here to make us share... > > Anyway, Thanx Alex, Bill, and Brian for your contributions > so far. I was just thinking at a national level...the > impact so far. > 1. Mobile Operators (earlier in the fracas I bought a > scratch card worth 250sh for 500sh, black market rates) > 2. BPO projects (whats happening at Kencall and others?) > 3. ICT Board (with World Bank threatening to hold back > funds, what happens to the Infrastructure projects that > were to provide Bandwidth to BPOs and Academia?) > 4. Media (how are you coping with the live transmission > ban?) > 6. ISPs, ASPs, Cybercafes (any impacts) > 7. Our members in the region UG, RW (any impacts?) > > Plse talk, we have only four more days to go. It is > refreshing to talk about this things. It is part of the > healing process. > > walu. > > --- Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > Ok, I was silent because Brain Longwe had earlier > > asked that the list be what it was meant to be. Since > > that position has changed, I want to start with > > "funny" joke. We have a saying in this regard. > > > > Have you been one of those who have tried or struggled > > to guess the tribe of the person sending emails to > > mailing lists? Please own up:) Last week we considered > > assessing the psychological consequences the crisis > > was having on consumers with regard to email and blogs > > posts. > > > > It turned out that some tried to "align" their views > > on e-mail senders whom they perceived (or imagined?) > > to be of the same or "friendly" tribes. Our > > conclusion, listers were not tribal, yet the stress, > > politics and media had forced them to seek tribal > > alignments. We were happy to discover that. > > > > Next we discussed tensions at workplace Telkom Kenya > > being our sample. We learnt how badly it had divided > > staff there. We overheard employee conversations! We > > wished companies would hold extra parties to lessen > > tensions at work. I have just noticed a ke-users > > lister has posted a very positive message. Their HR > > department today held an organisation-wide > > counselling session. That was excellent. All companies > > should start similar initiatives. Thanks Saidimu! > > > > > > Terrible for us because when we engaging Telcos and > > ISPs we never ask for okuyu, jang or kale etc tariffs > > or quality of service standards. Our engagement covers > > coast to lake, Turkana to Namanga, Garissa to Busia. > > > > At such moments, Information and Communications > > Consumer protection is more than ever necessary. We > > are battling rights of the people know on one hand, on > > the other we are urging responsibility to accompany > > freedom of expression, fighting against ban on live > > broadcasts also aware of the dangers of misuse, > > against sms sniffing very aware of misinformation > > dangers. > > > > We noted and appreciated the media's own intervention > > early and responsibility but also appreciate the role > > of government to protect everyone. > > > > This thread is on the challenges hence I stop there > > for now to hear others' lest I be accused of > > monopolising on opinion. I will be back;) > > > > Regards, > > > > > > Alex > > > > > > --- John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________________________________ _____ > > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________________________________ _____ > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: bmwenda(a)iwayafrica.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bmwenda%40iwayafrica.c… > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 12:38:07 +0300 > From: Eric Osiakwan <eric(a)afrispa.org> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Alari Alare Passes on... > To: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Message-ID: <BD0C2FE0-3B36-4E2C-A7C3-73AEAECD2888(a)afrispa.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > He left a MARK in TIME and posterity would forever uphold his being > and work.... > > Rest in absolute peace, Brother Alari. > > Eric here > > > On 28 Jan 2008, at 08:28, John Walubengo wrote: > > > Just read in today's East African standard (offline > > edition) that one of our KICTANet members and ICT > > journalist Alari passed on over the weekend. Some road > > accident along Mombasa Road. I ask that you observe a > > miniutes silence in memory of his contribution to the ICT > > community both online and offline. > > > > May God rest his soul in peace. > > > > walu. > > Becky (fellow journalist), plse keep the community uptodate > > on anything they may do to assist or join his family in > > this time of mourning. > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > ______________ > > Be a better friend, newshound, and > > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http:// > > mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > This message was sent to: eric(a)afrispa.org > > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ > > mailman/options/kictanet/eric%40afrispa.org > > > > Eric M.K Osiakwan > Executive Secretary > AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) > Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 > Fax: + 233.21.258811 > Cell: + 233.244.386792 > Handle: eosiakwan > Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North > Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North > Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ > Slang: "Tomorrow Now" > > > > >

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Re: [kictanet] Karuaphobia
by James Kagwe 29 Jan '08

29 Jan '08

All, Probably we should close the list temporarily until the political temperatures cool down otherwise if we continue like this we may loose a very important tool that have been quite informative and educative. Rgds, James Kagwe -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Edith Adera Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 12:54 PM To: James Kagwe Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Karuaphobia KICTANET List Manager. If this list is not discussing ICT issues, I think it should be closed or order restored. regards At / À 12:32 25/01/2008, Odhiambo Washington wrote / a écrit: >On Jan 25, 2008 11:17 AM, Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Robert, > > > > Please DO NOT use derogatory language against Hon. Martha Karua. > > > > She a sign of women leadership which is characteristically lacking in this > > country. > > > > Could you please apologize to the women of this country. Men have > > significantly failed us in leadership in this country and we cannot afford > > to have anyone undermining women of resolve. > > > > -- > > Muthoni > > >What was so derogatory about what Bobby said? If there was anything, >then I believe it wasn't intentional. Prepending "phobia" to names in >Kenya has never been derogatory though. It's sort of a culture that >has taken roots in Kenya when there are political inclinations >associated with an individual. >Now, that, to me, is not derogatory. > > >-- >Best regards, >Odhiambo WASHINGTON, >Nairobi,KE >+254733744121/+254722743223 >_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > >"Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!" > --from a /. post > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >This message was sent to: eadera(a)idrc.or.ke >Unsubscribe or change your options at >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/eadera%40idrc.or.ke _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: jkagwe(a)kippra.or.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jkagwe%40kippra.or.ke

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Alari Alare Passes on...
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 29 Jan '08

29 Jan '08

Dear All, It used to be that you meet someone to develop somekind of fondness. There were no virtual frinds a few years ago. It has been my wish to meet and argue (the old way) with virtual contributors such as Yawe, Theuri, Alari etc. This was never to be with Alari. Through his views, we got to know him. My condolences to his loved ones. May the Almight God rest his saul in eternal peace. Bitange Ndemo.

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Fwd: NPWJ cooperation with KNCHR
by Bill Kagai 28 Jan '08

28 Jan '08

KNCHR and NPWJ have identified some areas KICTANET can be able to help in their work of data gathering in the field. You can contact me directly of contact Anthony Kuria (KNCHR) or Niccolo Figa Talamanca for any assistance we can offer. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: anthony kuria <akuria(a)knchr.org> Date: Jan 28, 2008 1:00 PM Subject: NPWJ cooperation with KNCHR To: Bill Kagai <billkagai(a)gmail.com> Cc: niccolo(a)figatalamanca.net Bill, As per previous discussions and your links with various influential Kictanet people, we do require donations in kind for: a) Airtime b) Computer terminals (15-20) on loan for two months c) Network cards for Internet Are you able to get us an appointment with Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph? I am proposing we meet some time in your office or at Woodmere to discuss and agree on the final form of the request to Safaricom. Kuria -- -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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STATE OF THE INDUSTRY LUNCHEON 31/01/2008 – KENYA ICT FEDERATION - KENYA ICT BOARD
by nancy bosire 28 Jan '08

28 Jan '08

28th January 2008 Dear Members and Partners, RE: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY LUNCHEON 31/01/2008 – KENYA ICT FEDERATION - KENYA ICT BOARD The date for the Luncheon is Thursday, 31st January 2008. The new venue is *THE NAIROBI SAFARI CLUB, LILIAN TOWERS, on University Way *from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. Charges: Ksh. 2,000 for Members and Ksh.3, 000 for non-members. Book early to avoid disappointment (seats will remain reserved for those who had made early bookings and paid in advance). Contact details are below for early reservations and any queries. Attached please find the agenda. PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY. -- Sincerely yours, Secretariat Manager Kenya ICT Federation Tel: 020 4440102 Mobile: 0721907995 secretariat(a)kif.or.ke, info(a)kif.or.ke http://www.kif.or.ke Mahatma Gandhi once said:- First they ignore you, Then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, AND THEN YOU WIN!!!

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Re: [kictanet] Alari Alare Passes on...
by Rebecca Wanjiku 28 Jan '08

28 Jan '08

Death has done to us what death can do. I do not think Alari ran that blog Muthoni alludes to because if you notice, it links to Nationmedia.com and he worked for Standard. Alari and I held opposing political views which are well know through out Highway Africa coz of one interview we did at SABC but I must say he was always a sober guy in his arguments. He was the chair of Kenya ICT Journalists Association. I am told he was trying to avoid a head on collision with an oncoming "matatu" when he rammed into the back of a trailler will keep you posted with details. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ ----- Original Message ---- From: Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni(a)gmail.com> To: Rebecca Wanjiku <rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 9:34:57 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Alari Alare Passes on... Morning, Is this the guy who was running polls2007.blogspot.com If he is, sorry but good riddance He used the blog to propagate anti-kikuyu propaganda Keep well. On Jan 28, 2008 8:28 AM, John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: Just read in today's East African standard (offline edition) that one of our KICTANet members and ICT journalist Alari passed on over the weekend. Some road accident along Mombasa Road. I ask that you observe a miniutes silence in memory of his contribution to the ICT community both online and offline. May God rest his soul in peace. walu. Becky (fellow journalist), plse keep the community uptodate on anything they may do to assist or join his family in this time of mourning. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: dmuthoni(a)gmail.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/dmuthoni%40gmail.com -- Muthoni My Blog: http://rugongo.blogspot.com/ -------------------------------------------- Mahatma Gandhi once said:- First they ignore you, Then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, AND THEN YOU WIN!!! ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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Open Education Declaration - Let's Support this!
by brian 28 Jan '08

28 Jan '08

FYI - let as many KICTANET members sign as possible? Education resources that are paid for with Public funds should be accessible to the public .... ------------- Please be informed about the Cape Town Declaration which was released last week. See http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/read-the-declaration. http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/media-centre/press-releases/cape-town- declaration-calls-open-education . There is a press page at http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/press. The Declaration already bears many signatures and will certainly contribute to raising awareness of the importance of open educational resources. http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/media-centre/press-releases/cape-town…

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[Fwd: [At-Large] Fwd: [ttcs] Google May Knee Cap Domain Tasting]
by alice 27 Jan '08

27 Jan '08

FYI ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dev Teelucksingh <devtee(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:33:08 -0400 Subject: [ttcs] Google May Knee Cap Domain Tasting To: lac-discuss(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org Cc: ttcs(a)yahoogroups.com Google is said to be considering banning newly registered domain names from participating in the Google for Domain Names program, severely hampering the practice of domain tasting. According to Jay Westerdal at Domain Tools, Google would block all domains if they are less then five days old. In Jay's words, "This potential new policy change by Google could stop all Domain Tasting in its tracks." Read rest of article at http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/24/google-may-knee-cap-domain-tasting/ -- Sent from Gmail for mobile | mobile.google.com _______________________________________________ ALAC mailing list ALAC(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac_atlarge-lists.icann.org At-Large Official Site: http://www.alac.icann.org ALAC Independent: http://www.icannalac.org

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FYI - Who make better managers?
by robert yawe 26 Jan '08

26 Jan '08

This is an interesting article on who makes better managers and I felt it might best explain the increase in women among top mangement and not by affirmative action but their own effort. Maybe former President Moi knew more than most of us when he rejected the concept on affirmative action, nature has already given women the edge. Its time the male of the species looked for alternative past times, the corporate world is not home anymore. Regards Why companies need female managers By Tim Weber Business editor, BBC News website, in Davos When Helen Fisher speaks, the politically correct members of her audience are likely to flinch. Declaring that she's "definitely not a feminist," the American anthropologist from Rutgers University dissects the differences between men and women. Men are more analytical; women are better long-term planners. Each gender has a different way of falling in love. And the invention of the plough did more to set back gender equality than anything else since. What Ms Fisher says is not psychobabble. She bases her findings on archaeological evidence, MRI brain scans, genetics and large-scale surveys of how men and women behave. And understanding that male and female brains develop and behave differently is important not just if you are in the dating game. It also helps us to hire the right people, improve teamwork and can - to quote part of the title of her talk at the World Economic Forum in Davos - grow a company's bottomline. Once upon a time Double-income families are not an invention of modern times. "In prehistoric times, double-income families were the norm, and women provided 60-80% of the evening meal," says Ms Fisher. But following the invention of the plough and with the resulting need for hard manual labour, the power balance shifted. Only since World War I are women re-entering the workforce and regaining their status in society. But there are much more fundamental differences between men and women, says Ms Fisher, that have been shaped over millennia of evolution. For starters, men and women are thinking differently. Brain scans prove it, as does plenty of other research. On average, women gather more data, consider the context, are intuitive, have a sympathising mind and think more long-term. Ms Fisher calls it "web thinking". Men, on the other hand, are more focused, think linear, focus on rules and the short-term - "step thinking". The culprit Blame testosterone for the difference. From the moment the embryo's brain develops in the mother's womb, high testosterone levels will make you focus on details in later life. Now lift your hand and look at your palm. Is the ring finger longer than your index finger? Then you were the recipient of high levels of testosterone. Chances are that you are an analytical thinker (or very musical), regardless of gender, while a shorter ring finger suggests you have a more sympathising mind. And men tend to grow up on lots of testosterone. You want proof? Research shows that film scripts written by women are more complex and have more ambiguous endings than those written by men. Male doctors focus on the illness and its treatment, while female doctors take a more holistic approach. The long-term thinking of women makes them better investors. It's even true in the bedroom, says Ms Fisher. Men tend to focus more on what they are doing, while women are easily distracted, she says to slightly embarrassed laughter from her audience. And when men get older and their testosterone levels sink, their brain starts to work differently - they become more sympathetic to the plight of others. But why the difference? Well, over the ages men tended to be the hunters and needed to focus. Women, in contrast, had much more diverse tasks, like bringing up children (which Ms Fisher also believes may be the reason why women are better talkers: language is the key tool to control children). The business case So what does all this mean for business leaders? Combine the long-term thinking of women with the short-term focus of men. And bear in mind that different thinking also results in very different behaviour. Men think more in terms of status and rank. Women prefer flat hierarchies. Men can have tunnel vision, women may fail to get to the point. Women find it difficult to counter aggression. When men push back, it earns them the respect of other men. When women apologise, they are not really sorry. For men it's a serious affair, a perceived weakening of their status. Ms Fisher's list goes on and on, but her message is clear. Managers, says Ms Fisher, have to realise that men and women act differently, and that they complement each other. Having only men or women on your team would be like hopping on one foot instead of walking. As the status of women is on the rise again, says Ms Fisher, we "move forward to a lifestyle we had a million years ago". Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/business/7209353.stm Published: 2008/01/26 00:09:17 GMT © BBC MMVIII Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 __________________________________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! Mail - a smarter inbox http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

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Re: [kictanet] Karuaphobia
by robert yawe 26 Jan '08

26 Jan '08

Hi, I ask, if the operators of the Internet gateways decided to install a filter to delete all mail originating from .ke addresses would my raising this issue qualify as an IT issue? BBC is selectively removing content relating to interviews of government friendly people from their web site, you decide whether my query does qualify as an IT issue, if not then I apologise to all but if it is please be man enough and apologize. In a way this should be a wakeup call to us to look into storing content locally otherwise we are at the mercy of the rest of the world who will decide what information we can make available online. Let the ICT policy makers look seriously at this issue, the sooner we setup data centers to make our messages available to the international community the safer for us all. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Steve Kahara <kahara(a)cfsk.org> To: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, 25 January, 2008 5:03:19 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Karuaphobia KICTANET List Manager. I do conquer with Edith. Lets focus on ICT issues. Warm regards ----- Original Message ----- From: "Edith Adera" <eadera(a)idrc.or.ke> To: "Stephen Kahara" <kahara(a)cfsk.org> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 12:54 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Karuaphobia KICTANET List Manager. If this list is not discussing ICT issues, I think it should be closed or order restored. regards At / À 12:32 25/01/2008, Odhiambo Washington wrote / a écrit: >On Jan 25, 2008 11:17 AM, Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Robert, > > > > Please DO NOT use derogatory language against Hon. Martha Karua. > > > > She a sign of women leadership which is characteristically lacking in > > this > > country. > > > > Could you please apologize to the women of this country. Men have > > significantly failed us in leadership in this country and we cannot > > afford > > to have anyone undermining women of resolve. > > > > -- > > Muthoni > > >What was so derogatory about what Bobby said? If there was anything, >then I believe it wasn't intentional. Prepending "phobia" to names in >Kenya has never been derogatory though. It's sort of a culture that >has taken roots in Kenya when there are political inclinations >associated with an individual. >Now, that, to me, is not derogatory. > > >-- >Best regards, >Odhiambo WASHINGTON, >Nairobi,KE >+254733744121/+254722743223 >_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > >"Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!" > --from a /. post > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >This message was sent to: eadera(a)idrc.or.ke >Unsubscribe or change your options at >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/eadera%40idrc.or.ke _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: kahara(a)cfsk.org Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kahara%40cfsk.org -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.11/1242 - Release Date: 24/01/2008 20:32 _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/robertyawe%40yahoo.co.… ___________________________________________________________ Support the World Aids Awareness campaign this month with Yahoo! For Good http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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Re: [kictanet] Online courtesy- dont misuse this forum!!!!
by robert yawe 25 Jan '08

25 Jan '08

Hi, It is unfortunate that your ethnicity is blinding you from the reality of the situation. Please be specific about the issues in my posting that have been negative to the Kikuyu and stop reacting. It is disappointing that we advocate for what you deem negative to be discussed in bars and political rallies, isn't this how we got to where we are in the first place? How many years would it take to walk from Egypt to Israel? So why did it take 40 years for Moses, a trained astronomer, to get the children of Israel back home? The life of a slave is the responsibility of his master, and as Cane was told you are your brothers keeper. All the writing is on the wall and for that reason I refuse to apologize for my comments. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Rebecca Wanjiku <rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com> To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: Kenya ICT Policy - kictanet <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, 11 January, 2008 12:49:59 PM Subject: Online courtesy- dont misuse this forum!!!! Dear Yawe, I am sure my name has given me away too but I dont care much about that. Suffice it to say that this is not a forum for bar talk and that kind of stuff. This is a place for serious discussions. I am sure this kind of responses can make people to unsubscribe from this list, or make others start defending their political stand. For the years I have been a member of this list, I am sure Kictanet accommodates everybody irrespective of race, ethnic background or levels of development. This is a list with people beyond Kenya, who are interested in ICT policy and other attendant issues. If everybody came to narrate such stories online, I wonder what we will do during our free time when we are supposed to engage in idle talk. Let us restrict this kind of talk to political rallies and local pubs and let this forum be for serious ICT discussions. We must see beyond some of these things. If you have any bone to pick with my contribution please reply to me directly and not to the list. Walubengo has published guidelines on posting, I am sure he will be kind enough to re-post them just to remind ourselves how to conduct online discussions. Best regards Becky Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ ----- Original Message ---- From: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> To: Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com>; ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 8:26:09 AM Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Election process fiasco Hi Alex, If your name is a definite give away and I would have been more surprised if your contribution was any different. Do not create a storm in a tea cub, the Kikuyu should head the adage "with great power comes great responsibility". By not uplifting the livelihood of your neighbours in Eldoret, Kisumu and Kuresoi you failed in your responsibility. Yes, you are your brothers keeper do not escape your right. Taking us back to the days of your tribes existence as gatherers (sorry they still are) you are trying to justify your abdicated responsibility. Teach your pastoral and fishing neigbours how to better their lives and this problem will solve itself. Take Raila's hand and show him how by taking EA Spectre and the Molasses plant public is the way of the future instead of selling everything to Trans Century. Teach Ruto that education is the land of the future, his mentor ruled us for 24 years longer than Kenyatta ruled yet Gatundu is still better off than Sacho. It is time the Kikuyu accepted that they have misused their God given right to enrich yourselves and frustrate those you are responsible for. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: ke-users <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net> Sent: Tuesday, 8 January, 2008 9:30:09 PM Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Election process fiasco Greetings Robert, Let break it down! You mean every Kikuyu carries a "land thief" label on their forehead? Terrible thieves of indigenous lands they should all be. Hey, what am I saying? You live and your office is in Nairobi right? And Nairobi is a maasai name. oops! Then we are occupying indigenous maasai land and we should all vacate and go back to our ancestral homes to avoid massai rungus and spears. Step 1 Kalenjin head back to Rift Valley, Luo back to Luo-Nyanza, Kikuyus to Central Kenya, Arabs, Waswahili back to the coast, Taita... etc etc.. all 42 communities ( or should I use tribes?) Step 2 Before we unpack those sufurias, beddings, and bags and city life computers and modems. History says pssst! Look over here! Sorry Bantus, the Nigeria-Cameroon- Congo forest is where you belong you only came here 5,000 years ago (3000 BC) <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu#Origins> And you Nilotics get up further north to the Sudan, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilotic) Cushitics back to the arab-asia origins. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Asiatic_languages> Step 3 If you noticed above Nilotics include Maa-speaking peoples who earlier chased you and me from their Nairobi. etc.. etc.. Step 4 Nearly forgot, Indians please the British only brought you here to construct Her/His Majesty's EAR and you have over-stayed. Get packing thank you very much for your labours. BTW, White Kenyans remember Europe is where your ancestors are? Everyone is going back home where they belongs. ok! Step 5 If there are any Americans- Kenyans you go home as well. This is a hard one because once you get there, you then retrace where you came from because Native Americans claim that land. Australians the Aborigine wan their land back. Spanish Mexicans the Aztecs want back their land etc etc Step 6 Kenya's permanent solution to the Eldoret "problem" as per Yawe has triggered an unprecedented global migration crisis and succeeded in removing everyone from Kenya. In other works, there is no Kenya because Kenya was an artificial invention of some British adventurers who have all been compelled to go back home. Finally, Everybody is now safely back in their home land and permanent peace prevails all over the world? BTW regarding, "Evelyn brought out an interesting issue, can we digitize the land ownership patterns so that we can easily identify prospective problem zones before they flare up," I believe she must have been making reference to a KDN's business proposal because she works there and it's her job to look for new business. She's unlikely to share it with potential competitors on the list, at least I wouldn't:) Nice debate, hit me! Enjoy! Alex On Jan 8, 2008 8:04 PM, robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > Hi Alex, > > We know the genesis of the problems in Eldoret and whichever way the > election went the killings and displacements there would still have taken > place. Stop bombarding God with insincere prayers, we pray together only to > walk out of the judge and return to our tribal cocoons. > > The history and progression of the tensions in Eldoret are well known and > documented, it had nothing to do with the election results but Ruto > finishing off what he begun in 1992 - 1997. Remember is the one of the only > known participant in a cabinet meeting who was not a minister. > > Give the land back to the Kalenjin it was taken away from them by the > settlers but returned to the Kikuyu. If you want my added opinion if you > decide to eat a frog eat a fat juicy one, if the Kikuyu's really want to > remain in Eldoret let them make sure they have uninterrupted tracts of not > less than 100 acres and stop promising your sons and daughters that they > will inherit the land lets move to the new age, knowledge. > > Evelyn brought out an interesting issue, can we digitize the land ownership > patterns so that we can easily identify prospective problem zones before > they flare up. > > Lets stop useless rhetoric and apply our knowledge and skills to better run > this country, stop using 18th century solutions for 22nd century problems. > There are enough busy bodies dealing with the now and here of this crisis we > need a group to look 20 years ahead to make sure that the child born in > Eldoret, Nyeri or Kisumu today does not revert to the solutions of todays 20 > year old. > > Alex, I refuse to be pulled into a discussion that I cannot provide a > workable solution that is within my skill set. Ask me for a techie solution > to a problem then I am in my forte. > > Regards > > > > Robert Yawe > KAY System Technologies Ltd > Phoenix House, 6th Floor > P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 > KEnya > > Tel: +254722511225 > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Alex Gakuru <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> > To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> > Cc: ke-users <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net> > Sent: Tuesday, 8 January, 2008 12:58:48 PM > Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Election process fiasco > > Robert: > > Firstly, I am not opposed to your expressed opinion but only calling > on prioritisation of issues. We are lucky to be alive and in our > offices typing away our diverse polls opinions and offering our best > efforts in solving problems facing our suffering brothers and sisters. > > But could we at this moment in time focus all our energies on > solidifying returning peace and calm. Hard-line political positions, > polls details, allegations or insinuations will neither console those > that lost their loved ones, destroyed homes, property, and > livelihoods. Accusations will not console fellow Kenyans and relatives > since spending every night in the cold not because they committed any > crime. > > Let us all try a very difficult thing, forgiveness. Anger is easily > inflames and spread whereas honest forgiveness is such a difficult > thing for us to do. But why should we all forgive in the first place? > some may ask. > > I believe forgiveness should not be to please the aggressor, not to > gain political mileage, settle political scores, or improve ones > public image. We should not forgive to appear righteous to appease > our religious leaders, cultural traditions, or our families. > > We should forgive so that we save own selves from self-ruin. Save our > futures from burdens of pain and grief. To break free chains of > carrying burdens of hatred for the rest of our lives. For our > conscience, hearts and minds to be unpolluted, pure and clear. To > appreciate and focus on the beauty, value and to actualise sanctity of > life every moment that we live. And to become soldiers of life, love, > kindness, and fairness fellow beings. > > What possibly could ever justify one taking the life of another? I > simply could never find words strong enough to condemn such. > > Therefore, my friend, let is not tire ourselves with politicians power > self-interests when many are undergoing trauma. At this moment in > time politicians interests bother me the least. Time will tell and I > hope 10 years todays, this country will look back at this as the > darkest cloud ever to have passed over our country. > > Alex > > On Jan 8, 2008 11:52 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > > > Happy new year to you all and I pray that you are all well. > > > > It is shocking that in this day and age we can actually have the kind of > > electoral fiasco that has been visited on us by the ECK and Co as well as > > the political parties. > > > > This draconian problem reared its head when the Orange house was broken > into > > and the computers stolen. Hon.Nyongo's statement indicated that the > > objective was to steal the member register. If I needed to steal the > > register which from his comments was in electronic form what was the need > of > > taking off with the computer. Has he ever heard of flash disks, > external > > hard dis drives and CD/DVD writers. Technology allows me to steal his > data > > without him every knowing. > > > > After this issue Kivuiti dismissed the SMS service that had been made > > available by Telkom to enable voters confirm their details. He even went > to > > the extent of saying he does not know how to send an SMS. As the IT > > fraternity in the country can we really escape blame for this fiasco? > > > > The next time was when I saw Hon. Ruto standing at KICC and screaming > > himself hoarse over the forms 16 & 16A that had not been received. It > seems > > he might be using a Nokia 1018 mobile phone (he actually uses a Nokia N > > series). > > > > Was it so difficult for the opposition to provide each of their agents > with > > a camera equipped mobile phone that they would have used to to take > pictures > > of the form and also record the returning officer announcing the results. > > This would then have been easily sent to party head quarters. > > > > There are 210 or so constituencies in the country and the mobile phones I > am > > talking about cost about 10,000/- each do the math. > > > > I ask am I the only Kenyan who is aware of such technology or is this > entire > > fiasco a stage managed process. Even the EU observer teams came equipped > as > > if it was the 12th Century after which they proceeded to make unsupported > > statements about the result that further inflamed bloodshed. > > > > Maybe its a techie thing to keep in our glass houses and refuse to add > value > > to a process and only send around message (this one included) after the > > fact. > > > > It is re-assuring when we remember the Florida fiasco but this not > > withstanding do we really have a moral standing to point fingers about the > > election results? > > > > What will be our contribution to stopping this from being repeated in > > future? > > > > Regards > > > > Remember Matiba and his video cameras during the good old days of > mulolongo > > voting? > > > > Robert Yawe > > KAY System Technologies Ltd > > Phoenix House, 6th Floor > > P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 > > KEnya > > > > Tel: +254722511225 > > > > > > ________________________________ > > Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. > > > > ________________________________ > > Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. > > _______________________________________________ > > ke-internetusers mailing list > > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. __________________________________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! Mail - a smarter inbox http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

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Re: [kictanet] Karuaphobia
by Edith Adera 25 Jan '08

25 Jan '08

KICTANET List Manager. If this list is not discussing ICT issues, I think it should be closed or order restored. regards At / À 12:32 25/01/2008, Odhiambo Washington wrote / a écrit: >On Jan 25, 2008 11:17 AM, Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Robert, > > > > Please DO NOT use derogatory language against Hon. Martha Karua. > > > > She a sign of women leadership which is characteristically lacking in this > > country. > > > > Could you please apologize to the women of this country. Men have > > significantly failed us in leadership in this country and we cannot afford > > to have anyone undermining women of resolve. > > > > -- > > Muthoni > > >What was so derogatory about what Bobby said? If there was anything, >then I believe it wasn't intentional. Prepending "phobia" to names in >Kenya has never been derogatory though. It's sort of a culture that >has taken roots in Kenya when there are political inclinations >associated with an individual. >Now, that, to me, is not derogatory. > > >-- >Best regards, >Odhiambo WASHINGTON, >Nairobi,KE >+254733744121/+254722743223 >_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > >"Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!" > --from a /. post > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >This message was sent to: eadera(a)idrc.or.ke >Unsubscribe or change your options at >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/eadera%40idrc.or.ke

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Karuaphobia
by robert yawe 25 Jan '08

25 Jan '08

Hi, I missed Hon. Martha Karua's interview on BBC HardTalk with Clay so I tried looking for a recording on the net. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008qqjx It is interesting that it is not available, could this be a case of censorship or is BBC also suffering from KauraPhobia? Regards PS. Self censorship is the worst form of fear Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ___________________________________________________________ Support the World Aids Awareness campaign this month with Yahoo! For Good http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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[Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] Net body issues plea for liberty]
by alice 24 Jan '08

24 Jan '08

Net body issues plea for liberty * The overseer of the net's addressing system has asked the US government to be freed from official control. * Icann made the plea in a lengthy report sent to the US Department of Commerce. The report will be the focus of a meeting to consider Icann's progress on objectives the US government set it in preparation for independence. Icann argues these objectives have been achieved earlier than planned and now is the time for talk to turn into deciding what happens on independence. * Future focus * Paul Twomey, president of Icann, told the BBC news website that the process of meeting the objectives was "essentially complete". The US government issued a call for comments on Icann's progress prior to the meeting. Mr Twomey said the lengthy report was part of Icann's response to this request detailing its achievements. The meeting marks the half-way point for the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) under which Icann was tasked to comply with a series of "responsibilities" deemed necessary for its release from official oversight. The JPA grew out of the original Memorandum of Understanding that established Icann and signalled the beginning of the end for US control. "The Board proposes that the JPA is no longer necessary and can be concluded," wrote Peter Dengate Thrush, chairman of the Icann board, in the letter accompanying the report. Added Mr Twomey: "Has the process of the MoU and JPA towards building a stable, strong organisation which can do this transition, has that been successful? The board is effectively saying yes." Instead of creating more hoops for Icann to jump through, Mr Twomey said it was time for talk to move on and for thoughts about the future of the net body. Icann keeps an eye on the net's addressing system - the master directories of which site is where. * Work needed * Said Mr Twomey: "The JPA has been fundamentally achieved and what's more important is for the Department of Commerce and Icann to talk about what the next stage looks like." But, he added, this did not mean that Icann's work was done. "If the question is: 'Can Icann keep improving?' then, yes, of course it can but that's not the question," he said. "The time now is really to talk about what the final transition is going to look like." In the future Mr Twomey said governments would still have a role in keeping the organisation informed about public policy developments but would not be able to dictate its agenda or development. He said one of the principles Icann had worked towards fulfilling was freedom from official influence. Icann is due to meet the officials from the US Department of Commerce in March. Anyone wishing to comment on its progress towards being a private body has until 14 February to let their views be known to the US government. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/7205609.stm Published: 2008/01/24 10:56:30 GMT © BBC MMVIII -- Anne-Rachel Inne _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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KIF-Kenya ICT Board Luncheon
by nancy bosire 24 Jan '08

24 Jan '08

Kenya ICT Federation * * Dear Members and Partners, I Apologize, this email was to reach you yesterday, before the Mass Action was called off.......... We have been forced to postpone tomorrows Luncheon because of the mass action called for the same date, 24th January 2008, that might result to riots which will disrupt our meeting. The Luncheon will STILL take place but at a date to be announced next week. We apologize for any inconveniences. Have a peaceful day. Secretariat Manager Kenya ICT Federation Tel: 020 4440102 Mobile: 0721907995 secretariat(a)kif.or.ke, info(a)kif.or.ke http://www.kif.or.ke Mahatma Gandhi once said:- First they ignore you, Then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, AND THEN YOU WIN!!!

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[Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] EUROPEAN UNION’S CONVENTION ON CYBER CRIME (ETS NO. 185): FIRST INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON CRIMES COMMITTED VIA THE INTERNET]
by alice 23 Jan '08

23 Jan '08

INTERNET LAW - EUROPEAN UNION'S CONVENTION ON CYBER CRIME (ETS NO. 185): FIRST INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON CRIMES COMMITTED VIA THE INTERNET /Ira Piltz, Greenpoint Technologies/ Email <mailto:?subject=INTERNET%20LAW%20-%20EUROPEAN%20UNION%E2%80%99S%20CONVENTIO…> The Council of Europe, along with the U.S., Canada and Japan signed a convention on Cyber crime. The convention provides a legal framework for the protection of society against cyber-crime. The convention stresses adopting appropriate legislation and fostering international co-operation in this arena. It is the first international treaty on crimes committed via the Internet and other computer networks. In particular, the convention deals with infringements of copyright, computer-related fraud, child pornography and violations of network security. This Convention has been adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe at its 109th Session (8 November 2001). 41 European countries along with U.S., Canada and Japan have signed this convention. The main aims and the objectives behind the convention are set out in the preamble. The goal of the convention is to establish a fast and effective regime of international co-operation against cybercrime. The preamble stresses the harmonizing of the domestic criminal substantive law elements of offenses and connected provisions in the area of cybercrime. The convention provides for domestic criminal procedural law powers to combat cyber crime. The law enforcement agencies can investigate and prosecute the offenses committed by means of a computer system or in electronic form. *What is the structure of the convention?* The Convention contains four chapters: (I) Use of terms; (II) Measures to be taken at domestic level – substantive law and procedural law; (III) International co-operation; and (IV) Final clauses. Chapter I contains definitions for computer system, computer data and traffic data. The convention defines "computer data" as "any representation of facts, information or concepts in a form suitable for processing in a computer system, including a program suitable to cause a computer system to perform a function". Chapter II is divided in to three sections. Section 1 covers substantive law issues, while Section 2 deals with procedural law issues. Section 1 includes both criminal provisions and other connected provisions in the area of computer- or computer-related crime. Section 2 states that each party shall adopt such legislative and other measures as may be necessary to establish the powers and procedures provided for in the section for the purpose of specific criminal investigations or proceedings. Along Jurisdiction provisions are established in Section 3. Chapter III also contains provisions concerning traditional and computer crime-related mutual assistance as well as extradition rules. Finally, Chapter IV contains the signature and entry into force and territorial application provisions and the effect of the convention. *What are the various provisions incorporated in the convention relating to computer-related fraud? * "Computer-related forgery" and "Computer-related fraud" are included within the definition of computer-related offenses. These offenses typically involve the manipulation of computer system or computer data. The convention provides that each party should adopt legislative measures against the criminal offenses under its domestic law, when committed intentionally and without right-- the input, alteration, deletion, or suppression of computer data, resulting in inauthentic data with the intent that it be considered or acted upon for legal purposes as if it were authentic, regardless whether or not the data is directly readable and intelligible. It is interesting to note that the convention has also imposed a mens rea requirement. As per the convention, the States may require an intent to defraud, or similar dishonest intent, before criminal liability attaches. *What are the provisions of the convention related to child pornography transmitted via the Internet? * •Title 3, Article 9 deals with the offenses related to child pornography. The convention defines a minor as a person less than 18 years of age. However, individual states may create a lower age-limit, which the convention states shall not less than 16 years. The term "child pornography" includes pornographic material that visually depicts a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct; a person appearing to be a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct; and realistic images representing a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The provision criminalizes various aspects of electronic production, possession and distribution of child pornography. Producing child pornography for the purpose of its distribution through a computer system is an offense under the convention. Additionally, offering or making available child pornography through a computer system; distributing or transmitting child pornography through a computer system comes under the purview of the convention. _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Re: [kictanet] kictanet Digest, Vol 8, Issue 43
by Robert Alai 23 Jan '08

23 Jan '08

Wanachi The domain safaricom.com seems not to open. Why have they ignored the country level domain? Alai On 1/23/08, kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke < kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote: > > Send kictanet mailing list submissions to > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > You can reach the person managing the list at > kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. about Google &Safaricom:-xyz@safaricom.com (John Walubengo) > 2. Re: about Google &Safaricom:-xyz@safaricom.co > (Odhiambo Washington) > 3. I.T. Case Studies... (Michael Kipsang Bullut) > 4. [Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] AFTLD 2nd African ccTLDs Event, Cape > Town, SA "April 2008" - Africann invited] (alice) > 5. Re: about Google &Safaricom:-xyz@safaricom.co (Kai Wulff) > 6. [Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] ICANN Seeks Expressions of Interest > from Auction Design Experts] (alice) > 7. [Fwd: Pambazuka News 338: Heart of darkness in Western Media] > (alice) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:17:31 -0800 (PST) > From: John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> > Subject: [kictanet] about Google &Safaricom:-xyz@safaricom.com > To: KICTAnet KICTAnet <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Message-ID: <930487.5171.qm(a)web56608.mail.re3.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > I came accross the joint effort to b/w google & safaricom > with regard to providing e-addresses. Good idea, but my > question was: > > Is the domain 'safaricom.com' locally hosted? I would have > been happier (technically and mentally) if the suffix was > xyz(a)safaricom.CO.KE or is it that suddenly the .KE suffix > has brought us too much shame and pain that no one wants to > use it :-(? > > walu. > nb: as a way of leading by example, I have been planning to > shed off my jwalu(a)yahoo.com in favor of jwalu(a)jambo.co.ke > but I seem to be trapped in some perpetual migration > fever...Methinks we need to build .KE, both literally and > electronically. > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Looking for last minute shopping deals? > Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. > http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:55:48 +0300 > From: "Odhiambo Washington" <odhiambo(a)gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] about Google &Safaricom:-xyz@safaricom.co > To: "John Walubengo" <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Message-ID: > <991123400801220655w6acac9d1ta4f6b8929788b550(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > On Jan 22, 2008 5:17 PM, John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > I came accross the joint effort to b/w google & safaricom > > with regard to providing e-addresses. Good idea, but my > > question was: > > > > Is the domain 'safaricom.com' locally hosted? I would have > > been happier (technically and mentally) if the suffix was > > xyz(a)safaricom.CO.KE or is it that suddenly the .KE suffix > > has brought us too much shame and pain that no one wants to > > use it :-(? > > Hi Walu, > > safaricom.CO.KE is used by safaricom for their staff addresses. It's > simply not possible to include the ordinary mwananchi like you into > that! :-) > > > walu. > > nb: as a way of leading by example, I have been planning to > > shed off my jwalu(a)yahoo.com in favor of jwalu(a)jambo.co.ke > > but I seem to be trapped in some perpetual migration > > fever...Methinks we need to build .KE, both literally and > > electronically. > > jambo.co.ke - is that Free? > > Anyway, walu.co.ke will make more sense to me than anything else. > > PS: As an aside, and at the risk of a flame war, are you personally > happy with Safaricom as a provider? > > -- > Best regards, > Odhiambo WASHINGTON, > Nairobi,KE > +254733744121/+254722743223 > _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > > "Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!" > --from a /. post > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:02:12 +0300 > From: "Michael Kipsang Bullut" <kipsangb(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [kictanet] I.T. Case Studies... > To: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Message-ID: > <2e9a33da0801220702m57c720b7q24f97d45557f807b(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Greetings, > > Does anyone by any chance have any documented I.T. Case Studies with them? > If you do, could you please forward them to this address: > kipsangb(a)iconnect.co.ke Thank you... > > Kind regards, > > Michael. > > -- > > "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold > infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." > > ~ William Blakeg. > > -- >

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[Fwd: Pambazuka News 338: Heart of darkness in Western Media]
by alice 23 Jan '08

23 Jan '08

western media bias...Africa -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Pambazuka News 338: Heart of darkness in Western Media Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:26:13 +0000 From: Firoze Manji <fmanji(a)mac.com> To: pambazuka-news(a)pambazuka.gn.apc.org PAMBAZUKA NEWS 338: HEART OF DARKNESS IN WESTERN MEDIA The authoritative electronic weekly newsletter and platform for social justice in Africa Pambazuka News (English edition): ISSN 1753-6839 With nearly 500 contributors and an estimated 500,000 readers Pambazuka News is the authoritative pan African electronic weekly newsletter and platform for social justice in Africa providing cutting edge commentary and in-depth analysis on politics and current affairs, development, human rights, refugees, gender issues and culture in Africa. To view online, go to http://www.pambazuka.org/ To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE – please visit, http://www.pambazuka.org/ en/subscribe.php CONTENTS: 1. Features, 2. Comment and analysis, 3. Pan-African Postcard Please note that views expressed in articlea published in Pambazuka News reflect those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Pambazuka News or the publishers, Fahamu. Support the struggle for social justice in Africa. Give generously! Donate at: http://www.pambazuka.org/en/donate.php /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ Highlights from this issue FEATURE: - John Barbieri on media coverage of the Kenya crisis - Pambazuka editors on the word “tribe” COMMENT & ANALYSIS: - Emma Mawdsley on British coverage of China in Africa - John Lonsdale on ethnicity, tribe and state in Kenya - Antony Ong'ayo on the Kenya case and media bias PAN-AFRICAN POSTCARD: George Ogola on parachute journalism and the Kenyan crisis /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ 1 Features WHAT IS IN THE WORD TRIBE? Africa Focus, Africa Action and H-Net Africa contributors on Western media coverage of Africa Pambazuka editors Pambazuka editors give you the war on the word "tribe" What’s in a word? What does the word “tribe” carry? Here below Pambazuka Editor’s give you a few snippets of what is a long struggle to get US Mainstream media to stop using a racist and stereotypical lens in its coverage of Africa. You can find the fascinating discussion at www. http://www.h-net.org/~africa We end with an excerpt from an Africa Action essay on the word tribe. You can see the full essay at: http://www.africaaction.org/bp/ethall.htm Africa Focus (http://www.africafocus.org/docs08/ethn0801.php) narrates that Jeffrey Gettleman for the New York Times in his December 31 dispatch from Nairobi [wrote that the Kenya electoral crisis], "seems to have tapped into an atavistic vein of tribal tension that always lay beneath the surface in Kenya but until now had not provoked widespread mayhem." Gettleman was not exceptional among those covering the post-election violence in his stress on "tribe." But his terminology was unusually explicit in revealing the assumption that such divisions are rooted in unchanging and presumably primitive identities. However Africa Focus gives an update that since the Africa Focus Bulletin that covered Gettleman’s use of language: “Gettleman's coverage of Kenya in the New York Times has avoided the indiscriminate use of the word tribe in favor of "ethnic group," and has noted the historical origins and political character of the continued violence in the country, as well as its links to ethnic divisions”. But Peter Alegi from Michigan State University in an H- Net Africa posting says and then asks: “While Gettleman (Times' EastAfrica bureau chief) seems to have toned down his use of "tribe" thanks to our protests, but isn't substituting "ethnic group" for it a minor victory? Also, folks might be interested in this side story: the other day, I wrote a brief message to Bill Keller, Times' Executive Editor (ex NYT correspondent from Johannesburg [1992-1995]), alerting him to the H- Africa thread on his paper's handling of the Kenya crisis. Mr. Keller's insulting response included the following statement: "I get it. Anyone who uses the word "tribe" is a racist. [. . .] It's a tediously familiar mantra in the Western community of Africa scholars. In my experience, most Africans who live outside the comforts of academia (and who use the word "tribe" with shameless disregard for the political sensitivities of American academics) have more important concerns." So Gettleman's ignorance about African languages, history, and cultural identities doesn't seem to trouble his boss one bit. And the utter disregard Keller seems to have for what scholars is reinforced in a closing line dripping with condescension: "If you have a string that has something insightful to say about Kenya, I hope you'll pass it along." Kudos to AfricaFocus then, but it seems that the struggle for accuracy and informed analysis of Africa in US mainstream media is going to be a long and tortuous one. Carol Sicherman, a Professor Emerita. at Lehman College underlines Alegi’s point with the following post to H-net Africa: She says writes that “On January 12, I wrote to the Public Editor of the New York Times as follows (I did not get an answer): Reading recent dispatches from Kenya, I was pleased to notice that the Times has responded to years of complaints about the biased terms "tribe" and "tribal," replacing them with "ethnic group" and "ethnic." This editorial policy, however, seems to be confined to the news. Roberta Smith's article "Face Time: Masks, Animal to Video" in the Arts Section on Jan. 11 uses the egregiously offensive phrase "a tribal, almost animalistic ritual." It is exactly that equation that makes it necessary to remove "tribe" and its related words. In the case in question, removing "tribal" would have put the focus on "animalistic" without designating Africans as inherently animalistic. It is particularly odd to find such a cliché in a discussion of the work of Yinka Shonibare, a highly sophisticated, learned, and ironic artist. I don't know how copy editors are instructed at the Times, but the policy adopted for the news section needs to be adopted for all sections. And last but not least, in1997 Africa Action said the following of the word tribe: Tribe has no coherent meaning. What is a tribe? The Zulu in South Africa, whose name and common identity was forged by the creation of a powerful state less than two centuries ago, and who are a bigger group than French Canadians, are called a tribe. So are the !Kung hunter-gatherers of Botswana and Namibia, who number in the hundreds. The term is applied to Kenya's Maasai herders and Kikuyu farmers, and to members of these groups in cities and towns when they go there to live and work. Tribe is used for millions of Yoruba in Nigeria and Benin, who share a language but have an eight-hundred year history of multiple and sometimes warring city-states, and of religious diversity even within the same extended families. Tribe is used for Hutu and Tutsi in the central African countries of Rwanda and Burundi. Yet the two societies (and regions within them) have different histories. And in each one, Hutu and Tutsi lived interspersed in the same territory. They spoke the same language, married each other, and shared virtually all aspects of culture. At no point in history could the distinction be defined by distinct territories, one of the key assumptions built into "tribe." Tribe is used for groups who trace their heritage to great kingdoms. It is applied to Nigeria's Igbo and other peoples who organized orderly societies composed of hundreds of local communities and highly developed trade networks without recourse to elaborate states. Tribe is also used for all sorts of smaller units of such larger nations, peoples or ethnic groups. The followers of a particular local leader may be called a tribe. Members of an extended kin-group may be called a tribe. People who live in a particular area may be called a tribe. We find tribes within tribes, and cutting across other tribes. Offering no useful distinctions, tribe obscures many. As a description of a group, tribe means almost anything, so it really means nothing. If by tribe we mean a social group that shares a single territory, a single language, a single political unit, a shared religious tradition, a similar economic system, and common cultural practices, such a group is rarely found in the real world. These characteristics almost never correspond precisely with each other today, nor did they at any time in the past. Tribe promotes a myth of primitive African timelessness, obscuring history and change. The general sense of tribe as most people understand it is associated with primitiveness. To be in a tribal state is to live in a uncomplicated, traditional condition. It is assumed there is little change. Most African countries are economically poor and often described as less developed or underdeveloped. Westerners often conclude that they have not changed much over the centuries, and that African poverty mainly reflects cultural and social conservatism. Interpreting present day Africa through the lens of tribes reinforces the image of timelessness. Yet the truth is that Africa has as much history as anywhere else in the world. It has undergone momentous changes time and again, especially in the twentieth century. While African poverty is partly a product of internal dynamics of African societies, it has also been caused by the histories of external slave trades and colonial rule. In the modern West, tribe often implies primitive savagery. When the general image of tribal timelessness is applied to situations of social conflict between Africans, a particularly destructive myth is created. Stereotypes of primitiveness and conservative backwardness are also linked to images of irrationality and superstition. The combination leads to portrayal of violence and conflict in Africa as primordial, irrational and unchanging. This image resonates with traditional Western racialist ideas and can suggest that irrational violence is inherent and natural to Africans. Yet violence anywhere has both rational and irrational components. Just as particular conflicts have reasons and causes elsewhere, they also have them in Africa. The idea of timeless tribal violence is not an explanation. Instead it disguises ignorance of real causes by filling the vacuum of real knowledge with a popular stereotype. Images of timelessness and savagery hide the modern character of African ethnicity, including ethnic conflict. The idea of tribe particularly shapes Western views of ethnicity and ethnic conflict in Africa, which has been highly visible in recent years. Over and over again, conflicts are interpreted as "ancient tribal rivalries," atavistic eruptions of irrational violence which have always characterized Africa. In fact they are nothing of the sort. The vast majority of such conflicts could not have happened a century ago in the ways that they do now. Pick almost any place where ethnic conflict occurs in modern Africa. Investigate carefully the issues over which it occurs, the forms it takes, and the means by which it is organized and carried out. Recent economic developments and political rivalries will loom much larger than allegedly ancient and traditional hostilities. Ironically, some African ethnic identities and divisions now portrayed as ancient and unchanging actually were created in the colonial period. In other cases earlier distinctions took new, more rigid and conflictual forms over the last century. The changes came out of communities' interactions within a colonial or post-colonial context, as well as movement of people to cities to work and live. The identities thus created resemble modern ethnicities in other countries, which are also shaped by cities, markets and national states. Tribe substitutes a generalized illusion for detailed analysis of particular situations. The bottom-line problem with the idea of tribe is that it is intellectually lazy. It substitutes the illusion of understanding for analysis of particular circumstances. Africa is far away from North America. Accurate information about particular African states and societies takes more work to find than some other sorts of information. Yet both of those situations are changing rapidly. Africa is increasingly tied into the global economy and international politics. Using the idea of tribe instead of real, specific information and analysis of African events has never served the truth well. It also serves the public interest badly. *Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org ****** THE POVERTY OF INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM John Barbieri John Barbieri writes about the pervasive and dangerous myths that have characterized the coverage of Kenya's post election crisis in the US and elsewhere First, let me honorably mention that the title of this piece is borrowed from Kenyan journalist Rebecca Wanjiku [1]. As most others, I have watched in dismay and outrage at the events in Kenya following the announcement on Dec. 30th of the (manipulated) election results. I have been equally, if not more so, dismayed, outraged and disgusted by how the situation and violence there has been depicted and framed in the international media, especially here in the United States. In almost all of the recent coverage and commentary on Kenya in the mainstream U.S. media there have been three particularly dangerous and pervasive myths and misrepresentations that have appeared. All of these myths have been previously commented on by much more eminent figures than I, but perhaps it will help to restate and further comment on all of them in one place. Three Pervasive Myths and Misrepresentations First, this is not ‘ethnic conflict.’ Similar to the way that most African conflicts get reported, there is the ubiquitous framing of the situation as conflict solely being driven by ethnicity. This is most profoundly seen in the statements of ‘tribal conflict’; it must be made clear that this is an extremely racist, antiquated and inaccurate depiction of the situation. Though there has been an ethnic factor to some of the conflict, this factor is largely overemphasized at expense of the more pervasive factor of the rich/ poor and the gross inequities in resource distribution across and among ‘ethnic lines’ (that is as if such lines could be so clearly drawn). As many have more articulately said elsewhere the situation must be re-framed as a political conflict. More specifically, the organized violence following the elections must be framed as political elites manipulating their supporters (including paying and equipping armed militias and using the armed instruments of the State) to inflict violence on their behalf; it is so-called leaders fomenting hatred among their supporters all for their own personal benefit; and it is power-hungry politicians willing to do whatever it takes, literally willing to throw Kenyans’ lives away in their attempt to do it, and to be so disgustingly eager to use that violence as a mere pressure point on the national and international community to get/retain power. Both parties were guilty of this, but in particular the man sworn in as President has employed the disproportionate brutal force of the police and military, especially the General Service Unit. The repercussions of depicting the situation as solely ethnically- driven can be seen in the distorted sense of history and context for all conflicts in Africa and elsewhere. One of the most pervasive historical misconstructions is especially evident in the popular writings and collective memory of the Rwandan genocide, which continue to frame the genocide as being simply the result of primordial ‘tribal conflict.’ In so doing the context and history of the genocide is obfuscated by neglecting the ongoing role played by the brutal legacy of the colonial power (Belgium in the case of Rwanda) and of national, regional and international politics following ‘independence.’ Second, this is not a ‘shock.’ We need to attack the myths and claims being reported that the developments in Kenya are a great ‘shock,’ and that this is a great blow to a ‘beacon of stability, democracy and economic growth in Africa.’ For anyone who knows the history of Kenya, the history of colonialism and the history since ‘independence,’ they know that these developments are not a shock and that they have been long in the making. The developments are directly connected to the inability of the Kenyan government to come to terms with the brutal legacy and power distributions inherited from British rule, including the constitution itself. And specifically the developments were written all over the wall leading up to the election to anyone who was paying attention to the fomenting of ethnic tension by Kibaki/PNU and Odinga/ODM, yet too few seemed willing to acknowledge it. Anyone who claims that this is a ‘shock’ is either blatantly ignorant, dishonest or practices mere wishful thinking to be so naïve. And anyone who claims that Kenya is a grand ‘beacon of stability, democracy and economic growth in Africa’ misrepresents the hardships and injustices that the vast majority of Kenyans desperately face on a daily basis; they also inaccurately depict the past five years of the ‘booming economic growth’ witnessed under the Kibaki regime, which through exorbitant amounts of corruption and increasing income inequality has ensured that the benefits from that robust economic growth has by-and-large reached only the very elite. Third, and perhaps most importantly, is the role of the U.S. It must be made clear and people must fully understand the large role that the U.S. has been playing in Kenya and throughout eastern Africa. The U.S. has keenly been trying to build up allies in East Africa and the Horn of Africa to counterbalance other perceived ‘threat’ countries in the region. These key U.S. allies include Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda and the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. These allies are meant to act as a counter-balance to the ‘threats’ of Sudan (the Bashir regime), Eritrea and the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) in Somalia. The Bush administration has clearly supported incumbent Kibaki due to the fact that his government has been one of these key allies in the ‘war on terror’ in the East and the Horn of Africa. The Kibaki administration has allowed and worked closely with the U.S. on supposed ‘terrorist’ raids along the coast of Kenya. The Kenyan Anti-Terrorism Unit (with American and British support) has conducted these extralegal anti-terrorism operations along the Kenyan coast, targeting the sizeable Muslim population there. According to human rights organizations in Kenya these anti- terrorism operations have included the roundup, torture and extradition of Muslims (to Somalia, Ethiopia and elsewhere) without being charged or given a trial, similar to ‘war on terror’ operations elsewhere. The people, nearly all of whom are Muslims, being targeted are dubiously claimed to be Al Qaeda operatives or a part of other subversive terrorist organizations. Similarly, Kenya was an ally during the U.S.-supported invasion of Somalia by Ethiopian forces to overthrow the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) in southern Somalia exactly one year ago. What was, and still is, routinely missed in the story of the UIC is how they helped to implement order, stability and social services that had not been seen in southern Somalia for nearly 15 years; and how the UIC was primarily an effort to depose corrupt warlords (many of whom were being backed by the U.S.), not to impose an international Al Qaeda- like jihadist movement as many claim(ed). Kenya’s (i.e., the Kibaki administration’s) role in the military operations included working with U.S. forces along the Kenya-Somalia border and the ubiquitous sharing of ‘intelligence,’ but they also played a more direct role as well. At the onset of the invasion, the Kenyan military, seemingly at the behest of the U.S., closed off its border with Somalia and refused entry to all Somalis, including refugees, trying to flee southern Somalia. Soon after, the U.S. conducted air strikes in southern Somalia killing at least 30 people, most, if not all, of whom were probably fleeing civilians, not ‘Al Qaeda operatives’ as was alleged. In short, the Bush administration had clear ‘national security’ ambitions in seeking that Kibaki, as a key ‘war on terror’ ally in eastern Africa, stay in power. Also, add to this the vested American, UK and other European business interests in Kenya as well, who likely did not care for Odinga’s ‘social democratic’ platform which was posing the threat of more taxes and redistributive wealth. The biggest blow to U.S. credibility and neutrality in the matter, though, came immediately after the election results were announced. Incredulously, the U.S. State Department quickly came out and congratulated the man sworn in as President on his ‘victory.’ This was done despite the fact that every diplomat in the country clearly knew of the irregularities in the election and the hastily swearing in process of the President. Realizing its mistake the State Department quickly moved to retract this congratulatory statement, and then issued a statement calling an end to the violence and for the situation to be resolved through ‘constitutional and legal remedies.’ However, it is quite clear that these ‘remedies’ are blatantly weighted in the incumbent’s favor and thus will merely support the status quo: Kibaki and corruption. Since January 4th the U.S. has been pursuing the diplomacy route with Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, who has now departed, and Ambassador Michael Ranneberger leading these attempts. However, it is was disturbing that despite Frazer’s close watch and ongoing separate talks with both sides, she (and therefore the U.S. in general) was not able to prevent Kibaki from disastrously going ahead and filling the most critical posts in the President’s cabinet. More recently it should be no surprise that the few Heads of State who have come out and congratulated Kibaki on his ‘victory’ are also key ‘war on terror’ allies of the Bush administration. These Heads of State include: President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda (who has received much aid from the Bush administration and has been crucial in supplying troops for the AU force in Somalia), transitional President Abdullahi Yusuf of Somalia (who the U.S., Ethiopia and Kenya helped reinstate after the overthrow of the UIC), Sheikh Sabah of Kuwait, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, and Prime Minister Themba Dlamini of Swaziland. An excerpt from Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf’s congratulatory message to President Kibaki is worth quoting: ‘…both our countries must remain strong partners on the global war on terror and steadfast Allies in protecting freedom.’ Further still, Uganda’s starch dependence on Kenyan supply routes and Museveni’s close relationship with Kibaki must be stressed, and therefore the widespread reports that the Uganda People’s Defense Force is masquerading as police, destroying property and killing people in western Kenya must be seriously addressed! As others have already made clear (e.g., Mukoma wa Ngugi [2], Wandia Njoya [3], etc.), it should not be assumed that Odinga/ODM is somehow inherently antithetical to the interests of the U.S. and of international capital; the extravagant fuss over Odinga’s Hummer was perhaps one highly illustrative example of his true nature as an elite who gladly enjoys connections to the West and living well above the rest of Kenyans. Also, it should not be believed that U.S. support for corrupt and autocratic Kenyan leaders started with Bush- Kibaki, it is well-documented how the U.S. had been keenly supporting and arming the preceding 24 year dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi during the final years of Cold War geopolitics and beyond. Lastly, all of this is not meant to suggest a direct U.S. connection to the manipulated election results, but still the overall interests and role of the U.S., and other international actors, in Kenya must be made clear. (For more facts and figures on the U.S.’s military ties to Kenya and incumbent Kibaki see Daniel Volman’s excellent short article <http://www.concernedafricascholars.org/080110_volman.php> [4].) The Poverty of International Journalism In all, it has been disgusting how reporters have been so eager to energetically document and provide inaccurate and inhumane commentary on the bloodshed, but have been too unconcerned in trying to actually understand the situation and report what Kenyans are really saying and thinking; although this should certainly come as no surprise. The inspiration and title for this article comes from Kenyan journalist Rebecca Wanjiku’s blog ‘The Poverty of International Journalism,’ and this excerpt about a broadcast on CNN is worth quoting at length: Understanding the local language is very important when reporting from foreign countries. For instance on Sunday [January 6th 2008], there was on television an injured man and those carrying him said in Swahili "tunampeleka hospitali" (we are taking him to hospital?) But the journalist's translation was that he had been asked "are you shot or cut?" with the response coming back that he was actually the victim of a shooting. It is unlikely that this was an innocent mistake, the journalist may simply not have cared what was true and what was not, and it is unlikely either that the world audience would have noticed, but using video like this to underline a story you are making up is dishonest reporting. I have faith that Kenyans will soon be embracing each other, and that we will soon get back to the urgent yet more mundane tasks of kujitafutia riziki – putting food on the table. I hope CNN will be around to cover that and not simply rush on to the next big story. By the way, how comes CNN does not cover American soldiers or civilians bleeding and writhing in pain, yet has no second thought for the dignity of the dead and dying from other countries? It has been Kenyan journalists and bloggers, like Rebecca, and other local reporters who have been the real champions of correctly depicting and analyzing the situation, and who are actually raising the real desperate concerns of Kenyans. Rather than condescendingly prescribing analysis and treatment from London, New York or even the U.S. embassy in Nairobi (which is, although not as geographically removed, as cognitively removed from the concerns of Kenyans), the mainstream media needs to listen, understand and make clear the history and context of the current situation, and stop speaking so ignorantly and arrogantly about it. And good journalists need to call out fellow journalists who are perpetuating the pervasive myths and stereotypes (e.g., Canadian journalist Arno Kopecky’s Daily Nation article [5]). I would like to take this opportunity, then, to call out CNN reporter Zain Verjee. Miss Verjee, as someone who grew up in Kenya, and therefore should know better, it is despicable how you have been playing up the ‘ethnic conflict’ angle in your TV reporting. Why are you doing this? Are you callously using the plight of your countrymen/women to simply boost your career ambitions? Why is it that you so seldom let other Kenyans actually speak, and rather choose to just speak ‘on their behalf?’ Why is it that as someone who has worked on campaigns to spread awareness of violence against women have you not been more vigorously reporting the disproportionate effect that the violence and displacement has had on women in Kenya? Why is it that I have not once heard you mention the role the U.S. is playing in Kenya? Miss Verjee I am sorry that you were hit by a teargas canister during your recent reporting (although it should not have been a surprise given your attempt to ‘get the story’), but perhaps you might now feel some of the brutality that so many Kenyans have endured and perhaps now you may start honestly speaking on their behalf and letting their voices be heard. The situation in Kenya, like all political conflicts (e.g., eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Darfur, eastern Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, etc.), should be vigorously reported, but it must be framed and depicted accurately by incorporating a proper historical context and the perspective of the people there. The perspectives/stories of people there must be told, but they must not be simply trivialized and sensationalized, as is so often done, particularly in the simplemindedness of televised ‘reporting.’ It is so sad that in the business that is U.S. TV reporting we seldom actually hear the voices of people telling their stories from around the world; rather we too often get a voice-over by some clearly intelligible Western (i.e., ‘white-sounding’) reporter. Why not use subtitles!?! Why must these people be robbed from having their voices heard, why must we be robbed from hearing them?!? Or why not find articulate English speakers (there certainly are an abundance of them in Kenya) to speak on their own behalf, and not demean their ‘foreignness’ by using unwarranted subtitles? And why do we have to wait for ‘crisis’ situations to hear these voices? Why do we hear, or rather really just see, only the bad? Why do we not hear and see good, fun, silly, playful, uplifting and empowering stories being told every day? Why do we not hear and see stories with depth about love and dreams as often as we superficially see stories about loss and despair? In conclusion, news without a proper sense of history and context is just a list of jumbled half-truths, and news without a proper respect for and input from the people who are actually affected is just a list of callous stereotypes. In the past week, now that the violence has slightly eased, the U.S. media seems to be losing interest in the situation in Kenya. Forgive the extreme vulgarity, but the mainstream U.S. media appears to send the following double message: we are not interested in Africans or African politics, that is unless there is a full out Rwanda-like bloodbath (with pictures of gruesome machete attacks and all, of course) so we can stereotype all Africans as the savages we think they are. I hope that all journalists, reporters and editors may heed these calls and start acting responsibly and start reporting the truth coming ‘out of Africa.’ * John Barbieri is an independent reporter who lived in Kenya from Jan.-June 2007, and is the founder of the US Coalition for Peace with Truth and Justice in Kenya. He can currently be reached at kenyanpeace(a)gmail.com *Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org * Please click on the link for the article notes http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/45590 ****** /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ 2 Comment and analysis FU MANCHU VERSUS DR LIVINGSTONE IN THE DARK CONTINENT? How British broadsheet newspapers represent China, Africa and the West Emma Mawdsley Emma Mawdsley examines the coverage of China's growing influence in Africa by the British print media The words and images we use do not describe ‘reality’, they create it. Language (terms, metaphors, and analogies) and images (such as films, news photos, maps and cartoons) are caught up in struggles over interpretation – which means that the language and images of the powerful are important tools in creating and maintaining particular points of view amongst politicians, policy-makers and the public. This paper explores the way in which six British broadsheet newspapers have covered China’s growing role in Africa over the past seven years. China’s impacts in Africa are complex and varied by country, sector and context, and most of the newspaper articles reflect that. Whether more critical or approving in tone, the articles invariably point to both benefits and problems associated with China’s rise. Even those which focus on specific issues or countries, tend to open or conclude with at least a sentence or two outlining a broader assessment of the prospects and problems associated with the growing relationship. Even so, a detailed analysis led us to identify five narrative tropes that recurred consistently and frequently, which tended to systematically endorse images of African weakness, Western trusteeship and Chinese ruthlessness: 1) a tendency to refer to ‘the Chinese’ or ‘China’, as if the various Chinese actors all shared the same interests; 2) a tendency to focus excessively on China’s interests in oil over other commodities; 3) a decided preference for focussing on China’s negative impacts on the continent, and within that, on issues and places of violence, disorder and corruption (e.g. Zimbabwe, Sudan, Angola) over other negative issues (e.g. trade imbalances, undermining domestic manufacturing sectors); 4) a tendency to portray Africans as victims or villains; and 5) a frequently complacent account of the role and interest of different western actors in Africa. Representations of Africa, China and the West First, most press reports tend to refer simply to “the Chinese”, often overlooking the fact that Chinese communities and actors in Africa are diverse in origins, roles and interests. The Chinese in Africa include longer standing and more recent diasporic communities, often engaged in small and medium business, but with a range of histories and relations with China and with their adopted African homes. Media accounts tend to focus much more strongly on Chinese state firms and agencies, as well as the more recent wave of large private enterprises (although the distinction can be blurred). But interests differ – longer term Chinese diasporic populations, the managers of Chinese companies, Chinese labourers employed by those companies, and different elements of the Chinese Government may have very different views on, for example, political stability, corporate transparency or democratic accountability. Different Chinese firms may have competing interests over what constitute desirable conditions for import/export trade or commodity extraction/ manufactures. The following quote indicates competing interests that are otherwise rarely reflected in the media accounts that were analysed: “Venturing into Africa is a superficially attractive option for Chinese enterprises with limited global experience, as they can avoid the kind of competition and rules they face in markets such as the US or the European Union. But Chinese companies are also under great pressure to invest in Africa to fulfil political commitments made by China’s leaders, who provide financial incentives, including cheap loans, for them to go overseas. “First we must listen to what the country says, but we have our own company considerations” says Mr Wang of Chico, an enterprise controlled by the provincial government of Henan …[Mr Wang says] they “get criticism” from officials back home if they miss business targets, which often involve expanding overseas investment” (Financial Times, 20 June 2006: “China ventures on rocky roads to trade with Africa”). Allied to this is a tendency to isolate Chinese firms as nationally discrete entities. In fact, joint enterprises with both African and western firms are becoming more common. The second theme identified is the focus on oil and, to a lesser extent, natural gas and ores, over other commodities. This reflects a wider focus on the geopolitics of oil, a subject that the Iraq war and massive oil price rises have brought to the fore of western public attention. Although oil is undeniably an important issue, and a major component of Sino-Africa trade and economic growth, this is concentrated in Angola, Sudan, Nigeria, Gabon and Guinea. For many African countries, exports of fish, timber and grain, or imports of relatively cheap manufactured goods are just as important. The focus on oil lends itself to a discourse of resource competition rather than the recognition that China and the West have a range of interests and relations in Africa, including potentially complementary ones. Third is a very uneven focus on China's interests and impacts in different African nations. More positive elements tend to get less attention (debt cancellation, investment, lower commodity prices for consumers, support for a greater international voice etc), with a preferred focus on problem issues. Moreover, we find that there is a preferred focus on zones and subjects of violent conflict, corruption, genocide and authoritarian leadership, rather than, say, the less gripping images of China’s impacts on trade imbalances or under-cutting of African manufacturing sectors. The overwhelming balance of articles is on Sudan, Zimbabwe and Angola, with far less attention paid to, for example, Lesotho, which is experiencing immense hardship competing with China in textile production; or Kenya which is struggling to compete with China in the manufactured goods sector. Fourth, within these accounts, Africans, tend to be reduced to villains (Mugabe, the Sudanese government) and victims (African populations, Darfur, the poor), an observation that fits with the findings of many other critical evaluations of the media. African agency, as leaders or ordinary citizens, workers and consumers, is rarely emphasised. Allusions to adolescence or childhood are common. Thus, discussing China’s effects on Chad: “Chad was supposed to establish a model of good practice. But, as a western observer in the country puts it: “The risk is [following China’s oil deals] it will become an example for the worst [African] pupils” [emphasis added]. (Financial Times, 23 January 2006: “The ‘resource curse’ anew”.) The paternalistic line that the West needs to save Africa from China’ depredations is something reflected elsewhere in the media. An extended Channel Four news report which was widely circulated and repeated, started: “To Tony Blair, Africa is somewhere which needs healing or saving and Sierra Leone gets a lot of British aid. But the Chinese are looking at the continent through different eyes. They see it as a source of raw materials, especially oil, which they need for their own development. And somewhere like Sierra Leone, fresh out of war – they think it’s ripe for trade and investment” (Lindsey Hillsum, Channel Four, 4 July 2005) Finally, Western actors – businesses, governments, national and international development NGOs – are typically portrayed as benign within the majority of these articles and accounts. Many articles imply or state that while the West did in the past have supported authoritarian leaders, or were party to corrupt business practices, it has learnt its lesson and reformed. While colonialism was economically exploitative and morally wrong, according to many of the articles exploring China’s ‘new African safari’ or ‘new scramble for Africa’, western colonialism is claimed to at least have had a paternalistic/developmental dimension and well-intentioned elements - an attitude that has translated into an ethical concern for Africa in the postcolonial period. Thus, in the contemporary setting, Western companies supposedly operate under a different ethical regime because of their own high convictions; labour laws; voluntary agreements as part of wider government and third sector pressure to improve business with Africa; consumer demands for more ethical production and trading; and/or shareholder pressure. None of these are said to apply to state-run or private Chinese companies. Above all, the dominant (although by no means universal, narrative) that runs through many of the articles is that the mistakes of the past have been addressed, and the West is now the architect and energiser of a new drive towards good governance and development, with aid now accompanied by ethical conditionalities, while reformed commercial practices promise investment, extraction and trade that will enhance development rather than line the pockets of kleptocratic elites. These faltering steps forward, which will be of mutual benefit to western companies and ordinary African people, are under threat from the unscrupulous Chinese. A few quotes give a flavour of these arguments: “But while the meeting [2006 FOCAC] is intended to fuel China’s global drive for resources, raw materials and markets, concerns are growing that the boosters of Beijing do not have Africa’s best interests at heart and that western countries will be cut out of future business”. (The Guardian, 1 November 2006: “Beijing’s Race for Africa”) “There are concerns too about soft loans leading to unsustainable debt and generous aid programmes that undermine efforts to improve governance, transparency and accountability. If the World Bank and IMF say no or attach conditions, Beijing always says yes…. The [2006] Beijing Summit is a big deal for China, a deliberately showy monument to its value-free strategy. It would be absurd to claim that western greed and interest did not do enormous damage in an earlier scramble for Africa. But the age of colonialism is over. It should be accepted today that global power brings global responsibilities. Tyranny, inequality and corruption offend universal values. In the countries where it now has the ability to make a difference, China should think twice about offering its help with no strings attached”. (The Guardian, 4 November 2006: “Scrambling to Beijing: China and Africa”) “That virtuous circle of increased assistance and better governance has been the hall mark of the approach taken, with varying degrees of success, by the West and Japan since the end of the Cold War. China now threatens to blow apart that consensus”. (The Telegraph, 26 April 2006: “The dragon in Africa”) “Soft Chinese loans to vulnerable and corrupt African regimes, arranged outside the painstakingly agreed Equator Principles for responsible lending, risk reversing progress towards extricating such regimes from debt. … And misconceived or badly executed civil engineering projects risk irreversible environmental damage … Such a critique is valid. Coming from the West it also has a hint of the hypocritical. China’s current scramble for African energy and resources is modest compared with Europe’s scramble for African territory a century and a half ago. And China’s sometimes reckless spending only mirrors gambles by Western banks and governments in the postwar era. But now Beijing risks repeating the West’s mistakes … when it allowed massive increases in overseas aid and investment with no commensurate adjustments to its foreign policy”. (The Times, 2 November 2006: “China and Africa”) There are undeniably elements of truth in some of this – some western companies are indeed bound by their charters, public pressure and voluntary agreements to abide by standards that can reduce their competitiveness with companies not thus circumscribed. Bilateral and multilateral initiatives on debt, trade and aid have made some advances towards greater equity and reparation of injustices. These efforts and advances should not be belittled. However, there are three main sets of problems with the imagery of a benign west being undermined by a ruthless and unscrupulous China. The first is that, despite advances, many western companies remain mired in corrupt and exploitative business practices. Without losing sight of the importance and achievements of incremental improvements in western accountability and transparency, they remain inadequate. The second problem is that of scope and scale – the West’s impact on Africa cannot be reduced to the efforts of NGOs, aid agencies or companies. We must look beyond these limited horizons to debt, unjust trade regulations, uneven power in the institutions of global governance, the ‘war on terror’, and increasingly, perhaps, climate change, to develop a better understanding of the West’s impacts on Africa. Third, ‘development’ is almost invariably coded as apolitical and positive in these articles – although interestingly such partiality and complacency tended to be situational, apparent when framed within the specific China-Africa story. Newspapers and even individual journalists who in other reports may be very critical of, for example, the halting, late and inadequate provision of medical supplies, or debt, or trade inequalities, appear to become less critical when the West is framed in the same article as China. Thus, while the Australian, French and South African companies may also be condemned for working in Zimbabwe, in none of the articles analysed were these framed in the same space as a critique of China’s business interests. Running throughout, we can identify recurring words and phrases which are indicative of the images outlined above: China is ‘guzzling’, ‘aggressive’, an ‘economic juggernaut’, ‘insatiably’ ‘thirsty’ for oils and minerals, and ‘voraciously’ capitalist. “China is prowling the globe in search of energy sources” (Declan Walsh, 9 Nov. 2005, The Guardian, emphasis added) “As a voracious China scours the world for minerals, no regime is off limits” (Financial Times, 12 Jan 2006: “Insatiable Beijing scours the world for profit and power”) “[China] is ravenous for raw materials”. (The Telegraph, 26 April 2006: “The dragon in Africa”) In an article headlined “China’s goldmine: Tony Blair and Bono see Africa as a moral cause; China sees it as a business opportunity. But is Beijing’s interest based on economic partnership – or ruthless exploitation?”, we find: “The resurrection of Chambishi [a major Zambian copper mine] is just one small example of China’s explosion into Africa. From the barest foothold a decade ago an army of diplomats, technicians and entrepreneurs has kicked the continent’s door wide open, making Beijing a heavyweight investor and political player” (The Guardian, 28 March 2006: “China’s goldmine”, emphasis added) This position and language stands in contrast to accounts of western FDI, which is only presented as an unambiguously positive flow. Unlike the West, the Chinese have ‘insinuated’ their way into the continent. For example: “Quietly, while the attention of the world has been elsewhere, China has become a major player in Africa”. (The Independent, 7 September 2006: “The benefits and dangers of those gifts from the east”) “China, which now foresees annual trade with the world’s poorest continent totalling $100 billion (£50 billion) by 2010, began stepping up its presence stealthily in Africa in the early 1990s” (The Times, 25 April 2007: “From favoured patron to target of dissenters”, emphasis added) Dan Large, at SOAS, argues that these images are indicative of western defensiveness about ‘it’s backyard’, and can be seen as part of a wider reaction to an emerging power. The language of red dragons in the continent takes us back to the geopolitical discourses that characterised the Cold War. Conclusions To retiterate, amongst the database of articles reviewed there were alternative perspectives and stories, critical accounts of western roles and histories, and a recognition of the complex but also positive possibilities of greater Sino-African relations. However, the themes identified above emerged as strong and pervasive scripts in British reporting on the contemporary relationships between Africa, China and the West. Africa is one place in which China and western nations, notably the US, are likely to find themselves in a position of competition, and these images and languages, both popular and policy, are significant. In a recent analysis, Andrew Still (2005) urges the importance of maintaining moderate, pragmatic and respectful language and diplomatic ‘signals’ on both sides, if we are to avoid hardening ideological dividing lines between China and the US in particular – Still talks in terms of a potential degeneration of relations that could usher in the next Cold War. He suggests that: “ … some of the most difficult issues [between China and the US/West] lie in the realm of ideas and identity rather than the narrow economic and political interests, making them far less tractable. Not least of these will be the way in which the debate over ‘the rise of China’ is conducted in the public sphere. The limited repertoire of historical analogies on which it currently draws … creates a distorting prism through which the issue is viewed and provides a thin basis for more thoughtful analysis of how to ensure a peaceful power transition” (Still, 2005, p.3-4) In the context of what is certain to be growing economic and political competition between China and the US (with the UK and other nations playing bit parts), including over Africa, media images and representations will play an important role in shaping public understandings, debates and political pressures. These in turn will have consequences – however negotiated or contested – for different countries, actors and interests in Africa. * Dr. Emma Mawdsley is a lecturer in geography and Cambridge University. This article is a short version of a paper to be published in Political Geography in 2008. For a copy of the longer version, please refer to the journal, or contact the author on: eem10(a)cam.ac.uk *Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org ****** KENYA: ETHNICITY, TRIBE, AND STATE John Lonsdale John Lonsdale argues that key to the post-election crisis in Kenya lies in the changing role of the post-colonial state in relation to the country's ethnic terms of political trade The extensive commentary on Kenya's troubles has tended to blame ancient tribal rivalry, cynical political calculation, or a combination of the two; with the corrupted electoral process seen as providing the unintended catalyst - or worse, the deliberate instigator that awakens latent tribal hostility. British imperialism has also received its expected share of criticism, for inventing the now-indigenous Kenyan practice of divide and rule (see Caroline Elkins, "What's Tearing Kenya Apart? History, for One Thing", Washington Post, 6 January 2008). While all such explanations have some merit they may also mislead the unwary, since they underplay the always slippery relations between ethnicity as a universal human attribute, politicised tribalism as a contingent process, and the state - any state, colonial or otherwise - as a cockpit of variously contested but always unequal power. How, then, can a focus on such factors illuminate Kenya's continuing turmoil? A colonial formation In the 19th century the area that became "Kenya" was stateless. Its peoples' civility, their ethnicity, was shaped by their subsistence: farming or herding, or some mixture of both. Such ethnic groups were not teams, not "tribes". Loyalties and rivalries were smaller than that - patriarchal lineages, marriage alliances, age-groups, trading partnerships, client-clusters, and the like. Ethnic groups were constituted more by internal debate over how to achieve honour in the unequal lives of patron or client, than by solidarity against strangers. Ethnic economies indeed were as often complementary as competitive, with different specialisms. But such inter-ethnicity - which was not without its frictions - was facilitated by the absence of any central power that might arrange groups in hierarchical relations. Sustained "tribal rivalry" could not exist under such decentralised, underpopulated, conditions. It was European rivalry that imported that modern Leviathan, the state, in the late 19th century. It was, like all states, assembled by force and driven by self-interest. Its British officials allied with African leaders too weak to be rivals; and occasionally did a little to rein in the otherwise self-destructive excesses of those potentially overmighty subjects, the white settlers. The colonial state, responsible to Westminster and at the same time nervous of India's viceroy and then (at independence) the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru - since British Indians far outnumbered white Britons in Kenya - stood to some extent athwart both Africans and settlers, trying to mediate the contradictions between them. Both settlers and Africans colonised the state and the facilities it provided. What had previously been a multi-polar mosaic of scattered nodes of socially productive energy became, within Kenya's new borders, a layered pyramid of profit and power, unequally divided between two key centres - one "white", one black - and many marginalised peripheries. White settlers got 20% of Kenya's high-potential farmland. As these settlers failed to provide enough state revenue and blocked African opportunity, the British increasingly encouraged African farming on the other 80%. So the second economic centre became Kikuyu-land: home of 20% of the population; close to the capital, Nairobi; cool and attractive to missionaries, with more schools than elsewhere. By geographical accident, then, Kikuyu had a head start in making money (essential to advance political ambitions) and in acquiring modern managerial skill. Most nationalisms start among those subjects who do best out of, and are most useful to, an ancien regime; their frustrations are keenest, their opportunity greatest. Yet while that may explain Kikuyu leadership of Kenya's anti-colonial nationalism, it does not account for their involvement in Mau Mau, its secretive, violent, offshoot. To that point I will return, as it is a key to understanding the present. A social transformation In the new circumstances, other and not-so-well-placed ethnic groups made the most of what they had. They were often driven by a local patriotism inspired by vernacular, mission-translated, Bibles that told of an enslaved people who became a tribal nation. They embarked, in combinations of hope and desperation, on chain-migrations out of pauper peripheries (not unlike the Scots or Irish in comparable circumstances) to colonise particular niches of employment: on the railway; on white farms and plantations; in domestic service; or in the police and army. Yet others came to dominate the livestock trade. Officials and employers exploited these various tendencies and stereotyped the supposed ethnic qualities of the group concerned. The British helped to harden ethnic divisions made greater by differing potentials for social mobility. Britain did not simply divide in order to rule. The emergence of ethnic consciousness also arose from local debates about how the genders, generations, rich and poor should relate, as older inequalities were transformed into new differentiations less sensitive to existing moral audits of honour. Nowhere was such differentiation so sharp as among Kikuyu. Its effects became politically acute after 1945 when settler employers in the Rift Valley's "white highlands" mechanised production, and the extensive Kikuyu diaspora of tenant-workers in the region refused the worsening conditions they were offered. These "ex-squatters", failing to recover a home in their increasingly populated, and property- protective, "reserves", had to make shift in Nairobi's slums. The insistent question, "how then can I live as an honourable Kikuyu?" was what separated the militants of Mau Mau from the politically conservative, propertied, patrons - led by Jomo Kenyatta - who first inspired them. A political competition The horrors of the Mau Mau "emergency" war of the 1950s that ensued proved the repressive potential of a colonial state too closely allied to the settlers, its strongest clients. But the relative calmness of decolonisation in 1963 similarly proved the advantages of an outgoing state power that was not solely dependent upon its local roots - a clear contrast with Rhodesia's fiery end. The post-colonial state - rooted in a competitive society, for good historical reasons - is once more different. For the state has been the sole agency by which Africans could aspire to climb the commanding heights of the economy against racially entrenched interests - in land, commerce and finance. In recent years it has continued this role by ever more devious means, to meet external demands for "liberalisation". Access to its power matters. It is concentrated in an executive presidency, now directly elected, capable of manipulating all public institutions, including a parliament elected from single-member constituencies that either singly or in contiguous groups coincide with what have become tribal territories. In consequence, the competition for a share in this power became governed by internal ethnic accountability and tribal rivalry. President Kenyatta and his Kikuyu elite soothed the frustrated honour of their Kikuyu poor with settlement schemes in the former "white highlands" (of which the bulk, historically, had belonged to less favoured Maasai and Kalenjin groups). His successor Daniel arap Moi, finding less room for the poor of own Kalenjin, did more to create for them an ethnic elite. Politicians generally justify their privilege by carving ethnic benefits from state largesse. But (in Kenya as elsewhere) this extractive approach faced increasing pressures. The ferocity of competition for a share of state power rose over time - as population has grown, as the fertilising rains of the post-colonial Africanisation of opportunity long ago dried up, as the terms of trade for primary commodities turned sour. It was fairly easy for Kenyatta to ensure that all, more or less, enjoyed a turn "to eat" in the ethnic coalitions on which a parliamentary majority relied. It was more difficult for Moi. As the political stakes rose, so it became more tempting to attract and reward one's ethnic followers with officially-deniable opportunities for thuggery at the expense of those who were now tribal rivals in land, urban property, or petty trade. With every "bought" election, popular anger grew among Kenyan citizens - to an extent that they created pressure for a constitutional change which would strengthen parliament at the expense of the presidency. A national transition? A new president, Mwai Kibaki, was elected in 2002 to clean the Aegean stables. But in that effort he has disappointed all but his Kikuyu cronies. Now, in the presidential election of 27 December 2007, he appears to many to have broken the tacit rules of national competition - the last straw. That the opposition was, it seems, merely less successful in rigging the ballot will not make reconciliation any easier. Some of the subsequent opposition violence is politically directed. But the worst, by Kalenjin "warriors" against Kikuyu "immigrants" into the Rift Valley, may have outrun such elite-engineered tribalism to become an eerie echo of Mau Mau - in being an internal, generational, ethnic revolt against the compromises by which its own recently-manufactured Kalenjin elite came to terms with the "old wealth" of Kenyatta's Kikuyu. There are, then, two very different dynamics currently at work in Kenya: internal ethnic dissidence and external tribal rivalry. Neither can be disarmed without rewriting the rules of political competition for the power of a rather different ("post-post- colonial") state. It would have to be less closely allied to its strongest clients, and offer its services more disinterestedly to all Kenyans. These might in consequence come to think of themselves more as citizens, less as ethnically-defined clients. It is a very great deal to ask. Kenya faces two possible futures. On the one hand, the normal inter- ethnicity of most daily lives may have been poisoned by the recent violence, forecasting a broken state. On the other, the shock may have persuaded Kenyan elites of the old, Burkean, truth that a state without the means of some change is without the means of its conservation. There is perhaps a glimmer of hope in the opposition's success in getting its man elected as the speaker of the new parliament. * John Lonsdale is emeritus professor of modern African history and fellow of Trinity College Cambridge. This article was first published in OpenDemocracy *Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org ****** THE KENYA CASE AND MEDIA BIAS Antony Otieno Ong'ayo While the whole world is aware of the crisis is in Kenya, thanks to the international and local media, most of their reporting is accurate, however, there is need for an honest analysis of the situation in Kenya The media It is sad at this moment in time to apply outdated tactics of muzzling the people who are expressing a democratic right. In the case of Kenya, gagging the media would not help Kibaki and his cohorts, since the level of awareness and resolve among Kenyans not to return to the dark days of dictatorship is so high. The courage of the Kenyan media and journalists despite setbacks initiated by Internal security Minster (Michuki) is worth noting, but more so the way in which they reported events during the campaigns and eventful day of vote counting. However, there are problems with headlines (both local and international) that have appeared since the outbreak of post elections violence. The ethnic dimension is appearing to be the main focus of international press and they are also reporting that it is a Kikuyu- Luo issue but that is not true. Besides the fighting in the slums in Nairobi, Nakuru and Mombasa whose inhabitants are from all backgrounds though dominated by communities from western Kenya, Killings taking pace in the Rift Valley; Coast provinces are not perpetrated by the Luos. The fact that Raila is a Luo is not a justification enough to tag a whole community, just because one of them is a leading personality in the current stalemate. Such bias will direct attention in the wrong direction, and could be used to gang up against other communities, as has been the case in the past. There is no mention of killings taking place in Nyanza province especially in the Lake Town of Kisumu where Police has been shooting protesters at the orders of the internal Security Minister (Michuki). Condemnation of violence should be applied across the board. Victims of the violence are from all over especially in the slums, but where it is perpetrated by the state in a selective manner, condemnation should be focused on security forces and those who give such orders) These kinds of statements misinform the world of the actual facts on the ground and hinder insights that could help get Kenya out of the situation. Secondly reducing the current post election conflict to a Kikuyu-Luo affair is cheap analysis that is devoid of facts and reflections of what happens on the ground. Most of the current Western media analyses do not taken into account the underlying factors such as the failure of institutions of the state, such as the electoral commission of Kenya whose mediocre performance has plunged the country into bloodshed, a draconian constitutional framework that has been at the service of ethnic chauvinists and jingoist in power since 1963, the centralised power and networks that benefit from it, whose abuse and actions have led to marginalisation of certain groups from national resources, equitable public appointments, and the grand scheme involving local and international elites who exploit Kenya under the “old order”, interests/forces that want to keep the status quo and their role in the current problem. Bias and partisan analyses are also observed in the local media especially the media owners association, Kenya broadcasting corporation, Kenyan citizens in the diaspora through various blog sites and debaters in the local Newspapers where intellectuals, opinion and church leaders have taken sides, instead of guiding the debate in a more honest way so that all Kenyans can identify where the problem lies (draconian laws, out-dated political system, poverty, inequality, corruption, unequal distribution of resources countrywide and lack of access to essential services among others). Kenyans suffer under these conditions regardless of their tribe, and that is why those who live in the slums are from all tribes, even though previously marginalized by earlier regimes such as the Luo, Luhya and other minority groups make up the majority in those dwellings. Leadership and national interest The question that people need to ask is why did Kibaki sought to be Kenya’s president, in 1992, 1997, and finally became one in 2002? Was it because he lacked money? Was he someone with an agenda for the “whole “ nation? And if he had one, what was the agenda? Was that agenda realised between 2003 and 2007? Why are Kenyans having a problem with his agenda presented during the campaigns and the people around him majority of whom have been rejected in their own backyards? Why did most Kenyans have a problem with giving him another mandate? Why would someone who is a billionaire and aged 76, not want to leave a legacy that would be remembered in positive terms? What is so painful to forego that Kibaki would not want a clean election? More important to ask is why the current “elite” and morons around Kibaki are afraid of change of the current system and/or leadership to go into the hands of “lesser” communities? And lastly, why was the current regime rejected by majority of provinces and communities? Even though there are arguments that Kenya’s economy has grown at 6% over the past two years, the gap between the rich and poor has widened, with more people falling below the poverty line. The slums did not get smaller, nor did North Eastern and North-Eastern provinces get piped water from lake Victoria, the Samburus did not receive hospitals and tarmac roads, no fish industry was built along Lake Victoria and loans given to fishermen. 40 years is a long time for the Samburu, Turkana, Rendile and Somalis to wait for basic and essential services to reach them, it is a long time for Kamba people to wait for water and receive food hand outs during starvation, it is a long time before the fishermen along Lake Victoria receive funding through a fishing Board to take care of their interests in agriculture as done to coffee, tea, pyrethrum and dairy farmers; it is along time to wait for any major industry in Western Kenya; it too long time for Mijikenda to have resources from Coastal investments recycled back to alleviate their poverty, thirst for water, better schools and hospitals. Obstacle to dialogue In my view Kibaki is hostage to a number of factors that seems to contradict his call for putting the nation first. First and foremost are the networks of buddies and business comrades and elite form Mt Kenya who have been on the Gravy train since 2003. For what explains the refusal to find a middle ground while knowing so well that the outcome of the elections are not acceptable to everyone including their own people? The people holding Kibaki hostage are the ones Kenyans need to address in their quest for finding a peaceful solution to the current crisis. These people have a lot to loose if the man goes, thus the reason they are against recount, judicial review or re-run of presidential elections. Kenyans regardless of their ethnic background come distant in their priority of needs and actions. The opposition also has a role to play in the process and that will depend on the kind of proposal they put on table, which should be scrutinised by Kenyans since the issue at hand is about how Kenyans are governed and therefore Kibaki or Raila are just but people they expect to govern them through their mandate which includes listening to their views and respecting their will as expressed through the social contract via the vote and representative democracy. A Government of National Unity, or a recount of ballots papers will not solve any problem. It is a well-known fact that ballot papers especially those used for tallying presidential votes were already tampered with and might mot be traced. Secondly Keep never keeps any promise. He did not keep his promise to Kenyans after he made promises upon election in 2002; he never honoured agreements with his comrades upon enthronement, he renegade on the fight against corruption, poverty and tribalism. He does not have the will to keep his promises therefore arrangements such as a government of national unity will just be a soft landing for him, it will be a process that legitimises his hold onto power at the expense of democracy and the will of Kenyans who came out to vote on the 27^th December 2007. Kibaki and his handlers, do not care about democracy, it is a word they use at their convenience. The best arbitrator in this case is the voter. All mediators coming to Kenya should not let Kenyans down by proposing frameworks that will maintain the status quo. It will be a mockery to democracy and great betrayal to the many Kenyans who have lots their lives since the 50s, to liberate the country from colonial yokes but also from the yokes of fellow Kenyans such as Kenyatta, Moi and Kibaki. The Killings Kenyans should stop Killing each other. The culprits are few people who are out busy with self-aggrandisement at the expense of a whole nation. Although the current killings are unacceptable since they are an outcome of a stupidity of failure by Kenyan politicians to grasp the communality interest, Kenyans and more so those who abuse the political system and state institutions and resources should know that "Kenya belongs to all who belong in it" and all should be given equal treatment. There is no justification for the minister of internal security to use outdated and counterproductive tactics of targeting specific ethnic groups with paramilitary force and orders to kill. The images on television screens, shows that most of these people could be apprehended and taken to court. Senseless beating and shooting based on orders of a politician with colonial hangovers will exacerbate acts of revenge instead of resorting to the rule of law to settle disputes or address acts pf violence that are currently being perpetrated by some Kenyans who exploit the chaotic situation. The paramilitary police used by Michuki on the Luo (historical tactic, used by Kenyatta, in the 60s and early seventies) is selective and directed in one direction towards a group of people but that too will create more anger and feelings for revenge. Struggles in the Rift Valley are also about past wrongs against the minority communities like Ogieks who were chased out of the forest and the places given to the central province groups. Maasai and Kalenjin whose prime land were taken by the British, and later by the elite around Kenyatta. These grievances have never been addressed and due to the complex nature of ethnic blend in those regions, Moi for instance exploited this mix to cause chaos in order to vilify the onset of multiparty in Kenya. Ethnic clashes in 1992 and 1997, produced suffering and anger which have been kept low, but now fully exploited in the face of a dashed hope for change. These people thought there could be some equity with change of government but that hope is gone, so we expect anger, but also revenge as result of past clashes that were instigated by Moi prior to 1992, and 97 elections. Democratic test What I fear most is that if Kibaki is allowed to rule, Kenya will return to the dark ages, all the democratic gains will be lost. They will know that they can always rig elections and get away with it no matter what people do including protest, they don’t mind whether people die or not, since they will be able to get away with it. Kibaki’s behaviour in relation to vote tallying and results in the 2007 elections makes democracy look sick in Africa. It brings to mind the question whether there are free and fair elections? Or whether franchise or high voter turn out as witnessed in Kenya can turn a regime out of office? What about the role of institutions to support such a process like an independent police, electoral commission, judiciary and a parliament that is sensitive to the needs of the country, free and non-partisan media, respect for the rule of law by all parties involved in the electoral process? Even though democracy has never been perfect although being adopted by nations and peoples, its institutionalisation depend more on local history, culture and geography and not analyses and prescription as it is applied in other contexts. In the case of Kenya, the political, economic and social systems are complex and full of nuances, combined with other forces/ vested interests/pressure groups that exert more power, thus making the ordinary voter appear to be a pawn rather than a "king" maker. Therefore if Kenya is to build on the already made gains on the democratic front, a solution to the current crisis must be found in tandem with the reality on the ground. The reality that the “presidential election was rigged” and the incumbent is hell-bent on hanging to power no mater what cost, but also the reality that the opposition is making claims which have been proved right by the electoral commission itself and the various poll observers that Kibaki did not win the elections”. Although, calling for peace or on the major players to urge their supporters to clam down is a first step, but the call for peace should not water down the main cause of the problem which is “rigged elections” which is a threat to democratic gains. Being soft on this point would embolden the antagonists especially the “winners” and based on their history of arrogance and lack of decorum in addressing national issues, they will brush aside the issue at stake and this will fuel anger which is not only expressed by the opposition, but the very people the winners want to “rule” at all cost. Way out Asking Raila or Kenyans to forget this and forge ahead, and wait for another 5 years by many partisan authors in various local dailies and international blogs is not sincere and honest since such calls are directed at one party and not the other two. Why are people not asking Kibaki to resign? Why not ask for recount and audit of the votes? If the Electoral commission is not honest, how sure can we be of the courts in Kenya? Kenyans know that the system is rotten thus the overwhelming vote and a clear message that they want something different. They should not be denied this difference by hiding behind discourses that keeps on mystifying the problem. If Kibaki goes on without the approval of Kenyans, he is not making it better for those already hurt in one way or the other through killings and destruction seen in the past days. These things will haunt the nation after he is long gone and people around him or groups supporting him will not escape blame and demands to be held accountable. Peace can only come when the two parties agree to talk, engage and get into a process that will heal wounds on both sides of the divide (the people, the Opposition and PNU politicians). Allowing Kibaki to go ahead and bury his head as if nothing serious has happened will only exacerbate the arrogance of the group around him as witnessed during a recent press conference and the exchange between PNU Ministers and the press. Such one sided approach and attack on the opposition will only help strengthen the status quo, the exploitation, discrimination and inequality along tribal lines, which will exacerbate problems even if calmness would return today. What is urgently needed are; Curfew in Opposition areas to be lifted and regular police patrols with a humane face be initiated in hot spots to give people confidence in the state institutions for their safety. The general service unit has no role in the process since it is a catalyst instead of providing safety. The Kenya Pipeline Corporation should immediately resume pumping oil to western Kenya and Uganda. Cutting this supply is not different from scorched earth policy and if someone in the government has ordered such action, which was observed already before the election days then he/she or they are fueling the crisis instead of solving it. This should apply to other services like electricity, food items among others Kenyan civil society organisations, Law Society, The Kenya National Human Rights Commission and invited institutions to help in the process of reconciliation and putting in place a framework that would bring back the credibility of the electoral process and an acceptable conclusion A re-run of presidential election supervised by a team of independent observers and representatives of the two parties (ODM and PNU) within an agreed time frame. It is now clear from ECK that they did not know who won. The ECK had put aside funds for a run off, and that money can be used to SAVE KENYA. * Antony Otieno Ong'ayo is a Researcher in the New Politics Programme at the Transnational Institute *Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org ****** /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ 3 Pan-African Postcard PARACHUTE JOURNALISM AND THE KENYAN CRISIS George Ogola George Ogola decries the simplistic western approach to covering news on Africa, as exemplified by the reporting of the Kenyan post- election crisis They were probably the longest days of my life. Red-eyed from lack of sleep and desperate for updated information on the Kenyan elections, I meticulously watched international TV networks and spent hours surfing the net for relevant sites covering the elections. I could sense curiosity turn into anxiety then fear before an unprecedented implosion. Kenya was at war with itself. The Economist called it ‘a very African coup’ while Raila Odinga called it ‘a civilian coup’. Both PNU and ODM claimed victory. Confusion reigned as chaos erupted. Months of excitement had turned into uncertainty for some and distress for others. But as I agonised with my people, there was a parallel drama unfolding. When controversy over the presidential elections threatened to destroy our fragile nation-state, ‘parachute’ journalists descended on Nairobi eager to cover yet another ‘trouble spot’ in the blighted continent. As the country went to the polls, Africa collectively had no more than tickers in the major international news channels. A week prior to the election, only Al-Jazeera had taken some trouble to tell the Kenyan story. Reuters Africa proved another notable exception. But the familiar would soon follow, vicious and unrelenting. When protests met the announcement of the presidential results, CNN, BBC 24 and Sky News sent some of their finest to Nairobi. But the frame of reference had been pre-determined. A narrative had been established. Kenya had descended into tribal anarchy reminiscent of the Rwanda genocide. Neighbours had turned onto each other just because they belonged to different tribes. ‘Tribal violence’ became the definitive mantra and was the basis for reports across the world. I recall a BBC 24 news anchor asking a reporter when the results were announced whether a military coup was an immediate possibility. Meanwhile, pundits were carefully selected. As a rule, they were middle class white folk mostly ex-diplomats previously based in Africa and ‘respected’ London-based Africanists working with the city’s many ‘Think-Tanks’. There was the occasional African interviewed on a late night show. The frames of reference could not be destabilised. People were being targeted and killed indiscriminately by tribal mobs. The savagery both in the deed as well as coverage was taken to new heights when a Church was set ablaze in Eldoret killing more than 40 people. International reporters flew to the town and milked the tragedy. They reconstructed the gory scenes, the savagery unbeknown to man since Rwanda. Footage of rotting corpses in maize fields and overflowing morgues were aired without reservation. The dead were denied dignity. If you were Kenyan, you cried; and I wept. But I cried for my country as well as the job I love. The kind of coverage I saw on Sky, BBC 24, Euro News and a host other channels was not magnanimity. I was convinced it was not a desire by a section of the international media to tell the world the true story about the conflict that was slowly consuming Kenya. This was about a good story; it was about the exploitation of a people crying out for help. It was equally about a western anthropology that figures conflict in Africa only in tribal terms; an Africa whose existence is so basic it must not be understood beyond the discourse of the tribe. I witnessed the power of a selective morality that tends to view Africa from a paradigm of difference, a unique rationality that embraces the kind of savagery the world was witnessing. Feature stories, commentaries and editorial pieces revelled in descriptions of gore; of eyes gorged, bodies burnt beyond recognition, of limbs severed with machetes. The description sounded more like a sport. Context and detail was ignored as the number of deaths became fodder for good stories. Highbrow newspapers suddenly became tabloids with pictures of fleeing Kenyans, children sleeping rough and lines of women with bowls queuing for food making the cover pages. TV news anchors asked reporters on the ground how many were starving, how many more had been killed, and how many more villages had been razed. Helicopters were more useful flying over burnt out villages to capture footage of frightened villagers than provide assistance. When many news channels heard whiff of planned protests, the question was not what it was about but how violent it would be. The threshold of death was continuously being revised, indeed rewritten. Amid this, the obvious was deliberately being negated. Why was violence in Nairobi largely restricted to the slums of Kibera and Mathare? Was it possible that the Kenyan poor were at war with the rich and with themselves, though speaking in a voice that is anathema to a revolution? Why was violence so seductive? Why were the middle classes marooned in their suburbs, silent and invisible? Why was the violence so vicious in the rural areas and especially in the Rift Valley? Was it really possibly that because of disputed presidential elections, Kenya would suddenly implode? Was there a historical trajectory to this conflict? No, the unambiguity of Africa as a problem continent could not be challenged at a time when it was such a good story. The assumption that informs the continent’s interpretation is that this is a continent whose civilisation cannot be so sophisticated as to have class wars; neither can it justifiably fight for anything remotely democratic. I’m still torn between weeping for my country and an institution I still love dearly. * Dr. George Ogola teaches at the University of Central Lancashire *Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org ****** /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ Fahamu - Networks For Social Justice http://www.fahamu.org © Unless otherwise indicated, all materials published are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. For further details see: http:// www.pambazuka.org/en/about.php Pambazuka news can be viewed online: http://www.pambazuka.org/ RSS Feeds available at http://www.pambazuka.org/en/newsfeed.php Pambazuka News is published with the support of a number of funders, details of which can be obtained at http://www.pambazuka.org/en/ about.php To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://pambazuka.gn.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pambazuka-news or send a message to editor(a)pambazuka.org with the word SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line as appropriate. The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Pambazuka News or Fahamu. ISSN 1753-6839

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[Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] ICANN Seeks Expressions of Interest from Auction Design Experts]
by alice 22 Jan '08

22 Jan '08

-------------------- From ICANN Dear All, Thanks for your help in disseminating the word for African Companies. ICANN Seeks Expressions of Interest from Auction Design Experts 18 January 2008 ICANN is seeking expressions of interest from entities experienced in developing and managing auction processes. ICANN has identified several areas where auctions might be an appropriate tool, such as the efficient disposition of data from terminated registrars and registries, the allocation of single-character second-level domain names, and perhaps, resolution of contention between competing commercial applicants for identical strings in the application process for new generic Top Level Domains. A number of commenters and academics have recommended auctions as the preferred method of objectively allocating scarce resources such as popular second-level domain names or gTLD strings. Also, ICANN received substantial public comment in the discussion on allocation of single-character second-level names that the names should be allocated through an auction model. ICANN is an internationally organized non-profit public benefit organization that administers certain features of the Internet's unique identifiers. As a private-public partnership, ICANN is dedicated to preserving the operational stability of the Internet; to promoting competition; to achieving broad representation of global Internet communities; and to developing policy appropriate to its mission through bottom-up, consensus-based processes. A general description of ICANN is available at http://icann.org/tr/english.html <http://www.icann.org/tr/english.html>. *Background* As recommended by the GNSO Council, ICANN commenced a Forum on Allocation Methods for Single-Letter and Single-Digit Domain Names in gTLD registries. ICANN conducted the public forum from 16 October to 15 December 2007. The Forum on Allocation Methods identified support from members of the ICANN community and described several auction models of single-letter and single-digit domain names at the second-level (see 16 October 2007 announcement at http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-16oct07.htm, and Summary of Comments located at http://www.icann.org/public_comment/single-letter-summary-comments-23dec07.… [PDF, 61K]. If these models are pursued, ICANN staff has determined that the additional knowledge and expertise on auctions is necessary to further work in this area. Although implementation plans are still in development, ICANN staff has also identified auctions as a possibility of final resort for addressing string contention among multiple applicants for popular new generic TLDs. Additional guidance on auctions will be beneficial as staff moves toward the introduction of new gTLDs in the near future. In furtherance of the protection of registrants, auctions also provide a mechanism for addressing the termination or failure of accredited registrars and gTLD registries and the efficient transfer of names to a competent, on-going registrar or registry. *Qualifications* Entities interested in submitting Expressions of Interest should be experienced in areas of auction design, management and implementation. Prior experience with telecommunications, Internet or domain name, energy/utility or other asset auctions would be particularly relevant. *Expressions of Interest* Expressions of interest should be sent to Patrick Jones, at patrick.jones(a)icann.org <mailto:patrick.jones@icann.org> by 23:59 UTC on 18 February 2008. ICANN is hoping to select a qualified entity or entities to assist with auctions in 2008. Accordingly, ICANN is eager to commence a dialogue to determine whether your service is interested and would be capable of assisting ICANN with the development and management of auction processes. ICANN requests Expressions of Interest from potential entities that include information showing that your organization can fulfill the requirements set forth above, as well as background information about your organization, appropriate experience and additional qualifications you believe would be relevant, but that are not addressed above. _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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about Google &Safaricom:-xyz@safaricom.com
by John Walubengo 22 Jan '08

22 Jan '08

I came accross the joint effort to b/w google & safaricom with regard to providing e-addresses. Good idea, but my question was: Is the domain 'safaricom.com' locally hosted? I would have been happier (technically and mentally) if the suffix was xyz(a)safaricom.CO.KE or is it that suddenly the .KE suffix has brought us too much shame and pain that no one wants to use it :-(? walu. nb: as a way of leading by example, I have been planning to shed off my jwalu(a)yahoo.com in favor of jwalu(a)jambo.co.ke but I seem to be trapped in some perpetual migration fever...Methinks we need to build .KE, both literally and electronically. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

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[Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] AFTLD 2nd African ccTLDs Event, Cape Town, SA "April 2008" - Africann invited]
by alice 22 Jan '08

22 Jan '08

Dear all FYI and follow up. best alice -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [AfrICANN-discuss] AFTLD 2nd African ccTLDs Event, Cape Town, SA "April 2008" - Africann invited Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:52:45 +0300 From: Mohamed EL Bashir <admin(a)isoc.sd> Reply-To: admin(a)isoc.sd, africann(a)afrinic.net Organization: Sudan Internet Society "SIS" To: africann(a)afrinic.net Dear African AfTLD in cooperation with South Africa's Department of Communications “DOC”, AfTLD is organizing the Second African ccTLD event ( Workshops, Training and AfTLD General Assembly meeting in Cape Town, South Africa from7th to 11th of April 2008. AFTLD workshops main objective is to offer advanced DNS training and exchange of best practices between African Country Code Top Level Domain operators/managers. Telecom, ISPs and Governments ICT Agencies, are invited to participate in AfTLD events inorder to be contribute to the process of developing and enhancing a national Internet infrastructure and provide assistance in building a strong local Internet services by promoting and utilizing country’s top level domain . Event Programme : The event programme and logistics will be announced soon. Previous AfTLD Events : Visit AfTLD 2007 Cairo Page ( materials, AGM Report, Photo Gallery, ..ect ) .. http://www.aftld.org/cairo2007/index.html Best Regards, Mohamed El Bashir VP Communications & Out-Reach AFTLD _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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I.T. Case Studies...
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 22 Jan '08

22 Jan '08

Greetings, Does anyone by any chance have any documented I.T. Case Studies with them? If you do, could you please forward them to this address: kipsangb(a)iconnect.co.ke Thank you... Kind regards, Michael. -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg. --

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Open Positions at AfriNIC
by brian 22 Jan '08

22 Jan '08

FYI from AfriNIC ------------------------------- Dear Colleagues, The following positions are opened at AfriNIC: 1. Communications Area Manager. http://www.afrinic.net/job/jobs2008/afjob_cco200801_Advert.htm 2. Event Coordinator & Marketing Communication Officer. http://www.afrinic.net/job/jobs2008/afjob_ecco200801_Advert.htm Both positions will be based at our headquarters in Mauritius. For any further queries, do not hesitate to contact us on jobs(a)afrinic.net. Kind Regards, Kiran Cunniah Executive Assistant AfriNIC

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Food for thought
by Gakiria 21 Jan '08

21 Jan '08

Dear All, An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does the truth become error because nobody will see it. -Mohandas K. Gandhi(1869-1948) The propagandist's purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human. -Aldous Huxley, novelist (1894-1963)

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[Fwd: African Banking Technology Conference, Nairobi, 15-22 February.: Sharing Knowledge and Best Practices in Banking across Africa"
by alice 20 Jan '08

20 Jan '08

/"Sharing Knowledge and Best Practices in Banking across Africa"/ 15-22 February 2008 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi *Hosted and organised by AITEC Africa: http://www.aitecafrica.com/?q=node/524 * Africa’s financial sector aspires to world-class systems and standards that match best practices in developed economies. But at the same time, the continent’s banks have to seek growth in the region’s vast majority of unbanked who require low-cost mass banking services. The effective application of IT and telecommunication solutions is essential for developing a profitable balance between these two sides of the banking market. World-class systems have to be carefully examined and assessed for their appropriateness to extend services to mass, low-income, mostly rural customers – instead of widening the divide between a banking system that serves an urban elite, delivering high-value services to a limited market, and the vast majority of the population that remains unbanked and therefore excluded from the formal economy. The African Banking Technology Conference provides the region’s banking community with in-depth briefings from African and international experts that will enable them to assess latest banking technology systems and strategies to achieve an effective and profitable balance. *Who is the conference aimed at?* The event will have several key audiences: • ICT managers & professionals in the banking and financial services sector • Policy-makers • High-level managers at CEO, COO and CFO level • Innovators and service providers active in the financial services sector • Telecom operators and service providers • NGOs/civil society organisations directly involved with delivering banking or microfinance services in rural areas. • Media representatives *Evaluation and Outputs* There will be several outputs from the event: • Increased knowledge among ICT managers and ICT professionals in the East African banking sector of latest international trends and technologies and their application in the region • Increased awareness among high-level non-technical managers in the sector of the vital role ICT has to play in their business strategies – and the range of technologies and systems available. • Informed media coverage that will help build a profile for the issues under discussion. • Brokering of relationships between suppliers and users of ICT systems for the financial sector. *Presentation Proposals* To propose a Forum presentation, send a brief outline to Sean Moroney, email: seanm(a)aitecafrica.com <mailto:seanm@aitecafrica.com> *Conference six-day programme http://www.aitecafrica.com/?q=node/524* ** *Exhibition* There will be an exhibition linked to the conference, providing an opportunity to network with participants in a unique educational setting. For more information email info(a)aitecafrica.com <mailto:info@aitecafrica.com>

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Annual Digital Africa Summit : “Next Generation Convergence Driving Positive Change”,22-24 April 2008 • Johannesburg South Africa
by alice 20 Jan '08

20 Jan '08

Annual Digital Africa Summit “Next Generation Convergence Driving Positive Change” 22-24 April 2008 • Hilton Sandton Hotel • Johannesburg South Africa Having recently completed the 5th Annual Summit which was an enormous success for all involved. We are pleased to announce the 6th annual Digital Africa Summit 2008 will take an in depth look at technology convergence from an African perspective. Operators on the African continent are currently rolling out WiMax networks, developing IPTV capability and yet many Africans struggle to access even the most basic services. The problems facing African operators are exacerbated by a sense of confusion in the entire Global telecoms industry surrounding implementation of Next Generation Networks. In spite of the confusion and uncertainty surrounding NGN, in 2008 a Global boom is expected in the investment into Triple & Quadruple Play, Fixed-mobile convergence and WiMax solutions. The Digital Africa Summit aims to assist African operators by providing information that will aid them in developing a focussed, practical strategy moving forward. This will be achieved by orchestrating a debate between: * Leading regulatory authorities from Africa and the World (ICASA, ETSI and more) * Operators from Africa and the World * Solution providers such as Alcatel, Nortel, Ericsson and Motorola * System integrators such as IBM and Dimension Data We expect participating executives to leave this debate with greater clarity and understanding about the challenges they will face in developing their networks. The Summary from this year: "The recently concluded 5th Annual Digital Africa Summit attracted participants from over 22 African countries ranging from Government Ministers, Chief Accounting Officers (Permanent Secretaries, Director Generals, Principal Secretaries etc) and public sector professionals to Chief Executives and Managing Directors of leading information and communication technology companies in Africa. This was the first time the ICT practice in Africa was convened in the scenic parliamentary capital of South Africa to discuss ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and how ICTs can set the standard for sustainable development’. The session was opened by South Africa’s Minister of Communications Hon Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri who placed emphasis on the need for sustainable use of information and communication technology in order to meet the expectations of the world information society..." To read the rest of the Summary, please feel free to check out the Archive section of the website for the Summary, Photos, Presentations & Testimonials from the previous Summits. "Highly focused meetings between supplier and prospective buyers. This is a very good Summit. It meets and exceeds my expectations completely. The discussions and content is quite relevant and complimentary to the ongoing responsible development of Africa." Managing Director, VDT Communications Ltd

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Safaricom expresses concern over inflammatory SMS
by Mike Theuri 19 Jan '08

19 Jan '08

http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=47669 Safaricom expresses concern over inflammatory SMS Written By:Rose Kamau, Posted: Sat, Jan 19, 2008 Safaricom has expressed concern over the content of inflammatory text messages being sent around vilifying the company and urging members of the public to shun its services in the name of propagating mass action. In a statement, the company asserts its commitment to the welfare of all Kenyans. The company says it has a staff of over 1,400 Kenyans, in addition to dealer network of 400 dealers employing over 2,500 Kenyans, and indirectly over 25,000 people across the country. "Safaricom currently has over 9.3 million Kenyans subscribers and we know that in one way or another, Safaricom plays a part in Kenya's day to day life, "the company says. The company further says it has contributed to the creation of a sustainable environment by promoting dialogue with its stakeholders countrywide and assisting local communities, through its CSR programs through the Safaricom Foundation. "Having allocated more than Ksh100 million over the past year alone, on projects ranging from education, health, community development, environment, Arts, and culture, sports and disaster funding, Safaricom has and will continue to positively impact hundreds of thousands of Kenyans, " the company says. The company calls for the current crisis to be resolved peacefully soon to avert further loss of lives destruction of property. "We are also committed to alleviating the suffering being experienced by the many Kenyans who have lost their loved ones, livelihoods and homes. It is in this respect that together with our partners Safaricom Foundation and Vodafone Foundation, we have donated Kshs 15 million to the Kenya Red Cross Society towards post-election emergency relief services ". "We have also launched three methods through which members of the public can assist their fellow Kenyans by donating money either by sending funds through Sambaza to line 0721 100 000, by sending a peace message to the short code 767 where each message is charged at Kshs 20, or by sending any amount up to Kshs 35,000 via M-Pesa to account number 10000", the company says.

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No Peace Without Justice [NPWJ]
by Bill Kagai 19 Jan '08

19 Jan '08

Colleagues, As I had informed you earlier, a human rights investigations body called 'No Peace Without Justice' - www.npwj.org - based in Brussels, has been seconded by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights - www.knchr.org - to spearhead investigations and forensic audit of the causes behind the recent violence, killings, displacement and wanton destruction of property after the 2007 general elections. Having talked to the officers in charge of this operation, they have indicated to me that they require a lot of ICT support in mapping the conflict region, geo-information and 'access' to feed data straight into the database from the field. I have been helping the consultants with basic IT support and informed them that in our Kictanet fraternity, they will be able to get all the support (resources, financial, mobility) to help heal our country and bring the perpetrators of this violence to justice. As a Kictanet patriot, I kindly request you to liaise directly with - *Niccolò A. Figà-Talamanca * or *Anthony Kuria* - email - akuria(a)knchr.org - +254 20 2717908/2717928 to understand the problem statement and see how your firm or as individual can contribute to this enormous task ahead of them. -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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STATE OF THE INDUSTRY LUNCHEON 24/01/2008 – KENYA ICT FEDERATION - KENYA ICT BOARD
by nancy bosire 18 Jan '08

18 Jan '08

Kenya ICT Federation * * 18th January 2008 Dear members and partners, RE: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY LUNCHEON 24/01/2008 – KENYA ICT FEDERATION - KENYA ICT BOARD During 2008 KIF will organise a series of State-of-the-Industry luncheons with the Kenya ICT Board, for our Members and guests. The Kenya ICT Board (KICTB) will present its mandate, undertakes to each time present its up-to-date strategic plan and KIF will select a theme for each session. At these meetings, KICTB expects support from the KIF membership as a think tank and source of inspiration. Please note that KICTB has invited the new KIF KICTB Liaison Committee to obtain information about its ongoing activities and programme implementation, whenever required. This will assist KIF to inform its Members better about the KICTB programmes and to encourage their participation. The first meeting in this series will be on the 24th of January 2008 at the Grand Regency from 12.30pm to 2.30 pm. The agenda will be e-mailed mid next week. Charges: Ksh. 2,000 for Members and Ksh.3, 000 for non-members. Contact details are below for early reservations. Book early to avoid disappointment. PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY. Sincerely yours, Nancy Bosire *Secretariat Manager* *Kenya** ICT Federation Tel: 020 4440102 Mobile: 0721907995* *secretariat(a)kif.or.ke**, info(a)kif.or.ke* *http://www.kif.or.ke* <http://www.kif.or.ke/>** Mahatma Gandhi once said:- First they ignore you, Then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, AND THEN YOU WIN!!!

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Uganda: ICT Sector Brought in Sh256b in 2007
by Harry Hare 18 Jan '08

18 Jan '08

Interesting figures here from Uganda, unfortunately no comparison was made (or at least the journalist did not capture it) with 2006 figures to measure the growth in the past 12 months. What is interesting is that ICT has contributed to 9% of the GDP! Any such measurement from CCK? Harry ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ New Vision (Kampala) 17 January 2008 Posted to the web 18 January 2008 David Muwanga Kampala THE information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector attracted projects worth sh256b ($150m) last year, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), has announced. "Investment in the sector for the year 2007 was estimated at $150m and its contribution to the gross domestic product is approximately 9%," Patrick Masambu, the head of UCC, said on Monday. Masambu was speaking at a function where MTN, uganda telecom and Celtel handed in a combined contribution of sh5.1b to the rural communication development the fund. The telecom operators give a conditional 1% of their annual gross earnings to fund. Masambu explained that more than 300,000 jobs were created directly and indirectly. "This is an increase of one hundred times following the restructuring of the sector and this is likely to increase as a result of the new service providers recruitment drive as well as indirect employment," he said. He disclosed that over 20 companies had been licensed to provide voice telephony and data services. "A wide range of modern postal products including easy mail track and trace, electronic money transfer are now available in the market and the public should utilise them," Masambu said. He said the customer base had also grown from 50,000 in 1998 to 4.7m, representing a tele-density of about 16%. Masambu, however, warned of several challenges the fund faces, including infrastructure limitations in rural areas and insecurity. African eDevelopment Resource Centre 3rd Floor, Nelleon Place Raphta Road, Westlands PO Box 49475 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Cel +254 725 650044 Land +254 20 4453445 www.africanedevelopment.org *********************************************************** February 2008 Capacity Building Opportunities VSAT Field Engineering: 5-8 Records Management: 13-15 Fiber Optics: 26-29 Book Now, Limited spaces available

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[Fwd: [Fibre-for-africa] Q&A with SEACOM President]
by alice 17 Jan '08

17 Jan '08

Hi all FYI -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [Fibre-for-africa] Q&A with SEACOM President Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:39:47 +0100 (CET) From: Wairagala Wakabi <wakabi(a)cipesa.org> Reply-To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> References: <478EEA7B.7040702(a)apc.org> <FB0CFC3EE5CB18438CE7E5D638A91B8082084F(a)SFCMAIL01.safaricom.net> <2526.217.113.73.239.1200565276.squirrel(a)mail.cipesa.org> Q&A with SEACOM President Construction of the13,700 km Sea Cable System (SEACOM, www.seacom.mu) is underway and expected to reach completion by June 2009. The cable will comprise of two fibre pairs, connecting South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Kenya to India and Egypt, with an option for connectivity into the UAE and Djibouti. Fibre-for-Africa (www.fibreforafrica.net) spoke to SEACOM Ltd. president Brian Herlihy. Excerpts: Q. Who are the partners in SEACOM and how much are they investing in the network? A. SEACOM has publicly announced its investors, it is 75% African owned with Agha Khan Economic Development Group (IPS) out of East Africa, Venfin, Convergence Partners and Shanduka group from South Africa. The remaining 25% is owned by Herakles Telecom, our New York based development company. Herakles management is also the management of Sithe Global (developer and investor of the Bujagali Hydro in Uganda) and Global Alumina, a $4.5 billion alumina refinery in Guinea. Q. What do you envisage will be the prices for SEACOMs bandwidth? A. SEACOMs pricing is the equivalent of $100 to $170 per Mb/s per month. Q. In what ways will SEACOM be competitive compared to other fibre initiatives in the region, such as TEAMS and EASSy? A. SEACOM is the only cable offering a PoP to PoP solution for Europe and Asia. I believe this is a large advantage and the purchase of onward capacity is a difficult process. SEACOM understands that TEAMS has very competitive pricing to Fujairah. SEACOM believes that its pricing to Europe is more competitive than EASSys pricing to Sudan. Q. How will SEACOM assure affordability of services, and how has it been responsive to NEPADs calls for Open Access? A. SEACOM has structured each landing point as an open access unit. This has been accomplished in two formats. First, the capital cost of the landing stations is a sunk cost for SEACOM, in other words SEACOM does not seek to recover the investment costs of the landing station through co-location fees. Secondly, each landing station is built with an additional building whereby customers can put their own equipment at the cable station. SEACOM has published its prices through many different forums. The pricing is an 80% discount over current satellite charges and is the only cable offering capacity directly from a PoP (Point of Presence) in Nairobi to a PoP in Europe or India without the requirement to purchase onward capacity. Q. Would you say the fact that SEACOM is not a local company in the countries where it is going to land fibre places it at a disadvantage compared to pother cable systems such as EASSy and TEAMS? A. Depending on each countrys regulatory regime, SEACOM has either established a local entity to operate the cable or partnered with an existing cable. SEACOM will bring experienced operators to the cable to ensure that the local entities maintain world class quality service. Q. What are your comments to the assertion that it is not viable for the eastern coast of Africa to have three competing cables? Do you see a need for the cables to cooperate in some areas rather than duplicate everything? A. The current capacity demand on the East Coast of Africa is very small. However, we believe that the future demand will experience exponential growth. Having said the three competing systems would create a large over-supply which could create a short term glut. Q. What is Herakles Telecom and where does it operate from? A. Herakles Telecom is a development company set in New York. The management is the same management that works with Sithe Global (www.sitheglobal.com) and Global Alumina (www.globalalumina.com) Q. There has been talk that Herakles staff were involved in the Africa One project which did not materialise, and that they collected money from African telecom, which money has purportedly not been refunded. How true is this, and how could it affect SEACOMs operations? A. I have noted the slander towards myself and JP (Jean Pierre de Leu) out of Kenya. I can confirm that both of us worked and spent many years with Africa ONE for the hope that this project would go forward. However, neither of us were principals of this project and left the project from 2002. It was our understanding that the only countries that made a deposit were Eritrea and Mauritania. We understand that the sales person for Eritrea was able to help that money be returned. It should be noted that the Africa ONE name was sold by AT&T to a private investment group in 1998 and it was this group who was responsible for that money ¬ JP and myself have nothing to do with this entity. Since Africa (2002) I have worked as a developer on over $5 billion of projects in Africa, each of which have excellent reputations and large impacts in their respective countries, including Bujagali in Uganda. - wakabi(a)cipesa.org --- _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa

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[Fwd: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] [Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Re: SEACOM gets funding boost]]]]
by alice 17 Jan '08

17 Jan '08

From the fibre for Africa list -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] [Fwd: Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: Re: SEACOM gets funding boost]] Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:21:16 +0100 (CET) From: Wairagala Wakabi <wakabi(a)cipesa.org> Reply-To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> References: <478EEA7B.7040702(a)apc.org> <FB0CFC3EE5CB18438CE7E5D638A91B8082084F(a)SFCMAIL01.safaricom.net> Vitalis, Fibre-for-Africa (www.fibreforafrica.net) today put this issue to Mr Herlihy, president of SEACOM. His response: "I can confirm that both of us worked and spent many years with Africa ONE for the hope that this project would go forward. However, neither of us were principals of this project and left the project from 2002. It was our understanding that the only countries that made a deposit were Eritrea and Mauritania. "We understand that the sales person for Eritrea was able to help that money be returned. It should be noted that the Africa ONE name was sold by AT&T to a private investment group in 1998 and it was this group who was responsible for that money ¬ JP and myself have nothing to do with this entity. Since Africa (2002) I have worked as a developer on over $5 billion of projects in Africa, each of which have excellent reputations and large impacts in their respective countries, including Bujagali in Uganda." Wakabi > If the two men, Jean Pierre de Leu - a resident in Kenya and owner of > Karibunet and Brian Hilehy President of Heracles from SA- were truly > involved in Africa One Project, then they should explain what happened > to the contributions made to the Africa One Project, after it became a > "White Elephant". The defunct KPTC and many other organizations did > contribute to this project but it did not take-off. How can we trust > them now that SEACOM will not go the same direction? And even if Seacom > will be a success story, they should refund the contributions for Africa > One. > > > Vitalis > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: fibre-for-africa-bounces(a)lists.apc.org > [mailto:fibre-for-africa-bounces@lists.apc.org] On Behalf Of alice > Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 8:41 AM > To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants > Subject: [Fibre-for-africa] [Fwd: Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: Re: SEACOM gets > funding boost]] > > > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] SEACOM gets > funding boost] > Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:16:48 +0300 > From: Victor Maloi <victormaloi3(a)gmail.com> > To: alice <alice(a)apc.org> > CC: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > References: <478E11D0.1070605(a)apc.org> > > > > Wakabi, > You have not addressed the fact that the principals behind Seacom > collected funds from African Telcos and never refunded the money when > the project failed. KPTC now Telcom Kenya indeed paid and never > recovered the funds. Should we embrace these individuals even when they > > stole from our national investments? Please declare your interests too. > > Victor > > > > > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] SEACOM gets funding boost > Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:31:24 +0100 (CET) > From: Wairagala Wakabi <wakabi(a)cipesa.org > <mailto:wakabi@cipesa.org>> > Reply-To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop > Participants > <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > <mailto:fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org>> > To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants > <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > <mailto:fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org>> > CC: Kenya ICT Action Network - KICTANet <kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > <mailto:kictanet@kictanet.or.ke>> > References: < > 3104.217.113.73.239.1195028026.squirrel(a)mail.cipesa.org > <mailto:3104.217.113.73.239.1195028026.squirrel@mail.cipesa.org>> > <478CFEF7.1040209(a)apc.org <mailto:478CFEF7.1040209@apc.org>> > > > > Alice, > Our understanding is that SEACOM (The Sea Cable System) is a > registered in > Mauritius and owned 25% by Herakles Telecom - the managing partner > for the > cable who is based in New York. > > The other partners: > 1) Industrial Promotion Service of the Aga Khan Foundation (25%); > 2) Venfin (a South African investment holding company with > interests in > IT (25%); > 3) Shanduka Group, a South African investment company (12.5%); > 4) Convergence Partners, a South African Black Economic Empowerment > (BEE) > investment company focusing on the Telecommunications, Media and > Technology (TMT) sector - 12.5%. > > SEACOM says the ownership structure varies for each segment of the > cable, > which ensures local ownership of the cable segments connecting > individual > countries to comply with regulations in those countries. The cable > backbone along the east coast of Africa and to India and Europe is > owned > by SEACOM; while the segments connecting to individual countries are > either 100% (South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, India, France) or > 35% > (Tanzania, Kenya) locally owned. > > Wakabi > > ===== > > Hi all > > > > Out of curiosity, who is SEACOM? rather who are behind SEACOM? > > Anyone conducted due diligence. Any connection to the Africa One > saga? > > > > best > > alice > > > > > > > > Wairagala Wakabi wrote: > >> Netters, > >> Its backers are saying SEACOM will be the only new cable > completed in > >> time > >> to give South Africa the bandwidth needed for the 2010 WC, with > "actual > >> production of the fibreoptic cable and undersea facilities" > starting > >> next > >> week. SA's SNO, NEOTEL, has helped marshal capital from local > financial > >> heavyweights, enabling NEOTEL to be owned 50% by South Africans. > >> > >> Tut Tut... > >> > >> Wakabi > >> > >> > >> Sea cable venture lands big investors > >> > >> By Lesley Stones, Business Day, November 14 2007 > >> > >> AN UNDERSEA cable promising cheap bandwidth for Africa yesterday > finally > >> named its backers, signing up enough well-connected local > investors to > >> guarantee its landing rights in SA. > >> > >> Investment heavyweight Venfin is sinking $75m into the project, > taking a > >> 25% stake in the 15000km cable linking SA to India and Europe. > >> > >> Cyril Ramaphosa's black investment house Shanduka is taking > 12,5%, worth > >> $37,5m. Another 12,5% goes to Convergence Partners, a group of > black > >> investors led by Andile Ngcaba, the chairman of Dimension Data > Africa > >> and > >> a former director-general of the communications department. > Nedbank > >> Capital and Investec will provide financing for the $650m > project. > >> > >> SA's second network operator, Neotel, is pumping in a far more > modest > >> R20m, and using its telecoms licence to guarantee that the cable > can > >> dock > >> in SA. > >> > >> The local ownership is sufficient to ensure that Seacom meets > >> controversial new conditions being drawn up by Communications > Minister > >> Ivy > >> Matsepe-Casaburri, dictating who can land a cable in SA. The > minister is > >> insisting that any cable must be majority owned by African > investors to > >> come ashore. > >> > >> South Africans hold 50% of Seacom, and that rises to 75% African > >> ownership > >> thanks to 25% held by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic > Development's > >> Industrial Promotion Services, a development agency based in > Kenya. > >> > >> The remaining 25% lies with New York's Herakles Telecom, a > development > >> group that has invested $4bn in Africa. > >> > >> Neotel is investing only in the local landing station, but its > licence > >> to > >> operate in SA conferred on it the right to land a cable, said MD > Ajay > >> Pandey. > >> > >> "Our understanding is that the country needs international > capacity, and > >> the way international cable landing protocols have been defined > means we > >> have the opportunity here." > >> > >> Venfin CEO Jannie Durand said Neotel's licence to land a cable > in SA > >> meant > >> everything had been done "legally and correctly". Venfin was > backing > >> Seacom for two reasons, he said: "We are hopefully going to make > a lot > >> of > >> money out of it and SA needs more bandwidth. We want to bring SA > >> affordable bandwidth to the rest of the world." > >> > >> Although the cable will cost $650m, it would be partly funded by > loans > >> as > >> well as equity, allowing Venfin to take 25% for less than the > book value > >> of the project, Durand said. > >> > >> Pandey believes Seacom will be the onlyThe actual production of > the > >> fibreoptic cable and undersea facilities will start next week. > >> > >> The consortium has already invested more than $10m in a marine > survey > >> and > >> engineering of the cable. The actual production of the > fibreoptic cable > >> and undersea facilities will start next week. > >> > >> Seacom will connect Mtunzini in SA to Mumbai in India and > Marseilles in > >> France via Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania by June > 2009. > >> > >> Terrestrial links will be built to take its bandwidth to > numerous other > >> inland countries. Its capacity of 1,28 terabytes per second is > 10 times > >> the capacity on the existing Sat-3 cable around Africa's west > coast. > >> > >> The consortium has promised that it will charge other voice and > data > >> carriers significantly less for its bandwidth than they pay to > use Sat-3 > >> or satellite services, which should trigger a massive decrease > in the > >> cost > >> of phone calls, internet access and data transmissions for > African > >> consumers and businesses. > >> > >> "Improved access for business and individuals in Africa to > >> communications, > >> broadband services and new technology offerings can improve > lives and > >> help > >> grow the economies of our countries," said Ngcaba, the chairman > of > >> Convergence Partners. "The linking of southern and east Africa > with > >> India > >> and Europe is crucial for enhancing development and trade > between these > >> key regions." > >> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Fibre-for-africa mailing list > >> Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > <mailto:Fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org> > >> http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa > >> > >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Fibre-for-africa mailing list > > Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > <mailto:Fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org> > > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Fibre-for-africa mailing list > Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > <mailto:Fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org> > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa > <http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa> > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: victormaloi3(a)gmail.com > <mailto:victormaloi3@gmail.com> > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/victormaloi3%40gmai > l.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > Fibre-for-africa mailing list > Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa > The information in this email and any attachments is confidential and may > be legally privileged. It is intended only for the use of the named > addressee. > Emails are susceptible to alteration and their integrity cannot be > guaranteed. Safaricom Limited does not accept legal responsibility for the > contents of this email if the same is found to have been altered or > manipulated. > The contents and opinions expressed in this email are solely those of the > author and do not necessarily represent those of Safaricom Limited. > Safaricom Limited disclaims any liability to the fullest extent > permissible by law for any consequences that may arise from the contents > of this email including but not limited to personal opinions, malicious > and/or defamatory information and data/codes that may compromise or damage > the integrity of the recipient's information technology systems. > If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender and > immediately delete this email from your system. > _______________________________________________ > Fibre-for-africa mailing list > Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa > _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa _______________________________________________ secretariat mailing list secretariat(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/secretariat This message was sent to: alice(a)apc.org Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/secretariat/alice%40apc.org

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With friends like these ... understanding Facebook
by alice 17 Jan '08

17 Jan '08

With friends like these ... Face book has 59 million users - and 2 million new ones join each week. But you won't catch Tom Hodgkinson volunteering his personal information - not now that he knows the politics of the people behind the social networking site Tom Hodgkinson The Guardian, Monday January 14 2008 http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/14/facebook --

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[Fwd: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] SEACOM gets funding boost]
by alice 17 Jan '08

17 Jan '08

FYI -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] SEACOM gets funding boost Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:31:24 +0100 (CET) From: Wairagala Wakabi <wakabi(a)cipesa.org> Reply-To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> CC: Kenya ICT Action Network - KICTANet <kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke> References: <3104.217.113.73.239.1195028026.squirrel(a)mail.cipesa.org> <478CFEF7.1040209(a)apc.org> Alice, Our understanding is that SEACOM (The Sea Cable System) is a registered in Mauritius and owned 25% by Herakles Telecom - the managing partner for the cable who is based in New York. The other partners: 1) Industrial Promotion Service of the Aga Khan Foundation (25%); 2) Venfin (a South African investment holding company with interests in IT (25%); 3) Shanduka Group, a South African investment company (12.5%); 4) Convergence Partners, a South African Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) investment company focusing on the Telecommunications, Media and Technology (TMT) sector - 12.5%. SEACOM says the ownership structure varies for each segment of the cable, which ensures local ownership of the cable segments connecting individual countries to comply with regulations in those countries. The cable backbone along the east coast of Africa and to India and Europe is owned by SEACOM; while the segments connecting to individual countries are either 100% (South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, India, France) or 35% (Tanzania, Kenya) locally owned. Wakabi ===== > Hi all > > Out of curiosity, who is SEACOM? rather who are behind SEACOM? > Anyone conducted due diligence. Any connection to the Africa One saga? > > best > alice > > > > Wairagala Wakabi wrote: >> Netters, >> Its backers are saying SEACOM will be the only new cable completed in >> time >> to give South Africa the bandwidth needed for the 2010 WC, with "actual >> production of the fibreoptic cable and undersea facilities" starting >> next >> week. SA's SNO, NEOTEL, has helped marshal capital from local financial >> heavyweights, enabling NEOTEL to be owned 50% by South Africans. >> >> Tut Tut... >> >> Wakabi >> >> >> Sea cable venture lands big investors >> >> By Lesley Stones, Business Day, November 14 2007 >> >> AN UNDERSEA cable promising cheap bandwidth for Africa yesterday finally >> named its backers, signing up enough well-connected local investors to >> guarantee its landing rights in SA. >> >> Investment heavyweight Venfin is sinking $75m into the project, taking a >> 25% stake in the 15000km cable linking SA to India and Europe. >> >> Cyril Ramaphosas black investment house Shanduka is taking 12,5%, worth >> $37,5m. Another 12,5% goes to Convergence Partners, a group of black >> investors led by Andile Ngcaba, the chairman of Dimension Data Africa >> and >> a former director-general of the communications department. Nedbank >> Capital and Investec will provide financing for the $650m project. >> >> SAs second network operator, Neotel, is pumping in a far more modest >> R20m, and using its telecoms licence to guarantee that the cable can >> dock >> in SA. >> >> The local ownership is sufficient to ensure that Seacom meets >> controversial new conditions being drawn up by Communications Minister >> Ivy >> Matsepe-Casaburri, dictating who can land a cable in SA. The minister is >> insisting that any cable must be majority owned by African investors to >> come ashore. >> >> South Africans hold 50% of Seacom, and that rises to 75% African >> ownership >> thanks to 25% held by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Developments >> Industrial Promotion Services, a development agency based in Kenya. >> >> The remaining 25% lies with New Yorks Herakles Telecom, a development >> group that has invested $4bn in Africa. >> >> Neotel is investing only in the local landing station, but its licence >> to >> operate in SA conferred on it the right to land a cable, said MD Ajay >> Pandey. >> >> Our understanding is that the country needs international capacity, and >> the way international cable landing protocols have been defined means we >> have the opportunity here. >> >> Venfin CEO Jannie Durand said Neotels licence to land a cable in SA >> meant >> everything had been done legally and correctly. Venfin was backing >> Seacom for two reasons, he said: We are hopefully going to make a lot >> of >> money out of it and SA needs more bandwidth. We want to bring SA >> affordable bandwidth to the rest of the world. >> >> Although the cable will cost $650m, it would be partly funded by loans >> as >> well as equity, allowing Venfin to take 25% for less than the book value >> of the project, Durand said. >> >> Pandey believes Seacom will be the onlyThe actual production of the >> fibreoptic cable and undersea facilities will start next week. >> >> The consortium has already invested more than $10m in a marine survey >> and >> engineering of the cable. The actual production of the fibreoptic cable >> and undersea facilities will start next week. >> >> Seacom will connect Mtunzini in SA to Mumbai in India and Marseilles in >> France via Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania by June 2009. >> >> Terrestrial links will be built to take its bandwidth to numerous other >> inland countries. Its capacity of 1,28 terabytes per second is 10 times >> the capacity on the existing Sat-3 cable around Africas west coast. >> >> The consortium has promised that it will charge other voice and data >> carriers significantly less for its bandwidth than they pay to use Sat-3 >> or satellite services, which should trigger a massive decrease in the >> cost >> of phone calls, internet access and data transmissions for African >> consumers and businesses. >> >> Improved access for business and individuals in Africa to >> communications, >> broadband services and new technology offerings can improve lives and >> help >> grow the economies of our countries, said Ngcaba, the chairman of >> Convergence Partners. The linking of southern and east Africa with >> India >> and Europe is crucial for enhancing development and trade between these >> key regions. >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Fibre-for-africa mailing list >> Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org >> http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Fibre-for-africa mailing list > Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa > _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa

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[Fwd: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] [Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Re: SEACOM gets funding boost]]]
by alice 17 Jan '08

17 Jan '08

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] [Fwd: Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: Re: SEACOM gets funding boost]] Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:49:21 +0300 From: Vitalis Olunga <VOlunga(a)Safaricom.co.ke> Reply-To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> References: <478EEA7B.7040702(a)apc.org> If the two men, Jean Pierre de Leu - a resident in Kenya and owner of Karibunet and Brian Hilehy President of Heracles from SA- were truly involved in Africa One Project, then they should explain what happened to the contributions made to the Africa One Project, after it became a "White Elephant". The defunct KPTC and many other organizations did contribute to this project but it did not take-off. How can we trust them now that SEACOM will not go the same direction? And even if Seacom will be a success story, they should refund the contributions for Africa One. Vitalis -----Original Message----- From: fibre-for-africa-bounces(a)lists.apc.org [mailto:fibre-for-africa-bounces@lists.apc.org] On Behalf Of alice Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 8:41 AM To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants Subject: [Fibre-for-africa] [Fwd: Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: Re: SEACOM gets funding boost]] -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] SEACOM gets funding boost] Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:16:48 +0300 From: Victor Maloi <victormaloi3(a)gmail.com> To: alice <alice(a)apc.org> CC: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> References: <478E11D0.1070605(a)apc.org> Wakabi, You have not addressed the fact that the principals behind Seacom collected funds from African Telcos and never refunded the money when the project failed. KPTC now Telcom Kenya indeed paid and never recovered the funds. Should we embrace these individuals even when they stole from our national investments? Please declare your interests too. Victor -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] SEACOM gets funding boost Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:31:24 +0100 (CET) From: Wairagala Wakabi <wakabi(a)cipesa.org <mailto:wakabi@cipesa.org>> Reply-To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org <mailto:fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org>> To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org <mailto:fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org>> CC: Kenya ICT Action Network - KICTANet <kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet@kictanet.or.ke>> References: < 3104.217.113.73.239.1195028026.squirrel(a)mail.cipesa.org <mailto:3104.217.113.73.239.1195028026.squirrel@mail.cipesa.org>> <478CFEF7.1040209(a)apc.org <mailto:478CFEF7.1040209@apc.org>> Alice, Our understanding is that SEACOM (The Sea Cable System) is a registered in Mauritius and owned 25% by Herakles Telecom - the managing partner for the cable who is based in New York. The other partners: 1) Industrial Promotion Service of the Aga Khan Foundation (25%); 2) Venfin (a South African investment holding company with interests in IT (25%); 3) Shanduka Group, a South African investment company (12.5%); 4) Convergence Partners, a South African Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) investment company focusing on the Telecommunications, Media and Technology (TMT) sector - 12.5%. SEACOM says the ownership structure varies for each segment of the cable, which ensures local ownership of the cable segments connecting individual countries to comply with regulations in those countries. The cable backbone along the east coast of Africa and to India and Europe is owned by SEACOM; while the segments connecting to individual countries are either 100% (South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, India, France) or 35% (Tanzania, Kenya) locally owned. Wakabi ===== > Hi all > > Out of curiosity, who is SEACOM? rather who are behind SEACOM? > Anyone conducted due diligence. Any connection to the Africa One saga? > > best > alice > > > > Wairagala Wakabi wrote: >> Netters, >> Its backers are saying SEACOM will be the only new cable completed in >> time >> to give South Africa the bandwidth needed for the 2010 WC, with "actual >> production of the fibreoptic cable and undersea facilities" starting >> next >> week. SA's SNO, NEOTEL, has helped marshal capital from local financial >> heavyweights, enabling NEOTEL to be owned 50% by South Africans. >> >> Tut Tut... >> >> Wakabi >> >> >> Sea cable venture lands big investors >> >> By Lesley Stones, Business Day, November 14 2007 >> >> AN UNDERSEA cable promising cheap bandwidth for Africa yesterday finally >> named its backers, signing up enough well-connected local investors to >> guarantee its landing rights in SA. >> >> Investment heavyweight Venfin is sinking $75m into the project, taking a >> 25% stake in the 15000km cable linking SA to India and Europe. >> >> Cyril Ramaphosa's black investment house Shanduka is taking 12,5%, worth >> $37,5m. Another 12,5% goes to Convergence Partners, a group of black >> investors led by Andile Ngcaba, the chairman of Dimension Data Africa >> and >> a former director-general of the communications department. Nedbank >> Capital and Investec will provide financing for the $650m project. >> >> SA's second network operator, Neotel, is pumping in a far more modest >> R20m, and using its telecoms licence to guarantee that the cable can >> dock >> in SA. >> >> The local ownership is sufficient to ensure that Seacom meets >> controversial new conditions being drawn up by Communications Minister >> Ivy >> Matsepe-Casaburri, dictating who can land a cable in SA. The minister is >> insisting that any cable must be majority owned by African investors to >> come ashore. >> >> South Africans hold 50% of Seacom, and that rises to 75% African >> ownership >> thanks to 25% held by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development's >> Industrial Promotion Services, a development agency based in Kenya. >> >> The remaining 25% lies with New York's Herakles Telecom, a development >> group that has invested $4bn in Africa. >> >> Neotel is investing only in the local landing station, but its licence >> to >> operate in SA conferred on it the right to land a cable, said MD Ajay >> Pandey. >> >> "Our understanding is that the country needs international capacity, and >> the way international cable landing protocols have been defined means we >> have the opportunity here." >> >> Venfin CEO Jannie Durand said Neotel's licence to land a cable in SA >> meant >> everything had been done "legally and correctly". Venfin was backing >> Seacom for two reasons, he said: "We are hopefully going to make a lot >> of >> money out of it and SA needs more bandwidth. We want to bring SA >> affordable bandwidth to the rest of the world." >> >> Although the cable will cost $650m, it would be partly funded by loans >> as >> well as equity, allowing Venfin to take 25% for less than the book value >> of the project, Durand said. >> >> Pandey believes Seacom will be the onlyThe actual production of the >> fibreoptic cable and undersea facilities will start next week. >> >> The consortium has already invested more than $10m in a marine survey >> and >> engineering of the cable. The actual production of the fibreoptic cable >> and undersea facilities will start next week. >> >> Seacom will connect Mtunzini in SA to Mumbai in India and Marseilles in >> France via Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania by June 2009. >> >> Terrestrial links will be built to take its bandwidth to numerous other >> inland countries. Its capacity of 1,28 terabytes per second is 10 times >> the capacity on the existing Sat-3 cable around Africa's west coast. >> >> The consortium has promised that it will charge other voice and data >> carriers significantly less for its bandwidth than they pay to use Sat-3 >> or satellite services, which should trigger a massive decrease in the >> cost >> of phone calls, internet access and data transmissions for African >> consumers and businesses. >> >> "Improved access for business and individuals in Africa to >> communications, >> broadband services and new technology offerings can improve lives and >> help >> grow the economies of our countries," said Ngcaba, the chairman of >> Convergence Partners. "The linking of southern and east Africa with >> India >> and Europe is crucial for enhancing development and trade between these >> key regions." >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Fibre-for-africa mailing list >> Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org <mailto:Fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org> >> http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Fibre-for-africa mailing list > Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org <mailto:Fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org> > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa > _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org <mailto:Fibre-for-africa@lists.apc.org> http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa <http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa> _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: victormaloi3(a)gmail.com <mailto:victormaloi3@gmail.com> Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/victormaloi3%40gmai l.com _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa The information in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the use of the named addressee. Emails are susceptible to alteration and their integrity cannot be guaranteed. Safaricom Limited does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this email if the same is found to have been altered or manipulated. The contents and opinions expressed in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Safaricom Limited. Safaricom Limited disclaims any liability to the fullest extent permissible by law for any consequences that may arise from the contents of this email including but not limited to personal opinions, malicious and/or defamatory information and data/codes that may compromise or damage the integrity of the recipient's information technology systems. If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender and immediately delete this email from your system. _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa

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FW: Investment Opportunities Talk- Saturday 26th January 2008
by Bill Kagai 17 Jan '08

17 Jan '08

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Patrick Kariuki <pkariuki(a)genesis.co.ke> Date: Jan 16, 2008 1:53 PM The Kenya Association of Investment Groups together with our partners would like to invite you and your group members to participate in an Investment Opportunity Session. Date: Saturday 26th January, 2008 Time: 8:30am -1.00pm Venue: AMREF Headquarters This informative session will begin with a talk on "Investing in Uncertain times" by James Mworia (CFA, CPA(K), Advocate and member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants with 8 years Investment Management Experience ) Followed by presentations on forthcoming investment opportunities in Resolution Health and MediaCorp. Charges: Ksh 500(Members) Ksh 1000( Non-Members) There are limited spaces available by advance booking. To reserve your place please call 3517967 or email admin(a)kaig.org We look forward to seeing you. The Kenya Association of Investment Groups P. O Box 48525 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya. Tel 020 3517967 Email : admin(a)kaig.org -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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Re: [kictanet] [Fibre-for-africa] SEACOM gets funding boost
by alice 16 Jan '08

16 Jan '08

Hi all Out of curiosity, who is SEACOM? rather who are behind SEACOM? Anyone conducted due diligence. Any connection to the Africa One saga? best alice Wairagala Wakabi wrote: > Netters, > Its backers are saying SEACOM will be the only new cable completed in time > to give South Africa the bandwidth needed for the 2010 WC, with "actual > production of the fibreoptic cable and undersea facilities" starting next > week. SA's SNO, NEOTEL, has helped marshal capital from local financial > heavyweights, enabling NEOTEL to be owned 50% by South Africans. > > Tut Tut... > > Wakabi > > > Sea cable venture lands big investors > > By Lesley Stones, Business Day, November 14 2007 > > AN UNDERSEA cable promising cheap bandwidth for Africa yesterday finally > named its backers, signing up enough well-connected local investors to > guarantee its landing rights in SA. > > Investment heavyweight Venfin is sinking $75m into the project, taking a > 25% stake in the 15000km cable linking SA to India and Europe. > > Cyril Ramaphosa’s black investment house Shanduka is taking 12,5%, worth > $37,5m. Another 12,5% goes to Convergence Partners, a group of black > investors led by Andile Ngcaba, the chairman of Dimension Data Africa and > a former director-general of the communications department. Nedbank > Capital and Investec will provide financing for the $650m project. > > SA’s second network operator, Neotel, is pumping in a far more modest > R20m, and using its telecoms licence to guarantee that the cable can dock > in SA. > > The local ownership is sufficient to ensure that Seacom meets > controversial new conditions being drawn up by Communications Minister Ivy > Matsepe-Casaburri, dictating who can land a cable in SA. The minister is > insisting that any cable must be majority owned by African investors to > come ashore. > > South Africans hold 50% of Seacom, and that rises to 75% African ownership > thanks to 25% held by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development’s > Industrial Promotion Services, a development agency based in Kenya. > > The remaining 25% lies with New York’s Herakles Telecom, a development > group that has invested $4bn in Africa. > > Neotel is investing only in the local landing station, but its licence to > operate in SA conferred on it the right to land a cable, said MD Ajay > Pandey. > > “Our understanding is that the country needs international capacity, and > the way international cable landing protocols have been defined means we > have the opportunity here.” > > Venfin CEO Jannie Durand said Neotel’s licence to land a cable in SA meant > everything had been done “legally and correctly”. Venfin was backing > Seacom for two reasons, he said: “We are hopefully going to make a lot of > money out of it and SA needs more bandwidth. We want to bring SA > affordable bandwidth to the rest of the world.” > > Although the cable will cost $650m, it would be partly funded by loans as > well as equity, allowing Venfin to take 25% for less than the book value > of the project, Durand said. > > Pandey believes Seacom will be the onlyThe actual production of the > fibreoptic cable and undersea facilities will start next week. > > The consortium has already invested more than $10m in a marine survey and > engineering of the cable. The actual production of the fibreoptic cable > and undersea facilities will start next week. > > Seacom will connect Mtunzini in SA to Mumbai in India and Marseilles in > France via Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania by June 2009. > > Terrestrial links will be built to take its bandwidth to numerous other > inland countries. Its capacity of 1,28 terabytes per second is 10 times > the capacity on the existing Sat-3 cable around Africa’s west coast. > > The consortium has promised that it will charge other voice and data > carriers significantly less for its bandwidth than they pay to use Sat-3 > or satellite services, which should trigger a massive decrease in the cost > of phone calls, internet access and data transmissions for African > consumers and businesses. > > “Improved access for business and individuals in Africa to communications, > broadband services and new technology offerings can improve lives and help > grow the economies of our countries,” said Ngcaba, the chairman of > Convergence Partners. “The linking of southern and east Africa with India > and Europe is crucial for enhancing development and trade between these > key regions.” > > > > _______________________________________________ > Fibre-for-africa mailing list > Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org > http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa > >

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Online courtesy- dont misuse this forum!!!!
by Rebecca Wanjiku 14 Jan '08

14 Jan '08

Dear Yawe, I am sure my name has given me away too but I dont care much about that. Suffice it to say that this is not a forum for bar talk and that kind of stuff. This is a place for serious discussions. I am sure this kind of responses can make people to unsubscribe from this list, or make others start defending their political stand. For the years I have been a member of this list, I am sure Kictanet accommodates everybody irrespective of race, ethnic background or levels of development. This is a list with people beyond Kenya, who are interested in ICT policy and other attendant issues. If everybody came to narrate such stories online, I wonder what we will do during our free time when we are supposed to engage in idle talk. Let us restrict this kind of talk to political rallies and local pubs and let this forum be for serious ICT discussions. We must see beyond some of these things. If you have any bone to pick with my contribution please reply to me directly and not to the list. Walubengo has published guidelines on posting, I am sure he will be kind enough to re-post them just to remind ourselves how to conduct online discussions. Best regards Becky Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ ----- Original Message ---- From: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> To: Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com>; ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 8:26:09 AM Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Election process fiasco Hi Alex, If your name is a definite give away and I would have been more surprised if your contribution was any different. Do not create a storm in a tea cub, the Kikuyu should head the adage "with great power comes great responsibility". By not uplifting the livelihood of your neighbours in Eldoret, Kisumu and Kuresoi you failed in your responsibility. Yes, you are your brothers keeper do not escape your right. Taking us back to the days of your tribes existence as gatherers (sorry they still are) you are trying to justify your abdicated responsibility. Teach your pastoral and fishing neigbours how to better their lives and this problem will solve itself. Take Raila's hand and show him how by taking EA Spectre and the Molasses plant public is the way of the future instead of selling everything to Trans Century. Teach Ruto that education is the land of the future, his mentor ruled us for 24 years longer than Kenyatta ruled yet Gatundu is still better off than Sacho. It is time the Kikuyu accepted that they have misused their God given right to enrich yourselves and frustrate those you are responsible for. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: ke-users <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net> Sent: Tuesday, 8 January, 2008 9:30:09 PM Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Election process fiasco Greetings Robert, Let break it down! You mean every Kikuyu carries a "land thief" label on their forehead? Terrible thieves of indigenous lands they should all be. Hey, what am I saying? You live and your office is in Nairobi right? And Nairobi is a maasai name. oops! Then we are occupying indigenous maasai land and we should all vacate and go back to our ancestral homes to avoid massai rungus and spears. Step 1 Kalenjin head back to Rift Valley, Luo back to Luo-Nyanza, Kikuyus to Central Kenya, Arabs, Waswahili back to the coast, Taita... etc etc.. all 42 communities ( or should I use tribes?) Step 2 Before we unpack those sufurias, beddings, and bags and city life computers and modems. History says pssst! Look over here! Sorry Bantus, the Nigeria-Cameroon- Congo forest is where you belong you only came here 5,000 years ago (3000 BC) <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu#Origins> And you Nilotics get up further north to the Sudan, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilotic) Cushitics back to the arab-asia origins. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Asiatic_languages> Step 3 If you noticed above Nilotics include Maa-speaking peoples who earlier chased you and me from their Nairobi. etc.. etc.. Step 4 Nearly forgot, Indians please the British only brought you here to construct Her/His Majesty's EAR and you have over-stayed. Get packing thank you very much for your labours. BTW, White Kenyans remember Europe is where your ancestors are? Everyone is going back home where they belongs. ok! Step 5 If there are any Americans- Kenyans you go home as well. This is a hard one because once you get there, you then retrace where you came from because Native Americans claim that land. Australians the Aborigine wan their land back. Spanish Mexicans the Aztecs want back their land etc etc Step 6 Kenya's permanent solution to the Eldoret "problem" as per Yawe has triggered an unprecedented global migration crisis and succeeded in removing everyone from Kenya. In other works, there is no Kenya because Kenya was an artificial invention of some British adventurers who have all been compelled to go back home. Finally, Everybody is now safely back in their home land and permanent peace prevails all over the world? BTW regarding, "Evelyn brought out an interesting issue, can we digitize the land ownership patterns so that we can easily identify prospective problem zones before they flare up," I believe she must have been making reference to a KDN's business proposal because she works there and it's her job to look for new business. She's unlikely to share it with potential competitors on the list, at least I wouldn't:) Nice debate, hit me! Enjoy! Alex On Jan 8, 2008 8:04 PM, robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > Hi Alex, > > We know the genesis of the problems in Eldoret and whichever way the > election went the killings and displacements there would still have taken > place. Stop bombarding God with insincere prayers, we pray together only to > walk out of the judge and return to our tribal cocoons. > > The history and progression of the tensions in Eldoret are well known and > documented, it had nothing to do with the election results but Ruto > finishing off what he begun in 1992 - 1997. Remember is the one of the only > known participant in a cabinet meeting who was not a minister. > > Give the land back to the Kalenjin it was taken away from them by the > settlers but returned to the Kikuyu. If you want my added opinion if you > decide to eat a frog eat a fat juicy one, if the Kikuyu's really want to > remain in Eldoret let them make sure they have uninterrupted tracts of not > less than 100 acres and stop promising your sons and daughters that they > will inherit the land lets move to the new age, knowledge. > > Evelyn brought out an interesting issue, can we digitize the land ownership > patterns so that we can easily identify prospective problem zones before > they flare up. > > Lets stop useless rhetoric and apply our knowledge and skills to better run > this country, stop using 18th century solutions for 22nd century problems. > There are enough busy bodies dealing with the now and here of this crisis we > need a group to look 20 years ahead to make sure that the child born in > Eldoret, Nyeri or Kisumu today does not revert to the solutions of todays 20 > year old. > > Alex, I refuse to be pulled into a discussion that I cannot provide a > workable solution that is within my skill set. Ask me for a techie solution > to a problem then I am in my forte. > > Regards > > > > Robert Yawe > KAY System Technologies Ltd > Phoenix House, 6th Floor > P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 > KEnya > > Tel: +254722511225 > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Alex Gakuru <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> > To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> > Cc: ke-users <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net> > Sent: Tuesday, 8 January, 2008 12:58:48 PM > Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Election process fiasco > > Robert: > > Firstly, I am not opposed to your expressed opinion but only calling > on prioritisation of issues. We are lucky to be alive and in our > offices typing away our diverse polls opinions and offering our best > efforts in solving problems facing our suffering brothers and sisters. > > But could we at this moment in time focus all our energies on > solidifying returning peace and calm. Hard-line political positions, > polls details, allegations or insinuations will neither console those > that lost their loved ones, destroyed homes, property, and > livelihoods. Accusations will not console fellow Kenyans and relatives > since spending every night in the cold not because they committed any > crime. > > Let us all try a very difficult thing, forgiveness. Anger is easily > inflames and spread whereas honest forgiveness is such a difficult > thing for us to do. But why should we all forgive in the first place? > some may ask. > > I believe forgiveness should not be to please the aggressor, not to > gain political mileage, settle political scores, or improve ones > public image. We should not forgive to appear righteous to appease > our religious leaders, cultural traditions, or our families. > > We should forgive so that we save own selves from self-ruin. Save our > futures from burdens of pain and grief. To break free chains of > carrying burdens of hatred for the rest of our lives. For our > conscience, hearts and minds to be unpolluted, pure and clear. To > appreciate and focus on the beauty, value and to actualise sanctity of > life every moment that we live. And to become soldiers of life, love, > kindness, and fairness fellow beings. > > What possibly could ever justify one taking the life of another? I > simply could never find words strong enough to condemn such. > > Therefore, my friend, let is not tire ourselves with politicians power > self-interests when many are undergoing trauma. At this moment in > time politicians interests bother me the least. Time will tell and I > hope 10 years todays, this country will look back at this as the > darkest cloud ever to have passed over our country. > > Alex > > On Jan 8, 2008 11:52 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > > > Happy new year to you all and I pray that you are all well. > > > > It is shocking that in this day and age we can actually have the kind of > > electoral fiasco that has been visited on us by the ECK and Co as well as > > the political parties. > > > > This draconian problem reared its head when the Orange house was broken > into > > and the computers stolen. Hon.Nyongo's statement indicated that the > > objective was to steal the member register. If I needed to steal the > > register which from his comments was in electronic form what was the need > of > > taking off with the computer. Has he ever heard of flash disks, > external > > hard dis drives and CD/DVD writers. Technology allows me to steal his > data > > without him every knowing. > > > > After this issue Kivuiti dismissed the SMS service that had been made > > available by Telkom to enable voters confirm their details. He even went > to > > the extent of saying he does not know how to send an SMS. As the IT > > fraternity in the country can we really escape blame for this fiasco? > > > > The next time was when I saw Hon. Ruto standing at KICC and screaming > > himself hoarse over the forms 16 & 16A that had not been received. It > seems > > he might be using a Nokia 1018 mobile phone (he actually uses a Nokia N > > series). > > > > Was it so difficult for the opposition to provide each of their agents > with > > a camera equipped mobile phone that they would have used to to take > pictures > > of the form and also record the returning officer announcing the results. > > This would then have been easily sent to party head quarters. > > > > There are 210 or so constituencies in the country and the mobile phones I > am > > talking about cost about 10,000/- each do the math. > > > > I ask am I the only Kenyan who is aware of such technology or is this > entire > > fiasco a stage managed process. Even the EU observer teams came equipped > as > > if it was the 12th Century after which they proceeded to make unsupported > > statements about the result that further inflamed bloodshed. > > > > Maybe its a techie thing to keep in our glass houses and refuse to add > value > > to a process and only send around message (this one included) after the > > fact. > > > > It is re-assuring when we remember the Florida fiasco but this not > > withstanding do we really have a moral standing to point fingers about the > > election results? > > > > What will be our contribution to stopping this from being repeated in > > future? > > > > Regards > > > > Remember Matiba and his video cameras during the good old days of > mulolongo > > voting? > > > > Robert Yawe > > KAY System Technologies Ltd > > Phoenix House, 6th Floor > > P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 > > KEnya > > > > Tel: +254722511225 > > > > > > ________________________________ > > Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. > > > > ________________________________ > > Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. > > _______________________________________________ > > ke-internetusers mailing list > > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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Citi Group Forecast on Kenya Economy
by Bill Kagai 14 Jan '08

14 Jan '08

Attached -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs
by Leonard Mware 12 Jan '08

12 Jan '08

Shim et al, For the first time I feel compelled to contribute to this discussions. I am basically in the same boat as Shim and trying to answer the same questions. Recently in Tanzania, I had a debate about Kenya and Tanzania and the question of tribalism came up. the first thing they say is Kenya is so tribal that each tribe has an FM radio station! Something Tanzanians can not allow and find strange. To me, a ban on tribal FM stations is long overdue. Leonard ----- Original Message ---- From: Geoffrey Shimanyula <gshimanyula(a)ke.uu.net> To: mleonardo(a)yahoo.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 3:18:14 PM Subject: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Dr. Ndemo et al, I wish to attempt to my one cent worth of contribution this mailing list by giving a story of my early schooling. Having started my schooling in a rural setting, vernacular was one of the lessons that we had to learn. The unfortunate thing was that the dialect we were learning was quite different from that which we spoke back at home. I now understand the reason for that being that no one had ever published a book in our dialect. To this date, I see no value in having learnt that dialect for it does not help me in my every day life today. Fast forward to December 30th 2008 and for the first time, my children ask me what tribe they are. This is because they are descendants of a mixed marriage. For them, the language to use is English or Kiswahili depending on the audience. And the only reason why they asked me this is because they heard of the tribal fighting's that were going on around the country. I am saying all this because as one of the contributors to this forum stated recently, over 60% of KENYANS are literate and when I say literate here I mean those who can utter a word or two in English because Kiswahili is by-and-large used all over the country with the flavor varying from one region to another. I believe that we need to be confident enough to let "other" people understand that which is being spoken and by this I am referring to the FM radio stations that use proprietary languages/dialects. I am not in any way against radio stations having a niche in terms of captive audience but I believe that they can still achieve their objective in a transparent language in this case - Kiswahili. This way, we shall eliminate all sorts of mistrusts that we are seeing today in this beautiful country. We don't need these vernacular radio stations in a country that is striving to move from the LDC quadrant. Regards, Shim... -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+gshimanyula=ke.uu.net(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+gshimanyula=ke.uu.net@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of bitange(a)jambo.co.ke Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:47 PM To: gshimanyula(a)ke.uu.net Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Dear Yawe, Asante sana. You have said it all. We need your participation in reaching all our villages and shanties with the hope of creating wealth there. If we manage to create wealth for our people and they use that wealth to acquire properties, there will be less conflict because they have something to lose. Where I live, I know two politicians from both sides but what is striking is that they are good neighbours. They jealously guard their properties but their supporters in Kibera and Mathare fight and even kill one another. The ICT Bill is coming up and we need your views on Venacular FM stations. Perhaps we all need to revist Nyerere's philosopy of undugu. There is much to learn from our neighbours in TZ. Bitange Ndemo. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: gshimanyula(a)ke.uu.net Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/gshimanyula%40ke.uu.net _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: mleonardo(a)yahoo.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mleonardo%40yahoo.com ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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Kenya’s trauma, and how to end it | openDemocracy
by Alex Gakuru 12 Jan '08

12 Jan '08

[Thanks to ke-users list members for these pointers and excuse my crossposting--AlexG] Kenya is traumatized needs healing. Paraphrasing Brackenreed, D. http://www.nipissingu.ca/education/darleneb/ When disaster strikes, we go through "The Stages of Acceptance" 1. Shock is the numb, distancing feeling that engulfe when the bad news is being delivered 2. Disbelief is the stage in which do not do not believe the reports. 3. Denial is the the stage in which the we refuse to even consider that it exists and hope, e.g. "It'll soon go away by itself." 4. Anger occurs as the denial breaks down and the divisions become more real and apparent, "Why did this happen to us?" 5. Bargaining is evident when we decide that dedication will somehow alleviate the condition, "Maybe the problem will improve if we outlaw some 'tribal' embodiments." 6. Depression is evident when we start making statements like "What's the use?" "What will happen next?" - we may despair of ever finding a solution and feel sad and helpless. 7. Acceptance is the stage at which we can look past the tribe and accept people as they are. A stage beyond acceptance is to cherish our different cultures for those differences and for how that diversity has made our lives better. The goal of healing is to reach acceptance so that everyone is able to make appropriate decisions. At what stage could we consider ourselves at? Wanyama Masinde proposes a seven point agenda towards reaching this goal. <http://opendemocracy.net/article/democracy_power/kenya_seven_questions>

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Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs
by James Kagwe 10 Jan '08

10 Jan '08

Dear all, I totally agree with this and I happened to intentionally listen to some of the vernacular radio stations during the elections day (names undisclosed) and the content was quite inciting and tribal. As Geoffrey is saying I don't think there is anyone in Kenya today who does not understand Kiswahili and therefore we can have them using Swahili or English restrictively. We happen to have quite a number of English stations Kiss, Easy, Classics, Capital e.t.c and every morning as I go work I hear different people enjoying breakfast shows from different stations and as a result all of them are competing but are in business. The suggestions made earlier of the ICT bill and media self regulation helping to resolve the issue is not very practical considering for example that you need a Kikuyu to understand inciting information emanating from a Kikuyu radio station and the same with other tribes. Given the tribal alignment that we are seeing even in professional organizations media regulation may follow suit where we may have those supposed to ensure conformity being compromised because it is their tribe that is being affected. Radio stations should use languages that are nationally understandable to all. Regards, James Kagwe ********************************************************************* Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis Bishops Garden Towers Bishops Road P.O. Box 56445 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254) 20 2719933, 2719934, 2714714, 2714715 Fax: (254) 20 2719951 Confidentiality Warning ======================= The contents of this e-mail and any accompanying documentation are confidential and any use thereof, in what ever form, by anyone other than the addressee is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify admin(a)kippra.or.ke and delete it immediately from your system. Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis accepts no responsibility for losses or damage as a result of any viruses and it is your responsibility to check attachments (if any) for viruses. -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Geoffrey Shimanyula Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 3:18 PM To: James Kagwe Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Dr. Ndemo et al, I wish to attempt to my one cent worth of contribution this mailing list by giving a story of my early schooling. Having started my schooling in a rural setting, vernacular was one of the lessons that we had to learn. The unfortunate thing was that the dialect we were learning was quite different from that which we spoke back at home. I now understand the reason for that being that no one had ever published a book in our dialect. To this date, I see no value in having learnt that dialect for it does not help me in my every day life today. Fast forward to December 30th 2008 and for the first time, my children ask me what tribe they are. This is because they are descendants of a mixed marriage. For them, the language to use is English or Kiswahili depending on the audience. And the only reason why they asked me this is because they heard of the tribal fighting's that were going on around the country. I am saying all this because as one of the contributors to this forum stated recently, over 60% of KENYANS are literate and when I say literate here I mean those who can utter a word or two in English because Kiswahili is by-and-large used all over the country with the flavor varying from one region to another. I believe that we need to be confident enough to let "other" people understand that which is being spoken and by this I am referring to the FM radio stations that use proprietary languages/dialects. I am not in any way against radio stations having a niche in terms of captive audience but I believe that they can still achieve their objective in a transparent language in this case - Kiswahili. This way, we shall eliminate all sorts of mistrusts that we are seeing today in this beautiful country. We don't need these vernacular radio stations in a country that is striving to move from the LDC quadrant. Regards, Shim... -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+gshimanyula=ke.uu.net(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+gshimanyula=ke.uu.net@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of bitange(a)jambo.co.ke Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:47 PM To: gshimanyula(a)ke.uu.net Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Dear Yawe, Asante sana. You have said it all. We need your participation in reaching all our villages and shanties with the hope of creating wealth there. If we manage to create wealth for our people and they use that wealth to acquire properties, there will be less conflict because they have something to lose. Where I live, I know two politicians from both sides but what is striking is that they are good neighbours. They jealously guard their properties but their supporters in Kibera and Mathare fight and even kill one another. The ICT Bill is coming up and we need your views on Venacular FM stations. Perhaps we all need to revist Nyerere's philosopy of undugu. There is much to learn from our neighbours in TZ. Bitange Ndemo. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: gshimanyula(a)ke.uu.net Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/gshimanyula%40ke.uu .net _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: jkagwe(a)kippra.or.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jkagwe%40kippra.or. ke

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East Africa: M-Net commissions Kenya’s Big Ideas Entertainment to make first East African drama (something to celebrate)
by alice 10 Jan '08

10 Jan '08

Congratulations Big Ideas...Kenya continues to make waves...positive waves.... East Africa: M-Net commissions Kenya’s Big Ideas Entertainment to make first East African drama In its second major announcement in a week, M-Net confirmed its partnership with Big Ideas Entertainment, the Kenyan TV company which has been commissioned to produce M-Net’s first ever East-African drama series. Breaking the news of the Big Ideas appointment, just 5 months after M-Net first revealed its intention to create a regionalized drama series, was M-Net’s Director of Operations for sub-Saharan Africa Joseph Hundah. ''I say this frequently because it’s true. M-Net is determined to continue to pioneer new African content. We very definitely will meet the needs of audiences in this market to see their own stories on our screens. M-Net will continue creating strong programs that enable MultiChoice Africa to provide the best local content value to DStv viewers.'' He went on to say, ''From the moment M-Net began calling for series proposals on June 4, we started receiving creative ideas. It was a long process of evaluation before we made our final decision. In Big Ideas Entertainment, we have an ally who shares our vision and aims to deliver viewing which East African audiences can relate to and enjoy.'' The process of selection was a rigorous one and began immediately after the deadline for entries closed in August. All proposals received were evaluated critically by a team of four experts including M-Net Program Manager for East Africa Wangeci Murage and Kenya’s Catholic University lecturer of literature, theatre and drama Simon Peter. Thereafter a key M-Net panel also deliberated over the proposals and the evaluations before short-listing six companies for the pitching round. These pitching sessions where held early in October in Nairobi and it was here that Big Ideas Entertainment put forward their winning pitch. Telling stories of love, hope, triumph and tragedy, their series follows three couples as they juggle the demands of work, marriage and family. Set against a contemporary East African backdrop, reflecting the societies in which they live and the challenges which they share, the three couples are at the heart of this entertaining, inspirational, realistic look at modern life in Africa today. Now in pre-production and with its name still be finalized, the series is set to make M-Net history, drawing actors from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and using local crew. The Big Ideas Entertainment team of Njoki Muhoho (Executive Producer), Willie Owusu (DOP) and Aleks Kamau (Editor) will helm the show with Serah Mwihaki on the writing staff. Also playing a vital role on the show is company director Angelo Kinyua, the CNN Multichoice African Journalist 2005 winner, who takes on the role as the show’s Line Producer. Filming on the 13-part, 48-minute weekly series will begin early in 2008 and DStv audiences will be able to watch the show on M-Net later in the year. Angola: Angolan actors in crime film 'killed by police' The director of an Angolan crime film says police have shot dead two of his actors after mistaking them for real armed robbers. The duo were carrying unloaded firearms as they filmed a scene in a rough suburb of the capital Luanda, director Radical Ribeiro told AFP news agency. He said police roared up to the set and began shooting at close range. Angolan officials have not commented on the incident. Ribeiro says he had permission to film in the area. Ribeiro told AFP that police arrived at the scene in a pick-up truck and "started shooting at everybody at close range". He was "stunned" when he saw the two actors fall down, he added. "They went on shooting until I shouted out: 'Please don't shoot, this is a movie.'" The officers then stopped firing and left without attending to the wounded, who were taken to hospital, Ribeiro said. (BBC, 18th December 2007) Senegal: The Shape of Water The Shape of Water is a new feature documentary that tells the stories of powerful, imaginative and visionary women confronting the destructive development of the Third World with new cultures and a passion for change. The film takes us to Senegal, Israel/Palestine, Brazil, and India where these new cultures (alongside old traditions) include a campaign to end female genital cutting (FGC), offer innovative forms of opposition to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and show how women are spearheading the implementation of renewable resources and rainforest preservation by tapping trees to obtain rubber. The Shape of Water also includes coverage of a vast co-operative of rural women in India (SEWA) and, in the foothills of the Himalayas, to a farm, Navdanya, set up to preserve biodiversity and women’s role as seed keepers. By interweaving images, words, and the actions of Khady, Bilkusben, Oraiza, Dona Antonia, and Gila, The Shape of Water offers fresh insights into the lives of women in the Third World.

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Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 10 Jan '08

10 Jan '08

Dear Yawe, Asante sana. You have said it all. We need your participation in reaching all our villages and shanties with the hope of creating wealth there. If we manage to create wealth for our people and they use that wealth to acquire properties, there will be less conflict because they have something to lose. Where I live, I know two politicians from both sides but what is striking is that they are good neighbours. They jealously guard their properties but their supporters in Kibera and Mathare fight and even kill one another. The ICT Bill is coming up and we need your views on Venacular FM stations. Perhaps we all need to revist Nyerere's philosopy of undugu. There is much to learn from our neighbours in TZ. Bitange Ndemo.

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Important ICANN JPA midterm review
by Michuki Mwangi 10 Jan '08

10 Jan '08

<apologies for cross posting> Dear All As you maybe aware ICANN is subject to midterm reviews by the Department of Commerce (DOC) in 2008 following the signing of the extension of the contract in Sept 2006. One of the important issues that arose prior to the extension of the contract was ICANNs independence from the US Government. This midterm review is important as it presents an opportunity for all those keen on the issues to give in their comments, feedback and reviews on ICANNs performance based on the contract. Kindly take time to read through and give your feedback to the DOC and also distribute within your local communities. Thanks and regards, Michuki Mwangi President AfTLD. ------------------------------------------------ http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/frnotices/2007/ICANN_JPA_110207.html <http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/frnotices/2007/ICANN_JPA_110207.html> Federal Register Notice: The Continued Transition of the Technical Coordination and Management of the Internet's Domain Name and Addressing System: Midterm Review of the Joint Project Agreement DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Telecommunications and Information Administration Docket No. 071023616-7617-01 The Continued Transition of the Technical Coordination and Management of the Internet's Domain Name and Addressing System: Midterm Review of the Joint Project Agreement AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commence ACTION: Notice of Inquiry SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) seeks comments on the continued transition to the private sector of the technical coordination and management of the Internet's domain name and addressing system (DNS). NTIA and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) signed a Joint Project Agreement (JPA) on September 29, 2006. It called for a midpoint review of ICANN's progress towards becoming a more stable organization with greater transparency and accountability in its procedures and decision making. The Department of Commerce seeks comment regarding the progress achieved on the Responsibilities identified in the JPA. DATES: Comments are due on or before February 15, 2008. ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by mail to Suzanne R. Sene, Office of International Affairs, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 4701, Washington, DC 20230. Paper submissions should include a three and one-half inch computer diskette in HTML, ASCII, Word or WordPerfect format (please specify version). Diskettes should be labeled with the name and organizational affiliation of the filer, and the name of the word processing program used to create the document. Alternatively, comments may be submitted electronically to JPAMidTermReview(a)ntia.doc.gov <mailto:JPAMidTermReview@ntia.doc.gov>. Comments provided via electronic mail should also be submitted in one or more of the formats specified above. Comments will be posted to NTIA's website at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/jpamidtermreview.html <http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/jpamidtermreview.html> . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this Notice contact: Suzanne R. Sene, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 4701, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3167; or email: ssene(a)ntia.doc.gov <mailto:ssene@ntia.doc.gov> Please direct media inquiries to the Office of Public Affairs, NTIA, at (202) 482-7002 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: A July 1, 1997 Executive Memorandum directed the Secretary of Commerce to privatize the domain name system (DNS) in a manner that increases competition and facilitates international participation in its management. In order to fulfill this Presidential directive, the Department of Commerce in June 1998, issued a statement of policy on the privatization of the Internet Domain Name System (DNS), known as the DNS White Paper. This document articulated four primary functions for global DNS coordination and management: 1. To set policy for and direct the allocation of IP number blocks; 2. To oversee the operation of the Internet root server system; 3. To oversee policy for determining the circumstances under which new top level domains (TLDs) would be added to the root server system; and 4. To coordinate the assignment of other technical protocol parameters as needed to maintain universal connectivity on the Internet. In the DNS White Paper, the Department of Commerce concluded that these functions were relevant to the state of the DNS and should be primarily performed through private sector management. To this end, the Department of Commerce stated that it was prepared to enter into agreement with a new not-for-profit corporation formed by private sector Internet stakeholders. Private sector interests formed the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for this purpose. In the fall of 1998, the Department of Commerce entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ICANN, a California non-profit corporation, to transition technical DNS coordination and management functions to the private sector. On June 30, 2005 NTIA released the U.S. Principles on the Internet's Domain Name and Addressing System, which state: the United States Government intends to preserve the security and stability of the DNS by maintaining its historic role in authorizing changes or modifications to the authoritative root zone file; governments have legitimate interest in the management of their country code top level domains (ccTLD); ICANN is the appropriate technical manager of the Internet's DNS; and dialogue related to Internet governance should continue in relevant multiple fora. On May 23, 2006, NTIA issued a Notice of Inquiry and announced a Public Meeting on The Continued Transition of the Technical Coordination and Management of the Internet Domain Name and Addressing System. The public consultation resulted in over 700 contributions from individuals, private corporations, trade associations, non-governmental entities and foreign governments. It showed broad support for continuing the transition of the coordination of the technical management of the DNS to the private sector and the continued involvement of the DOC in this transition. On September 29, 2006, NTIA and ICANN signed a Joint Project Agreement (JPA) extending the current Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and ICANN. The JPA called for a midpoint review of ICANN's progress towards becoming a more stable organization with greater transparency and accountability in its procedures and decision making. REQUEST FOR COMMENT: Given the requirement of a midterm review in the JPA, NTIA seeks comments on the progress achieved on the Responsibilities included in the JPA. The questions below are intended to assist in identifying the issues and should not be construed as a limitation on comments that may be submitted. When references are made to studies, research, and other empirical data that are not widely published, please provide copies of the referenced materials with the submitted comments. 1. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to security and stability: "ICANN shall coordinate, at the overall level, the global Internet's systems of unique identifiers, and in particular to ensure the stable and secure operation of the Internet's unique identifier systems." What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? 2. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to transparency: "ICANN shall continue to develop, test and improve processes and procedures to encourage improved transparency, accessibility, efficiency, and timeliness in the consideration and adoption of policies related to technical coordination of the Internet DNS, and funding for ICANN operations. ICANN will innovate and aspire to be a leader in the area of transparency for organizations involved in private sector management." What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? 3. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to accountability: "ICANN shall continue to develop, test, maintain, and improve on accountability mechanisms to be responsive to global Internet stakeholders in the consideration and adoption of policies related to the technical coordination of the Internet DNS, including continuing to improve openness and accessibility for enhanced participation in ICANN's bottom-up participatory policy development processes." What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? 4. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to root server security and relationships: "ICANN shall continue to coordinate with the operators of root name servers and other appropriate experts with respect to the operational and security matters, both physical and network, relating to the secure and stable coordination of the root zone; ensure appropriate contingency planning; maintain clear processes in root zone changes. ICANN will work to formalize relationships with root name server operators." What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? 5. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to TLD management: ICANN shall maintain and build on processes to ensure that competition, consumer interests, and Internet DNS stability and security issues are identified and considered in TLD management decisions, including the consideration and implementation of new TLDs and the introduction of IDNs. ICANN will continue to develop its policy development processes, and will further develop processes for taking into account recommendations from ICANN's advisory committees and supporting organizations and other relevant expert advisory panels and organizations. ICANN shall continue to enforce existing policy relating to WHOIS, such existing policy requires that ICANN implement measures to maintain timely, unrestricted and public access to accurate and complete WHOIS information, including registrant, technical, billing and administrative contact information. ICANN shall continue its efforts to achieve stable agreements with country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) operators." What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? 6. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to the multi-stakeholder model: "ICANN shall maintain and improve multi-stakeholder model and the global participation of all stakeholders, including conducting reviews of its existing advisory committees and supporting organizations, and will continue to further the effectiveness of the bottom-up policy development processes. ICANN will strive to increase engagement with the Private Sector by developing additional mechanisms for involvement of those affected by the ICANN policies." What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? 7. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to the role of governments: "ICANN shall work with the Government Advisory Committee Members to review the GAC's role within ICANN so as to facilitate effective consideration of GAC advice on the public policy aspects of the technical coordination of the Internet." What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? 8. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to IP addressing: "ICANN shall continue to work collaboratively on a global and regional level so as to incorporate Regional Internet Registries' policy-making activities into the ICANN processes while allowing them to continue their technical work. ICANN shall continue to maintain legal agreements with the RIRs (and such other appropriate organizations) reflecting this work." What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? 9. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to corporate responsibility: "ICANN shall maintain excellence and efficiency in operations, including good governance, organizational measures to maintain stable, international private sector organization, and shall maintain relevant technical and business experience for members of the Board of Directors, executive management, and staff. ICANN will implement appropriate mechanisms that foster participation in ICANN by global Internet stakeholders, such as providing educational services and fostering information sharing for constituents and promoting best practices among industry segments." What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? 10. In the JPA, ICANN agreed to undertake the following with respect to its corporate administrative structure: "ICANN shall conduct a review of, and shall make necessary changes in, corporate administrative structure to ensure stability, including devoting adequate resources to contract enforcement, taking into account organizational and corporate governance 'best practices.'" What progress do you believe ICANN has achieved with regard to this Responsibility since October 1, 2006? If you believe that progress has been made, please explain how and why? Could more be done by ICANN in this area? Dated: October 30, 2007 John M. R. Kneuer Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information SEARCH: Digital TV Transition & Public Safety Act NTIA RSS News Feed Click for the NTIA RSS News Feed What is a RSS News Feed? Spectrum Policy Initiative More Information • FY2008 Budget Request • Additional Links • Privacy Policy • FOIA Information and Points of Contact • Information Quality Guidelines • Accessibility Information • Adobe Acrobat Reader Home | Publications | Newsroom | Policy | International | Spectrum | Grants | Research National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC 20230 ### The JPA is at this link as well as the affirmation of responsibilities: http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-29sep06.htm

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Fwd: [ke-internetusers] Fwd: KPTJ Press statement on Naming of Cabinet
by Alex Gakuru 09 Jan '08

09 Jan '08

[A NOTE for the record, I it is appreciated the "government sector" has not censored online communication in these complicated times for information handlers--AlexG] /FYI ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Jan 9, 2008 2:49 PM Subject: FW: KPTJ Press statement on Naming of Cabinet Subject: KPTJ Press statement on Naming of Cabinet Kenyans for Peace with Truth and Justice Statement from concerned citizens and governance, human rights and legal organizations We speak in the name of Kenya's governance, human rights and legal organizations, as well as the concerned citizens who have contacted and chosen to work with us over the last two weeks. In our previous statement, we noted that, at the heart of the three forms of violence now being experienced across the country—disorganised and spontaneous, organised militia activity and disproportionate use of force by the Kenya Police Force and the General Service Unit—is the violation of fundamental freedoms and rights directly related to the electoral process. It is clear that the electoral anomalies and malpractices experienced during the counting and tallying of the presidential vote were so grave as to alter its outcomes. Some of those electoral anomalies and malpractices were, in addition, illegal—thus rendering the supposed presidential outcome not only illegitimate but also illegal. We therefore consider Mwai Kibaki to be in office still on his first term. We note now, with grave concern, the announcement yesterday by the man sworn in as President of his supposed Cabinet. We consider this announcement to have been made by a man in office illegitimately and illegally and therefore to be null and void. We further note that this announcement has, in fact, aggravated and inflamed the current violence—as evidenced by the disorganised and spontaneous protests witnessed yesterday in reaction to the announcement. We consider that the announcement has thus seriously compromised the environment for mediation. We refuse to allow the man sworn in as President to continue presenting the nation with what is, in effect, a series of 'faits accomplis.' We therefore reiterate our demands that, in particular: 1. African states and the rest of the international community, particularly the United States given its currently unhelpful unilateral approach, to continue to pressurize for mediation by the region under the leadership of President John Kuffour of Ghana, current head of the African Union, between the Party of National Unity and the Orange Democratic Movement on addressing the electoral travesty that has occurred; 2. The mediation process to, as its first priority, agree upon an interim electoral oversight body to conduct a forensic audit into the polling, counting and tallying process with a view to recommending, depending on its findings, a re-count, a re-tallying or a re-run within a specified time period; 3. African states and the rest of the international community to, in the interim, deny official recognition to the man sworn in as President and his supposed Cabinet; and, in addition; 4. All those supposedly announced as Cabinet members to refuse to take up their positions upon their swearing in so as to enable the mediation process to proceed. Signed: Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) Awaaz Centre for Law and Research International (CLARION) Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) Centre for Rights, Education and Awareness for Women (CREAW) (CRADLE) Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO) East African Law Society (EALS) Haki Focus Hema la Katiba Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) Innovative Lawyering Institute for Education in Democracy (IED) International Commission of Jurists (ICJ-Kenya) Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) Kenya Leadership Institute (KLI) Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) Kituo cha Sheria Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Media Institute Muslim Human Rights Forum National Constitution Executive Council (NCEC) Release Political Prisoners (RPP) Society for International Development (SID) Urgent Action Fund (UAF)-Africa Youth Agenda Annex 1: previous demands Our previous demands were for: 1. All efforts and initiatives to consistently stress that peace cannot and will not be achieved without electoral truth and justice; 2. All Kenyans to stand up to be counted not just for peace but also for electoral truth and justice; 3. The state to respect and uphold the rights to the freedoms of expression, assembly and association so as to ensure Kenyans protest only legally, legitimately and non-violently; 4. All politicians and political parties to immediately desist from the re-activation, support and use of militia organizations such as those active in the Rift Valley, Mungiki and Chinkororo; 5. The Ministry of Internal Security, the Police Force and the General Service Unit to exercise their duties within the boundaries of the Constitution and the law and desist from any extraordinary use of force and, in particular, extrajudicial executions; 6. The Electoral Commission of Kenya to immediately resign for having participated in and condoned a presidential electoral process so flawed as to result in our nation's current crisis; 7. African states and the rest of the international community to pressurize for mediation between the Party of National Unity and the Orange Democratic Movement on addressing the electoral travesty that has occurred; 8. The mediation process to, as its first priority, agree upon an interim electoral oversight body to conduct a forensic audit into the polling, counting and tallying process with a view to recommending, depending on its findings, a re-count, a re-tallying or a re-run within a specified time period; 9. African states and the rest of the international community to, in the interim, deny official recognition to the man sworn in as President; 10. African states and the rest of the international community to immediately revoke any and all visas for any and all of the PNU's and ODM's leadership—as well as all of their immediate family members—to ensure they remain in this country to resolve the electoral travesty that has occurred; 11. The man sworn in as President to desist from announcing a Cabinet and otherwise aggravating and inflaming the current violence. Contact Linda Ochiel Principal Human Rights Officer Media and Communications Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) CVS Plaza, Lenana Road P.O.Box 743559-00200 Nairobi -Kenya Tel 254-20-2717908/2717928/2712664 Cellphone: 254-722-583-200/254-727-642193 haki(a)knchr.org _______________________________________________ ke-internetusers mailing list ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers

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Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs
by James Kagwe 09 Jan '08

09 Jan '08

Robert, Maybe we should start campaigning for all vernacular stations to be shut. I don't think they add so much value, in any case we have a fairly literal community in Kenya and I'm almost sure there are very few in Kenya who cannot understand Kiswahili and English. In any case the cost of teaching Basic English and Swahili languages to those who do not know is cheaper than what we have lost in one week. What happened last week has never happened since independence and probably the main cause is the vernacular radio stations which have drastically increased in the last 3-5 years with their inciting messages and statements. Best Regards, James Kagwe ********************************************************************* Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis Bishops Garden Towers Bishops Road P.O. Box 56445 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254) 20 2719933, 2719934, 2714714, 2714715 Fax: (254) 20 2719951 Confidentiality Warning ======================= The contents of this e-mail and any accompanying documentation are confidential and any use thereof, in what ever form, by anyone other than the addressee is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify admin(a)kippra.or.ke <mailto:admin@kippra.or.ke> and delete it immediately from your system. Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis accepts no responsibility for losses or damage as a result of any viruses and it is your responsibility to check attachments (if any) for viruses. ________________________________ From: robert yawe [mailto:robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 10:17 AM To: James Kagwe Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Hi Kagwe, Why is it that tribal issues are most violent outcome among poor? I believe because they suffer from more than economic poverty but also associative poverty. When the Luo's call their shanty villages Kisumu Ndogo and the Kikuyu's Kwanjenga we refuse to create diversity of association and thus loose the opportunity for cultural wealth. The creation of vernacular radio stations has not helped the issue either. We have become worse had implementing ethnic segregation than God or the colonizers, the Boars cannot hold up a candle to us. What this does is it makes it uncomfortable for me and my neighbour to listen to radio together because he is Luo and I am what I am. With a literacy level of 60% why are we cowering into our tribal cocoons instead of becoming more cohesive. I believe that Kiswahili and English programing should take up 80% of all radio station content otherwise we might as well have the parliamentarians take a vernacular proficiency test to be allowed to participate in elections and also have our national exams done in vernacular. Who funds this radio channels that propagate ethnicity, its the Breweries, Safaricoms, Bidcos and Coca Colas as their only objective is a profit. They then walk around flounting their CSR (or should it be CPR - corporate profit responsibility) programs, if they refused to support all this ethnic stations their CSR programs might be more effective. After supporting KASS FM and others they will now be running to Eldoret to give blankets to people who where, as of 27th December, self reliant before the radio station broadcast inflammatory contents soon after the commercial message. The lawyers have got us to this impasse when they arm-twisted the Moi government to issue all with radio frequencies, similarly to what they did for Rwanda. As history teaches us we never learn from it, we are moving full steam towards ethnic cleansing. Let us us make use of technology to broadcast information that will bring us together, lets run completions that test our knowledge of other ethnic groups. Lets install computers in our rural schools and have the children send e-mails to each other across the country, not those misguided projects that get Kenyan children to communicate with kids in Europe & the US. We have the technology that allows us to implement solutions that do not require parliamentary approval or a government license. Awake and stop this lip service on the issue of ethnicity we are all responsible for getting this country to where it is today. Do we have what it takes to change course. Yes, I do know the causes and like a typical Kenyan I know the solutions but only discuss them on forums instead of taking action. Like a serial killer I am looking to be stopped, can someone push me to act on my theories? Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: James Kagwe <jkagwe(a)KIPPRA.OR.KE> To: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Tuesday, 8 January, 2008 3:09:19 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Please let us know that the problem we are having in the country now is more in the mind than anywhere else. Technology could help but even with technology it is possible for people who have the same tribal convictions that their tribal chief has to be the president to conspire to inflate the polls and actually go ahead and mark the ballot papers in favor of their candidate. Tribalism is the main problem and this has to be fought by all means. Most of the problems were experienced in the strongholds of the main candidates and this confirms the greatest worry. ________________________________ From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Evelyn Rono Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 12:29 PM To: James Kagwe Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' Subject: Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Hi Bobby, Several ICT companies and individuals approached the ECK with the intention of supporting and a managing the process with ICT. I quote " ECK in 2004 was provided with IT hardware & software and GIS electoral database created with each individual polling station positions' mapped using GIS technology that integrated with the electoral database through a unique ID for polling station. The constituency boundaries provided the domain universe within which each polling station could be located for administrative purposes. Training was also conducted for ECK". The same company tried to do the same 2007 This did not happen - Only ECK knows. Evelyn Rono From: kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of robert yawe Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 11:51 AM To: evelyn.rono(a)kdn.co.ke Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Happy new year to you all and I pray that you are all well. It is shocking that in this day and age we can actually have the kind of electoral fiasco that has been visited on us by the ECK and Co as well as the political parties. This draconian problem reared its head when the Orange house was broken into and the computers stolen. Hon.Nyongo's statement indicated that the objective was to steal the member register. If I needed to steal the register which from his comments was in electronic form what was the need of taking off with the computer. Has he ever heard of flash disks, external hard dis drives and CD/DVD writers. Technology allows me to steal his data without him every knowing. After this issue Kivuiti dismissed the SMS service that had been made available by Telkom to enable voters confirm their details. He even went to the extent of saying he does not know how to send an SMS. As the IT fraternity in the country can we really escape blame for this fiasco? The next time was when I saw Hon. Ruto standing at KICC and screaming himself hoarse over the forms 16 & 16A that had not been received. It seems he might be using a Nokia 1018 mobile phone (he actually uses a Nokia N series). Was it so difficult for the opposition to provide each of their agents with a camera equipped mobile phone that they would have used to to take pictures of the form and also record the returning officer announcing the results. This would then have been easily sent to party head quarters. There are 210 or so constituencies in the country and the mobile phones I am talking about cost about 10,000/- each do the math. I ask am I the only Kenyan who is aware of such technology or is this entire fiasco a stage managed process. Even the EU observer teams came equipped as if it was the 12th Century after which they proceeded to make unsupported statements about the result that further inflamed bloodshed. Maybe its a techie thing to keep in our glass houses and refuse to add value to a process and only send around message (this one included) after the fact. It is re-assuring when we remember the Florida fiasco but this not withstanding do we really have a moral standing to point fingers about the election results? What will be our contribution to stopping this from being repeated in future? Regards Remember Matiba and his video cameras during the good old days of mulolongo voting? Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi , 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mailuk/taglines/isp/control/*http:/us.rd.yahoo.c om/evt=51949/*http:/uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail/winter07.html> - a smarter inbox. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner <http://www.mailscanner.info/> , and is believed to be clean. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner <http://www.mailscanner.info/> , and is believed to be clean. -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/robertyawe%40yahoo. co.uk ________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mailuk/taglines/isp/control/*http:/us.rd.yahoo.c om/evt=51949/*http:/uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail/winter07.html> - a smarter inbox.

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Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs
by robert yawe 09 Jan '08

09 Jan '08

Hi Kagwe, Why is it that tribal issues are most violent outcome among poor? I believe because they suffer from more than economic poverty but also associative poverty. When the Luo's call their shanty villages Kisumu Ndogo and the Kikuyu's Kwanjenga we refuse to create diversity of association and thus loose the opportunity for cultural wealth. The creation of vernacular radio stations has not helped the issue either. We have become worse had implementing ethnic segregation than God or the colonizers, the Boars cannot hold up a candle to us. What this does is it makes it uncomfortable for me and my neighbour to listen to radio together because he is Luo and I am what I am. With a literacy level of 60% why are we cowering into our tribal cocoons instead of becoming more cohesive. I believe that Kiswahili and English programing should take up 80% of all radio station content otherwise we might as well have the parliamentarians take a vernacular proficiency test to be allowed to participate in elections and also have our national exams done in vernacular. Who funds this radio channels that propagate ethnicity, its the Breweries, Safaricoms, Bidcos and Coca Colas as their only objective is a profit. They then walk around flounting their CSR (or should it be CPR - corporate profit responsibility) programs, if they refused to support all this ethnic stations their CSR programs might be more effective. After supporting KASS FM and others they will now be running to Eldoret to give blankets to people who where, as of 27th December, self reliant before the radio station broadcast inflammatory contents soon after the commercial message. The lawyers have got us to this impasse when they arm-twisted the Moi government to issue all with radio frequencies, similarly to what they did for Rwanda. As history teaches us we never learn from it, we are moving full steam towards ethnic cleansing. Let us us make use of technology to broadcast information that will bring us together, lets run completions that test our knowledge of other ethnic groups. Lets install computers in our rural schools and have the children send e-mails to each other across the country, not those misguided projects that get Kenyan children to communicate with kids in Europe & the US. We have the technology that allows us to implement solutions that do not require parliamentary approval or a government license. Awake and stop this lip service on the issue of ethnicity we are all responsible for getting this country to where it is today. Do we have what it takes to change course. Yes, I do know the causes and like a typical Kenyan I know the solutions but only discuss them on forums instead of taking action. Like a serial killer I am looking to be stopped, can someone push me to act on my theories? Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: James Kagwe <jkagwe(a)KIPPRA.OR.KE> To: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Tuesday, 8 January, 2008 3:09:19 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs  Please let us know that the problem we are having in the country now is more in the mind than anywhere else. Technology could help but even with technology it is possible for people who have the same tribal convictions that their tribal chief has to be the president to conspire to inflate the polls and actually go ahead and mark the ballot papers in favor of their candidate. Tribalism is the main problem and this has to be fought by all means. Most of the problems were experienced in the strongholds of the main candidates and this confirms the greatest worry. From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Evelyn Rono Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 12:29 PM To: James Kagwe Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' Subject: Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Hi Bobby, Several ICT companies and individuals approached the ECK with the intention of supporting and a managing the process with ICT. I quote “ ECK in 2004 was provided with IT hardware & software and GIS electoral database created with each individual polling station positions' mapped using GIS technology that integrated with the electoral database through a unique ID for polling station. The constituency boundaries provided the domain universe within which each polling station could be located for administrative purposes. Training was also conducted for ECK”. The same company tried to do the same 2007 This did not happen – Only ECK knows. Evelyn Rono From: kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of robert yawe Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 11:51 AM To: evelyn.rono(a)kdn.co.ke Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Happy new year to you all and I pray that you are all well. It is shocking that in this day and age we can actually have the kind of electoral fiasco that has been visited on us by the ECK and Co as well as the political parties. This draconian problem reared its head when the Orange house was broken into and the computers stolen. Hon.Nyongo's statement indicated that the objective was to steal the member register. If I needed to steal the register which from his comments was in electronic form what was the need of taking off with the computer. Has he ever heard of flash disks, external hard dis drives and CD/DVD writers. Technology allows me to steal his data without him every knowing. After this issue Kivuiti dismissed the SMS service that had been made available by Telkom to enable voters confirm their details. He even went to the extent of saying he does not know how to send an SMS. As the IT fraternity in the country can we really escape blame for this fiasco? The next time was when I saw Hon. Ruto standing at KICC and screaming himself hoarse over the forms 16 & 16A that had not been received. It seems he might be using a Nokia 1018 mobile phone (he actually uses a Nokia N series). Was it so difficult for the opposition to provide each of their agents with a camera equipped mobile phone that they would have used to to take pictures of the form and also record the returning officer announcing the results. This would then have been easily sent to party head quarters. There are 210 or so constituencies in the country and the mobile phones I am talking about cost about 10,000/- each do the math. I ask am I the only Kenyan who is aware of such technology or is this entire fiasco a stage managed process. Even the EU observer teams came equipped as if it was the 12th Century after which they proceeded to make unsupported statements about the result that further inflamed bloodshed. Maybe its a techie thing to keep in our glass houses and refuse to add value to a process and only send around message (this one included) after the fact. It is re-assuring when we remember the Florida fiasco but this not withstanding do we really have a moral standing to point fingers about the election results? What will be our contribution to stopping this from being repeated in future? Regards Remember Matiba and his video cameras during the good old days of mulolongo voting? Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi , 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/robertyawe%40yahoo.co.… ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out there knows the answer. Try it now. http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/

4 3

I stand by the helpless
by Alex Gakuru 09 Jan '08

09 Jan '08

-------Start------- To you the tribes of the world I write this plea All you black tribes, white tribes, Asian tribes Economic tribes, power tribes, elitism tribes Every tribal king, queen, knight, and drones I am tired of every all selfish ethnocentrisms I am fed up with your foolish and lost ways I denounce your wickedness and rise up I fear not you archaic blurred tribal lenses Open your eyes to the blood rivers flowing See the horror in childrens eyes ask why? Look at the children straight in the eyes Tell why they will never see their parents Feel the pain in your grandmother's soul Tell her why? oh why? she needs your answer She needs to know for what and it is worth Tell her when enough blood will be spilled See them sleeping out in the cold with no blankets Have no clothes yet had about enough last week In dark of chilly nights trembling But not from cold >From terror of political wickedness and its evils They have no basin, no water, no soap, They've lost friends and neighbours for ever Is one innocent life loss worth anything ? Tell me their lives are meaningless to you? Go to clinics and wards; see them lying, Wounded and bleeding, crying and frail, Sickly but not of natural but your causes Starving with much food in our reserves Looking up in prayer only crying to God I say loudly to you all the politicians You promised us much in campaign You and your promises are hollow When now are doing next-to-nothing Go round the country once again now Preaching peach, unity and selflessness Wherever you flew campaigning return Console just turned widows and orphans Made homeless by senseless barbarism Give children food clothes and food Shelter, home, hope and make friends Unless they were only useful then With problems you abandon forever Go! else never open you mouth ever My radio sing me a song of love My radio please play me a song, One sung by Jonathan Butler We must Heal Our Land Today Heal our land today, don't delay.. For this land is big enough for all of us It has enough to feed and house everyone It is beautiful enough for all of us to see It is endowed rich cultural diversity With a heritage and traditions of peace Cultures flowing with love and kindness I stand firm condemning violence to citizens. Stand up also and say no to political violence PEACE! Alex Gakuru -------Ends-------

10 17

Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs
by robert yawe 08 Jan '08

08 Jan '08

Hi, It is interesting to know that a number of technology options were provide to ECK. When you are dealing with a group of lawyers who do not understand SMS what is the chance they would appreciate GIS. Out of curiosity does the ECK have a commissioner responsible for ICT? Evelyn, if possible can you share the proposal that was given to ECK, maybe we need to look at this as the IT fraternities contribution to future free and fare elections. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Evelyn Rono <evelyn.rono(a)kdn.co.ke> To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Tuesday, 8 January, 2008 12:28:43 PM Subject: RE: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs  Hi Bobby, Several ICT companies and individuals approached the ECK with the intention of supporting and a managing the process with ICT. I quote “ ECK in 2004 was provided with IT hardware & software and GIS electoral database created with each individual polling station positions' mapped using GIS technology that integrated with the electoral database through a unique ID for polling station. The constituency boundaries provided the domain universe within which each polling station could be located for administrative purposes. Training was also conducted for ECK”. The same company tried to do the same 2007 This did not happen – Only ECK knows. Evelyn Rono From: kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of robert yawe Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 11:51 AM To: evelyn.rono(a)kdn.co.ke Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Happy new year to you all and I pray that you are all well. It is shocking that in this day and age we can actually have the kind of electoral fiasco that has been visited on us by the ECK and Co as well as the political parties. This draconian problem reared its head when the Orange house was broken into and the computers stolen. Hon.Nyongo's statement indicated that the objective was to steal the member register. If I needed to steal the register which from his comments was in electronic form what was the need of taking off with the computer. Has he ever heard of flash disks, external hard dis drives and CD/DVD writers. Technology allows me to steal his data without him every knowing. After this issue Kivuiti dismissed the SMS service that had been made available by Telkom to enable voters confirm their details. He even went to the extent of saying he does not know how to send an SMS. As the IT fraternity in the country can we really escape blame for this fiasco? The next time was when I saw Hon. Ruto standing at KICC and screaming himself hoarse over the forms 16 & 16A that had not been received. It seems he might be using a Nokia 1018 mobile phone (he actually uses a Nokia N series). Was it so difficult for the opposition to provide each of their agents with a camera equipped mobile phone that they would have used to to take pictures of the form and also record the returning officer announcing the results. This would then have been easily sent to party head quarters. There are 210 or so constituencies in the country and the mobile phones I am talking about cost about 10,000/- each do the math. I ask am I the only Kenyan who is aware of such technology or is this entire fiasco a stage managed process. Even the EU observer teams came equipped as if it was the 12th Century after which they proceeded to make unsupported statements about the result that further inflamed bloodshed. Maybe its a techie thing to keep in our glass houses and refuse to add value to a process and only send around message (this one included) after the fact. It is re-assuring when we remember the Florida fiasco but this not withstanding do we really have a moral standing to point fingers about the election results? What will be our contribution to stopping this from being repeated in future? Regards Remember Matiba and his video cameras during the good old days of mulolongo voting? Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi , 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. ___________________________________________________________ Support the World Aids Awareness campaign this month with Yahoo! For Good http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs
by Florence Etta 08 Jan '08

08 Jan '08

Of Dinosaurs and dot comers; The last elections in India were hailed for their widespread use of technology. Maybe Kenya ought to be the next such story! This will move the country from Dinosaur status to the dot com era. Allow me therefore to urge that the IT fraternity to start now, to get ready for the next election with all the might of project planning and funding ready. If it can be done even in one constituency if only to show how, it can make a difference. Let the IT community not continue to live in glass houses and afraid to throw stones! Techies ought to get out there and show their wears!!! It seems to me that with all the mediation efforts going on currently it might be sooner than we think before it is time to deploy all the IT gadgetry some of which have been identified by Evelyn for democracy. Get ready...........guys n gals! Go on dare to make a difference. Now! OK maybe soon! Cheers, FE ----- Original Message ---- From: James Kagwe <jkagwe(a)KIPPRA.OR.KE> To: florence.etta(a)gmail.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Tuesday, 8 January, 2008 3:09:19 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Please let us know that the problem we are having in the country now is more in the mind than anywhere else. Technology could help but even with technology it is possible for people who have the same tribal convictions that their tribal chief has to be the president to conspire to inflate the polls and actually go ahead and mark the ballot papers in favor of their candidate. Tribalism is the main problem and this has to be fought by all means. Most of the problems were experienced in the strongholds of the main candidates and this confirms the greatest worry. From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Evelyn Rono Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 12:29 PM To: James Kagwe Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' Subject: Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Hi Bobby, Several ICT companies and individuals approached the ECK with the intention of supporting and a managing the process with ICT. I quote “ ECK in 2004 was provided with IT hardware & software and GIS electoral database created with each individual polling station positions' mapped using GIS technology that integrated with the electoral database through a unique ID for polling station. The constituency boundaries provided the domain universe within which each polling station could be located for administrative purposes. Training was also conducted for ECK”. The same company tried to do the same 2007 This did not happen – Only ECK knows. Evelyn Rono From: kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of robert yawe Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 11:51 AM To: evelyn.rono(a)kdn.co.ke Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Happy new year to you all and I pray that you are all well. It is shocking that in this day and age we can actually have the kind of electoral fiasco that has been visited on us by the ECK and Co as well as the political parties. This draconian problem reared its head when the Orange house was broken into and the computers stolen. Hon.Nyongo's statement indicated that the objective was to steal the member register. If I needed to steal the register which from his comments was in electronic form what was the need of taking off with the computer. Has he ever heard of flash disks, external hard dis drives and CD/DVD writers. Technology allows me to steal his data without him every knowing. After this issue Kivuiti dismissed the SMS service that had been made available by Telkom to enable voters confirm their details. He even went to the extent of saying he does not know how to send an SMS. As the IT fraternity in the country can we really escape blame for this fiasco? The next time was when I saw Hon. Ruto standing at KICC and screaming himself hoarse over the forms 16 & 16A that had not been received. It seems he might be using a Nokia 1018 mobile phone (he actually uses a Nokia N series). Was it so difficult for the opposition to provide each of their agents with a camera equipped mobile phone that they would have used to to take pictures of the form and also record the returning officer announcing the results. This would then have been easily sent to party head quarters. There are 210 or so constituencies in the country and the mobile phones I am talking about cost about 10,000/- each do the math. I ask am I the only Kenyan who is aware of such technology or is this entire fiasco a stage managed process. Even the EU observer teams came equipped as if it was the 12th Century after which they proceeded to make unsupported statements about the result that further inflamed bloodshed. Maybe its a techie thing to keep in our glass houses and refuse to add value to a process and only send around message (this one included) after the fact. It is re-assuring when we remember the Florida fiasco but this not withstanding do we really have a moral standing to point fingers about the election results? What will be our contribution to stopping this from being repeated in future? Regards Remember Matiba and his video cameras during the good old days of mulolongo voting? Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi , 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: florence.etta(a)gmail.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/florence.etta%40gmail.… ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out there knows the answer. Try it now. http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/

1 0

Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs
by James Kagwe 08 Jan '08

08 Jan '08

Please let us know that the problem we are having in the country now is more in the mind than anywhere else. Technology could help but even with technology it is possible for people who have the same tribal convictions that their tribal chief has to be the president to conspire to inflate the polls and actually go ahead and mark the ballot papers in favor of their candidate. Tribalism is the main problem and this has to be fought by all means. Most of the problems were experienced in the strongholds of the main candidates and this confirms the greatest worry. ________________________________ From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Evelyn Rono Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 12:29 PM To: James Kagwe Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' Subject: Re: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Hi Bobby, Several ICT companies and individuals approached the ECK with the intention of supporting and a managing the process with ICT. I quote " ECK in 2004 was provided with IT hardware & software and GIS electoral database created with each individual polling station positions' mapped using GIS technology that integrated with the electoral database through a unique ID for polling station. The constituency boundaries provided the domain universe within which each polling station could be located for administrative purposes. Training was also conducted for ECK". The same company tried to do the same 2007 This did not happen - Only ECK knows. Evelyn Rono From: kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+evelyn.rono=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of robert yawe Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 11:51 AM To: evelyn.rono(a)kdn.co.ke Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs Happy new year to you all and I pray that you are all well. It is shocking that in this day and age we can actually have the kind of electoral fiasco that has been visited on us by the ECK and Co as well as the political parties. This draconian problem reared its head when the Orange house was broken into and the computers stolen. Hon.Nyongo's statement indicated that the objective was to steal the member register. If I needed to steal the register which from his comments was in electronic form what was the need of taking off with the computer. Has he ever heard of flash disks, external hard dis drives and CD/DVD writers. Technology allows me to steal his data without him every knowing. After this issue Kivuiti dismissed the SMS service that had been made available by Telkom to enable voters confirm their details. He even went to the extent of saying he does not know how to send an SMS. As the IT fraternity in the country can we really escape blame for this fiasco? The next time was when I saw Hon. Ruto standing at KICC and screaming himself hoarse over the forms 16 & 16A that had not been received. It seems he might be using a Nokia 1018 mobile phone (he actually uses a Nokia N series). Was it so difficult for the opposition to provide each of their agents with a camera equipped mobile phone that they would have used to to take pictures of the form and also record the returning officer announcing the results. This would then have been easily sent to party head quarters. There are 210 or so constituencies in the country and the mobile phones I am talking about cost about 10,000/- each do the math. I ask am I the only Kenyan who is aware of such technology or is this entire fiasco a stage managed process. Even the EU observer teams came equipped as if it was the 12th Century after which they proceeded to make unsupported statements about the result that further inflamed bloodshed. Maybe its a techie thing to keep in our glass houses and refuse to add value to a process and only send around message (this one included) after the fact. It is re-assuring when we remember the Florida fiasco but this not withstanding do we really have a moral standing to point fingers about the election results? What will be our contribution to stopping this from being repeated in future? Regards Remember Matiba and his video cameras during the good old days of mulolongo voting? Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mailuk/taglines/isp/control/*http:/us.rd.yahoo.c om/evt=51949/*http:/uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail/winter07.html> - a smarter inbox. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner <http://www.mailscanner.info/> , and is believed to be clean. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner <http://www.mailscanner.info/> , and is believed to be clean.

1 0

Re: [kictanet] What would it take to make a better Kenya?
by James Kagwe 08 Jan '08

08 Jan '08

5) A better Kenya is one where we don't become MP's because we have money but because we have what it takes to be leaders. -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of brian Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 11:04 AM To: James Kagwe Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] What would it take to make a better Kenya? Alice posed an interesting question, here is my 1 para.... 1) A better Kenya is one where leaders put country and electorate before personal interest. 2) A better Kenya is one where we think before we act. 3) A better Kenya is one where we see ourselves as Kenyans and not as tribes. Tanzania has 120 tribes and their sense of nationhood is exemplary. 4) A better Kenya is one where our love for peace supersedes our passion for power. 5) A better Kenya is one where we don 6) 7) .... let's see how long this list can become Brian _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: jkagwe(a)kippra.or.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jkagwe%40kippra.or. ke

1 0

Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs
by robert yawe 08 Jan '08

08 Jan '08

Happy new year to you all and I pray that you are all well. It is shocking that in this day and age we can actually have the kind of electoral fiasco that has been visited on us by the ECK and Co as well as the political parties. This draconian problem reared its head when the Orange house was broken into and the computers stolen. Hon.Nyongo's statement indicated that the objective was to steal the member register. If I needed to steal the register which from his comments was in electronic form what was the need of taking off with the computer. Has he ever heard of flash disks, external hard dis drives and CD/DVD writers. Technology allows me to steal his data without him every knowing. After this issue Kivuiti dismissed the SMS service that had been made available by Telkom to enable voters confirm their details. He even went to the extent of saying he does not know how to send an SMS. As the IT fraternity in the country can we really escape blame for this fiasco? The next time was when I saw Hon. Ruto standing at KICC and screaming himself hoarse over the forms 16 & 16A that had not been received. It seems he might be using a Nokia 1018 mobile phone (he actually uses a Nokia N series). Was it so difficult for the opposition to provide each of their agents with a camera equipped mobile phone that they would have used to to take pictures of the form and also record the returning officer announcing the results. This would then have been easily sent to party head quarters. There are 210 or so constituencies in the country and the mobile phones I am talking about cost about 10,000/- each do the math. I ask am I the only Kenyan who is aware of such technology or is this entire fiasco a stage managed process. Even the EU observer teams came equipped as if it was the 12th Century after which they proceeded to make unsupported statements about the result that further inflamed bloodshed. Maybe its a techie thing to keep in our glass houses and refuse to add value to a process and only send around message (this one included) after the fact. It is re-assuring when we remember the Florida fiasco but this not withstanding do we really have a moral standing to point fingers about the election results? What will be our contribution to stopping this from being repeated in future? Regards Remember Matiba and his video cameras during the good old days of mulolongo voting? Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 __________________________________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! Mail - a smarter inbox http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

2 1

Fwd: Fortune500 Projection - Kenya
by Bill Kagai 07 Jan '08

07 Jan '08

*Kenya's stability in the balance*The country's economy could lose hard-won ground if political tensions aren't resolved quickly. By Alex Halperin http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/index.html Nairobi, Kenya (Fortune) -- After doubts over the accuracy of presidential election results in Kenya sparked riots and disrupted transportation, analysts say the country's economy can recover - provided there is a swift political resolution to the crisis. Incumbent president Mwai Kibaki beat opposition candidate Raila Odinga in the Dec. 27 election. However, observers have criticized abnormalities in the vote-count process and both sides have launched accusations of rigging. Since Kibaki returned to the State House, hundreds have died as violent protests destroyed homes and livelihoods, while diplomats from Africa, Europe and the United States have pushed for a resolution. The business community hopes to see the country go back to work and resume its strong economic growth, five percent annually during Kibaki's five-year tenure. But the election and ensuing violence have tarnished Kenya's reputation as a stable haven nestled between flashpoints like Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan. "Kenya has been doing well for a nation that doesn't have much in the way of resources," says Mark Bellamy, a former U.S. Ambassador to the country and a senior resident fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. However, it will be "difficult for the country to rebound" if the ruling party rejects calls for a negotiated settlement, after widely cited problems with the vote counting. Razia Khan, head of Africa research for the London-based bank Standard Chartered, says she still sees a good future for the Kenyan economy, especially since it has become a crucial to growth in neighbors like Uganda and Tanzania. Kenya watchers, she says, have seized on hopeful signs like Attorney General Amos Wako calling for an investigation of the election results. Standard Chartered estimates Kenya's 2007 GDP growth at 6.7percent. Roadblocks to growth With slogans like "You know him," President Kibaki based his reelection bid around continuing the country's economic growth, although many Kenyans remain in the starkest poverty. Throughout the campaign, opposition candidate Raila Odinga, who named his son Fidel after the Cuban dictator, perpetually reassured the business community of his suitability. More than a week after the election, the biggest obstacle to getting the economy back on track remains transportation. Kenya's status as a regional power depends on the goods and fuel it sends to neighboring nations. Its port at Mombasa is the largest in East Africa. Over the last week, fuel shortages have hit provincial Kenyan cities and Uganda as roadblocks manned by armed gangs have made overland travel far more dangerous. A peaceful settlement in Nairobi won't necessarily bring an immediate end to the makeshift roadblocks and truck drivers will remain easy targets for harassment and beatings. Randy Fleitman, an economic official at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, says even big American firms like Coca-Cola and Del Monte are reporting problems transporting goods and workers. But low mobility is "the killer for the small firms, the Kenyan firms." Like many African countries, Kenya has shown impressive growth in recent years and, compared with its neighbors, it boasts strong infrastructure and foreign investment. It owes much of its growth to consumer spending and developing industries internally, an entrepreneurial advantage over countries like Angola and Zambia where finite resources like oil and copper are the economic drivers. Economies based on such commodities have downsides like environmentally taxing extraction methods and are susceptible to shifts in commodity prices. Kenya has become a leading exporter of cut flowers to Europe. Northwest of Nairobi in the Rift Valley, immense greenhouses and company housing line the road leading to the popular resort of Lake Naivasha. There are other reasons to remain optimistic. The country is well established as the region's manufacturing hub. A large and well-educated English-speaking population makes Kenya a potential market for call centers, should the IT infrastructure improve. Tourists crowd its magnificent beaches and wildlife reserves, and so far there have not been reports of rioters targeting tourists or damage to tourist facilities. However, a group representing large British tour operators has suspended outbound trips until at least Jan. 7. It's a symbolic blow to this vital sector. If Kenya is believed to be unsafe, visitors may instead visit neighboring Tanzania, which offers similar attractions. Kenya also has a large multinational presence. Shell (RDSA<http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=RDSA&source=story_quote_link>) has 131 gas stations here. And Barclays ( BCS<http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=BCS&source=story_quote_link>) is one of several international banks with a large retailing operation. Neither company would discuss how the riots have affected their operations. In 2006 a General Motors (GM<http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=GM&source=story_quote_link>, Fortune 500<http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/snapshots/563.html?s…>) venture built 1,755 Isuzu trucks and busses at a Nairobi plant. Still it's easy to exaggerate Kenya's wealth. A 2001 estimate put unemployment at 40 percent and per capita annual GDP is around $1,200. Nairobi has a modern and clean downtown, but it's only fifteen minutes by packed minibus to the filthy slum of Kibera, where perhaps 1 million people live. One of the largest shantytowns in Africa, many residents have limited or no access to electricity and clean water. As a center of opposition support, much of Kibera has gone up in flames since the election. Many rural areas of the country don't present as squalid a picture as the rivers of trash in Kibera but offer even less opportunity to find work. Keeping money in Kenya On Jan. 2, the first trading day after the election, the Nairobi Stock Exchange lost about 5 percent of its total market cap to close around $12.3 billion (less than Starbucks). But with plenty of traders sitting home, trading was light and analysts say the drop doesn't necessarily represent market sentiment. Trading was suspended Thursday amid fears for employee safety. In response to the crisis, Standard & Poor's downgraded Kenya's currency rating. At the end of 2007, investors here were anticipating two big deals. KenGen, the leading utility, planned to raise $1 billion to fund increasing electric capacity. The largest telecom, Safaricom, which is partly owned by British giant Vodafone (VOD<http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=VOD&source=story_quote_link>), expects to sell a stake in an IPO that could be the largest ever in East Africa. Whether these deals go through should be a good measure of investor confidence. Fleitman of the U.S. Embassy says Kenya's relative prosperity and status as a center for foreigners and finance stems from its wonderful climate and the perception of political stability. Kick out one of those assets and the country could be in for a slide. "They need to fix this thing quickly," he says. -- -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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A Compelling Case A Compelling Case For A Government of National Unity (GNU)
by Alex Gakuru 06 Jan '08

06 Jan '08

Instead of sitting back and conducting paralysis analysis, an innovative group is now offering "A Compelling Case For A Government of National Unity (GNU)". Yes! I have confirmed the document authenticity from one of the undersigned who said to me "The initial healing stage requires the protagonists coming together and GNU looks like a very good vehicle" They are quite candid. If no action is taken urgently, the following would become the consequences: 1.The country will degenerate into unprecedented chaos. The consultant mentioned above who has worked with many third world countries that went through similar experiences, is of the view that Kenya is ripe for this type of disintegration. 2.Many of us, including the very leaders who are refusing to take up action, if not dead or if they will not have run away, will be lining up with other refugees for daily allowances. 3.We shall lose all the gains we have achieved to date and go down in history as another fallen African republic. I first saw the attached draft yesterday at the blog site: http://kumekucha.blogspot.com/2008/01/compelling-case-for-government-of.html You have their permission to circulate their draft proposal. An it is very encouraging that various citizens-led initiatives are underway. Utengamano and Vita Zishindwe! Amani Ishinde! Regards, Alex

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Milestone Agreement Reached Between ICANN, and F Root Server Operator, Internet Systems Consortium]
by alice 06 Jan '08

06 Jan '08

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-04jan08.htm "First-of-its-kind agreement recognizes mutual responsibilities, supports enhanced Internet stability" The management of root name servers have always been a dark spot of Internet governance. Nobody knows about it and nobody cares (there have been a few papers by Karl Auerbach and that's all). Incredible as it may seems, a function which is so essential for the DNS (and therefore for the vast majority of Internet uses) have always been done without any sort of formal agreement. Nobody knows why Verisign manages two name servers and Neustar zero, what could be done if a root name server operator provides a bad service, how root name servers could be added, retired or changed. In practice, the set of root name servers is now cast in stone. Some persons believe it is better that way and that the service is better done by the present volunteers than by a mono-governemental bureaucracy (ICANN) or a multi-governemental one (ITU). So, this move is important. As ICANN says, it is indeed the first formalization of the relationship between ICANN and a root name server operator. I see what ICANN obtains. I'm very unsure about the gains for ISC. Was it a necessary condition to obtain the announcement of ISC IPv6 addresses in the root-servers.net zone? (http://lists.oarci.net/pipermail/dns-operations/2007-December/002192.html) ____________________________________________________________ You received this message as a subscriber on the list: governance(a)lists.cpsr.org To be removed from the list, send any message to: governance-unsubscribe(a)lists.cpsr.org For all list information and functions, see: http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance

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Political Parties Please Remove Posters
by Alex Gakuru 05 Jan '08

05 Jan '08

I humbly request all political parties to remove these no longer relevant campaign bill boards and posters. Not only are they now overtaken by events but their continued presence varyingly provoke angry feelings to different, disappointed citizens otherwise regaining their sense of security, peace, and tolerance like it was before the elections. Thank you. ICT Consumers Association of Kenya

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[Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] Invitation for Statements of Interest and Suggestions for Candidates - ICANN NOMCOM reminder]
by alice 04 Jan '08

04 Jan '08

Invitation for Statements of Interest and Suggestions for Candidates Posted 14 December 2007 This document is a comprehensive description of all of the information needed for the process of volunteering to serve in the governing bodies of ICANN in forthcoming terms. It contains information for potential candidates, for people wishing to suggest candidates, and for the submission of statements of interest, and provides links to other information on the ICANN website regarding the Nominating Committee (Nom Com) process. The call for candidates is now posted. Statements of Interest should be received before 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC), and the selection of final appointees will be announced in mid September 2008. Completed Statements of Interest should be sent to nomcom2008(a)icann.org <mailto:nomcom2008@icann.org>. If you would like to volunteer and be considered as a candidate, click here <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#F> to read more about the process and to nominate yourself. If you want to suggest someone for one of the positions click here <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#H>. Send all comments/questions to: nomcom2008(a)icann.org <mailto:nomcom2008@icann.org>. For more information about the Nom Com, see http://nomcom.icann.org/. Nom Com encourages redistribution of this Invitation for Statements of Interest and Suggestions for Candidates provided it is transmitted in its entirety, without any changes. Nom Com encourages translation of this Invitation and grants permission to distribute a translation provided that (1) any distributed translation includes the full text of the Invitation in English in its entirety and without any changes and (2) a copy of the translation and the identity and contact information for the translator are sent to Nom Com at nomcom2008(a)icann.org <mailto:nomcom2008@icann.org>. . Contents *A. ICANN, the organization <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#A> * *B. Important Opportunities to Contribute to this Global public private partnership <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#B> * *C. Characteristics and High Qualifications Sought via the Nom Com Process <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#C> * *D. Criteria, Core Values and Timing for Positions to be Filled by Nom Com <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#D> * *E. Position Roles, Eligibility Factors, and Time Commitments <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#E> * *F. Choosing to be a Candidate <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#F> * *G. Nom Com Process and Background <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#G> * *H. How to suggest a candidate for consideration <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#H> * *I. Statement of Interest ICANN Nominating Committee 2008 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#I> * *A. ICANN, the organization * The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is a California public benefit, non-profit corporation that serves as a major technical coordination body for the Internet. Created in 1998 by a joint initiative of the Internet's business, technical, academic, and user communities, ICANN has been gradually assuming the responsibility for a set of technical functions previously performed by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and other groups. ICANN's mission is "to coordinate, at the overall level, the global Internet's systems of unique identifiers, and in particular to ensure the stable and secure operation of the Internet's unique identifier systems. In particular, ICANN: 1. Coordinates the allocation and assignment of the three sets of unique identifiers for the Internet, which are: 1. Domain names (forming a system referred to as "DNS"); 2. Internet protocol ("IP") addresses and autonomous system ("AS") numbers; and 3. Protocol port and parameter numbers. 2. Coordinates the operation and evolution of the DNS root name server system. 3. Coordinates policy development reasonably and appropriately related to these technical functions." http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#I ICANN is dedicated to preserving the operational stability of the Internet; to promoting competition; to achieving broad representation of global Internet communities; and to developing policy appropriate to its mission through bottom-up consensus-based processes. ICANN accomplishes its work through various entities such as the Board of Directors; the three supporting organisations GNSO, ccNSO and ASO; and the At Large Advisory Committee. *B. Important Opportunities to Contribute to this Global Enterprise * The ICANN Nominating Committee (Nom Com) invites the participation of the Internet community in its ongoing process for selection of well qualified, accomplished individuals to serve in four sets of leadership positions within ICANN. The following seats are to be filled in the 2008 Nom Com process: * Board of Directors (2 seats) * Generic Names Supporting Organization Council (GNSO) (1 seat) * At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) (2 seats, Europe and North American regions) * Country Code Names Support Organization Council (ccNSO) (1 seat) Those selected by Nom Com will work with accomplished colleagues from around the globe to address Internet's technical coordination problems and related policy development challenges within diverse functional, cultural, and geographic dimensions. They will make an important public service contribution and gain useful experience and perspective. Placing the broad public interest ahead of any particular interests, they will help ensure the stability and security of the Internet ICANN holds public meetings three times a year in locations around the world. These meetings constitute an essential part of ICANN's global consensus-development and outreach efforts; all Nom Com appointees are expected to travel and participate in ICANN meetings. However, these meetings are only part of the responsibilities of the appointees. Much of the work of the ICANN Board, GNSO Council, ALAC, and ccNSO Council is done via e-mail and teleconference meetings of the respective groups. Those who hold these positions serve without compensation but can receive travel expense reimbursement where authorized and where resources have been allocated within the ICANN budget. The whole Internet community benefits from the voluntary commitment and efforts of the many individuals who serve in the organization. ICANN respects and appreciates this generous contribution of time, energy and effort. The appointees of the Nom Com will join the numerous other hard working volunteers who help to further ICANN's policy activities. We invite both (1) suggestions of persons who should be considered for these positions and (2) Statements of Interest from persons wishing to be considered for them. The Nom Com looks upon all Statements of Interest equally. For full consideration suggestions should be submitted promptly and Statements of Interest should be received no later than 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC) . *C. Qualifications Sought in the Nom Com Process * Nom Com seeks women and men who have demonstrated the maturity, experience, knowledge, and skills to handle the tasks and make the judgments involved in fulfilling these important leadership roles. Nom Com seeks persons of the highest integrity and capability with experience and talents for problem solving, policy development, and decision-making involving diverse perspectives regarding how best to accomplish the mission and responsibilities of ICANN. Those selected in the Nom Com process will also be expected to place the public interest of the global Internet ahead of any particular interests. In Nom Com's selections, such qualifications are more significant than is deep involvement in technical aspects of the Internet. The Nom Com Selected Nominees are expected to be knowledgeable, or committed to becoming knowledgeable, about the environment in which ICANN operates and the technical functions for which it is responsible, but strong technical knowledge of the Internet is not the determining factor in the Nom Com selections. ICANN also has complementary selection processes, based in the Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees, which are designed to ensure that the needed technical expertise and knowledge of constituencies is present in the ICANN leadership bodies. Together, Nom Com and these complementary selection processes yield, in the aggregate, the full range of skills and experience needed for the organization. Nom Com will apply the criteria and terms of eligibility defined in the ICANN Bylaws to develop a pool of qualified candidates (See Section D). In selecting from this candidate pool, Nom Com will also take into account additional considerations related to the specific roles to be filled and will support implementation of ICANN's Core Values, including its commitment to seek and support broad functional, geographic, and cultural diversity of the Internet at all levels of policy development and decision-making. Nom Com recognizes that the term cultural diversity is multifaceted, including gender, ethnic, religious, and other forms of diversity. Nom Com encourages wide participation in this process, and is grateful for the valuable input it will receive from those who nominate themselves or others for the positions available. *D. Criteria, Core Values, and Timing for Positions to be Filled by Nom Com * Criteria Nom Com will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors contained in the ICANN Bylaws for all four sets of positions it will fill. These Criteria are: 1. Accomplished persons of integrity, objectivity, and intelligence, with reputations for sound judgment and open minds, and a demonstrated capacity for thoughtful group decision-making; 2. Persons with an understanding of ICANN's mission and the potential impact of ICANN decisions on the global Internet community, and committed to the success of ICANN; 3. Persons who will produce the broadest cultural and geographic diversity on the Board consistent with meeting the other criteria set forth in this Section; 4. Persons who, in the aggregate, have personal familiarity with the operation of gTLD registries and registrars; with ccTLD registries; with IP address registries; with Internet technical standards and protocols; with policy-development procedures, legal traditions, and the public interest; and with the broad range of business, individual, academic, and non-commercial users of the Internet; 5. Persons who are willing to serve as volunteers, without compensation other than the reimbursement of certain expenses; and 6. Persons who are able to work and communicate in written and spoken English. Nom Com welcomes and encourages participation from all members of the global Internet community. Although Candidates should be able to both work and communicate well in English, there is no requirement that English be the candidate's first language. Core Values In making its selections, Nom Com will look for persons who can help implement ICANN's Core Values, stated in its Bylaws: "In performing its mission, the following core values should guide the decisions and actions of ICANN: 1. Preserving and enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global interoperability of the Internet. 2. Respecting the creativity, innovation, and flow of information made possible by the Internet by limiting ICANN's activities to those matters within ICANN's mission requiring or significantly benefiting from global coordination. 3. To the extent feasible and appropriate, delegating coordination functions to or recognizing the policy role of other responsible entities that reflect the interests of affected parties. 4. Seeking and supporting broad, informed participation reflecting the functional, geographic, and cultural diversity of the Internet at all levels of policy development and decision-making. 5. Where feasible and appropriate, depending on market mechanisms to promote and sustain a competitive environment. 6. Introducing and promoting competition in the registration of domain names where practicable and beneficial in the public interest. 7. Employing open and transparent policy development mechanisms that (i) promote well-informed decisions based on expert advice, and (ii) ensure that those entities most affected can assist in the policy development process. 8. Making decisions by applying documented policies neutrally and objectively, with integrity and fairness. 9. Acting with a speed that is responsive to the needs of the Internet while, as part of the decision-making process, obtaining informed input from those entities most affected. 10. Remaining accountable to the Internet community through mechanisms that enhance ICANN's effectiveness. 11. While remaining rooted in the private sector, recognizing that governments and public authorities are responsible for public policy and duly taking into account governments' or public authorities' recommendations. These core values are deliberately expressed in very general terms, so that they may provide useful and relevant guidance in the broadest possible range of circumstances. Because they are not narrowly prescriptive, the specific way in which they apply, individually and collectively, to each new situation will necessarily depend on many factors that cannot be fully anticipated or enumerated; and because they are statements of principle rather than practice, situations will inevitably arise in which perfect fidelity to all eleven core values simultaneously is not possible. Any ICANN body making a recommendation or decision shall exercise its judgment to determine which core values are most relevant and how they apply to the specific circumstances of the case at hand, and to determine, if necessary, an appropriate and defensible balance among competing values." Timing By 29 June 2008, the NomCom expects to make its final selections for individuals to serve the Terms that are associated with the following positions: * ICANN Board of Directors (2 seats, 3 year terms) * Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council Member (1 seat, 2 year term) * At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) Members (2 seats, 2 year terms) * Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) Council Member (1 seat, 3 year term) As provided in the ICANN Bylaws, the starting date for terms for these positions is the end of ICANN's 2008 Annual General Meeting to be held in the Africa region (location to be confirmed), from 2-7 November 2008. The ending date is the conclusion of a specific later ICANN Annual Meeting, depending on the length of term applicable. *E. Position Roles, Eligibility Factors, and Time Commitments * Position: Board of Directors (http://www.icann.org/general/board.html <http://www.icann.org/general/board.html>) Number of Seats: 2 Start of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2008 End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2011 ICANN's Directors, as a group, are responsible for exercising the powers of ICANN, controlling its property, and conducting or directing its business and affairs, except as otherwise provided in the ICANN Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws. Directors serve as individuals who have the duty to act in what they reasonably believe are the best interests of ICANN and not as representatives of the entity that selected them, their employers, or any other organizations or constituencies. Directors are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of ICANN's Core Values. The Nominating Committee will use the Selection Criteria for Directors, set forth in the Bylaws, for these positions. ICANN Directors shall receive no compensation for their services as Directors. The Board may, however, authorize the reimbursement of actual and necessary reasonable expenses incurred by Directors performing their duties as Directors. [Bylaws Article VI, Section 22, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-22] Board Eligibility Factors 1. No person who serves on the Nominating Committee in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the Nominating Committee is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. [Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8 <http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8>] 2. Nominating Committee shall seek to ensure that the ICANN Board is composed of members who in the aggregate display diversity in geography, culture, skills, experience, and perspective, by applying the criteria set forth above in this document. [Bylaws, Article VI, Section 2(2), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-2.2 <http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-2.2>] 3. At no time shall the Nominating Committee select a Director to fill any vacancy or expired term whose selection would cause the total number of Directors (not including the President) who are citizens of countries in any one Geographic Region to exceed five; and the Nominating Committee shall ensure through its selections that at all times the Board includes at least one Director who is a citizen of a country in each ICANN Geographic Region. [Bylaws, Article VI, Section 2(2), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-2.2] 4. No official of a national government or a multinational entity established by treaty or other agreement between national governments may serve as a Director. [Bylaws, Article VI, Section 4(1), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-4.1] 5. No person who serves in any capacity (including as a liaison) on any Supporting Organization Council shall simultaneously serve as a Director or liaison to the Board. [Bylaws, Article VI, Section 4(2), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-4.2 ] 6. Term limits: No ICANN Directors appointed by the Nom Com whose terms expire at the ICANN General Meeting of 2008 have exceeded the three term limit as defined in the Bylaws. The current composition of the Board of Directors is available here http://www.icann.org/general/board.html Time Commitment and Working Practice The basic responsibilities of an ICANN Director require a minimum commitment of time which when averaged out over the year is roughly equivalent to 20-24 hours each week. This includes participation in three ICANN meetings/year, two Board retreats/year and work on Board Committees. The time spent in these basic responsibilities is typically clustered around Board meetings and monthly teleconferences, but there is a constant flow of information requiring attention on a near daily basis. Directors are expected to attend three ICANN meetings per year and depending on the location and including travel time and preparation this could be a commitment of up to ten (10) days per meeting. In addition the board occasionally holds shorter face-to-face meetings such as retreats. Directors spend additional time in connection with their work on Board Committees, a commitment that varies in relation to the number of Committees on which they serve, the scope of the Committee's responsibilities, and their role as Chair or Member of the Committee. *Position: GNSO Council* Number of Seats: 1 Start of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2008 End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2010 The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) is a policy-development body responsible for developing and recommending to the ICANN Board substantive policies relating to generic top-level domains. The GNSO consists of various Constituencies representing defined groups of stakeholders and a GNSO Council, responsible for managing the policy development and administrative processes of the GNSO. The GNSO Constituencies choose the majority of the Council members; Nominating Committee chooses three Council members with staggered terms. The GNSO also includes a liaison from the ALAC and the Governmental Advisory Committee. Liaison activities from the ASO and ccNSO are under development. GNSO Council Members receive no compensation for their services as GNSO Council Members. ICANN provides administrative and operational support necessary for the GNSO to carry out its responsibilities through the GNSO Secretariat. ICANN also provides staff support for policy development. As stated in the ICANN Bylaws, such support shall not include an obligation for ICANN to fund travel expenses incurred by GNSO participants for travel to any meeting of the GNSO or for any other purpose. However, ICANN has customarily furnished travel expenses for Nominating Committee appointed Council members to ICANN meetings. This custom is planned to continue, but is subject to the Bylaw statement. [Bylaws Article X, Section 4, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#X-4] Nominating Committee will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors (see above) in choosing Selected Nominees for the GNSO Council. GNSO Council members are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of ICANN's Core Values. *Role of the Nom Com Appointee* As discussed above the majority of the councillors are appointed by the constituencies and represent those constituencies in the council. Nom Com appointees, on the other hand, are not the representatives of any specific group, though they may choose to represent the interests of groups that are not currently represented in council. Most importantly Nom Com appointees should be people chosen, often from outside the GNSO constituencies and sometime from outside ICANN, who bring a fresh perspective into the council and who accept the responsibility to do their best to support ICANN in its mission and core values. Appointees should be people who can help the GNSO council to perform its duties; sometimes this may involve filling gaps in the skill set, at other times it may involve addressing a diversity or other demographic balance or may involve bringing a necessary perspective into the council that is not already present. Generally an appointee needs to fulfil several of these needs at the same time. The Nominating Committee will also take into account the following eligibility factors and additional considerations. *GNSO Council Eligibility Factors* No person who serves on the Nominating Committee in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the Nominating Committee is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. [Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8 <http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8>] No more than one officer, director, or employee of any particular corporation or other organization (including its subsidiaries and affiliates) shall serve on the GNSO Council at any given time. [Bylaws, Article X, Section 3(5), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#X-3.5] Additional Considerations For the GNSO Council position, specific experience related to the scope of the GNSO's work with the Domain Name System would be advantageous. The current composition of the GNSO Council is available here http://gnso.icann.org/council/members.shtml The Bylaws do not state a limit on the number of terms GNSO Council members may serve, although it is possible that term limits may be considered in future. *Time Commitment* The basic responsibilities of a GNSO Council member involve a minimum of 20 hours per month on Council related activities, with those chairing or participating in committees or task forces spending up to 60 hours a month or more. Depending on work load, for example during the weeks before the 3 face to face meeting, this can sometimes escalate to as much as 20 hours per week or more. The commitment for the 3 face to face meetings generally run about 7 days with council members having sometimes extensive responsibilities on most days. For those involved in Task forces or Working Groups, there may occasionally be additional face to face interim meetings Task force members and councilors are not compensated for either time or teleconference costs though ICANN makes toll free numbers available whenever practical. *Additional GNSO criteria:* There are various criteria that should be considered when judging GNSO candidates. The first set of criteria are general and should be present in anyone appointed to the GNSO Council, while the second set of criteria reflect a diversity of skills that may be necessary. Depending on the composition of the sitting council, these skill based criteria will vary from year to year. Criteria that are considered especially important for the 2008 appointment are marked with (2008). *Baseline Criteria for anyone selected as a nomcom appointee:* * Demonstrated experience working effectively in collaborative environments involving diverse interests. * Ability to chair, or otherwise assist, a multi-stakeholder group in reaching consensus * Basic knowledge of DNS systems and industry structure - registries, registrars. The goal is not to find technical DNS experts, but a minimal understanding of the DNS is needed to effectively function on the Council. For example appointees should understand something along the lines of "do you know what happens in the DNS when you send an email, or access a webpage". This requires an understanding of the general process of name resolution without requiring a precise technical description. *Variable Criteria that are useful to the GNSO* Part of the role of Nom Com appointees is to fill in gaps in the skill set of the Council. Some, but not all, of the skills that are highly useful in the process of GNSO Council work are listed below. The gap skills will vary year by year. Criteria that are especially important for the 2008 selection are marked with (2008) * Knowledge of o International Law (2008) o Competition law o Anti-trust law o Public interest o Consumer rights o Human rights o Economics especially market analysis (2008) * Intergovernmental expertise (2008) * Understanding of the special needs of financial services businesses * IDN expertise (2008) * DNS security expertise (2008) * Setting up of dispute and objection processes * Enforcement procedures and processes * Application software development - e.g multi-lingual support * Online collaborative work and consensus building technologies - wiki's etc * Statistics and survey analysis * Project management and document control processes Additionally consideration may be given to Nom Com appointees who can help with the geographical or gender balance on the council as needed, as long as other necessary attributes and skills are also present. *Position: ccNSO Council* Number of Seats: 1 Start of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2008 End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2011 The Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) is a policy-development body which is responsible for developing and recommending to the Board global policies relating to country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), nurturing consensus across the ccNSO's community, including the name-related activities of ccTLDs; and coordinating with other ICANN Supporting Organizations, committees, and constituencies under ICANN. In addition to the above core responsibilities, the ccNSO may also engage in other activities authorized by its members, including: seeking to develop voluntary best practices for ccTLD managers, assisting in skills building within the global community of ccTLD managers, and enhancing operational and technical cooperation among ccTLD managers. The ccNSO consists of ccTLD managers that have agreed in writing to be members of the ccNSO, and a ccNSO Council responsible for managing the policy-development process of the ccNSO. Some ccNSO Council members are chosen by the ccNSO members within each of ICANN's Geographic Regions; Nominating Committee chooses three members with staggered terms. ccNSO Council members receive no compensation for their services as ccNSO Council Members. Upon request of the ccNSO Council, ICANN shall provide administrative and operational support necessary for the ccNSO to carry out its responsibilities. As stated in the ICANN Bylaws, such support shall not include an obligation for ICANN to fund travel expenses incurred by ccNSO participants for travel to any meeting of the ccNSO or for any other purpose. However, ICANN has customarily furnished travel expenses for Nominating Committee appointed Council members to ICANN meetings. This custom is planned to continue, but is subject to the Bylaw statement. [Bylaws Article IX, Section 7, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#IX-7] Nominating Committee will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors in choosing Selected Nominees for the ccNSO Council. CCNSO Council members are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of the ICANN Core Values. Nominating Committee will also take into account the following eligibility factors and additional considerations. *ccNSO Eligibility Factors* 1. No person who serves on the Nominating Committee in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the Nominating Committee is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. [Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8 <http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8>] *Additional Considerations* For the ccNSO Council positions, while no specific considerations are reflected in the Bylaws, experience or knowledge of ccTLDs and issues of importance to the global Internet, would be advantageous. Additionally, familiarity with the global environment in which ICANN operates and perspectives not otherwise reflected in the ccTLD community would be advantageous. Experience in international organizations and in developing new organizations is likewise valuable for these positions. *Time Commitment* An average ccNSO Council member would spend at least 12 hours per month on Council related activities, with those chairing committees or task forces spending at least 30 hours a month. (The commitment involves a minimum of 6 hours per month based on an average of 1.5 two-hour teleconferences (or physical meetings) per month plus about two hours of preparation for each meeting for reading task force reports and potentially discussing with the community. Participation in committees of the council and/or task forces could easily double that minimum time commitment.) The Nom Com had some discussion about what "basic of knowledge of DNS" meant and it was something along the lines of "do you know what happens in the DNS when you send an email, or access a webpage". This is not a precise technical description, but an understanding of concepts of resolution. *Position: At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC)* Number of Seats: 2 1 (Europe) 1 (North America) Start of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2008 End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2010 (for a definition of ICANN's geographic regions see http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm) The role of the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) is to finalize the establishment of a mechanism for individual user participation in ICANN, through the accreditation of user organizations as At-Large Structures (ALS) and the creation of Regional At Large Organizations (RALOs). The ALAC also performs a role to consider and provide advice on the activities of ICANN, insofar as they relate to the interests of individual Internet users. Individual users may be consumers, non-for-profit or profit or business users but the key term is that they are 'individuals'. ALAC Committee members, like the members of ICANN's other Advisory Committees, receive no compensation for their services as a member of a committee. The Board may, however, authorize the reimbursement of the actual and necessary expenses incurred by Advisory Committee members performing their duties as Advisory Committee members. [Bylaws Article XI, Section 6, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#XI-6] Nominating Committee will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors (see above) in choosing Selected Nominees for ALAC. ALAC members are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of the ICANN Core Values. Nominating Committee will also take into account the following eligibility factors and additional considerations. *ALAC Eligibility Factors* 1. No person who serves on the Nominating Committee in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the Nominating Committee is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. [Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8 <http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8>] 2. The five members of the ALAC selected by the Nominating Committee shall include one citizen of a country within each of the five Geographic Regions (Europe; Asia/Australia/Pacific; Latin America/Caribbean Islands; Africa; and North America) established according to Bylaws Article VI, Section 5, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-5. Only Citizens of the European and North American regions as defined in ICANN's definition of geographic regions http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm <http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm> are eligible for ALAC vacancies in 2008. *Additional Considerations* For the ALAC positions, experience and skills that bear on gathering, understanding, and communicating the interests of individual users would be advantageous. Perspectives not otherwise reflected in the existing ALAC membership would be advantageous. Nominating Committee's selections for ALAC are intended to diversify the skill and experience sets of the ALAC, including in such areas as group decision-making. Current composition of the ALAC is available at http://www.icann.org/committees/alac/ The Bylaws do not state a limit on the number of terms ALAC members may serve. *Time Commitment* The basic responsibilities of a member of the ALAC is approximately 18 hours each month. This includes participating in online (e-mail) discussions, commenting on/contributing to documents/proposed actions (drafted in English), participating in monthly ALAC telephone conferences (in English), and meeting with/making presentations to, local and regional organizations. ALAC members serving as liaisons to other Supporting Organizations and to the Board can expect to spend more than this basic 18 hours per month. ICANN has traditionally reimbursed expenses incurred by ALAC members for attending ICANN meetings. The Nom Com had some discussion about what "basic of knowledge of DNS" meant and it was something along the lines of "do you know what happens in the DNS when you send an email, or access a webpage". This is not a precise technical description, but an understanding of concepts of resolution. *F. Choosing to be a Candidate * Choosing Among the Positions You may apply for any of the available positions set out in the Statement of Interest for which you are eligible and in which you would be willing to serve. You may apply for up to four positions; however, you are encouraged to read and consider carefully the background materials on each position prior to filling out the Statement of Interest form below. Liability/Indemnification ICANN Directors, GNSO Council members, ALAC members and ccNSO Council members enjoy several types of protection from liability for their activities in service to ICANN. These may be summarized as follows: (a) Indemnification by ICANN. Under its bylaws, ICANN indemnifies members of ICANN bodies against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts that actually and reasonably arise in a proceeding because those persons are acting or have acted as agents of ICANN. There are various conditions to this indemnity, including that the indemnified person's acts were in good faith and done in a manner reasonably believed to be in ICANN's best interests and not criminal. [Bylaws Article XIV] (b) Insurance. ICANN carries insurance covering liabilities (including defense expenses) that ICANN and its Directors, volunteers, and committee members may incur by reason of acts or omissions solely in their capacities as Directors, volunteers, and committee members acting on behalf of ICANN. The insurance policy includes deductibles, exclusions, and conditions that are ordinary in a liability policy covering directors, officers, and volunteers of a non-profit corporation. (c) Statutory Immunity. United States federal law and California law contain provisions shielding volunteers to non-profit organizations (such as ICANN) from liabilities for their volunteer work, with some conditions. The U.S. Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 protects volunteers (i.e. those serving without compensation) to non-profit organizations from liability for harm caused by their acts and omissions while acting within the scope of their responsibilities in the organization and not in a willful, criminal, grossly negligent, reckless, etc. manner. [42 United States Code Â§Â§14501-14505] California law provides similar liability protections to volunteer directors. [California Corporations Code Â§5239] Although there are various conditions and limits on each type of protection, in the aggregate these protections provide significant protection to ICANN volunteers acting in good faith and in the scope of their responsibilities to ICANN. *G. Nom Com Process and Background * Process Central to the Nominating Committee's process are the Statements of Interest received from individuals who agree to be considered for service in any of the positions. A person who has submitted a complete Statement of Interest is considered a Candidate for selection by the Nom Com. Nom Com will begin its review of Candidate information contained in the completed Statement of Interest shortly after it is received and confirmed to have all the required information. If the Statement of Interest is missing required information the individual will not be considered a Candidate for selection by the Nom Com. The Nom Com will evaluate Candidates in a fair and consistent manner, considering the Statement of Interest, references, interviews as needed, consultations, and third-party information sources. While doing so, it will adhere to its Code of Ethics, which includes procedures regarding Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest. To ensure open and frank communication with the Nom Com, we have paid particular attention in our procedures to safeguarding confidentiality. Specifically, under our procedures all Nom Com members will safeguard all internal Nom Com communications concerning candidates and treat them as strictly private, confidential, and for the use of the immediate committee members and Nom Com staff only, without exception. Nom Com members will not disclose outside of the committee the identities of Candidates under consideration by the Nom Com, nor any discussions about them, unless both the Candidate and the Nom Com as a whole have given explicit authorization to disclose the information. Nor will Nom Com disclose the identity of those who suggested candidates or whether a specific candidate has been suggested. For more information about the procedures Nom Com members follow regarding security and confidentiality of information, please refer to the Code of Ethics agreed by all members and the Nom Com's Procedures. Note that because Nom Com will need to check references and consult selected third-party sources on a confidential basis before making its final selections, those wishing to be considered as Candidates are required to confirm this understanding of the confidentiality arrangements when they submit a Statement of Interest. When Nom Com has completed its selections, it will publish the identities of the Selected Nominees. Statistical information, such as the size and nature of the candidate pool, will be published at the close of the process. No other personally identifiable information will be publicized or retained after the selection process has been completed. It should be noted that this Nominating Committee process differs from an election, although the goal is the same: to elicit the Internet community's participation in a thoughtful process leading to the selection of very well-qualified individuals to fulfill the specific roles of their positions. Nom Com's selections are final; no further approval or ratification will take place. While considerable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and completeness of this Invitation, the Nom Com reserves the right to make additions and corrections. If any changes are made, they will be posted on the Nom Com webpage (http://nomcom.icann.org <http://nomcom.icann.org/>). The full Invitation is listed here. The webpage, including announcements and answers to frequently asked questions, will be updated as the committee's work progresses. Background Nom Com operates independently from the ICANN Board, the Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees. The functional and geographic diversity and independence of Nom Com members enables and encourages it to select persons who are not beholden to any particular interests and are capable of representing the broader view of the Internet community. Nom Com members act only on behalf of the interests of the global Internet community and within the scope of the ICANN Mission and the responsibilities assigned to Nom Com by the ICANN Bylaws. Nom Com seeks widespread participation, through submission of suggestions for candidates and Statements of Interest, to find the talent and experience needed for these roles, to inform Nom Com's decisions, and to generate the confidence and respect of the community for those whom Nom Com selects. Further information about Nom Com's origin, role, responsibilities, procedures, composition, and biographical information about its members have been placed on the Nom Com webpage. *H. How to suggest and encourage someone to become a candidate * To enhance the Candidate pool from which Nom Com will choose Selected Nominees, we encourage you to suggest the name(s) of individuals whom we should invite to complete the Statement of Interest. Please note, however, that volunteering for positions is strongly encouraged: a suggestion is not compulsory in the Nom Com process. To submit the name of someone you would like to suggest as a candidate, please send an e-mail to nomcom2008(a)icann.org <mailto:nomcom2008@icann.org> that includes the following information: (a) Name of person you wish to suggest as a candidate (b) Position/s person is suggested for _____GNSO _____ccNSO _____ALAC _____Board (c) E-mail address of person you wish to suggest (d) Your name (e) Your e-mail address Would you like the person you suggested to know that you suggested their name to Nom Com? Y/N (f) Optional: please describe the qualities you think the person you are suggesting would bring to ICANN. Nom Com will acknowledge your suggestion and will provide the person(s) you have suggested with the Statement of Interest Form and Instructions. We ask you to inform those whom you suggest as candidates that you have submitted their names to Nom Com. Early submission of suggestions will be appreciated. Names of people you wish to suggest as candidates should be received by Nom Com no later than 1 April 2008. Nom Com reserves the right to consider suggestions received after 1 April 2008, but makes no commitment to do so. Nom Com will contact by e-mail all those for whom it receives such suggestions to request their submission of a Statement of Interest (see below), but Nom Com will only consider and select individuals who have submitted a completed Statement of Interest. Statements of Interest must be received by the Nom Com no later 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC) for full consideration. Nom Com can only consider electronic submissions via e-mail. Completed Statements of Interest should be sent in plain text to nomcom2008(a)icann.org <mailto:nomcom2008@icann.org>. A suggestion is not required in the Nom Com process, self-nominations are encouraged. Note also that endorsements by organizations or groups and lists of signatories are not appropriate for this Nominating Committee process, and they will not influence the Nom Com's selections. The Nom Com's procedures for Confidential Treatment of Statements of Interest call for confidential treatment of the identities of Candidates and the Nom Com's discussions about the Candidates. The Nom Com does not disclose externally whether individual candidates have been suggested or who suggested them, and advises that you maintain the confidentiality of your suggestion since the person you named to us may not wish his/her candidacy to be disclosed. You are encouraged to review the instructions and form for submission of Statements of Interest, and to note the more detailed explanation of confidentiality in the Nom Com process. Send suggestions by e-mail to: nomcom2008(a)icann.org <mailto:nomcom2008@icann.org> *I. Statement of Interest ICANN Nominating Committee 2008 * _Introduction_ Any individual who wishes to be considered for selection by the Nominating Committee (Nom Com) will need to complete an ICANN Nom Com Statement of Interest (SOI) (see below), in full, and return it to the Nom Com. Nom Com will only consider electronic submissions via e-mail. To be considered by the Nom Com, the SOI must be received no later than 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC). Send your completed SOI to nomcom2008(a)icann.org <mailto:nomcom2008@icann.org>. It is in your best interest to submit your SOI soon so that Nom Com can follow up with the people you ask to provide references for you, or with you if we have questions. The Nom Com's procedures call for confidential treatment of the identities of Candidates and the Nom Com's discussions about the Candidates. In performing its function, however, the Nom Com will consult Candidates' references and may seek further information about Candidates as well as conduct third-party reference checks on a confidential basis. In addition, due diligence of Selected Nominees will be undertaken by a professional company experienced in such work. Once selections are final, the Nom Com will make only the identities of the Selected Nominees public. The SOI asks you for various authorisations and consent. The Nom Com relies heavily on the information you provide in the SOI, and the information given by the people you ask to be your references. The primary sources of information about you and your qualifications for appointment are your SOI and the names of references that you provide. We might contact you again for more information or clarification and you are welcome to send questions to the committee at any time. The committee might contact you in late May or early June to arrange a telephone interview during the last weekend in June 2008. Be thoughtful about the information you provide to help the Nom Com learn as much about you as possible. Choose your references carefully so they provide a broad view of your experiences and abilities. You must ask the people you select as references before submitting their names to the Nom Com; they should know they have been asked to provide a reference and its purpose. Spam, mail filters and other problems are making it increasingly difficult for the Nom Com to contact your references; *you must ensure that your references expect to be contacted by us*. Please read the "Leadership Positions <http://nomcom.icann.org/positions-2008.html>", " ICANN Conflicts of Interest Policy <http://www.icann.org/committees/coi/coi-policy-04mar99.htm>" and "Nominating Committee Procedures <http://nomcom.icann.org/procedures-2008.html>" documents carefully before completing this SOI. These documents can all be retrieved using links in the Nom Com's webpage: http://nomcom.icann.org/ We also strongly recommend that you read and understand ICANN's mission and core values as defined by the organization's bylaws: http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#I To help you answer the questions we have provided a Notes sheet at the end of this document. Please refer to the Notes whenever the form tells you to. Please delete the notes section before submitting your SOI. If you were a candidate in 2007 or earlier, you must resubmit a new SOI to become a candidate in 2008. _Timeline_ The Nom Com will begin accepting SOIs on 15 December 2007. All SOIs should be returned by 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC). Selected nominees will be announced at least 45 days before ICANN's 2008 Annual General Meeting to be held in the Africa region (location to be confirmed), on 2-7 November 2008. Candidates who are not appointed will also be advised of the decision in approximately this same time frame. The time between 15 April 2008 and the announcement of Selected Nominees will be used to collect references, evaluate information about all candidates, and conduct any due diligence (see question E.1 below.) If your circumstances change during this period please write to the Nom Com at the following email address explaining these changes nomcom2008(a)icann.org <mailto:nomcom2008@icann.org>. Terms for all positions begin at the end of the 2008 ICANN Annual General Meeting on 7 November 2008. Selected Nominees will be invited to attend this meeting. For full consideration of your SOI please: * Complete in full the SOI below, answering all questions (question C.4. is optional) using English, and without electronically attaching any other documents; * Provide your responses to the SOI categories in order, immediately following the heading for that category; * Provide the meaning of any acronyms used to reference an organization or activity, and state the purpose of the organization or activity; * Limit your responses to approximately 3,500 words (in total) and focus your responses carefully in terms of the nature of the position(s) for which you wish to be considered to give the Nom Com a clear picture of your candidacy; At its option, the Nom Com may or may not review material that you reference by URL links in your response. Please make your response sufficient to stand alone if necessary, without reliance on linked resources. To receive full consideration statements should be received before 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC). The selected nominees will be announced before 2 October 2007. You must answer all questions below, except question C.4 which is optional. *Pleased delete* the descriptive material above from the substance of the SOI below before submitting your SOI electronically. Thank you. -------------------------------cut here---------------------------------- *ICANN Nominating Committee Statement of Interest Form, 2008 * Please complete this form and return in Rich Text Format (RTF), Microsoft Word document (.doc) or plain text (ASCII). URLs may be helpful, but understand that we may not be able to view linked material. Please send the completed form by email to nomcom2008(a)icann.org <mailto:nomcom2008@icann.org> by 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC). Nominating Committee Statement of Interest Form, 2008 <http://nomcom.icann.org/soi-2008.doc> [.DOC, 52K] Nominating Committee Statement of Interest Form, 2008 <http://nomcom.icann.org/soi-2008.rtf> [.RTF, 58K] Nominating Committee Statement of Interest Form, 2008 <http://nomcom.icann.org/soi-2008.txt> [.TXT, 14K] *SECTION A. Identifying and Contact Information* Please refer to Note 1 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note1> *(A.1)* Your name: first name, FAMILY NAME (in capital letters). *(A.2) *Position(s) for which you would like to be considered. If you would like to be considered for more than one position, please state so, categorizing each position with numbers, in your order of priority (i.e. 1 is your highest priority. Please refer to Note 2 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note2> ICANN Board ___ GNSO Council ___ ccNSO Council ___ Interim ALAC ___ *(A.3) *Male/Female? *(A.4) *Your e-mail address. *(A.5)* Your telephone number(s). Please include country and city/area codes and indicate your preferred contact number. *(A.6)* Your country of citizenship. If you hold multiple citizenships please state all. *(A.7)* Your country of residence. *(A.8)* How did you hear about the ICANN Nominating Committee? We would like to know how you heard about the Nom Com process and opportunity to become a candidate. *SECTION B. Education and Professional Background * *(B.1)* Provide details of your current job, title, employer or affiliation. Please refer to Note 3 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note3> *(B.2)* Describe your educational background and past professional positions. Please refer to Note 4 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note4> *(B.3)* Describe any current and past volunteer positions, roles and accomplishments. We are particularly interested in board or similar directorship and committee experience. *(B.4)* If you have a personal web page, you may wish to provide a link to it here: *SECTION C. Internet Involvement and Interest in ICANN* Please refer to Note 5 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note5> This section asks questions that will tell us specifically about your candidacy, how your experience makes you suitable for the position(s) you would like to be considered for, the qualities you will bring to ICANN and how you will help ICANN over the coming years. Although detailed knowledge and involvement in ICANN is not a prerequisite, the following questions will help put your experience with ICANN and the Internet into perspective. *(C.1)* Describe how you meet the criteria for each of the ICANN leadership positions you are applying for. Please refer to Note 6 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note6> *(C.2)* Describe current and past involvement in, contributions to, and leadership roles in activities and organizations involved in the development and operation of the Internet, its naming and addressing infrastructure and/or its security and stability. Please refer to Note 7 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note7> *(C.3)* Provide a statement about what you would contribute in your desired leadership position(s) to ICANN and its mission. Please refer to Note 8 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note8> *(C.4)* Is there any additional information you would like to submit that would be helpful to the Nom Com in making its decision? If so, please summarize it here: *SECTION D. References* This section asks for additional information about your candidacy, the names of people who you would like to provide references, and information indicating you agree to due diligence and any other checks ICANN may carry out. *(D.1)* Conflicts of interest with ICANN. Please indicate clearly if you have any areas of actual potential conflicts with ICANN. Actual and potential conflicts of interest will not necessarily be disqualifying. Please refer to Note 9 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note9> *(D.2)* All positions are voluntary and require a significant commitment of time and energy. Please read carefully the description of the time commitment required in the "Leadership Positions" document. Is your schedule of activities compatible with a significant allocation of time to contribute to the positions that you are looking for? Please indicate Yes or No: [ ] YES [ ] NO *(D.3)* Please provide the names of no less than 3 and no more than 4 people who can provide a reference for your candidacy. Nom Com will send a copy of your SOI to each of the people you name as a reference. Please provide the person's name, e-mail address, telephone number, professional position, and a brief description of your relationship with them. Please *ask the person* before including their name as a reference and inform them that you have submitted this SOI. Please refer to Note 10 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note10> 1. Name: Email: Telephone: Relationship: 2. Name: Email: Telephone: Relationship: 3. Name: Email: Telephone: Relationship: 4. Name: Email: Telephone: Relationship: *SECTION E. Consent and Authorisation* Please refer to Note 11 <http://nomcom.icann.org/invitation-2008.html#note11> *(E.1)* Under the Nom Com's procedures, your candidacy will be treated as confidential unless you give the Nom Com your permission to disclose it or unless the Nom Com is consulting your references and conducting third-party reference checks from selected sources on a confidential basis. Third party checks may also be required as part of a due diligence process necessary before we can accept candidates for leadership positions in ICANN. Once selections are made, the Nom Com will make the identities of only the Selected Nominees public. Although the Nom Com will take reasonable steps to ensure that its confidentiality procedures are followed, Candidates and Selected Nominees shall have no claims against ICANN, the Nom Com, or affiliated persons in the event information is disclosed despite our adherence to these procedures. You also authorize the Nom Com to consult with your references, to investigate other information publicly available about you, and to conduct additional third-party reference checks. You will not be entitled to review or access any of the information received, obtained, generated, or considered by the Nom Com regarding any Candidate or Selected Nominee, or any of the Nom Com's discussions or deliberations regarding any Candidate or Selected Nominees. Candidates and Selected Nominees have no right to challenge or seek review of the Nom Com's selections. Please indicate that you understand this statement (E.1) and agree to become a candidate under the conditions described above. Please indicate Yes or No: [ ] YES, I understand this statement and agree to these conditions [ ] NO, I do not agree to these conditions *(E.2)* Interim vacancies in 2009 If you are NOT selected this year for any of the preferences indicated in (A.2) above, would you permit the Chair of this year's Nom Com to retain your name (based on the same preferences) and transfer your SOI to the Chair of the 2009 Nom Com for possible consideration in the event that a mid-year vacancy occurs in 2009? Please indicate Yes or No: [ ] YES [ ] NO This option may be exercised only in the event that a mid-term vacancy occurs and does not mean you will be included in the pool of candidates for regular term positions next year. To be considered by the 2009 Nom Com for a regular vacancy you would need to apply again. The Nom Com values your interest in being a candidate for the positions it is charged to fill. We expect and rely upon your integrity in presenting your qualifications and experience. We appreciate your significant effort in completing this SOI. *Please delete* the notes below from the substance of the SOI above before submitting your SOI electronically. Thank you. -------------------------------cut here---------------------------------- Please delete this and the following material before submitting your completed SOI by e-mail to the Nominating Committee. *NOTE Form: Statement of Interest ICANN Nominating Committee 2008 * Please use these Notes to help you answer the questions in the SOI. You should read these notes carefully before answering. _NOTE 1_. Section A. Identifying Information. Section A asks for information about your personal background, the type of information typically provided in a CV or resume; however, please do not attach your CV to this statement. _NOTE 2 _. Preferred positions. ALAC vacancies in 2008 are for citizens of countries from the European and North American ICANN regions, see http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm <http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm> for a description of ICANN's geographic regions. If you are not from one of these regions, please do not apply for an ALAC position this year, but do check for vacancies next year. _NOTE 3 _. Information about employment. Please provide your current job title and name of your employer. If self-employed, mention your area of work. Briefly describe your current job and your duties. _NOTE 4 _. Education and professional background. Summarize your educational background, such as degrees achieved and the university(s) where you studied, and the three most recent places of employment and positions held. _NOTE 5 _. Section C. Internet Involvement and Interest in ICANN The purpose of the questions in Section C is to help us understand the skills and experience you would bring to ICANN, how you would help ICANN achieve its mission, and how you meet the criteria for the leadership positions the Nom Com will fill. Please refer to the "Leadership Positions" document for details of these criteria. The Nom Com needs to understand why you are the right person for the position(s) you wish to apply for. Please be bold in telling the committee about yourself and your ideas. _NOTE 6 _. Satisfying eligibility and other selection criteria. See "Leadership Positions" document for eligibility criteria and other selection factors. Describe how your work and other experience helps you meet the criteria for the position(s) you are applying for. You may wish to describe how your previous experience is relevant to your candidacy. _NOTE 7 _. Familiarity with the Internet, its naming and addressing infrastructure and issues related to its security and stability, and other Internet technical functions coordinated by ICANN. The Nom Com would like to know about your familiarity with the Internet's naming and addressing infrastructure, the domain name system and other Internet technical functions coordinated by ICANN, both in technical and policy matters. Please describe any involvement with the operation of ccTLD, gTLD registries or registrars, IP address registries, or relevant DNS technical or policy development process, including Internet technical protocols and standards. Your answer should include details of any involvement with ICANN, its policy development processes including its creation and evolution, supporting organizations and councils. Your answer may overlap with your response to question C.1. _NOTE 8 _. Contribution to ICANN and its mission. Please state clearly how you see yourself contributing to ICANN and its mission (ICANN's mission is defined in the Bylaws http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#I) Please highlight your personal skills and experience that would be beneficial to the organization. You should mention specific past or current contributions in fields such as international relations, technical leadership, managerial skills, languages, etc., as well as goals for your contribution in the desired position. _NOTE 9 _. Conflicts of Interest. Please refer to the ICANN Conflicts of Interest policy http://www.icann.org/committees/coi/coi-policy-04mar99.htm . This document is aimed at conflicts for ICANN Directors and Officers, but should provide guidance for all ICANN leadership positions. If you have had any relationship with an ICANN accredited registry or registrar (other than registering a domain name) or any organization that has been in dispute with ICANN, please describe that relationship here. Conflicts of interest are not necessarily disqualifying, since we anticipate that many experienced people may have such relationships. _NOTE 10_. Selecting references. *You must ask* the people you select as for their agreement to do so before submitting their names to the Nom Com. They should know they will be asked by the Nom Com to provide a reference and should understand the purpose of the reference and Nom Com process. You may wish to provide them with your SOI (this completed form) so that they can respond knowledgeably to our request for information. We recommend that you choose your references carefully so the Nom Com has a broad view of your experiences and abilities. * Current Nom Com members must not be included as references. See the Nom Com home page http://nomcom.icann.org/#members * Current ICANN staff must not be included as references. See: http://www.icann.org/general/staff.html. The Nom Com will not consult as a reference anyone who is also a candidate under consideration for the same position, but because of our confidentiality commitment, NomCom will be unable to advise candidates about another person's presence in the candidate pool. Your candidacy will not be adversely affected by such a collision should it occur. _NOTE 11_. Due diligence and third party references. ICANN will employ a professional firm to conduct due diligence on selected nominees. Due diligence will be confidential and conducted according to global industry standards. In some circumstances the Nom Com may ask a third party for additional reference information under a condition of confidentiality. 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[Fwd: Pambazuka News 334: It is the Kenya people who have lost the election]
by alice 04 Jan '08

04 Jan '08

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Pambazuka News 334: It is the Kenya people who have lost the election Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 22:45:15 +0000 From: Firoze Manji <fmanji(a)mac.com> To: pambazuka-news(a)pambazuka.gn.apc.org PAMBAZUKA NEWS 334: IT IS THE KENYA PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THE ELECTION The authoritative electronic weekly newsletter and platform for social justice in Africa Pambazuka News (English edition): ISSN 1753-6839 With nearly 500 contributors and an estimated 500,000 readers Pambazuka News is the authoritative pan African electronic weekly newsletter and platform for social justice in Africa providing cutting edge commentary and in-depth analysis on politics and current affairs, development, human rights, refugees, gender issues and culture in Africa. To view online, go to http://www.pambazuka.org/ To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE – please visit, http://www.pambazuka.org/ en/subscribe.php CONTENTS: 1. Features, 2. Comment and analysis, 3. Letters, 4. African Union Monitor Support the struggle for social justice in Africa. Give generously! Donate at: http://www.pambazuka.org/en/donate.php /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ 1 Features IT IS THE KENYAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THE ELECTION Firoze Manji Kenya is entering a protracted crisis. No one really knows who actually won the presidential elections. Given the overwhelming number of parliamentary seats won by the ODM adn the dismissal of some 20 former ministers who lost their seats, it seems likely that the presidential results probably followed suit. But it is no longer really a matter of who won or lost. For one thing is certain: it is the Kenyan people who have lost in these elections. That the elections results were rigged – of that there is little doubt. The hasty inauguration, the blanket banning on the broadcast media, the dispersal of security forces to deal with expected protests – all these have given the post election period the flavour of a coup d’etat. What was not expected was the speed with which the whole thing would unravel. The declaration of the members of the Electoral Commission that the results were indeed rigged only added to the growing realisation that a coup had indeed taken place. People across the country took to the streets to protest and were met with disproportionate use of force by the police and GSU. Emotions ran high. And there is evidence that politicians from all sides used the occasion to instigate violent attacks against their opponents constituencies. There have been rapes, forced circumcision and forced female genital mutilation. The western media has been quick to describe these as ‘ethnic clashes’ – but then they appear only to be able to see tribes whenever there are conflicts in Africa. What is ignored by them is that the security forces have been responsible for the majority of killings. What we have in Kenya is a political crisis that could, descend into civil war if the political crisis is not resolved soon. And therein lies the problem. There is no coherent political direction from the ODM. First Raila Odinga declares he’s the ‘people’s president’ (shades of Blair’s ‘people’s princess’ speech – the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce, some might say – and says he is going to arrange to be inaugurated. What happened? Then he says that he is not willing to meet with Kibaki, then says he will meet provided there is an international mediator. He says he will form his own government, and then takes that no further. Then he calls for a million person march into Nairobi, and when faced with a banning order and massive police attacks, backs down and calls for another demonstration the following day. But what is this demonstration seeking to achieve? Such events are usually a means of showing the size of popular support: but ODM has already demonstrated its popular support in the stolen elections. There are no coherent political demands for this event that would bring the support of the many who, though they may not have voted for ODM, would feel that they would nevertheless want to express their support. There is no real strategy for enabling PNU’s own political base to be won over. The election results were rigged, sure. But the failure to demand that an independent judicial inquiry be established to investigate only leads to suspicions that even the ODM were not keen to have the results investigated. It is now probably too late to conduct a satisfactory investigation since original records may have been tampered with – which might explain the Attorney General’s sudden willingness announced today to allow the ECK records to be inspected without recourse to use of the courts. The mass demonstrations could have been used to call for such an investigation and to protest against the media ban imposed by Kibaki and to challenge constitutionality of the ban. Instead, it served no purpose other than what some see as an infantile response to the theft of the elections. Why has there been no public appeal to the armed forces and police – whose families have no doubt suffered in the violent upheavals – to refuse to fire on citizens, or to defend and protect citizens from the violence that has been unleashe?. Kibaki can retain power only through the use of force – and so long as the armed forces and the police remain loyal, he will be able to retain his hold on power. ODM has failed to challenge the existing government by encouraging all sections of society to create a viable alternative to the present government. But the real tragedy of Kenya is that the political conflict is not about alternative political programmes that could address the long standing grievances of the majority over landlessness, low wages, unemployment, lack of shelter, inadequate incomes, homelessness, etc. It is not about such heady aspirations. No, it boils down to a fight over who has access to the honey pot that is the state. For those in control of the state machinery are free to fill their pockets. So the battle lines are reduced to which group of people are going to be chosen to fill their pockets – and citizens are left to decide perhaps that a few crumbs might fall off the table in their direction. And the electorate – the mass of citizens who have borne the brunt of the recent violence and decades of prolonged disenfranchisement from accessing the fruits of independence – are reduced to being just being fodder for the pigs fighting over the trough. The Kibaki regime seems unlikely to concede any space – for to do so would confirm the suspicions of election theft. And the longer that the current impasse continues, the more likely it is that people will seek to vent their anger and frustration in senseless violence – energy that could so easily be turned towards organising to building a new world. So what is going to be the way forward? Will there be an independent inquiry into the election results? Into the violence that has taken place? Will the contending parties agree to the formation of an interim government that would oversee the re-run of the elections? Whatever happens, the present crisis has demonstrated that there is a serious lack of any formations that can articulate a coherent political programme for social transformation. Politics will remain forever about who gets access to the trough so long as there is no alternative. This issue of Pambazuka News is dedicated to those who have paid with their lives in this period of crisis. * Firoze Manji is co-editor of Pambazuka News and executive director of Fahamu. * Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org ****** DRAMA OF THE POPULAR STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY IN KENYA Horace Campbell National elections were held in Kenya on December 27, 2007; the results of the Presidential election were announced three days later. Within minutes of the announcement that Mwai Kibaki had emerged as the winner, there were spontaneous acts of opposition to the government in all parts of the country. The opposition was especially intense among the jobless youths who had voted overwhelmingly for change. A ruling clique that had stolen billions of dollars in a period of five years had stolen the elections. This was the verdict of the poor. However, this verdict was obscured by ethnic alienation and the constant refrain by local and foreign intellectuals that the crisis and killings emanated from deep ‘tribal’ hostilities. This tribal narrative was intensified after the burning and killings of innocent civilians in a church, in Eldoret, in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. But while these killings had all of the hallmarks of the genocidal violence of Rwanda and Burundi, more importantly, they heightened the need for Kenyan society to step back from the brink of all out war. Violence and killings provided a feedback loop that threatened to engulf even the political leaders of the society. This analysis argues that the calls for peace and reconciliation by the political and religious leaders will remain hollow until there are efforts to break from the recursive processes of looting, extra judicial killings, rape and violation of women, and general low respect for African lives. This short commentary on the elections and the aftermath seeks to introduce a unified emancipatory approach: liberating humanity from the mechanical, competitive, and individualistic constraints of western philosophy, and re-unifying Kenyans with each other, the Earth, and spirituality. This analysis draws from fractal theory and seeks to place Africans as human beings at the center of the analysis. Fractal theory is founded on aspects of the African knowledge system and breaks the old tribal narratives that refer to Africans as sub humans needing Civilization, Christianity and Commerce. Those who condemn the post-election violence in Kenya have failed to condemn the traditions of killings and economic terrorism in Kenya. It should be stated clearly that using African women as guinea pigs for western pharmaceuticals is just as outrageous as burning innocent women and children in churches. Rape and violation of women, and exploitation of the poor and of jobless youth have been overlooked by the commentators who focus on one component of the matrix of exploitation in Kenya -- ethnicity. In tandem with much of the current discourse on fractal theory, this commentary is addressed to progressive intellectuals from Kenya and calls for a revolutionary paradigmatic transformation- one that is intrinsic to African knowledge systems and can be witnessed in practice in the everyday activities of African life. Revolutionary transformations are necessary to break from the processes that have been unleashed in Kenya and East Africa since British colonialism and the British Gulag. This break requires revolutionary ideas in Kenya, along with revolutionary leaders and new forms of political organization. Thus far, neo-liberal capitalism and neo-liberal democratic organizations, along with the focus on party organization have created leaders who organize for political power. These leaders are not even concerned about forming lasting political parties. Far more profound transformations are required in Kenya, beyond the winning of elections. However, until new ideas and new leaders emerge, the current struggles will serve to educate the poor on the limitations of the old politics and ethnic alliances that privilege sections of the Kenyan capitalist class. The analysis is presented as a drama of three acts. The first act was played out in the form of the election campaign. The second act involved the drama after the announcement of the results and the violent reactions from all sections of the society. The third act of this drama continues to unfold with the call for a fractal analysis that will place revolutionary transformation as the central question on the political agenda in Kenya and East Africa. Act One – The Struggles over the election and the campaign for the Presidency. The Scene: Kenya had been the epi- center of imperial domination in East Africa from the period of British colonialism. Caroline Elkins in the book, Britain’s Gulag, has documented for posterity the extreme violence and murders bequeathed to the Kenyan political culture by the British government. At independence in December 1963, Britain handed over power to people who, in essence, agreed to act as junior partners with British capitalism in Eastern and Central Africa. This partnership included an acceptance by the ruling class in Kenya of the western European forms of land ownership that stated that Africans had to be modernized from their “tribal” and “backward” ways. For forty years, Kenya was presented as a success story where a parasitic middle class and a thriving Nairobi Stock Exchange (composed of foreign capital) sought to prove that capitalism could take root in Africa. Act 1 Scene Two of this drama took the form of a campaign for the tenth Parliament of Kenya. The drama of the struggle for change in Kenya was played out before the world in the form of an electoral struggle that gripped the society for many months. At the end of Scene Two one of the principal props of this drama – the local media - reported that the results were like a “blood bath.” The headline screamed “ energized voters sweep out Vice President, Cabinet Ministers and seasoned politicians as wind of change blows across the country.” But the newspapers were not yet aware of the implications of using language like “blood bath” in their headlines. Every one awaited the final results of the news of who would be President. The results were being delayed while the votes were being cooked. As news of the parliamentary routing of the incumbent President and his allies in the Party of National Unity (PNU) splashed on the streets, on the screens and on text messages while the principal actors and actresses of the drama, the people of Kenya, sought spontaneous actions to ensure that they were not silenced by the power brokers who had placed themselves at the head of the movement for change. These central actors and actresses (wananchi) had enthusiastically participated in the election campaign articulating their demand for peace, reconstruction and transformation of Kenyan society. By the time of the third scene of this drama, those from the den of thieves around the incumbent Mwai Kibaki sought to silence the media. In order for this scene to be played out without an audience, international observers and the media (both national and international) were ejected from Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) election center at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. The Chairperson of the ECK went to a small room and announced the results of the elections naming Mwai Kibaki as the winner of the election. Three days later, the same chairperson of the ECK said in the media that he was not sure if Kibaki won the elections. Earlier in the drama Raila Odinga’s team of regional barons and aspiring capitalists argued that the true results of the elections showed that Raila Odinga had been chosen by the majority of the main players to be the leading man on the Kenyan stage. How was it possible for his Movement to win over one hundred seats in the Parliament (when Kibaki’s den of thieves had won less than thirty parliamentary seats) and still lose the Presidency? Local and foreign observers cried foul. The elections had been rigged. Ballot boxes had been stuffed. Results were being announced that did not correspond to the votes from the constituencies. The integrity of the process was flawed. These voices were soon drowned out by the might and power of those with strategic control over the military and media sections of the performance. Neo-liberal politics include rigging, so that the international observers used ‘measured’ language of “irregularities,” “anomalies” and “weighty issues” to conceal the reality of outright theft. Raila Odinga termed the process a “civilian coup.” But international capital became confused, because, after all the precedent of election rigging in Florida,U.S.A in 2000 had given the green light to electoral fraud internationally. The Swearing in of President Kibaki Act One Scene Three of this drama was performed within the guarded confines of State House where parastatal executives, mostly defeated cabinet members and a small section of the media were invited. In this scene, Mwai Kibaki was sworn in as the Third President of the Republic of Kenya. The stage and setting of this scene was markedly different from the previous swearing in at the Uhuru Park (in Nairobi) where an enthusiastic audience had cheered on the President on December 30, 2002. The 2007 swearing in scene had to be played out without the audience because the principal actors and actresses did not endorse this new act. Minutes after the announcement of the victory of Kibaki, there were spontaneous demonstrations all over the country, especially the urban areas. Popular outrage at the theft of the elections brought violence and the killings of innocent civilians in Kakamega, Kisumu, Mombassa, Nairobi, Nakuru and other centers. The police killed innocent demonstrators as the foreign media portrayed the demonstrations in ethnic terms. The gendered, class and ethnic dimensions of the opposition to Kibaki began to be played out in the poor communities that were called slums, but the media focused on one dimension, the ethnic alienation of the poor and exploited. Hundreds of dead brought home the reality that the elections and vote counting were simply one site of struggle in the quest to break the old politics of exploitation and dehumanization in Kenya. However, because so much of the old politics of exploitation had been masked by the politicization of ethnicity, poor members of the Kikuyu nationality were targeted in some communities, with the killings in Eldoret bringing home the long traditions of ethnic cleaning that had been going on in this region during the Moi regime. The same media neglected to report that poor Kalenjin also torched the home of former President Arap Moi. Would there be a break from this recursive process of killing of the poor? Odinga and members of the Pentagon condemned the killings of members of a particular ethnic group but the anger was too deep for the youths to listen. Unfortunately, the ODM did not have structures to properly mobilize the youths away from looting. Raila Odinga and the Orange Democratic Movement In order to avert the possible war that could emanate from this new act of the drama there was the need for fresh if not revolutionary ideas to harness the pent up energies of the people for change. The radicalization of Kenyan politics had merged with the anti- globalization forces internationally to the point where in 2007 Kenya hosted the World Social Forum. The radical demands of the Bamako appeal of the Africa Social Forum (for profound social, economic and gender transformations in Africa) could not be carried forward by the old Non Governmental Organization elements allied with international NGO’s from Western Europe. What the World Social Forum had demonstrated was the reality that new revolutionary ideas with new revolutionary forms of organization were needed to realize the goals and aspirations and appeal of the Africa social forum. Raila Odinga and his group of regional ethnic barons had tapped into the radical sentiments of the youth all across the ethnic divisions. Calling his team, the Pentagon, Odinga mobilized the popular discourses about youth, women and disabled to speak about ‘poverty eradication’ and “corruption.” Absent from the platform of the Orange Democratic Movement was a clear program for reconstruction and transformation. Raila Odinga had been a major political actor on the Kenyan stage for four decades. He had participated in every major political party and formation since his father, Odinga Odinga had emerged as the opponent of the Kenyan form of neo-colonialism. The 2007 elections exposed the reality that there were no real political parties in Kenya. Leaders on all sides were not interested in building a lasting movement for change. They were interested in parties as electoral vehicles to capture state power. There were more than 300 parties registered in Kenya and over 117 participated in the elections in December 2007. Local and international writers who earlier had been voices for the poor enthusiastically supported the enactment of the first scene of the drama (the election and voting). Some of these writers moaned and groaned that the script had been changed when those who controlled the state machinery unleashed violence against the poor. In order to unleash state violence against the poor, the Minister of Internal Affairs banned the broadcast of live images. The state also toyed with the idea of banning SMS messaging in Kenya. But Kenyans simply tuned in to the international media to confirm what they knew, that the recursive processes of killings and revenge were spiraling out of control. Without enacting an official state of emergency (in the fear of further hurting the tourist industry) the majority of poor Kenyans lived under curfew-like conditions as the military, the police, and General Service Units were deployed all over the country and new forms of censorship were implemented. The political leadership that stole the elections had to be careful with the use of the police, military and the intelligence services in so far as the divisions within the security forces challenged the authority of those who stole the elections. Raila Odinga sought to tap into this division of the coercive forces by calling a demonstration of a million Kenyans to oppose the stolen election results. The International media and international capital The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and other cultural voices of imperial power were from the outset one of the props of this drama. The British were particularly active because the interests of British capitalism were very much an important part of narrative of the drama. During Act 1 scenes two and three, this foreign prop had been condemning the “irregularities’” and “anomalies” of the drama and carried the press statements of the International Observers of the European Union and the Commonwealth. The head of the European Union observer mission issued a statement declaring that, “the Presidential poll lacks credibility and an independent audit should be instituted to rectify things.” This clear statement led the US government to reverse its earlier recognition of Mwai Kibaki as the winner of the Presidential elections. There had been concern in Washington over the future of Kenya in so far as the US authorities sought to mobilize Kenyans in the war against terrorism. During the period of Kibaki, Kenyan citizens were shipped out of the country to be tried as terrorists under the US policy of kidnapping, called rendition. The ODM signed a memorandum of understanding with the Islamic community during the election campaign and members of the ODM condemned the rendering of Kenyan citizens by the government. It was argued that if these citizens acted contrary to Kenyan law, they should be tried under Kenyan law. The propaganda war had been virulent and since Raila Odinga held the moral and political high ground, sections of the international media began to retreat from endorsement of the electoral coup. However, the occupation of the moral high ground was shaky. Would the government and opposition be more concerned with the lives of the poor than with political power? In the face of the absence of resolute moral leadership to condemn these killings, the international media had a field day portraying the struggles for democracy in Kenya as primitive “tribal” violence. Act Two – Stalemate and brinkmanship in politics Raila Odinga and his team called the Pentagon had entered the drama seeking to play on the terms of those who had seized power from the time of colonialism. The very naming of his team as the ‘Pentagon’ had shown an insensitivity to the international revulsion against military symbols. The five leaders of the Pentagon were, (i) Vice Presidential running mate M Mudavadi, (ii) Charity Ngilu, (iii) William Ruto, (iv) Bilal Najib and (v) Joseph Nyagah. These regional ethnic barons had emerged from multiple political formations and many had family and business linkages with capitalists inside and outside of the government. During the campaign these regional leaders had campaigned on a pledge to devolve power from central government. The poor believed this would bring power closer to the village and communities so that health care facilities, water supply systems, road and pathways in the villages, education, sanitation and other services could be delivered so that the conditions of exploitation are ameliorated. These localized services were interpreted by various local communities as job creation avenues for the jobless youths. For the regional barons, the devolution debate was carried out to ensure easier access to the treasury. The word ‘majimbo’ re- emerged in the political vocabulary of Kenya to reignite the memory of the alliance between the ‘home guards’ and settlers at the dawn of independence. Youths all across Kenya had transcended the ethnic identification and wanted real change in the quality of life in the society. Entering the drama without a real party and without a real organ to bring the majority of the actors and actresses to the center of the drama, it was easy for the team around Mwai Kibaki to stall so that the spontaneous anger would peter out. Would the Orange Democratic Revolution learn the lessons of popular power in the streets of the Ukraine Orange Revolution and shake the old power with new bases of alternative power? This provided the setting for the central aspect of the drama, the stand off between the forces of orange and the forces of the defeated power. Kibaki came across as an imprisoned leader, surrounded by politicians and financiers who argued that Kibaki must enter any negotiation from a position of strength. Odinga countered that negotiations could only begin when Kibaki accepted that the elections had been stolen. The hardening of positions ratcheted up the tensions in the country as regionally countries such as Uganda, Rwanda and the Southern Sudan began to feel the effects of the shutdown of the transportation system in Kenya. Mwai Kibaki and the neo-liberal regime in Kenya Mwai Kibaki had been associated with the ruling class in Kenya for over fifty years. Starting his career as a representative of Shell Oil Company in Kampala, Uganda, Kibaki moved from an academic position at Makerere University to the top echelons of the independent government of Kenya after independence. In the book, The Reds and the Blacks, William Atwood, then-US ambassador, had identified Kibaki as one of the steady ‘reformers” who would guarantee the interests of foreign capital. Kibaki emerged as a stable force in the ruling circles serving both Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel Arap Moi as Minister of Finance. It was under the leadership of Kenyatta and Moi that the forms of theft by the ruling elements in Kenya were refined. Extra judicial killings and accidental deaths of prominent trade union leaders and politicians were papered over by the foreign press that labeled Kenya a ‘stable’ democracy. Arap Moi and international capital. After the death of Kenyatta in 1978, Daniel Arap Moi moved decisively to cement an alliance of foreign capitalists and local political careerists to loot the society and spread divisions and ethnic hatred among the poor and oppressed. British capitalism had been the dominant force in Kenya with British companies such as Unilever, Finlays, GSK, Vodafone, Barclays and Standard Bank becoming leading names on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. Britain had made a deal with the independence leaders and awarded a small sum to enhance this new class of African yeoman farmers to join the British settlers in the exploitation of Kenya and indeed, East Africa. Molo, in the Rift Valley (one of the constituencies at the center of the row over the rigged elections), represented one of the places where Kikuyu settlers had been relocated after independence. Moi during his Presidency remained at the center of the alliance between British capitalists, Asian capitalists and Kikuyu entrepreneurs from Central Province. By the time of the electoral defeat of Moi in December 2002, the Moi family and cronies in the ruling party, Kenya African National Union (KANU) had become junior capitalists in the game of exploitation. It was under the leadership of Moi that imperialism used Kenya as a base to subvert African independence. A report commissioned by the Kibaki administration, (called the Kroll Report), had named Moi and his sons as billionaires with assets in banks in Britain, Switzerland, South Africa, Namibia, the Cayman Islands and Brunei. The 110-page report by the international risk consultancy Kroll alleged that relatives and associates of former President Moi siphoned off more than £1bn of government money. This documentation placed the Mois on a par with Africa's other great politicians-cum-looters such as Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) and Nigeria's Sani Abacha. The Kroll report of the levels of theft when presented to the Kibaki government was never acted on. The alliance between Moi and Kibaki forces became clearer during the election campaign when Moi and his sons fiercely campaigned for the re –election of President Kibaki. The sons of Moi were decisively defeated in the elections. The documentation of the level of theft by Moi was exposed before the public in what to became known as the Goldenberg scandal. This scandal brought to the fore the alliance between Moi, KANU and Asian capitalists in Kenya. These capitalists had looted the country with such impunity that Kamlesh Mdami Pattni (an Asian capitalist named in the Goldenberg scandal) took over one party Kenda to contest the 2007 elections. Prior to the 1992 multi-party struggles, Kibaki had sought to distance himself from this group of capitalists. These were the capitalists involved in settler agriculture, manufacturing, transport, services, old forms of banking, insurance, real estate, construction and engineering and the health and education sectors. These capitalists from inside and outside the political arena provided cover for looters all across Eastern Africa. In the Kenyan economy money from oil in the Sudan (especially Southern Sudan), commercial interests in Somalia, gold and diamond dealers from Rwanda, Burundi and the Eastern Congo circulated with the resources from the exploited Kenyan working poor so that in the past ten years there has been a growth of the Kenyan economy. Felicia Kabunga, wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda (ICRT) for crimes of genocide in Rwanda was the kind of looter and money spinner who found safe haven among the money launderers in Kenya. Kibaki and the rise of new capitalists. Although Mwai Kbaki had campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket in 2002, his tenure as President of Kenya was marked by an explosion of new schemes for accumulation. The rise of the telecommunications, information technology and banking sectors boomed with new enterprises such as Equity Bank and a number of communications companies (Safaricom, Flashcom, Telecom etc) rivaling the old capitalists. The floating of new shares n the form on an Initial Public Offer (IPO) for the Company, Safarcom, became a central question in the election campaign in so far as those who got access to the shares at the time of the issuing of the IPO became instant millionaires. The Kibaki government was in the main dominated by elements who formed a company called MEGA (a regrouping of the old Gema Gikuyu, Embu, Meru Association), and through Transcentury Corporation had elevated themselves to be the among the leading capitalists in Kenya. This group presented a program called Vision 2030 where Kenya would become the leading capitalist country in Africa, becoming the Singapore of Africa. Control of the governmental apparatus was crucial for Vision 2030. Space does not allow for an elaboration of the individuals of this capitalist clique and their place in the interpenetrating directorates of the Nairobi Stock Exchange. What is significant is that the names of the capitalists and politicians of Trancentury figured in the scandal of corruption that rocked the government of Mai Kibaki. This was termed the Anglo-leasing scandal which involved awarding huge government contracts to bogus companies. One insider, John Githongo, exposed the scandal and repaired to Britain. No money from the Anglo leasing scandal had been recovered before the elections and although European and US governments made noises about corruption there were no moves to repatriate the stolen wealth back to Kenya. These scandals were very much a part of the election campaign. Three of the four ministers who resigned after the Anglo Leasing scandal was exposed had been reinstated by Kibaki. These ministers along with twenty other ministers lost their parliamentary seats in the December 2007 elections. The poor of Kenya had used the ballot to send a message to the capitalists in Kenya but those who stole billions of dollars from the Kenyan Treasury were not above stealing an election. The real test in Kenyan politics was whether the team called the Pentagon was serious about changing the political culture of theft, looting and storing billions of dollars in foreign banks. The people of Kenya had voted for change. Was the Orange Democratic Movement a movement for change or a movement for political power? This was the outstanding question as the cast and the writers got ready for Act three of the drama of the struggle for democracy. Act 3. A Revolutionary situation without revolutionary ideas and real revolutionaries. Because the drama is being played out it is not possible to make a presentation of the last act of this drama. This is the act where the peoples of Kenya are torn between two traditions. These are the traditions of the freedom fighters for independence and the traditions of violence, looting and the low respect for African life. The youths of Kenya have been brought up in the period of the aftermath of the end of apartheid and the defeat of Mobutism. These youths have risen above the politicization of ethnicity and along with progressive women want to end the rape and violation of women. These youths have been heard to say that Kenya is in the midst of a liberation war. While the consciousness of the youth may be high with the thought of a long term struggle, there are very few revolutionary leaders and a poverty of revolutionary ideas in Kenya. If anything, the poorer youths are being mobilized into counter-revolutionary violence where poor and oppressed people burn and kill each other. This was the lesson of the killings, burning and massacre in the Rift Valley. Counter-revolutionary violence of the Rwanda genocidal form lay just below the surface and the same politicians who gave refuge to genocidaires from Rwanda are not above fomenting genocidal violence among the poor. The media images of marauding youths with pangas provide the necessary imagery to represent to the world another version of African savagery. This same media will not prominently carry the news that poor peasants from the home area of Danieal Arap Moi burnt his house to the ground. The prospect of real class warfare in Kenya frightens both the government and the opposition so there is a delicate effort to manage the crisis so that the forms of capital accumulation can return to the business pages rather than the front pages. Raila Odinga and the Orange Democratic movement are now caught between the aspirations of the regional capitalists of the ‘Pentagon’ and the demand for real change across Kenya. The post election mayhem is a clear demonstration that the ODM did not sufficiently engage their followers on new ideas transcending ethnicity and patriarchy. This demand for democratic change in Kenya will require new forms of organization beyond electoral politics and new ideas about the value of African lives. This requires a break with the European ideation systems that promote capitalism as democracy and genocide as progress. * Horace Campbell is Professor of Political Science at Syracuse University * Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org ****** KIBAKI MUST BACK DOWN Victoria Brittain Desmond Tutu was absolutely right to fly into Kenya and throw his moral authority behind efforts to resolve the dramatic crisis that other outsiders are misjudging so badly. British foreign secretary David Miliband, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, secretary general of the Commonwealth Don McKinnon and President John Kufuor of Ghana, president of the African Union (AU), all missed the chance to denounce the rapid swearing-in of a man who did not win the presidential election. This lit the touchpaper for the appalling violence of the last few days. All of these powerful people knew from the European and other observers on the ground how grotesque and open was the ballot rigging which allowed Mwai Kibaki to claim victory. The parliamentary elections in which President Kibaki's party was trounced, getting a mere one third of the seats obtained by Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and with 20 cabinet ministers losing their seats, underlined the true balance of democratic forces in the country. Tutu knows mass anger as a response to political humiliation. Kenyans in the street will listen to him as South Africans did, and still do when he speaks fearlessly to the powerful at home as well as abroad. Perhaps Kibaki, who has rebuffed the overtures from the AU and insists that Kenya's problem is an internal one, will meet the Archbishop. If so, he will hear hard truths, but also, perhaps, a face-saving way to step back from the folly encouraged by his close advisers who dared not face his defeat and the political reckoning that would come with it. It is a myth that Kenya has been a haven of stability in East Africa for decades, just as it was a myth that Ivory Coast was in the west - until it exploded. Kenya has been a key strategic ally for the west since independence, and the kleptocratic and repressive governments of Kenyatta, Moi and Kibaki have been supported unconditionally for that reason. Since the launch of the "war on terror" in late 2001, the importance of Kenya to the Americans has increased even further. The west chose not to see a country where more than half the population of 31 million live on $2 a day, where unemployment is rising, landlessness is chronic and increasing. The tourist paradise for European holidaymakers had become a bitter, lawless and cynical place for its own citizens. Raila Odinga made a political alliance with Kibaki in 2002, calculating that together they could attack corruption, bring down an elite which had been above the law for too long, and give ordinary Kenyans the modest prosperity that had eluded too many of them since independence. (Kibaki too had been in the wilderness during the Moi years.) But Kibaki was captured by the old elite once he came into power, and since 2005 Odinga has built a new nationalist alliance across the country, which owes as much to his own drive, as to the old magic of his father's name - Oginga Odinga. In the years after independence, when Kenyatta became a key British ally and froze Odinga out, as a socialist, and as a Luo from the poor west of Kenya, Odinga's was the name with which the Kenyan masses most identified. In the 21st century the freeze won't work on the son. The election has to be rerun with a credible independent electoral commission. Odinga's offer of negotiations under international auspices must be accepted by Kibaki. *Victoria Brittain, a former associate foreign editor of the Guardian, is a journalist and a research associate at the London School of Economics. *Please send comments to editor@pambazuka or comment online at http:// www.pambazuka.org ****** NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! Onyango Oloo No JUSTICE, No PEACE!! Onyango Oloo Dissects The Wrong-Headed "SAVE OUR COUNTRY" Media Blitz During my 18 year sojourn in Ontario and Quebec, I became quite immersed in a wide array of social justice struggles-from Indigenous People’s rights, anti-globalization, working class struggles, anti- apartheid to anti-racist movements. The Canadian anti-racist movement, while different and autonomous from its sister movement south of the 49th Parallel, has been inspired by the African-American led struggles for civil, social, economic, cultural and political rights. Icons like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, Ben Chavis, Jesse Jackson Jr., Fredrick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Angela Davis, George Jackson, Huey P. Newton are household names in the African-Canadian, Caribbean Canadian and Native Canadian communities. As many of us know, one of the most ubiquitous rallying cries and chants during anti-racist rallies, protests and demonstrations is the slogan, “No Justice, No Peace!” I remember the summer of 1989 being amidst angry protestors around the Queen’s Park subway in Toronto, making our way up the street to the Royal Ontario Museum chanting these and other slogans to vent our ire about a racist exhibition at that Museum which really demeaned continental Africans and people of African descent in general. To some, the phrase, “No Justice, No Peace!” is just another tired slogan, to be grouped with “A People United, Shall Never Be Defeated!” or “An Injury To One Is An Injury to All”. These cynics are of course obtuse, because they do not appreciate the blood, the sacrifice and the torture which infused the historical origins of those chants. The second phrase emanated from the anti- imperialist and anti-fascist struggles of Latin American women and men confronting the US backed dictatorships of Central and South America. The third slogan is from South Africa where the militant workers in that struggle-soaked nation were right at the frontlines of the South African national liberation movement. This morning I want to talk about “No Justice, No Peace!” in the contest of the ongoing social and political turmoil in Kenya. And I am doing it because I have been reeling with DISGUST, recoiling in horror at a new campaign for “Peace” launched primarily by Kenya’s media houses, principally the Nation Media Group, the Standard Group and the folks who run Kiss 100 FM and the Nairobi Star. Now to be fair to people like Julie Gichuru at NTV and the KTN anchors, they appear sincere and earnest enough. It is good intentions all through. At least at the surface level. When you do scratch beneath that surface however, you are confronted with something else- a blatant attempt to restore social control and buttress the class domination of the comprador and petit bourgeoisie in Kenya. Please stay with me if you are temporarily befuddled. Most Kenyans know that the spontaneous anti-government insurrections were sparked off by the decision of the Electoral Commission of Kenya to steal the Presidential vote at the behest of Mwai Kibaki and his PNU cohorts. We also realize that criminals and tribalists have hijacked these protests to loot and plunder and attack members of specific ethnic groups. One would expect that ANYONE interested in a peaceful solution to the crisis in Kenya would begin with where “rain began to beat us” to quote Chinua Achebe for the billionth time. One would further expect that only a transparent restitution of justice would jump start a sustainable peace and national reconciliation process. At a minimum, there would have to be some kind of a public acknowledgment that the flawed Presidential election results must be rectified. That seems to be the consensus in Kenya, and judging by media reports, among the publics of Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and many other African countries. The indictment by the EU observer mission would seem to indicate that the capitals of capital have no doubt in their minds that Kibaki stole the elections. Given the above, one would expect that a "peace process" dubbed “Save Our Country” jumpstarted last night by the main Kenyan media houses who were in the forefront of exposing the anomalies and irregularities would pay attention to the question of justice even as strove to put out all the infernos raging across Kenya. What has happened instead? A mealy mouthed editorial piece on peace carried simultaneously across different Nairobi media that insults the collective intelligence of Kenyans. Sample this: “Political leaders on both sides must be told in no uncertain terms that they are currently in great danger of losing their credibility in the eyes of Kenyans and the international community because systemic killing of the innocents sweeping Kenya, destruction of the economy and the spread of disaffection throughout the land. No grievance and no cause is worth the innocent blood of Kenyan children. The orgies of looting, burning, rape and wanton, well- orchestrated blood-letting are undermining the moral basis of the politicians’ cause…” -Excerpt from an editorial jointly run in the Daily Nation and Nairobi Star (Thursday, January 03, 2008) HELLO? Since when did “politicians on both sides” coerce ECK to steal the Presidential vote? The culpability rests solely with President Kibaki. From the fascist diktats of Michuki, Muthaura, Murage and Co. we know that the ODM leadership has NOT had a chance to publicly address their followers and therefore cannot be accused of “orchestrating” or “instigating” anything. Yes, the blood of innocents is flowing freely with mobs setting alight a church full of women and children and targeting innocent wananchi based on their ethnicity and regional origins. But who is talking about the orgy of POLICE and PARA-MILITARY EXTRA- JUDICIAL EXECUTIONS? By yesterday, there were over ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY BULLET RIDDLED BODIES in the New Nyanza Hospital including corpses of INFANTS. Who shot to death those innocent unarmed civilians? The police have been executing ghetto youth in Kibera, Kawangware and elsewhere. Who employs and commands these killers in uniform? Reports from Kisumu insist that the Kibaki regime may be using crack NRA troops from neighbouring Uganda to slaughter Kenyan citizens. When I first raised this issue online twenty four hours ago, some were quick to dismiss the very possibility. Today the Nyanza Provincial Police Officer is on the defensive, admitting she is aware of these widespread allegations even as she strenuously denies them. In this regard I must state that I was somewhat disappointed by the public statement released yesterday by Kenyan Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai. While I commend her for speaking up and appealing to Kibaki to take charge, I am disappointed that what motivated her was not so much the reality that the whole of Kenya is burning but rather that “her people”, the Central Kenyan communities were being targeted. Surely one can make a very strong case that the Luo communities residing in Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay and elsewhere are being similarly targeted, this time by THE STATE itself. In fact, in the letters to editors page of the Standard there is this letter from a Kisumu resident of South Asian heritage which says, inter alia: “…The recent riots are not Kisumu riots. Even the killings are State- operated to gain political mileage to discredit ODM’s Raila Odinga and his supporters.” -Mahesh R, Kisumu, p.8. Letter, The Standard, Thursday, January 03, 2008 Raila Odinga has publicly stated that he is ready to meet with international mediator and in fact as I write these lines is meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu at Pentagon House. Earlier this morning Amos Kimunya was interviewed by the BBC and he was quoted as saying that the Kibaki regime does NOT see the need for international mediators because they (PNU) can deal with the matter internally- a claim which is mocked by the ongoing protests. The same Kimunya has accused the international observers as being biased towards ODM after the EU team publicly denounced the anomalies in the tallying of the presidential results. President Kufuor of Ghana, the current AU Chairman was scheduled to be in Kenya today, but the Kibaki regime BLOCKED his coming. Are these guys SERIOUS???! Let us go back to the editorials. This is a passage from the Standard’s: “…Employ a reputable international arbiter, NOT to determine who won the presidential poll, but to work out a road-map that will bring Kenya back from the brink and a mutually acceptable proposition for sharing power…Notwithstanding the inflation of figures in a number of areas, both ODM and PNU garnered 4 million plus votes in the presidential ballot, meaning the country is split right down the middle. The position of President is not vacant. Kibaki was declared President whether or not the presidential ballot was flawed…” -Standard editorial, Thursday, January 03, 2008 It is right in this excerpt that the mask slips to reveal the PNU underbelly of the much ballyhooed “Save Our Country” onslaught. Huh? So we should not “determine who won the presidential poll” eh? How then, dear Standard editors, will we work out a road-map that will bring back Kenya from the brink? Even queasier is the cheesy full page ad by the Concerned Citizens for Peace addressing two men-Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga- to do something. The very content of the ad betrays its elitist, undemocratic character. The 2007 Kenyan civic, parliamentary and presidential polls was a national affair involving MILLIONS of Kenyan citizens. What is happening in Kenya is NOT a PRIVATE FIST FIGHT involving the Othaya and Lang’ata MPs, but rather a NATIONAL CRISIS that has the future of MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS of Kenyan women, children and men at stake. To try and lock out the Kenyan people from an urgent democratic impasse and reduce it to a two man tussle is a grave insult to the Kenyan people. By the way, WHERE is President Kibaki, the apparently “popularly, democratically and fairly elected leader”? >From the look of things right now one would be forgiven if they thought that Major-General Hussein Ali is the acting Head of State with chief government propagandist Dr. Alfred Mutua as his deputy. In the few times I have seen Kibaki he is holed up at State House flanked with senior military officers giving the distinct impression that he is their hostage. It is now approximately 12:15 as I keyboard these lines and reports on the television indicate that there are ongoing skirmishes between the police and pro-ODM youths along Thika Road, Mbagathi Way, Kibera, Eastlands and the City Centre. In other words, there is a minor uprising in Nairobi and not just the capital but also Kakamega, Bungoma, Mombasa, Kisumu and elsewhere. On December 30th I spoke about Kibaki’s Coup. Four days later the presence of police, para-military and military formations underscores my point about the overthrow of democratic rule. What is actually laughable is the phenomenon of a horde of PNU election losers led by Kibaki down to his deputy Awori and FORMER cabinet ministers Tuju, Kombo, Kituyi, Shakombo etc MASQUERADING as a legitimate “government”. Surely, if Kibaki had the mandate that PNU hawks like George Nyamweya claims he has, he should have formed a government by now. He should have by now been addressing his 4.5 million supporters at heavily attended mass rallies by now. Instead, Kibaki skulks stealthily in State House afraid to meet the very Kenyan citizens he claims to lead. Which brings me back to the slogan: “No Justice, No Peace!!” Until we resolve the simple question of who Kenyans actually elected President on December 27, 2007, there WILL BE NO PEACE. In my considered opinion, the SAVE OUR COUNTRY campaign is a slick, dishonest appeal by the pro-Kibaki comprador and petit-bourgeois business elite hoodwinking Kenyans to ACCEPT the fraudulent election results and legitimize criminal PNU’s civilian coup. Why should Kibaki or Raila share power? At the December 27th elections, Kenyans overwhelming voted for a new government: That government is the Orange Democratic Movement led by its flag bearer, Raila Amolo Odinga. Once again I say: NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! A PEOPLE UNITED, SHALL NEVER BE DEFEATED! AN INJURY TO ONE, IS AN INJURY TO ALL! *Onyango Oloo, a Kenyan political activist and ex political prisoner. *Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org ****** /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ 2 Comment and analysis CALL FOR URGENT RESOLUTION OF KENYA ELECTORAL CRISIS http://www.petitiononline.com/kenya08/petition.htm We the undersigned call on the ODM and PNU leaders to urgently seek a resolution to the current electoral crisis in the country and restore peace and harmony in the country through leadership. We express our concern at the deteriorating situation in Kenya following what has been widely acknowledged as an impressive election turn-out. We commend the Kenyan people for their dignity and courage but also express our condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives and to the many who have been injured in the course of needless violence over the last few days. This is a time for Kenyans to be patient, dignified and to look for solutions that are in the best interest of the majority. We regret the chaos which has caused loss of life, destruction of property and general unrest in the country. The contested outcome has marred the prospects of democracy and peace not only in Kenya but also in Africa. The cloud which hangs over the conclusion of one of the most fiercely-fought elections in Kenya's history is regrettable. We believe that peace should be regained as a matter of urgency so that a free and fair outcome can be reached. We believe that this is not the time for provocative actions, but a time for demonstrating leadership through bringing the contending partners to the table. This crisis can be resolved by the players in disagreement using conciliation and arbitration mechanisms as a matter of urgency to plan a peaceful resolution of the crisis. If necessary, this could be done with the involvement of others such as the African Union and others, such as those who acted as election observers. We urge the contending leaders to act within the spirit of democracy and seek to heal the wounds that have been opened by recent events and to do so in transparent ways. We are aware of the betrayal that many may feel in what they consider to be an electoral injustice. We ask them to engage in the process by seeking explanation and accountability and to be guided by their own sense of civic responsibility. We call on the PNU and ODM leaders to seek conciliation and resolution of the current crisis for the sake of the country. We call for mechanisms for mediation and conciliation to be put in place urgently to give voice to all grievances that have arisen from the present situation in which there can be no winners, only losers. We welcome the mediation processes that have been initiated We call for an immediate ending of violence by the security forces and all other parties. Whilst we recognize that the security forces have a role to play in maintaining peace and order, we condemn the disproportionate and excessive use of force by the security forces against unarmed civilians that has been manifest over the last few days. We call for an independent transparent review of the whole electoral process and its outcomes so as to resolve any differences between contesting parties. This should include reviewing the results of the election and all reported irregularities, especially those related to the disparities in the tallying of the final results. We call for a swift formation of an independent and credible Judicial Commission of Enquiry by endorsing the call by the Electoral Commissioners who have called for one. We urge the international community to be patient pending the outcome of such a proposed review process. As it is Kenyans who have to live with the consequences of a Mwai Kibaki or Raila Odinga government, the international community can only follow the recommendations of an independent review before declaring the elections free and fair. We call on those who wish to see a peaceful democratic Kenya, especially in the African Union, to support initiatives that can bring this crisis to a swift conclusion by facilitating dialogue and reconciliation. We are deeply concerned by the gagging of the media, especially as this has only fueled suspicion and encouraged speculation in an already highly volatile situation. Freedom of expression has been one of our greatest democratic prizes won by Kenyans during the last few years and we cannot afford to go backwards. We call for an immediate and unconditional lifting of the reporting ban so as to ensure that Kenyans are able to keep abreast of what is happening. We commend the Kenyan press for the work they have done to keep information flowing. It is precisely in the time of crisis that a free and independent media is essential to ensure a democracy that is based on information not speculation. We urge the international media community to support the Kenyan press during this time and continue promoting the right for a free and independent press especially during such a period. We call on all peace loving people to join us in calling for a swift conclusion to the crisis so that Kenya can return to normality andpeople can continue their lives without fear and anxiety. The petition is now online at http://www.petitiononline.com/kenya08/ petition.html and at the time of going to prese had nearly 800 signatures. Please sign the petition. ****** KENYA’S DEMOCRACY ON TRIAL Mukoma Wa Ngugi On Thursday December 27th 2007, shortly after polling stations were closed, Kenya was hailed as having fulfilled an African dream – to have a free and fair closely contested democratic election. But less than 48 hours later it was clear that the dream of democracy could become a nightmare of ethnic violence. Most of the casualties so far have been the poor and the marginalized – and if things continue as they are, a bitter civil war fought along ethnic lines is certain. To say that what is at stake is the very future of Kenya is not an overstatement. To answer the question of how the promise became a nightmare one must begin with very nature of democracy and how it has been functioning in Africa. The first element to consider is that in the absence of strong democratic institutions (the three pillars of legislature, executive and judiciary), democracies in Africa are relying more and more on the goodwill of politicians: in this case, a nation is only as democratic as its politicians. Added to this, African democracy is in real terms an expression of ethnic tensions. Instead of rolling back tribalism (I use the derisive term deliberately), African democracy serves it. One could say that all democracies have an element of this: in the West it generally goes under the euphemism of voter demographics. When Hilary Clinton is courting the white, black or Latino vote, she is in fact practicing what might, in other circumstances, be called tribal politics. In the Kenyan presidential election, ethnic politics were a key factor in the close election results: the incumbent Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuyu, received very few votes in the Luo areas, while his Luo opponent, Raila Odinga, received only a very small percentage of the Kikuyu vote. In this bitterly contested election where ethnicity was the deciding factor, victory from either side was bound to spill into violence. As a direct result of the above, questions of what true justice means and about the growing divide between haves and have-nots become lost to ethnicity. Raila is a flamboyant millionaire while Kibaki is as elite as you can get in Kenya. Lost in the fires of ethnicity is the simple fact that Kibaki and Raila have much more in common with each other than with their supporters. In this sense those engaged in the violence are, to put it bluntly, proxies in a war between two elite leaders. Another element to consider is the extent to which the landscape of African politics has changed. We need to stop blanket condemnations of African leadership, and acknowledge that it varies and some leaders are better or worse than others. Kibaki, while not a Mandela is not a Moi or a Mobutu, or a Bokassa or an Idi Amin. By the same token the nature of opposition has changed. Since independence and the struggles against neo-colonial governments, opposition has been automatically understood as the legitimate voice of the people. But opposition no longer means the good guys. In many instances the opposition and the sitting government are practically the same as is indeed the case in Kenya. So while Raila is accusing Kibaki of vote- rigging, it could just as easily be Raila trying to rig and short- circuit the democratic process to favor himself. In other words we have no reason to take either of their claims to be true at face- value. In this impasse of two leaders intent on seizing power, respect for the democratic process couldn’t be more important. Toward a solution, Kenyans should realize that something beautiful did happen during this election. Most of the big men of Kenyan politics were voted out of Parliament and hence out of office. Even the sons of former dictator Moi did not win seats in Parliament. There seemed to be a belief that voting was a way of talking back the Kenyan political elite, and that democracy could be made to work for the majority poor. This is the flame that we must not let die. To nurture this flame, a recount of the votes in a transparent manner is necessary. This, no matter what one thinks of Raila or Kibaki, or whether one thinks the elections were fair or not, should be the meeting ground of all those concerned about the future, immediate and long term, of Kenya. If the votes can be recounted in full transparency, this election will not then become the death of Kenyan democracy but rather a test along the way to a democracy with real content – the content of security, equality and justice for Kenya’s majority poor. *Mukoma Wa Ngugi is co-editor of Pambazuka News. A version of this article first appeared at http://blogs.independent.co.uk/openhouse/ 2008/01/kenyas-nightmar.html *Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org ****** KENYA ELECTION DOMESTIC OBSERVATION FORUM - PRESS STATEMENT Kenya is bleeding. Kenya is bleeding from a political crisis that has rapidly led to a social and spiritual crisis. We, the Church leaders working together with the leadership of all faiths have been alarmed at the speed and depth this crisis has taken over the last 24 hours. Unless checked, this crisis will plunge Kenya into a complete state of lawlessness, disregard for human rights and the sanctity of life. Three actions could defuse this political crisis. Firstly, the outcome of the recently concluded Presidential and Parliamentary elections requires a quick and comprehensive political resolution. The Church as part of KEDOF endorses KEDOF’s statement – “ in our view, considering the entire process, the 2007 General Elections were credible in as far as the voting and counting process is concerned. The electoral process lost credibility towards the end with regard to the tallying and announcement of presidential results” We have considered the opinion of the Members of the Electoral Commission and international observer groups. In our opinion, the Government, in close consultation with all the parties who fielded Presidential and Parliamentary candidates should immediately establish a credible process for the establishment of an Independent Commission. This Commission will seek the transparent verification of tallies for the concerned constituencies. All parties must start by committing themselves to acting on the outcome verification by the Independent Commission. Secondly, we urge the leaders of the three major political parties to meet and dialogue. Their political leadership at this critical hour is central to saving lives. Over the last 24 hours, we have lost at least five lives every hour, with scores of other men, women and children injured, scared, displaced and vulnerable to attacks by fellow Kenyans. We call upon leaders who contested Parliamentary seats – both those that won and those that lost to jointly and urgently address their constituencies within the next few days. We urge the mass media to continue to support the cause of peace. Thirdly, while we appreciate the efforts of the uniformed forces to stop lawlessness and we acknowledge the challenge that they have to protect all civilians we call upon them to establish corridors of safety. Such corridors of peace are critical for restoring access to food, shelter, crisis centres and other basic needs to which we as a faith community are committed to assist in providing. The ability to communicate during a period of national crisis cannot be gainsaid. While we deplore the use of these media for ethnic hate speech, attempting to block these avenues will be counter-productive. It will block also the flow of information that is required for identifying and reaching people at risk. We consequently call upon the state to lift the ban on live broadcasts. While calling on the Government, political parties and other non- state actors to take these actions, we realise that the future of Kenya is in the hands of the Kenyan people. We therefore call upon all Kenyans to immediately cease the violence that is occurring in our towns, villages and communities. We commit ourselves to monitor and quickly respond to the humanitarian needs of all Kenyans regardless of their religion, ethnicity, gender and political affiliation. God bless Kenya. * Kenya Election Domestic Observation Forum (KEDOF) is a partnership representing Kenyan Civil Society Networks (and faith-based organisations) in establishing a common platform for domestic election observation programme 2007. * * Please send comments to editor(a)pambazuka.org or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org/ ****** NEWS ROUND-UP ON RECENT EVENTS IN KENYA Izzy Birch This brief list of useful links is provided to help our readers keep up to date. LINKS FROM 3 JANUARY 2008 In this AllAfrica blog Brian Kennedy lists the wide range of those who now question the results of Kenya’s 2007 presidential election, including foreign governments, election monitoring missions, and the Electoral Commission of Kenya itself. He also refers to reports that the Kenyan police, who were deployed to guard the 36,000 polling stations across the country, kept records of the results and that their tally is said to differ from what the ECK announced: http://allafrica.com/stories/200801030150.html The Economist has described the result as a meticulously planned ‘civil coup’, stating that the decision to return Mwai Kibaki to office was made not by the Kenyan people but by a group of hardline Kikuyu leaders. Although the report states that their instinct will now be to use the security services to reverse basic freedoms, ‘it is not clear that Kenya will stand for it’: http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10422157 Amos Wako, Kenya’s Attorney General, has called for an independent and immediate investigation into the disputed presidential election result, acknowledging that it has been widely questioned, including by the Chair of the Electoral Commission of Kenya itself: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp? category_id=1&newsid=113857 The ECK Chair, Samuel Kivuitu, has given details of the inconsistencies in the constituency tallies of the presidential votes, which include altered figures from certain constituencies and the improper submission of documentation: http://allafrica.com/stories/200801030025.html The leader of the Pan-African Movement Observers Mission, Stephen Othieno, also criticised the ECK at a press conference in Kampala. The Mission sent 41 observers to Kenya who were not permitted to observe the process in its entirety – specifically the final tally. Mr Othieno also criticised the limited time made available for verification of the voters’ register prior to polling day, and biased coverage by some media houses: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/604750 ODM leaders have called for an internationally constituted and recognised body to examine the election results, on the grounds that the Electoral Commission of Kenya had failed in its duties and can not be trusted: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp? category_id=2&newsid=113845 The Kenya Human Rights Commission has called on Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who arrived in Kenya on 3 January, to oversee a recount. Professor Makau Mutua, chair of the KHRC, appealed for calm, dialogue and statesmanship from Kenya’s political leaders: http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143979846&cid=159 The Law Society of Kenya has declared its intention to make a legal challenge to Mwai Kibaki’s re-election. Lawyers and other civil society organisations, including Kituo Cha Sheria, have also called for the immediate resignation of Samuel Kivuitu and the ECK Commissioners: http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143979876&cid=4 The head of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, has decided to stay on in Kenya to support mediation efforts. The Group’s departure statement on 2 January noted that ‘delays in the announcement of the results raised questions about the integrity of the final phase of the election process’: http://allafrica.com/stories/200801030533.html http://www.thecommonwealth.org/document/174034/ kenya_elections_2007___departure_statement_by_the.htm A group of business, religious and cultural leaders delivered an open letter to all three presidential candidates, calling for an independent and transparent review of the whole electoral process and its outcomes, as well as personal and collective leadership that delivers a swift conclusion to the crisis in the best interests of the country: Add link Daudi Were writes in his blog of the shocking speed with which Kenya slid into violence. ‘The aim of this post is not to explore the issues around the issues but to highlight that there is a sophisticated and dedicated response to the crisis in our country’: http://www.mentalacrobatics.com/think/ Moody Awori, the Vice-President, appealed for calm and stated that the government was willing to enter into dialogue with the ODM leadership. Raila Odinga reiterated his position that any dialogue must be based on acceptance that the elections were compromised: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp? category_id=1&newsid=113833 Demonstrators who responded to the ODM’s call to attend a rally in Nairobi’s Uhuru Park on 3 January were met with tear gas and water cannon. ODM has now postponed the rally until 8 January. Archbishop Desmond Tutu arrived in Kenya on 3 January to help mediate in the crisis, while plans for the visit of the African Union President John Kafuor have reportedly been cancelled: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7169720.stm The Kenya Red Cross Society estimates (3 January) that at least 100,000 people require immediate assistance in the northern Rift Valley alone. Confirmed country-wide statistics are not yet available. John Holmes, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, emphasised the responsibility of Kenya’s political leaders to protect the lives and livelihoods of innocent people, and deplored the recent increase in gender-based violence: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/YSAR-7AHNQP? OpenDocument&rc=1&cc=ken Another report from the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs describes the situation of displaced people in Kericho and Kisumu, many of whom lack basic supplies of water, food and medicine: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/YSAR-7AHMGT? OpenDocument&rc=1&cc=ken Newspaper reports from around the East African region illustrate the impact of the crisis in Kenya on its landlocked neighbours. Fuel prices in Uganda have soared due to the shortage of fuel and the actions of speculators; bus fares in Kampala have in some places doubled. http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/604747 http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/opinions/ Fuel_crisis_is_big_lesson_for_us.shtml http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/ 155_fuel_tankers_on_the_way_to_Uganda_-_govt.shtml Traders in Rwanda are concerned at both the shortage of fuel and the prospect of being unable to restock from the suppliers in Kenya on whom they rely: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=1398&article=3293 Tanzania’s The Citizen newspaper emphasises the inter-dependence of the East African economies and the threat posed by the violence in Kenya to the future stability and prosperity of the East African Community: http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/newz.php?id=2294 LINKS FROM 2 JANUARY Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has called on the Kenyan government to abide by its international human rights obligations in responding to demonstrations and to allow journalists to carry out their work freely. She also emphasised the responsibility to use only peaceful means of protest: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx Humanitarian situation: On 2 January AFP reported that 306 people had died in politically related violence since polling day. Although the violence has been countrywide, the area most seriously affected has been Western Kenya. AFP reported the Director of the Kenya Red Cross Society as saying that around 70,000 people had been displaced in the area. Aerial video footage by the KRCS shows hundreds of houses and farms set on fire and roadblocks every 10kms: http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/080102073900.kf169jow.html A report from the Human Rights House Network describes the attack on the church near Eldoret in which at least 35 people were killed. Water and food for those displaced in churches and public buildings are running short, and travel in the area is highly dangerous: http://www.humanrightshouse.org/dllvis5.asp?id=6149 Reports from Kenyan religious and humanitarian organisations issued on 2 January state that 15000 people have been displaced in Eldoret, 700 in Kitale, 1000 in Nakuru, 500 in Kakamega, 500 in Kisumu, 200 in Siaya, 50 in Likoni, 6000 in Burnt Forest, 60 in Migori, 5000 in Dandora, and 560 in Mumias. People are taking shelter in schools, churches, mosques, police stations and other public buildings. The Kenya Red Cross, in a bulletin dated 1 January, reported that over 100,000 people had been affected or displaced countrywide, 120 reported dead, and over 1000 confirmed injured: http://www.kenyaredcross.org/highlights.php?newsid=61&subcat=1 The Regional UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) published police figures released on 1 January of 143 people killed across five Provinces (Rift Valley, Western, Nyanza, Nairobi, and Coast). It adds that these are confirmed cases and that the real number may be higher. The main obstacle to delivering assistance is the number of roadblocks set up by vigilante groups: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/MUMA-7AG3X8?OpenDocument Reliable sources report 30 roadblocks between Eldoret and Nakuru. The Uganda Red Cross reported on 1 January that 550 Kenyans have fled to Uganda, although officials believe that ‘thousands more’ have settled with friends and relatives: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/604566 The Nation reported on 2 January that 16 people had been killed at the Coast, while violent incidents had occurred in Taveta, Diani and Kilifi Town: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp? category_id=1&newsid=113768 Reliable sources report that travel outside Mombasa is currently very difficult due to numerous road blocks. Uganda’s New Vision reports on the killings in Eldoret, and gives a nationwide death toll closer to 300. It refers to tensions in Garissa, North-Eastern Province, emphasising again the widespread nature of the crisis: http://www.newvision.co.ug/PA/8/12/604563 Dr Dan Ojwang, a Kenyan academic based in South Africa, criticises media coverage of the crisis and argues that it has deeper and more complex roots. ‘Let the world know the truth’, he writes, ‘that members of almost all Kenyan ethnic communities are being killed and not just Kikuyu supporters of President Mwai Kibaki’s illegitimate government’. Add url Political situation: A report from the Human Rights House Network on 31 December, based on coverage in the Kenyan press as well as interviews with several human rights defenders in Nairobi, captures the breadth and severity of the political crisis, in terms of the heavy-handed security response, the infringement of media freedoms, and the prospect of an even more powerful presidency: http://www.humanrightshouse.org/dllvis5.asp?id=6138 Ken Opalo, a Kenyan blogger, laments the failure of leadership, and calls on both Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga to ‘act like the statesmen they claim to be’: http://kenopalo.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/kenya-quickly-degenerating- into-an-african-statistic/ The BBC reported on 2 January the accusations being traded by both sides. Asked if he would urge his supporters to calm down, Raila Odinga reportedly refused to be asked ‘to give the Kenyan people an anaesthetic so that they can be raped’: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7167363.stm The preliminary report from the European Union Election Observation Mission detailed discrepancies in the tallied results from certain constituencies. ‘A lack of adequate transparency and security measures in the process of relaying the results from local to national level questioned the integrity of the final results: http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143979838 The Chair of the Electoral Commission of Kenya, Samuel Kivuitu, admitted on 1 January that he announced the results of the presidential election under pressure from some PNU and ODM-Kenya leaders. According to a report in the Standard, he said that ‘We are culprits as a Commission. We have to leave it to an independent group to investigate what actually went wrong’: http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143979833 Four ECK commissioners on 31 December called for an independent judicial review of the presidential tallies. The Kenya National Commission of Human Rights regretted that the commissioners hadn’t raised their concerns before the result was announced, but expressed its support for an independent review: http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143979828&cid=159 Francis Atwoli, the Secretary General of the umbrella workers’ union COTU, is quoted as saying that the crisis is politically instigated and thus can only be solved by political means. In the same press report the government’s spokesman, Alfred Mutua, states that the military has been deployed to various parts of the country ‘to assist in averting a humanitarian crisis’: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp? category_id=1&newsid=113789 The deputy managing director of Safaricom confirmed that the company had received a request from the Ministry of Internal Security to ‘desist from sending or forwarding any SMS that may cause public unrest’, and that this had been forwarded to its subscribers: http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200801020003.html The head of the Commonwealth’s election observer team in Kenya, former president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone, has now met all three leaders (Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka). Kenya’s Daily Nation reports that a joint statement may be imminent: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp? category_id=1&newsid=113785 Muslim, Christian and Hindu leaders at the Coast made a joint appeal to political leaders to restore calm and seek reconciliation, and called for the situation to be resolved through legal channels: http://www.eastandard.net/electionplatform/index.php?id=1143979770 At the international level, the US and British foreign secretaries issued a joint statement on 2 January urging political compromise and noting the responsibility on all sides to maintain the political process: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029391629&a=KArticle&aid=1199196127097 http://www.guardian.co.uk/kenya/story/0,,2234121,00.html ****** /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ 3 Letters ON THE REUTERS LEAD STORY ENTITLED “KIBAKI ACCUSES RIVALS OF ETHNIC CLEANSING” (Mail & Guardian Online 02 January 2008) It is the responsibility of newspapers to report news as they see or hear it. However, I am apprehensive that this kind of equivocal and manipulated news-reporting (in the context of a slow media blockade) will simply buy the regime in Kenya time to launder its image in the midst of a crisis it has deliberately fuelled. The brewing genocide in Kenya has got a long and complicated history. The Kenyan government spin-doctor, Dr Alfred Mutua, has not even begun to scratch on the surface of what is truly going on. Kenya has a long history of internecine violence choreographed by ruling regimes that have always tried to protect their ill-gotten wealth by using ‘tribe’, and even ‘race’ as in the case of the colonial regime, as their alibi. As exiled Kenyan anti-corruption official John Githongo said not too long ago, “corruption always fights back.” Having “vomited all over our shoes” after a corruption binge and having unleashed murder on a scale we have never seen before, they now parade as our protectors. As the late JM Nazareth would have put it, we raia have become “sheep delivered to the fangs of wolves by constituting the wolves the shepherds of the sheep.” There are many in the Kibaki cabinet and others in opposition parties who are known to have muttered what, under the South African constitution, would be termed hate speech. Many of them have worked for the state at points in history when major public figures such as Dr Robert Ouko, Bishop Alexander Kipsang Muge, Pio Gama Pinto, JM Kariuki, Tom Mboya, Dr Odhiambo Mbai and others were killed on the grounds of their political beliefs or ethnic roots. Others kept quiet when state-sponsored militias spread mayhem in Western Kenya in the early 1990s in order to stop the enactment of multi-partyism. I know for a fact a number of public figures in the current mess who violently speared effigies of then exiled Kenyan writer, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, in the late 1980s. There are others who sat back, laughed or kept quiet when state thugs were unleashed on Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Prof Wangari Maathai and politician Paul Muite in the early 1990s. Yet others took oaths of ethnic-elite solidarity, sold to the public as a defence of ethnic rights, when massacres and inter-party repression rocked Kenya in the late-1960s. It would be naïve in the extreme to expect that they have all of a sudden developed a conscience. Beware of how many Kenyan politicians will in the coming days make a show of appealing to universal values of liberty, human rights, ad nauseum, when their conduct has been consistently illiberal and complicit in crimes against humanity. Beware especially of the diplomatic ones who will speak in pious Oxfordian tones in order that they may seem less violent than others. Beware of the suave, slick types who could never hurt a fly; they don’t need to for they have snuffed many human lives. As Hannah Arendt discovered when she did research for Eichmann in Jerusalem: The Banality of Evil, her masterful summary of the career and trial of the Nazi operative, mass murderers do not sport horns on their foreheads. They are often very ordinary ‘family men’. Investigate, investigate, investigate! Let the world know the truth that members of almost all Kenyan ethnic communities are being killed and not just Kikuyu supporters of President Mwai Kibaki’s illegitimate government as the news-report insinuates. Government sponsored thugs and mercenaries cut the water and power supply to Kisumu (an opposition stronghold) at a time when a cholera outbreak is clearly imminent. Over 100 people have been killed in Kisumu, many of them shot in the back by paramilitary forces. There have been reports of cholera in greater South Nyanza and this will spread to major urban centres on the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria. Massive starvation is also imminent in the face of a ban on fishing (a consequence of the cholera outbreak). All major urban areas and rural settlements in all parts of the country are under severe threat, from Busia to Mombasa, thanks to the purveyors of spreadsheet democracy. A government that consorts with known international criminals cannot presume to lecture Kenyans on human rights. Kenyans at home and in the diaspora have to admit that it is our collective silence in the face of extreme repression at key moments in our history that has led to this crisis. Giving airtime to saber- rattlers, spin-doctors and latter-day Goebbels will not help, but a little investigative journalism just might. The horses of the East African apocalypse may just have been unleashed. The truth must come out. However, our immediate duty now is not to dig in with specific accusations against politicians, but to work out a solution. Only a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and clear rules for power-sharing will help us in the end. Do not fail East Africa, for the region could implode! Sincerely, Dr Dan Ojwang Head, African Literature University of the Witwatersrand ****** RESPONSE TO NGUGI WA THIONG'O'S ANALYSIS OF KENYA Rose Ochwada Anyone who knows Ngugi will appreciate that Ngugi does not consider any other Kenyan a worthy leader unless they are Kikuyu. This article is a veiled attack on ODM and an endorsement of Kibaki leadership (http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/45051) What is sad is that Ngugi fails to mention the fact that Kibaki failed to make the promised new constitution a reality, leading to the fallout with many in his cabinet and the consequent creation of the Orange Movement. He also surprisingly fails to condemn the new found reliance of Kibaki on Moi for political survival and what this means to all Kenyans who fought for the second liberation. He cannot bring himself to acknowledge Raila Odinga's fight to demoncracy over the past 30 odd years. He can only praise the role of 'Mau Mau' which we all know was a tribal organisation fighting for return of land to the Kikuyu. If not then can he tell me of a single non-Kikuyu who was a Mau-Mau?? I personaly have nothing against the Kikuyu per se. I only get annoyed at people like Ngugi who use their International fame to fight a tribal cause under the guise of an intellectual discussion. When he talks of economic progress, can he honestly quote an instance where a resident of Mathare or Kibera slums who can testify to a real change in their lives due to the 'economic changes' of the last 5 years? Or is he just quoting the 'infamous' 6% growth that Kimunya and Co keep going on about while stealing from the public through 'Anglo-Leasing? I have never been a fan of Ngugi even in the Moi era, I am less of a fan now with his clear hypocrisy and obviouse tribal agenda. ****** /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ 4 African Union Monitor AU MONITOR WEEKLY ROUNDUP Issue 118, 2007 http://www.aumonitor.org/ This week's AU Monitor brings you updates from the African Union, where Cuban Vice President Estaban Lazo Hernandez recently held discussions with Commissioner Konare. The two leaders agreed to improve political and socioeconomic links between the African Union and Cuba and enhance Cuban solidarity for the development of the African continent. Further, Nadia Ahmadou provides analysis about the African Union's commitment to human right's and governance on the continent, encouraging the commission to match its statements with action by creating " a consolidated and coherent institutional approach to the standards regarding human rights, as contained within its Constitutive Act". A memorandum of understanding between the United Nations' Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and three European countries was signed recently. The new business plan for 2007-2009 will allocate $12 million to numerous gender, trade, and governance activities. In regional news, the South African Development Community (SADC) reflects on 2007 and examines developments and shortcomings of its member states activities while also highlighting the various challenges to regional integration. In peace and security news, the full deployment of peacekeeping troops in the Darfur region has been delayed further still. Of the issues contributing to the delay, amongst the largest is the Sudanese governments' insistence that only African troops be deployed to the region, asking that the UN and other international structures provide control and command support. Lastly, the final communiqué from the 42nd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights is now available. ****** /\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\ Fahamu - Networks For Social Justice http://www.fahamu.org © Unless otherwise indicated, all materials published are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. For further details see: http:// www.pambazuka.org/en/about.php Pambazuka news can be viewed online: http://www.pambazuka.org/ RSS Feeds available at http://www.pambazuka.org/en/newsfeed.php Pambazuka News is published with the support of a number of funders, details of which can be obtained at http://www.pambazuka.org/en/ about.php To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://pambazuka.gn.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pambazuka-news or send a message to editor(a)pambazuka.org with the word SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line as appropriate. The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Pambazuka News or Fahamu. ISSN 1753-6839

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How Secure is the ECK data?
by John Walubengo 04 Jan '08

04 Jan '08

Based on the current impasse at ECK, I cant help sharing an article I send to the media 4weeks before the elections and it never got the attention it may have deserved... walu. ~~~~~starts~~~~ How Secure is the ECK data? (Late Nov 2007) Recently, there was the verbal exchange between politicians and the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) about whether or not the Voters Register was being tampered with at ECK, Headquarters Anniversary Towers. Rather than debating on who is lying and who is not, it is better to take a nationalistic and objective view by asking How Secure is the ECK data? The Voters Register and the subsequent Polling Data is, or should be categorised as a critical national resource and must be accorded the appropriate levels of protection from various threats. Any mismanagement of this data would compromise the peaceful existence of the Kenyan state as we know it today. Typical threats facing this data would arise from circumstances that can compromise the Confidentiality, Integrity Availability and Non-Repudability of the ECK data. Data or information is said to be Confidential if it is secured against un-authorised access. Indeed most of the ECK data is by nature public information such as the Voters Register but there must be some data that should be kept confidential since it may be used maliciously if placed in the wrong hands. To what extend has ECK put in place processes and systems to ensure that confidential data remains confidential? The Integrity of data is an aspect of whether the ECK data is secured against illegal changes. In other words, does ECK have systems or controls in place that can prevent, detect and correct un-authorised changes to the Voters Registers or the Polling Data? Are these controls effective and more importantly, are these controls regularly tested? Availability of data refers to its capacity to be delivered where and when it is needed by its stakeholders. You can imagine, if the voting was done, the tallying completed and then ECK was unable to announce the results because of a computer or more commonly hard-disk failure. Speculations arising from the delayed announcement of election results during those critical hours after the elections could make or break this nation irrespective of whether the delay was valid or otherwise. Non-repudability of data refers to the capacity to prove beyond reasonable doubt, the origin of data. Within the context of ECK, this may be important particularly during this year when ECK is adopting modern communication technologies to receive, relay and query their data. Assuming the Returning Officers would be sending in their Polling data via SMS, Internet, Telephone or even Fax are there systems in place to prove that indeed the incoming data is originating from the official and not impersonated sources? In the interest of the public, ECK must take the necessary precautions to protect its information from the above threats. Similarly, ECK must be seen or should demonstrate publicly that they have indeed done due diligence to provide the necessary security with respect to the safety of their data. In developed economies, the laws and regulations require that critical data of national importance must be subjected to regular Information Systems Audits along the same spirit as that of carrying out regular Financial Audits. Despite the lack of compelling legislation to do an Information Systems Audit, ECK can decide to act in the interest of the Public and engage professional Information Systems Auditors to execute an Information Systems Audit on their critical data and related processes. Such an exercise, if it has not already been done, may be the only weapon to silence the reckless politicians who will keep suspecting the integrity of the ECK data to the detriment of this nation. J. Walubengo Mr. Walubengo is a Lecturer at the Kenya College of Communications Technologies (KCCT) and a Board Member, Information Systems Audit & Control Association (ISACA). ~~~ends~~~~ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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Freedom is the right of all sentient beings...
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 04 Jan '08

04 Jan '08

Brethren, If I could add my two cents & a penny for your thoughts on this quandary... I'd like to start off by saying of how proud I am of my fellow youth. All of you! Our turnout during the general election was honourable but I beseech us not to give up despite its outcome. We're young, we've much to learn & endure but remember the goodness we saw in one another before the 27th of December. Don't deny one another the freedom to life in the name of supporting an elite who don't give a damn about us. Both Kibaki & Raila don't deserve to govern this country. Kibaki rigged his way into a second term & Raila hasn't asked his supporters to cool down 'coz peace doesn't support his cause & he's hoping the mayhem will give His Excellency a crisis of conscience that'll see him step down thus enabling him ascend to the Presidency. We're all created uniquely & it's with this uniqueness that each of us brings something diffrerent to the national table: *intellect, strength of character, athletic prowess* etc but we're all equal in at least one way, each of us is willing to make the sacrifices a Kenyan needs to make, even the ultimate one. We all possess gifts & abilities that no one else has & let's use them to rebuild our motherland despite the losses we've incurred during the general election & its aftermath however long it'll take 'coz we ain't going anywhere. Don't forget to pray for hope & the restoration of peace. Our beloved Kenya: *"Land of the Free, Home of the Brave..."* Kind regards, Michael. *-- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg. --*

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Call from St. Marks Church -Westlands Women Group
by Alex Gakuru 04 Jan '08

04 Jan '08

Dear All, I received an anonymous sms this morning whose message I am happy to share with you, it said: ---- "Concerned women of Kenya are urgently appealing for support to help displaced families who need clothes, water, diapers, personal hygiene, baby formula and feeding bottles, utensils, beddings,crutches, toys. Please support, drop itesm at St. Marks Church, along Waiyaki Way, Westlands Friday Between 10 am - 4 pm. Please forward. Every minute counts!" ---- Thank you Alex

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[Fwd: Sambaza Amani]
by alice 03 Jan '08

03 Jan '08

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Sambaza Amani Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 12:52:39 +0300 (EAT) From: Silverscreen Pictures <ssp(a)silverscreen.co.ke> To: alice(a)apc.org Dear All, What we have witnessed over the last few days infuriates those that cherish peace and would like to practice competitive objective politics. The political posturing over the year has now degenerated to scenes that are akin to ethnic cleansing!!!!!!!. I doubt if the genuine political players had this in their agenda. what do the children have to do with fight for the top????? Honestly as Kenyans we need to rethink our priorities, and have a massive civic and political education put in place to enable us respect THE SANCTITY OF LIFE and the right of everyone to be on the other side of the political divide. Ingolo wa keya Silverscreen Pictures.

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Praying for Your Safety!
by Janet Feldman 03 Jan '08

03 Jan '08

Dear Friends, Just a short note to this list, to say that all of us outside the country are with you in spirit, sending our hopes and prayers for your safety and well-being, and for the restoration of a peaceful approach to the resolution of issues related to the election. Please communicate when you can to let us know you are OK, and in the meantime, know we are thinking of you, and extend to everyone our support, caring, and concern. With blessings and appreciation to and for you all, Janet (Feldman, KAIPPG International, kaippg(a)earthlink.net )

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[Fwd: Re: [civilsociety] Using ICTs to advocate for peace (SAMBAZA AMANI).]
by alice 02 Jan '08

02 Jan '08

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [civilsociety] Using ICTs to advocate for peace (SAMBAZA AMANI). Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 11:24:57 +0300 From: Wainaina Mungai <wainaina(a)madeinkenya.org> To: alice <alice(a)apc.org> CC: mediaeditors(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke, media(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke, civilsociety(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke In the words of a mwananchi interviewed on K24, SAMBAZA AMANI. So in support of Alice, can we build on this SAMBAZA AMANI campaign? Any other takers? move from On 1/1/08, *alice* <alice(a)apc.org <mailto:alice@apc.org>> wrote: Dear all Our dear country has been referred to as "An African exception and role model, a beacon of hope". "We are known for upholding peace, for our our cohesiveness, stability, being a reliable neighbor and our ability to ignore politicians whims" So it is really sad and frustrating to witness the current situation being manipulated and inflamed. And most of all sadness as what these events mean for us the Kenyan people. In a number of countries and situations, communication technologies have been used to advocate for issues including gender equality among others. Perhaps we could use the same to bring Kenyans together. To advocate for peace, to sell Kenya to Kenyans and to remind ourselves that our country has had one of the highest and best profiles in Africa and we cannot afford to throw that away. peaceful 2008 My comments are entirely personal and do not reflect any position of the organisations I am affiliated with. alice _______________________________________________ civilsociety mailing list civilsociety(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke <mailto:civilsociety@lists.kictanet.or.ke> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/civilsociety <http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/civilsociety> This message was sent to: wainaina(a)madeinkenya.org <mailto:wainaina@madeinkenya.org> Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/civilsociety/wainaina%40madeink… -- Made in Kenya Network P. O. Box 72031 - 00200 Nairobi. Kenya Tel: +254-20-780669 Cel: +254-722-811171 www.madeinkenya.org <http://www.madeinkenya.org>

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Vendors go online to enhance data service
by Bill Kagai 02 Jan '08

02 Jan '08

Written by Emmanuel Were *December 24, 2008: * http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5053&Item… >From the comfort of his office, Mr George Njoroge, a stocks agent, follows the "live" proceedings of trading at the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE), thanks to the data vending services introduced early this year. "I can follow the proceedings of the trading from my office," says Mr Njoroge. Sometimes when the Internet is slow he is forced to visit the NSE auditorium, where the public are updated by the minute via a projector screen. His experience sums up the development of data vending where some gains have been made albeit with several challenges as the service took shape this year. Before its introduction, the public had to wait until the close of trade to obtain the price list. All these developments have been brought about by the resurgence in the stock market evidenced by a series of Initial Public Offers (IPOs). The landmark listing of Safaricom, East Africa's most profitable company, is expected to shift stock market activity into top gear next year. Six data vendors were licensed by the NSE as trading metamorphosed from the open outcry system to the Automated Trading System (ATS). The introduction of the Wide Area Network (WAN) sets it a step away from full integration of online trading. Shareholders in towns such as Embu, Meru, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu can follow live, the trading from the Nairobi Stock Exchange, the epicentre of the stock market. Stockbrokers who opened branches in these towns benefit as well. Not to be left behind also are Kenyans in the diaspora. "The excitement at the beginning was excellent and we managed to get good numbers of subscribers who have sustained our business up to date," says Mr Bildad Kagai, Managing Director, MediaCorp Limited one of the licensed data vendors. Data vendors have to invest a one- off sum of Sh170, 000 (US$ 2,700 at the current exchange rate) payable to the NSE, for a licence. Other costs include an Internet connection costing about Sh50,000 a month while running costs are estimated at about Sh350, 000 bringing total monthly costs to about Sh400, 000. "We have spent a lot of money in the last nine months but with poor returns," said Mr Kagai in an interview, putting the estimated costs in that period at Sh4 million. The cost element was one of the challenges that beset the data vendors in what initially appeared as a quick return avenue. Aly Satchu of Rich Management, another data vendor says: "My greatest challenge as that of drowning out the propaganda and elevating the debate and finally creating a platform for us all to make consistently superior returns." He adds that there is a need to educate the public about investing. In October, this year, there was uproar from some of the retail investors who read mischief as the NSE auditorium was closed for a day in what the exchange authorities attributed to ongoing renovations, only for them to succumb to pressure to reopen it the following day. Many retail investors want live streaming of data and information, few neither understand it nor put it to use. The live data has three main boards: Normal, Prompt and Odd boards. An Investor can tell the number of shares of the listed companies being sold and what is available for sale. Retail investors form the largest base of subscribers to the live data with an annual subscription of Sh6, 000. In an earlier interview, Mr Robert Maoga, CEO of Eight Limited, said there was limited appreciation of data vending services because many investors are still speculative in nature and are yet to grasp the fundamentals. "We've received a better response from the corporates so we're gearing our products toward that market segment," Mr Maoga said. "Responsibility has been left to us to build an acceptable product for the customer," he says. To break the cost barrier, the data vendors have had to be innovative in their approach and maximise and capture a large part of the crowd. "Users of our services have different levels of sophistication and varying investment objectives. Diverse products will add more value to our customers," said Mr Symon Ndirangu , chief executive Information Convergence Technologies, a data vending service provider in an earlier interview. While contending that many people were not aware of data vending services , Mr Ndirangu told the Business Daily that the responses his firm had received from current users had led them to structure new products that suit varying investor objectives and needs. Data vendors, in a bid to lure the retail market have broken down the charges with daily, monthly and yearly subscription. For a low as Sh100, one can have access to some of the data vending sites. The start of the NSE's Wide Area Network comes with a promise of increased online trading as the transactions will now be online. The extension of the trading hours for three extra hours, as trading commences at 09:00 and closes at 15:00hrs during weekdays is likely to bring increased participation. Work on the submarine cables which will enable cheaper and faster Internet connectivity is set to step into top gear next year and come to a conclusion in 2009 hence broadening the clientele base for the vendors as more people get online. Digital villages which are to be set up, by the Ministry of Information and Communication in 2008 will provide an opportunity for the data vendors to provide service. "We expect to make a good profit in the next 12 months now that Kenyans have realised the value of data and information when investing in the Nairobi Stock Exchange," says Mr Kagai. But he adds that this will only be possible if the number of vendors remains at 6 data vendors servicing clients from 18 brokers. "The numbers look workable" says Mr Kagai. -- -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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[Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] Lithium Batteries Banned From Checked Bags]
by alice 02 Jan '08

02 Jan '08

(Apologies for crossposting) Lithium Batteries Banned From Checked Bags http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205206086 The international rule is intended to lessen the risk of lithium battery fires on airplanes. By Elena Malykhina, InformationWeek Dec. 31, 2007 URL: http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205206086 Starting Jan. 1, airline passengers will no longer be allowed to pack loose lithium batteries in checked luggage, the U.S. Transportation Department's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration warned late last week. Instead, passengers will be required to take loose batteries with them in carry-on baggage, packed in plastic bags. The new regulation, which will go into effect in order to lessen the risk of lithium battery fires, won't apply to lithium batteries that are already installed in electronic devices, such as laptops, cell phones, and cameras. Those can be checked in. Additionally, only two spare rechargeable lithium batteries will be allowed on airplanes per passenger in carry-on bags. The international rule will become U.S. law on Tuesday. "Doing something as simple as keeping a spare battery in its original retail packaging or a plastic zip-lock bag will prevent unintentional short-circuiting and fires," said Krista Edwards, deputy administrator of the PHMSA, in a statement. The administration is treating lithium batteries as hazardous materials since they're known for overheating and catching fire in some conditions. Tests conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration show that aircraft cargo fire suppression systems on airplanes are incapable of containing fires caused by nonrechargeable lithium batteries packaged in bulk quantities. A small fire source is enough to ignite a lithium battery. The outer plastic coating can melt easily and fuse neighboring batteries together to increase the intensity of the fire, according to a June 2004 report published by the Office of Aviation Research. In a situation where a lithium battery ignites in carry-on baggage, flight crews can better monitor the fire since they have access to fire extinguishers. There have been several instances in the past year that have raised red flags about lithium batteries. In October, a resident of Douglasville, Ga., claimed that his Apple iPod nano caught fire in his pocket. The iPod nano uses a lithium ion battery, which packs higher power density than a nickel-based battery. Toshiba in June reported that a Sony lithium battery was responsible for a notebook computer bursting into flames. Since August 2006, Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and Toshiba have recalled lithium batteries used in notebook computers manufactured by Sony. Copyright (c) 2007 CMP Media LLC _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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