February 2008 - KICTANet

Re: [kictanet] Develop the LOCAL Outsourcing Market
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 14 Feb '08

14 Feb '08

Dear Kwach, Thanks for your thoughts. Fortunately, we have been thinking along the same lines. There are a number of locally outsourced jobs that ICT board need to develop. We have the leads and already started working towards realizing our objectives. Digitalization of Government records starts soon. This too shall boost local outsourcing. I am pretty sure that all the infrastructure projects will be complete by next year. Our challenge is to develop entrepreneurs. We have opportnumites especially in developing local content but this is not being exploited. It is ipmperative that we work towards developing especially youth to take advantage of these opportnities. Ndemo. > Fellow Contributors, > > > > Firstly I am impressed by the contributions that have been made in this > discussion forum and I must commend Marcel for kicking off this timely > discussion in the first place. Kenya is a beautiful country with a > determined and hard working people. If there is one thing we Kenyans ask > is > an equal opportunity and we shall excel. If you talk to any economist they > will tell you that the future is in the service industry more so for a > country like Kenya that is neither gifted in mineral riches nor expansive > arable land (Kenya is primarily 70% desert however with the remaining 30% > we > are able to become one of the global leaders in floriculture and tea > production). The sad thing is that the world markets have changed and > become increasingly competitive. Service industries worldwide more so in > the > IT Outsourcing space compete very aggressively for the market > opportunities > that present themselves. And those opportunities that have already been > bagged are protected jealously. > > > > Unfortunately when it comes to the IT industry the trend that is emerging > is > not pretty. Blue chip companies, government departments and parastatals > have > for a while adopted a strategy that has not been conducive in nurturing > this > industry. The sad thing is where they seem to have a silent conspiracy in > only seeking international players for the major IT projects. Talk of > Chinese Government IT Loans/Grants complete with planeloads of Chinese > Engineers and technicians who swarm in and out without passing on any > skills > leaving us with pretty much mis-directed/unused investment once the > project > is implemen ---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world"

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Re: [kictanet] Fibre Optic Cables
by David Aduda 13 Feb '08

13 Feb '08

Dear colleagues, Having followed the debate on the media audit, I'm convinced there is consensus that it's important that we review how the media handled the elections, before, during and after. That is perfectly in order. What's alarming is the insistence that the government should do it, whereas there is an organisation, the Media Council, whose mandate includes checking how the media operates with a view to protect the producers and consumers of news.We've expressed our views as media practitioners about our disdain for a governmental audit and Dr Bitange knows about that. Our suggestion remains, let MCK do the audit, otherwise we'll be accused of creating institutions just to kill them. But it must be noted vilifying the media won't do when all of us know where the problem lies. It's human to take an easy route out of a crisis. The ministry of Information and Communications must not fall into that trap. Finally, I associate myself with a view expressed earlier by one contributor, namely, moderation in this discourse. David Aduda Nation Media Group > ---------- > From: kictanet-bounces+daduda=nation.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke on behalf of bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > Reply To: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:36 PM > To: David Aduda > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fibre Optic Cables > > We are working towards that. We need private sector to push these developments. Government is not good in business. We can only intervene to facilitate especially the small enterprises. > > Ndemo > > > Sent from my BlackBerry® > > -----Original Message----- > From: "Eric Osiakwan" <eric(a)afrispa.org> > > Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:22:38 > To:bitange@jambo.co.ke > Cc:KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fibre Optic Cables > > > Nothing against all the big guns establishing in Kenya but what about a long term objective > of building our own version of Akamai,googles, Limelights etc. > > Dont forget the real winners in the knowledge era are those who produce their own not use > others. So our long term objective should be to have our own alongside others because it is > a free market economy. > > Eric here > > > ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- > From: Michuki Mwangi <michuki(a)swiftkenya.com> > Reply-To: michuki(a)swiftkenya.com > Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:14:04 +0300 > > > > > > >bitange(a)jambo.co.ke wrote: > >> Good news is that Etisalat (our partners in Teams) in conjunction with > >> Akamai are building an Internet Point of Presence (POP) in Fujaira thus > >> eliminating long distance needs for Internet in this region. > > > >The long term objective should be to have the likes of Akamai, Limelight > >and google collocating their nodes in Kenya. This will essentially keep > >at least 50% of our Internet traffic local. > > > >Regards, > > > >Michuki. > > > >_______________________________________________ > >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 > 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" > -- > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke> > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: daduda(a)nation.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/daduda%40nation.co.ke > > DISCLAIMER: The information contained in or accompanying this e-mail is intended for the use of the stated recipient only. It may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information. No confidentiality or privilege is waived or lost by any mistransmission. If you receive this message in error, please immediately delete it and all copies of it from your system, destroy any hard copies of it and notify the sender. You must not, directly or indirectly, use, disclose, distribute, print, or copy any part of this message if you are not the intended recipient. Any views or opinions presented herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Nation Media Group. To get all breaking news alerts send the word BREAK to 6667 or visit http://www.nationmedia.com/wap to read news on your mobile phone.

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FALSE MESSAGE
by MediaSpeak Africa 13 Feb '08

13 Feb '08

Please note that I have not asked to be removed from the mailing list. I do not understand how that came to you. Best, -- Stephen Ndegwa Mwangi Executive Director MediaSpeak Africa P. O. Box 18154-00100 Nairobi GPO Tel.: +254-20-2712309 Cell: +254-724-376 883 Kenya.

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KICTANet mailing list rules
by alice 13 Feb '08

13 Feb '08

Some instructions on using the KICTANet mailing list and other virtual forums for new folks and others need a reminder/refresher: * *TO SEND A NEW MESSAGE*: Simply address an email to *kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke * * *TO REPLY TO A MESSAGE SENT BY SOMEONE ELSE*: Please *do NOT hit "reply to sender".* While you may think the message is going only to sender, it comes for release to all the entire list serve, which generally is not your intent! To reply only to the sender, cut and paste in the address line the sender's email address. If you do want your reply to go to all members of the reservists then by all means use the "Reply to all". * *WHAT KINDS OF MESSAGES ARE APPROPRIATE? *The listserv is appropriately used for discussion, raising questions, responding to issues on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) policy, regulation, practice, research, posting notices of ICT related events, discussions, job vacancies, sharing a review of a news articles, papers, reports, or an upcoming conference or workshop that you think will be of broad interest, asking if others know of ICT related resources on a particular topic, commenting on a discussion thread, and the like. * *WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE LISTSERV?** *The listserv should *not* be used at this time for personal advertising of services or the advertisement of services available from someone else. Please do *not* send updates of your addresses or other personal contact details to the listserv. Greetings to your friends, etc only flood mailboxes and should *not *be done through the listserv. Gender inappropriate or other references that may be offensive to some groups or individuals should not be posted, of course. * *Mailing list manners you must mind*: Don’t send rude, political, tribal and offensive e-mails or postings. * Be polite - virtual members are real not a cyberspace dunderheads with no feelings.* Watch your words - We can’t see your face, and the emotions in words can get misinterpreted.* Kick the bad language - People are listening.* Laws are laws - What’s real in the real world are the same in cyberspace. Be ethical in your posting, don't lie, plagiarize, or deliberately do harm to another KICTANet forum user. * *WHAT DO I DO IF MY EMAIL ADDRESS CHANGES? *If any of your personal contact details change, please send an email to: evelyne(a)kictanet.or.ke or jwalu(a)yahoo.com or alice(a)apc.org * *HOW ABOUT IF MY TITLE OR BUSINESS ADDRESS CHANGES?* Same as above best regards alice

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Re: [kictanet] Karuaphobia
by robert yawe 13 Feb '08

13 Feb '08

Dorcas, I know I could sometimes be abrasive but I do not think that is reason for anyone to get abusive. Lets respect each other online in the same way you would be civil if we where having a face to face discussion. It is also wrong to go off line on an online issue. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni(a)gmail.com> To: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> Sent: Monday, 28 January, 2008 12:11:33 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Karuaphobia Excuse me, i usually do not have time for such character! I am definitely not interested in continuing any conversation with you. I was not interviewing you. Do not write to me again. On Jan 26, 2008 3:33 PM, robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: Did you read my mail or is this an automated response? Please read the message, it appears below and tell me what part of the message was derogatory to women? I respect Karua more than you ever will so please stop reacting as such action is what has got has where we are. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni(a)gmail.com> To: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, 25 January, 2008 3:17:21 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Karuaphobia 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 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!!! On Jan 25, 2008 9:16 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk > wrote: 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 Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. _______________________________________________ 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 -----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.… Support the World Aids Awareness campaign this month with Yahoo! for Good -- 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!!! __________________________________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! Mail - a smarter inbox http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

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[Fwd: News Alert: Senate Votes to Broaden Government's Spying Powers]...phone companies now have legal protection
by alice 13 Feb '08

13 Feb '08

Breaking News Alert The New York Times Tuesday, February 12, 2008 -- 5:55 PM ET ----- Senate Votes to Broaden Government's Spying Powers By a vote of 68 to 29, the Senate gave final approval to a bill that expands the government's spying powers and gives legal protection to phone companies that cooperated in President Bush's warrantless eavesdropping program. Read More: http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na ----- Visit our mobile site for the latest news: http://m.nytimes.com ----- NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Ave. New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

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Bandwidth Subsidy to go live March 15th
by Al Kags 12 Feb '08

12 Feb '08

In an interview with Mark Okuttah of Business Daily, the Deputy CEO, Programmes of the Kenya ICT Board, Dr. Victor Kyalo announced that the Board would start disbursement on March 15th. Full story: http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5796&Item…

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Re: [kictanet] Develop the LOCAL outsourcing market
by robert yawe 12 Feb '08

12 Feb '08

Hi Mr. Kukubo, If I am not mistaken the ICT board is actually a government entity and thus aren't you abdicating your responsibility on this issue of government outsourcing? I raised what I believe is a pertinent issue, that the government needs to setup a central contact point. It is frustrating to have to call 3 ministries when looking for information. The site kenya.go.ke is a very good initiative and I hope the board can work towards providing us with a single contact telephone number that we can use to contact all wings and agencies of the government. It is interesting that except KRA none of the other government offices have an ISDN service. "Think global act local" Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Paul Kukubo <pkukubo(a)ict.go.ke> To: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk Cc: secretariat(a)kif.or.ke; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, 11 February, 2008 6:07:44 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Develop the LOCAL outsourcing market Marcel Thanks for this email and I am glad that you have flagged two important issues. 1. Outsourcing creats jobs 2. Local outsourcing is critical. One would have to agree that the biggest potential source of outsource jobs in Kenya is the Corporate Sector and the Government. Both are not really big outsourcers at the moment. None of them is doing large outsourcing of customer service (through call centres) or data processing. The Kenya ICT Board believes that local outsourcing is what will give this industry momentum. I will therefore follow on the local opportunities you mention specifically in your email in order to establish what we can do as a board to support the industry. Here we need KIF's partnership to establish where this actual opportunities lie and to speak to the decision makers in the context of a private public partnership. Incidentally, I have spoken to the CEO at KEPSA to agree a date in March when the board will to meet with the larger corporations to understand their outsourcing strategies if any and to help encourage them to look at local companies favourably. We need to know whether decision makers feel there are challenges to this participation by local firms. The campaign to outsource work locally has our support. It is part of our strategy. One would have to agree that there are many reasons for the Kenya Governement to consider developing outsourcing. By unbundling service delivery, Government can deliver services better to citizens. As part of our strategy, the board is building a case for a formal governnment approach to outsourcing. This is one of the ways to create self sufficiency and jobs in the economy.When we present our strategic plan to the industry in March, we shall detail this. My challenge to the IT enabled services sector, (which includes Outsourcing, software development, systems support etc ) is that we also have to build strong businesses and partner with world class firms where it helps. My experience in the sector is that there is lots of work out there, but alot if it is actually outsourced offshore. We dont want a situation where the Board goes out building the case for outsourcing and we get in what is relatively low value work, only for the higher value work locally to be offshored. They way to mitigate this is to build strong local business lobbies (as we are doing through KIF etc), to be aggressive in partnering to deliver to contracts and to develop local skills. As the board, we have a mandate to ensure outsourcing is developed and people are employed in the process. As the outsourcing sector is also suffering due to Kenya's reputation currently, one of the mitigating actions is to build local outsourcing. On 2/11/08, Marcel Werner <marcelcwerner(a)gmail.com> wrote: We are encouraged by the developments in the BPO Sector. The recent meeting between Kenya BPO & Contact Center Society and the ICT Board revealed steps in the right direction as regards engagement by local entities and more specifically, Government, in taking the lead in outsourcing. The positive engagement between the BPO Society and The Ministry of Special Projects in establishing a call/contact center facility for the easy access by the displaced and other dis-enfranchised Kenyans following the recent sad events is a commendable effort. I am informed that the Kenya Police was severely constrained and could hardly cope with the numerous distress calls that it received because of inadequate technological systems. They may also similarly be looking to enhance their capability. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is a healthy practice and common business sense that helps improve efficiency. Farming out non-mission-critical tasks to specialised service providers creates jobs. Not only if the client is off-shore, but also if the client is local and now more focused on its core business, thereby becoming more competitive and cost-effective. We have not seen much evidence that we are scouting around at home for BPO opportunities, more urgent now that the country's international image has taken a beating during the past few weeks. Those locally based companies that have capabilities to offer BPO services should be given more support, also from locally based clients. This is good for the economy, and good for the BPO industry. Positive steps being taken by the Kenya ICT Board in promoting Kenya as an Outsource destination should be fully supported. More should also be done by the local business that should equally be encouraged to outsource. Some, like Safaricom, had made some indications towards outsourcing and nobody knows where this process ended. The Kenya ICT Board, The Ministry of ICT and other ICT Sector Associations should be urged to lobby for such opportunities to be given to local BPO Operators, not only because it enables job creation in these hard times, but also because it helps establish a local competence and capability that we need before we embark on the international leg of selling Kenya as an outsource destination. What are the industry players doing in encouraging this? Over to you…. Marcel Werner, chairman Kenya ICT Federation - www.kif.or.ke please send any office correspondence to: marcelwerner(a)innovation-africa.net _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: pkukubo(a)ict.go.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/pkukubo%40ict.go.ke -- Paul Kukubo Chief Executive Officer, Kenya ICT Board PO Box 27150 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Teleposta Towers 10th Floor Tel direct: +254 20 2089062/251152 Fax: +254 20 315147 Cell: + 254 733 739488 website: www.ict.go.ke -----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.… ___________________________________________________________ Support the World Aids Awareness campaign this month with Yahoo! For Good http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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Alari to be honored at Highway Africa 2008
by Rebecca Wanjiku 12 Feb '08

12 Feb '08

This year, the annual Highway Africa conference will be dedicated to the memory of the late Alari Alare. We are writing his story and would like to know how he touched your lives. Please email me a paragraph or two about him and his contribution to the ICT sector. This will be published in September during the conference. best regards, Becky Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ 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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Fibre Optic Cables
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 12 Feb '08

12 Feb '08

Dear All, Below find a Wall Street Journal article on Fibre Optic. We have made significant progress in Teams. Having met all the requirements, work is to start anytime now and finished a head of any cable to our region. The Good news is that Etisalat (our partners in Teams) in conjunction with Akamai are building an Internet Point of Presence (POP) in Fujaira thus eliminating long distance needs for Internet in this region. For telephony, Etisalat have given Teams unbeatable prices in their e-cable and IMEWE to Europe. Ndemo. Internet Logjams Spur Cable Boom --- Outages in Mideast Expose Global Need For Fast Fiber Lines By Christopher Rhoads 2024 words 8 February 2008 The Wall Street Journal A1 English (Copyright (c) 2008, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.) Seven years after a telecom boom and bust created a glut of fiber optical cable and destroyed $2 trillion in stock-market wealth, another building binge is on. Over the past 18 months, more than a dozen telecom companies have begun laying billions of dollars worth of undersea fiber cable. The projects this time connect areas largely bypassed a decade ago: the emerging economies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as isolated places such as Greenland. The buildup comes as four cable outages in the Middle East -- two off the Mediterranean coast of Egypt and two in the Persian Gulf -- recently disrupted Internet connections across the region and as far away as India. The cuts throttled Egypt's connections outside the country by 70%, hampering international banks and curtailing trading on the country's stock exchange. India, whose huge outsourcing industry depends on the Internet, lost half its capacity. The kinks threw into stark relief the importance of these elaborate cable connections -- and their vulnerability. The likely result: Even more fiber building, as increasingly Internet-dependent companies and nations in the region seek reliable connections. Long-haul fiber is the conduit of globalization. Even in a "wireless" era, it is this physical labyrinth of cables that now carries the bulk of Internet, wireless and fixed-line traffic. Fiber has eclipsed satellite technology as the main means of long-distance communication -- enabling interaction between the world's businesses, governments and economies. The recent cable outages "prove the point that we sh

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