November 2009 - KICTANet

Africa's Absence From The Table
by Rad! 18 Nov '09

18 Nov '09

I was reading this article http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/and-google-code-jam-2009-champion-is… I found the following bit very disturbing Last week, we hosted the the final round of Google Code Jam 2009<http://code.google.com/codejam/>, > the sixth iteration of our annual global programming competition. From > almost 23,000 registrants in the beginning, we winnowed down the > contestants<http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/google-code-jam-returns.html>to the fastest and most fervent coders. On Friday, we brought the top 23 > competitors to our Mountain View headquarters for four concentrated hours of > thinking, testing and trouble-shooting. The competition platform, built as a > 20% project by a group of Google engineers, was powered by Google App > Engine <http://code.google.com/appengine> and allowed the contestants to > use the programming language of their choice. These diverse finalists > represented 15 different countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas. > Notice Africa is not mentioned there. Why is this the case? Why aren't our students participating in such initiatives?

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kenya at IGF
by mureithi 17 Nov '09

17 Nov '09

As mentioned last week kictanet invites all kenyans at IGF for a cup of tea at room v11 at 1800. Plse inform that colleague who may not get this message. ____________ Muriuki Mureithi Summit Strategies Ltd sent from cellphone

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Embrace quality, budding Kenyan sofware developers told - article in "The EastAfrican"
by michael Ouma 17 Nov '09

17 Nov '09

here: some insights from an industry veteran. http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/business/-/2560/686368/-/5flx85z/-/index.ht… reagrds. Michael Ouma Journalist Nairobi,Kenya Tel: +254-725-537823 / +254-0731-201729 Email: benomnta(a)yahoo.com "There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction," - JF Kennedy.

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Why .ke performs dismally
by Solomon Mburu Kamau 16 Nov '09

16 Nov '09

Apologies for cross-posting I was reading this blog and, it has now emerged that while we are ready to promote the .ke as patriotic citizens, it is a mere mirage. Read on this link: http://wanjiku.co.ke/eng/articles/main/imz1258362470/ -- Solomon Mburu Kamau P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041 Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill! AND It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! http://dawn-in-kenya.blogspot.com http://smiley2.wordpress.com http://mburu.sikika.co.ke Sent from Nairobi, Kenya

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4th IGF live reporting
by mwende njiraini 16 Nov '09

16 Nov '09

Dear all, If you would like to follow live reporting of the 4th IGF in Sharm el Sheikh through various new media: twitter, flicker, blip.tv, IGF session transcripts. Available at; http://www.netvibes.com/igf09#Welcome Kind regards Mwende

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Cyber Terrorism - Virtual Warfare
by Matunda Nyanchama 15 Nov '09

15 Nov '09

Here is a good overview: Cyber Terrorism - Virtual Warfare Enjoy! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matunda Nyanchama, mnyanchama(a)aganoconsulting.com Agano Consulting Inc.; www.aganoconsulting.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.”- George Bernard Shaw ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.

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Audit on Kenya's GSM operators
by Zachary Ochieng 14 Nov '09

14 Nov '09

Hi all, What's your take on this report which was launched to day? http://www.cio.co.ke/index.php/view-all-main-stories/388-mobile-service-pro… Regards, Zachary. --- Be the change you want to see in the world.

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Re: [kictanet] Cable issues
by emko＠internetresearch.com.gh 14 Nov '09

14 Nov '09

Mahmoud, While i agree with your simple but to be taken serious submission, i beg to differ on the substance and form of the underlining principle. It is the reponsibility of regulatory policy to ensure that infrastructure is shared and a common conduit is built so that different providers can blow their fiber, this is not a market failure situation but an argument for direct public policy intervention to ensure a certain market situation. In the absence of this, the same government through the various institutions collect all kinds of levies from the private companies knowing very well that they are building next to each other. It is important for us to ensure not only institutional saparation but stakeholder responbilities and outcomes in these discussions. The government and regulator must do their work in ensuring that when KDN wants to build fiber from Nairobi to Mombasa, they are told, telkom already has the ducts in place so go talk to them, pay a fee and blow your fiber. Blaming KDN for getting the license and building out next to Telkom, exonerate unnecessarily the responsibility of those institutionalised to do so and belittles the effort to institutionalise. Thailand just passed a law to make broadband a right, this would create the framework for private sector to ensure it happens or government would intervene to make it happen or they would be breaking the law they made. Eric here > > Providers need to share infrastructure,it beats logic to see different > providers digging next to each other on same side of the road,this also > inconveniences road users regularly especilly in urban areas. A first > timer in a route should have extra conduits that can be used by > competitors in future,once we share the suspicion of competition > sabotaging will reduce. > We also need to educate the public on the importance of the cable network > to our country,economy and make a connection to how a cable cut impacts on > their lives,ultimately the communities are the best custodians in their > areas,we should also encourage contractors to use locals in each of the > areas the cable is enroute and let them instill a sense of ownership to > this communities. > If government could perform well,local authorities and the state could be > building and owning fibre routes or just the conduits and lease to all > interested providers. > With the fibre cuts each day we are reducing the kenya s potential of > being the preffered gateway to landlocked countries like > Uganda,Rwanda,S.Sudan etc,hence reducing our dominance in the region and > in the process loosing economic/employment opportunities, > > Concerned,frustrated > > Mahmoud Noor > Sent from my BlackBerry® > > -----Original Message----- > From: kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > Date: Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:20:02 > To: noor<mahmoods21(a)gmail.com> > Subject: kictanet Digest, Vol 30, Issue 14 > > 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: Cable issues (kai wulff) > 2. Re: Cable issues (kai wulff) > 3. CISSP Review Course + Examination ( Nairobi Kenya) (Preston Odera) > 4. Ignite Experience Center and Lifestyle Brochure (Njeri Rionge) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:14:08 +0300 > From: "kai wulff" <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> > To: <jairah(a)kippra.or.ke> > Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Cable issues > Message-ID: <484401ca5f15$ab0cdfa0$01269ee0$@wulff@kdn.co.ke> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > It would help if we could get our day in court. Vandalism is one thing, > negligence another. We as Operators spend huge amounts on staff we attach > to > contractors to make sure they don't destroy our cable plant .. If they do, > we never get compensated. Taking them to court takes years and you might > only get awarded the cost of the cable plus the labor .. > > Frustrated > > Kai > > > > -----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht----- > Von: kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > [mailto:kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] Im > Auftrag von jairah(a)kippra.or.ke > Gesendet: Friday, November 06, 2009 20:40 > An: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Betreff: Re: [kictanet] Cable issues > > Colleagues > > What I would suggest is to have a law to protect critical infrastructure > from vagabonds such as those that destroy cables and other infrastructure > that we need to sustain the enabling environment for doing business. The > penalties this guys receive are a joke and the law needs to target the > entire value chain, at least on the Kenyan perhaps East African side. > > Kind regards > > Eric Aligula > Sent from my BlackBerry? > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jevans Nyabiage <jnyabiage(a)nation.co.ke> > Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:07:21 > To: <jairah(a)kippra.or.ke> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: [kictanet] Cable issues > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jairah%40kippra.or.ke > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kai.wulff%40kdn.co.ke > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:16:41 +0300 > From: "kai wulff" <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> > To: "'Jevans Nyabiage'" <jnyabiage(a)nation.co.ke> > Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Cable issues > Message-ID: <484601ca5f15$ae77f710$0b67e530$@wulff@kdn.co.ke> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Sabotage and Vandalism look very similar .. Unless we ask the people doing > it we would not know the motives. > > > > The fault on Monday was caused by contractors of another operator who was > not following procedures and who thought that by virtue of working for a > partly state owned company he will be allowed to do what he wants (happens > very often, treatment of Operators is still not equal). > > > > Today was clearly a fault caused by someone who ON PURPOSE cut the cable. > > > > Did the person want to steal a cable and stopped when seeing it was not > metal or was he there to sabotage the network - I would not know. > > > > Kai > > > > Von: kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > [mailto:kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] Im > Auftrag von Jevans Nyabiage > Gesendet: Friday, November 06, 2009 19:07 > An: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Betreff: [kictanet] Cable issues > > > > > > In the last few weeks there has been an outcry over increasing in > disruption > of networks with some of the affected firms pointing to industrial > sabotage. > > Safaricom was the first this week to claim "acts of sabotage" on the > disruption of its network. The Orange the next day arrested some cable > vandals and attributed it to suspected sabotage. > > This Friday (today) Seacom fibre cable went offline for about four hours, > they said this was due to cuts on KDN fibre around Voi. > > Is this 'sabotage' real or imagined? > > Jevans > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 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 <http://www.nation.co.ke> Nation > Media Group. > > To get all breaking news alerts send the word BREAK to 6667 or visit > http://mobile.nation.co.ke to read news on your mobile phone. > >

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Re: [kictanet] Cable issues
by emko＠internetresearch.com.gh 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

Let those who do good persevere in their good doing not as an excuse for others not to do good but as leadership for the common good. Eric here > We share our maps with TKL, the Municipalities, the Chiefs, the MoR, MoW > > > > It takes WILLINGNESS to use the information! > > > > The procedure needs to be changed anyway. How come that another operator > might still share with the OLD STATE OWNED ENTITIES but not with someone > like KDN? > > > > How come we show our maps to our competitor but they dont show their maps > to us? > > > > Private companies still receive a second class treatment! > > > > Kai > > > > Von: kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > [mailto:kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] Im > Auftrag von Barrack Otieno > Gesendet: Sunday, November 08, 2009 15:37 > An: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Betreff: Re: [kictanet] Cable issues > > > > Greetings Eric, > > Thanks for your enlightening comments, the biggest challenge is that the > kind of Information you are sharing should be availed at all levels in > Society, at Chiefs Baraza's, Churches, anywhere where people congregate > and > can be educated since knowledge is power, looking through the eight > sectors > i can only say we are too ignorant, in short we must marshal resources > and > educate the public on the issues you have mentioned, Mulika Mwizi might > help but it could be a short term measure, i was once taught that "he who > knows why is always at the mercy of he who knows how", if we addressed the > way we would not have situations where technicians from competing > companies > mess each others cables as i got it from Kai's post. > Awareness is Key > > On Sun, Nov 8, 2009 at 2:13 PM, Eric Aligula <jairah(a)kippra.or.ke> wrote: > > Just to expand the discourse on the cable issues and place it into some > wider perspective. As far back as 1997, the US Government identified eight > sectors it deemed critical to the national security and the essential > functioning of its economy. These were: > > 1. Telecommunications > 2. Transportation > 3. Water supply > 4. Oil and gas production > 5. Banking and finance > 6. Electrical generation > 7. Emergency services, and > 8. Essential government functions > > A President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection ("PCCIP") > in > October 1997, highlighted the topic of critical infrastructures and made a > series of specific recommendations for their protection. > > What does this have to do with the issue of cut cables? At the height of > the post election violence and in some incidents thereafter, the movement > of > produce and goods in Kenya became a serious issue. In fact as a > consequence, ALL of the neighbouring countries are actively identifying > and > developing alternative access routes for their products and services. > Kenya > Vision 2030 is predicated on an export led growth strategy that is and > will > be heavily dependent not only on networked transport services, but also on > the fibre optic cable. The investment in transport and ICT infrastructure > are premised on the desire to establish Kenya as the region's preeminent > communications hub. The assurance that Kenya can and will consistent, > reliable and affordable access to these critical infrastructures is > critical > to achieving these goals. > > It is thus important that players in the ICT Sector team up with other > sectors to insist on the development of a national, perhaps East African > wide Critical Infrastructure Protection Policy complete with accompanying > reviews and enhancements in the legal and institutional frameworks. It is > the only consistent way through which we shall be able to ensure security > for investments so expensively and patiently built. > > A piecemeal approach will work for a short while and we shall be > firefighting to eternity. The effort should focus on a comprehensive > intervention, while obviously dealing with the issues in the short term. > > My two cents worth. > > Kind regards > > Eric > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: kai wulff [mailto:kai.wulff@kdn.co.ke] > Sent: Fri 06/11/2009 22:14 > To: Eric Aligula > Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' > Subject: AW: [kictanet] Cable issues > > It would help if we could get our day in court. Vandalism is one thing, > negligence another. We as Operators spend huge amounts on staff we attach > to > contractors to make sure they don't destroy our cable plant .. If they do, > we never get compensated. Taking them to court takes years and you might > only get awarded the cost of the cable plus the labor .. > > Frustrated > > Kai > > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > > Von: kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > [mailto:kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] Im > > Auftrag von jairah(a)kippra.or.ke > Gesendet: Friday, November 06, 2009 20:40 > An: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke > > > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > > Betreff: Re: [kictanet] Cable issues > > Colleagues > > What I would suggest is to have a law to protect critical infrastructure > from vagabonds such as those that destroy cables and other infrastructure > that we need to sustain the enabling environment for doing business. The > penalties this guys receive are a joke and the law needs to target the > entire value chain, at least on the Kenyan perhaps East African side. > > Kind regards > > Eric Aligula > Sent from my BlackBerry® > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jevans Nyabiage <jnyabiage(a)nation.co.ke> > Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:07:21 > To: <jairah(a)kippra.or.ke> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: [kictanet] Cable issues > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jairah%40kippra.or.ke > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke > > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kai.wulff%40kdn.co.ke > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: otieno.barrack(a)gmail.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/otieno.barrack%40gmail. > com > > > > > -- > Barrack O. Otieno > Administrative Manager > Afriregister Ltd (Ke) > P.o.Box 21682 > Nairobi 00100 > Tel: > +254721325277 > +254733206359 > +254202498789 > Riara Road, Bamboo Lane > www.afriregister.com > www.afriregister.co.ke > ICANN accredited registrar. > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: emko(a)internetresearch.com.gh > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/emko%40internetresearc… >

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mail digest
by Mr Alex Ombongi 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

request for mail digest -- Mr Alex N.Ombongi Senior ICT Officer Kenya National Library Services P.O BOX 30573-00100, Nairobi Community Area(opposite NHIF Building) Nairobi Fax:254 020 2721749 Mobile:0710510983 Wireless:020 2526016 Website:www.knls.or.ke

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