March 2009 - KICTANet

Re: [kictanet] Paypal Vs Mpesa
by Barrack Otieno 04 Feb '10

04 Feb '10

Honourable Members, I was just having a chat with a good friend who is a web developer over the issue of online payments. I realised paypal is common but the procedure and processes involved seem to be too complicated despite the fact that it is an important medium for online transactions globally. Does anyone has an idea of how we can encouarage local banks to interface with such systems to facilitate online transactions instead of the difficult route being undertaken currently, better still can mpesa be a viable option. They have an arrangement with pesa point which saved my neck on new year because of its efficiency can it be extended to facilitate online transactions international (say with Kenyans in diaspora Just curious On Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 8:22 PM, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > --- On Wed, 1/21/09, Okulo Anthony <anthony.okulo(a)okulo.co.ke> wrote: > > > From: Okulo Anthony <anthony.okulo(a)okulo.co.ke> > > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Obama Speech puzzle: read, memorised or simply no > script? > > To: alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com > > Cc: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 12:22 AM > > Most good speakers especially litigation lawyers memories > > their speeches and when making the speech they rely on > > points so that it looks as if they are not reading a script. > > most likely Obama had his "points" on a screen in > > front of him. > > > > > > Anthony Okulo > > > > A trick we used in O-Levels to "cram" formulas, make "words" shortened > abbreviations for Chemistry, Geo, Bio, Hist, Maths etc.. It works wonders-- > only remember "new word" only known to thyself and Hey Presto! UR genius;) > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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… > -- Barrack O. Otieno ISSEN CONSULTING Tel: +254721325277 +254726544442 +254733206359 www.issenconsult.com http://projectdiscovery.or.ke To give up the task of reforming society is to give up ones responsibility as a free man. Alan Paton, South Africa

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Fwd: Call for submissions: GAID Committee of eLeaders for Youth and ICT - Best Practices Forum
by waudo siganga 31 Mar '09

31 Mar '09

Dear all - this could be of interest to some on the list. Apologies if any cross-posting. ----- Original message ----- From: "Serge Kapto" <kapto(a)un.org> To: undisclosed-recipients: ; Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:49:24 -0400 Subject: [GAID Gender] Call for submissions: GAID Committee of eLeaders for Youth and ICT - Best Practices Forum Please disseminate widely! Call for submissions: GAID Committee of eLeaders for Youth and ICT - Best Practices Forum Working so hard and not telling the world about your project is like winking in the dark. The GAID Committee of eLeaders for Youth & ICT, in partnership with TakingITGlobal, presents an opportunity for young people to showcase their work in using ICTs for development. We believe that there are many young people doing amazing things in various corners of the world and we wish to bring them to light through a publication of best practice efforts. Sharing the stories of the work you do will also help others know that the power of one is bigger than we often assume, and we hope that your stories will inspire many people who will have access to the publication at this year's UN General Assembly in New York – and those who will read the stories online. What's next? Visit http://www.tigweb.org/resources/best/add.html to submit your best practice effort. _______________________________________________ gender mailing list gender(a)mx.un-gaid.org http://mx.un-gaid.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gender

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Protecting Critical Information Infrastructures: Something for RECs to think about?]
by alice 30 Mar '09

30 Mar '09

*Protecting Critical Information Infrastructures: Frequently Asked Questions* *What are Critical Information Infrastructures?* _*There is no globally shared definition of Critical Information Infrastructures (CII).*_ In its Green Paper on a European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2005:0576:FIN:EN:…> (EPCIP), the* *European Commission captured the concept of CII as being all* */"ICT systems that are critical infrastructures for themselves or that are essential for the operation of critical infrastructures (telecommunications, computers/software, Internet, satellites, etc.)"./ In 2008, the OECD defined CII as /"those interconnected information systems and networks, the disruption or destruction of which would have a serious impact on the health, safety, security, or economic well-being of citizens, or on the effective functioning of government or the economy"./ Despite the existing differences in national and international policy contexts, what is important is that the notion of CII is conducive to a holistic policy perspective on the secure and continuous functioning of ICT systems, services, networks and infrastructures (ICT infrastructures) of which the Internet is a very important component, due to its widespread diffusion and the process of technological convergence. *Why is action at EU level to protect these infrastructures urgently needed?* Cyber attacks have risen to an unprecedented level of sophistication. What used to be simple experiments are now turning into sophisticated activities performed for profit or political reasons. The recent large scale cyber-attacks on Estonia, Lithuania and Georgia are the most widely covered examples of a general trend. The huge number of viruses, worms and other forms of malware, the expansion of botnets^*[1] <http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/141&format=…>* and the continuous rise of spam confirms that this is a severe problem. The high dependence on CII, their cross-border interconnectedness and interdependencies with other infrastructures (e.g. energy infrastructures), as well as the vulnerabilities and threats they face raise the need to address their security and resilience in a systemic perspective as the frontline of defence against failures and attacks. Because of the transnational dimension of this issue, a more integrated and coordinated approach throughout the European Union will usefully complement and add value to the programmes which are already in place within Member States. This will also reinforce the wealth creation capabilities of the Single Market. It is clear that no single "silver bullet" solution will be able to provide all the answers, but simply leaving the situation as is will not lead to satisfactory results. It is necessary to establish the right policy framework – in particular for economic and societal drivers and incentives – on the basis of a shared responsibility and cooperation amongst all the involved stakeholders. It is vital to promote operational/ tactical cooperation in the short and medium term (until 2010-2011) as well as strategic policy discussion for long-term scenarios (2012 and beyond). The work must start now in order to prepare Europe against large-scale cyber attacks and disruptions. *How does this initiative relate to the debate around European efforts towards an increased and modernised network and information security policy?* The Commission's initiative on Critical Information Infrastructure Protection focuses on prevention, preparedness and awareness and defines a plan of immediate actions running until 2011 to strengthen the security and resilience of CII. The focus and timeframe are consistent with the debate launched at the request of the Council and the European Parliament to address the challenges and priorities for network and information security policy and the most appropriate instruments needed at EU level to tackle them beyond 2012. The work conducted and the lessons learned under the Commission's proposed action plan will be an important contribution to the more general debate on an increased and modernised European policy in this area. *Why is the Commission proposing voluntary rather than binding measures?* Ensuring the security and resilience of CII requires cooperation between public and private actors, which is largely based on trust. A non-binding approach will be more effective in steering a dialogue through which interested parties can work out the best way to cooperate and share best practices. During the consultation process prior to the launch of this initiative, Member States' and private sector representatives strongly supported the proposed initiative and confirmed the need and willingness to cooperate at EU level, as long as this remained voluntary. This does not mean that a binding approach can not be used to enhance the level of security and resilience of CII. Proposals by the European Commission to reform the Electronic Communication regulatory package – including provisions to strengthen operators’ obligations to ensure that appropriate security measures are taken, and those on mandatory security breach notification – show that binding measures are considered when it is feasible and useful. Moreover, there is not yet sufficient data on security incidents and their impact across the different sectors to define and frame additional regulatory measures in a consistent economic and public policy perspective. *What are the specific objectives of the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection initiative? * The Commission's proposal covers the following objectives: * Foster cooperation, exchange of information and transfer of good policy practices between Member States via a newly-established *European Forum*. * Develop a *public-private partnership* at the European level on security and resilience of CII to support sharing of information and dissemination of good practices between public and private stakeholders. * Enhance *incident response capability* in the EU by increasing national capacities, possibly built on National or Governmental Computer Emergency Response Teams/Computer Security Incidents Response Teams (CERTs/CSIRTs) as well as by encouraging and supporting the European cooperation between these entities with a view to facilitate the exchange of information, technical measures and good practices. * Promote the organisation of *national and European exercises for contingency planning and disaster recovery* on simulated large-scale network security incidents. * Reinforce *international cooperation* on global issues, in particular on resilience and stability of Internet. *What is the purpose and value of a European Forum for Member States? * Although there are commonalities among the challenges and the issues faced, measures and regimes to ensure the security and resilience of CII, as well as the level of expertise and preparedness, differ across Member States. Purely national approaches run the risk of producing fragmentation and inefficiency across Europe. Differences in national approaches and the lack of systematic cross-border co-operation substantially reduce the effectiveness of domestic countermeasures, /inter alia/ because, due to the interconnectedness of CII, a low level of security and resilience of CII in a country has the potential to increase vulnerabilities and risks in other ones. To overcome this situation a European effort is needed to bring added value to national policies and programmes by fostering the development of awareness and common understanding of the challenges; stimulating the adoption of shared policy objectives and priorities; reinforcing cooperation between Member States and integrating national policies in a more European and global dimension. These are the reasons why the Commission has proposed to establish a *European Forum* for Member States to share information and good policy practices on security and resilience of CII. *Why a Public-Private Partnership for Resilience (EP3R)? * Enhancing the security and the resilience of CII poses peculiar governance challenges. While Member States remain ultimately responsible for defining CII-related policies, their implementation depends on the involvement of the private sector, which owns or controls a large number of CII. On the other hand, markets do not always provide sufficient incentives for the private sector to invest in the protection of CII at the level that public authorities would normally demand. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have emerged at the national level as the reference model to address this governance challenge. However, despite the consensus that this approach would also be desirable on the EU level, European PPPs have not materialised so far. PPP at the EU level could play an important role to complement the work carried out by Member States at national level – in particular, in areas like the exchange/promotion of good policy practices and measures, the implementation of cross-border security and resilience measures for CII, the adoption of preventive measures and response strategies, etc. A Europe-wide multi-stakeholder governance framework, which may include an enhanced role of ENISA, could foster the involvement of the private sector in the definition of strategic European public policy objectives as well as operational priorities and measures. The focus would be on enhancing the security and resilience of CII and the coordination of preventive and response activities. This framework would bridge the gap between national and EU policy-making and operational reality on the ground. *What will be the remit and the form of the proposed Public-Private Partnership? * The concrete remit of this PPP might initially consist of: * Knowledge sharing to deepen the understanding and mastering of European challenges for the security and resilience of CII; * Identification and dissemination of good baseline practices and commonly agreed guidelines and standards for the security and resilience of CII. The work of this PPP should be focused on specific issues and be action-oriented. The topics discussed should have a cross-border or global dimension. In terms of form, it is proposed that the setting-up of the *European Public Private Partnership for Resilience (EP3R)* CII would follow a step-by-step approach so that, on the one hand, stakeholders would discuss and design the necessary building blocks that would best match their requirements and, on the other hand, the work on the key challenges that require this kind of approach could immediately start. The first step of this process is the *workshop on the EU policy dimension of vulnerability management and disclosure process* of 31 March 2009. *What is the role of the European Network and Information Security Agency in this initiative?* The Commission has called on the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) to play a key role in supporting this initiative by encouraging dialogue and cooperation between Member States, the private sector and other relevant players across Europe, building on the findings and results it has already contributed in this area. *How does this initiative relate to the European Programme on Critical Infrastructure Protection and other EU activities in the area of justice and home affairs? * The activities planned in today's Communication are conducted under and in parallel to the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2006:0786:FIN:EN:…>). A key element of EPCIP is the Directive on the identification and designation of European Critical Infrastructures <http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st10/st10934.en08.pdf>, which identifies the ICT sector as a future priority sector. One element of the CIIP action plan is to further develop the criteria for identifying European Critical Infrastructures for the ICT sector which will help implement the above mentioned Directive. The proposed actions are also complementary to existing *third pillar *initiatives – e.g. fight against cyber-crime – as envisaged by the Council Framework Decision on Attacks Against Information Systems adopted in 2005 (2005/222/JHA) <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32005F0222:EN:N…>. As the CIIP initiative focuses on prevention, preparedness and awareness to enhance the intrinsic security and resilience of CII, it does not conflict with or duplicate the efforts carried out under the third pillar, i.e. by police and judicial cooperation addressing measures to prevent, fight and prosecute criminal and terrorist activities targeting CII. *How does the Commission's action plan relate to international efforts in this area? * This initiatives takes stock and builds upon recognised international principles such as the G8 principles on CIIP <http://www.cybersecuritycooperation.org/documents/G8_CIIP_Principles.pdf>, the UN General Assembly Resolution 58/199 'Creation of a global culture of cybersecurity and the protection of critical information infrastructures' <http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/cyb/cybersecurity/docs/UN_resolution_58_199.pdf.> and the recent OECD Recommendation on the Protection of Critical Information Infrastructures <http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/1/13/40825404.pdf>. The initiative complements work conducted by NATO on cyber-security – specifically the common policy on cyber defence and the activities of the Cyber Defence Management Authority (CDMA), announced by NATO on April 2008, as well as the outputs of the NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence <http://transnet.act.nato.int/WISE/TNCC/CentresofE/CCD> (CCD-COE). NATO initiatives are mostly focused on military defence whereas the Commission's proposal works to facilitate the coordination and cooperation of public and private resources and capabilities across Member States. *Does the action plan include regulatory measures for the Internet?* The action plan does not propose any measure aimed at regulating the Internet. It proposes three complementary activities to enhance the resilience and stability of the Internet. * The Commission will launch a Europe-wide debate to define EU priorities for the long-term resiliency and stability of the Internet. * The Commission will work with Member States to define appropriate principles and guidelines for Internet resilience and stability. * The Commission, together with Member States, will develop a roadmap to promote these principles and guidelines at the global level, building upon strategic cooperation with third countries. *What is the timing envisaged by the action plan? * The different actions have different targets and timelines, running from 2009 until the end of 2011. However continuous European efforts will still be needed beyond 2011. A stock-taking exercise will already be conducted at the end of 2010 and lessons learned will be used as an input into the debate on the future of Network and Information Security beyond 2012. *How will the Commission monitor the implementation of the action plan?* The Commission identified in the impact assessment of the Communication <http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/cia_2009_en.htm> a number of indicators for achieving the objectives of the action plan. These include, the number of meetings and conferences organised at EU level with relevance to security and resilience of CII; the agreements on common terminology and procedures for the collection and dissemination of information on economic impacts of security incidents; the number of National/Governmental CERTs participating in the European Governmental CERTs Group; the number of international agreements on mutual assistance, recovery, and remedial strategies for the resilience and stability of the Internet. http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/nis/strategy/activities/ciip… IP/09/494 <http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/494&format=HT…> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ^*[1] <http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/141&format=…>* A group of computers, often very large, that malicious hackers have brought under their control. While most owners are oblivious to the infection, the networks of tens of thousands of computers are used to launch spam e-mail campaigns, denial-of-service attacks or online fraud schemes. _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Fwd: - Call for Applicants - Online Course on Global Norms Against Terrorism
by Judy Okite 26 Mar '09

26 Mar '09

FYI, apologies for cross posting....... Kind Regards, ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Vladimir Radunovic <vladar(a)diplomacy.edu> Date: Mar 25, 2009 7:55 PM Subject: - Call for Applicants - Online Course on Global Norms Against Terrorism To: IGCBP(a)diplomacy.edu [image: UNODC-Diplo-Logos] [image: spacer] * 2009 ONLINE COURSES GLOBAL NORMS AGAINST TERRORISM AT WORK: SETTING INTERNATIONAL LAW IN MOTION* The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and DiploFoundation are pleased to present two new online courses on the universal legal regime against terrorism: one for English-speaking participants, and one for French-speaking participants. Both aim to strengthen national capacities by assisting criminal justice officials and other individuals involved in counter-terrorism issues to develop the skills and knowledge required to effectively utilize the channels for international legal cooperation envisaged in 16 treaties adopted within the UN system between 1963 and 2005, and a number of binding resolutions of the Security Council. *Methodology* The courses are conducted entirely online, over a period of 6 weeks. Reading materials and tools for online interaction are provided through an online classroom. Each week, participants read the provided lecture text, adding questions, comments, and references in the form of hypertext entries. Lecturers and other participants read and respond to the hypertext entries, creating interaction based on the text. During the week, participants also complete additional online activities. At the end of the week, participants and lecturers meet online in a chat room to discuss the week's topic. Courses are based on a collaborative approach to learning, with a high level of interaction. The courses are delivered by staff members of the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the UNODC possessing experience in criminal justice issues and extensive work experience in the provision of legal advisory services and technical assistance worldwide. *Practical Information* *Fees:* Both courses are offered free of charge as part of a capacity-building initiative on the part of UNODC. *Timetable:* The course for English-speaking participants will begin during the week starting 4 May 2009. The course for French-speaking participants will begin during the week starting 18 May 2009. Selected applicants will receive full details of the timetable before the course begins. *Who should apply:* Criminal justice officers, practicing diplomats, civil servants, and others who work in the legal areas of international cooperation in criminal matters, or are involved in legislative drafting of criminal law texts. Priority will be given to applicants from developing countries. *Requirements:* Applicants must: § hold a university degree in Law, preferably with specialization in international/criminal law issues; § have at least three years work experience as legal practitioner or governmental official. Involvement in international cooperation matters, especially in criminal matters, is an asset; § possess sufficient ability in the course language to undertake postgraduate level studies; § have unrestricted access to the Internet using Firefox or Internet Explorer web browsers; § be ready to commit at least 6 hours per week to studies for the duration of the course. *How to Apply* The application deadline for the English-language course is *13 April 2009*. The application deadline for the French-language course is *20 April 2009*. Please visit the UNODC website for further information and to apply: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/terrorism/online-training-course.html ------------------------------ [image: Diplo logo] DiploFoundation <http://www.diplomacy.edu/> ------------------------------ I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter <http://www.spamfighter.com/len>. We are a community of 6 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 26217 of my spam emails to date. The Professional version does not have this message. -- "Each of us is great insofar as we perceive and act on the infinite possibilities which lie undiscovered and unrecognized about us." James Harvey Robinson

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May be of interest: IT-outsourcing to Africa (seminar Amsterdam)
by Victor Gathara 25 Mar '09

25 Mar '09

DFID, the Department for International Development: leading the British Government's fight against world poverty. Find out more about the major global poverty challenges and get the facts on what DFID is doing to fight them: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/aboutdfid/howwefightpoverty.asp. Subscribe to our e-bulletin: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/feedback ______________________________________________________________________ This e-mail has been scanned for all viruses by Peapod. The service is powered by MessageLabs. For more information on a proactive anti-virus service working around the clock, around the globe, visit: http://www.peapod.co.uk/cleanmail

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Re: [kictanet] POLE SIGANGA
by Preston Odera 24 Mar '09

24 Mar '09

Hi Siganga Pole for what has happened. Would like to reach you thru m-pesa. Confirm if your cellphone number is compliant. Preston Odera Executive Director K-Ninety East Africa Limited Kenya School for the Blind Complex Mai Mahiu Road off Langata Road P.O Box 3894-00100 Nairobi Kenya Tel +254 20 608316 Tel +254 20 3544352 Fax + 254 20 608318 Cell +254 722 771 478 Email; info(a)k-90ea.com --- On Mon, 3/23/09, waudo siganga <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com> wrote: From: waudo siganga <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] POLE SIGANGA To: podera_2002(a)yahoo.com Cc: "Kenya ICT Policy - kictanet" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Monday, March 23, 2009, 10:18 AM Thank you Charles. Yes, My Mzee passed away peacefully in his sleep on 17th. He was 89. He went to UK in 1946 and stood for UK Parliament in Cardiff, Wales (as was allowed of any citizen of the Commonwealth). His opponent was Edward Heath, who later became UK Prime Minister. Heath defeated him by less than 2000 votes! The Mzee's colleagues on the ship (there were no airlines then) to UK were Charles Njonjo, Prof. David Wassawo (first African to get a first class honours degree from Oxford) and Benedicto Kiwanuka - later PM of Uganda. All four had topped at Alliance High School and secured British Government schorlaships. On 16th September 1946 they took a historic picture on the ship (attached - with Mzee and Njonjo in the middle). Njonjo and Wassawo are still alive and active. Kiwanuka was murdered by the Amin regime in Uganda. Mzee returned to Kenya in 1953 and declined a Government job to protest the imprisonment of Kenyatta and other colleagues. Later at independence he became Director of Social Services and Housing with the Nairobi City Council until his retiremenment some 20 years ago. After which he lived a quiet life in the village. We shall rest the Mzee on Saturday in Kakamega. Thank you for your thoughts. Waudo On Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:21 +0000, "charles nduati" <charlesnduati2002(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > > hi Brother Waudo, > > I saw a funeral mesage in the nation lats week, and I believe it concerns > your family, so pole sana and may God sooth your souls. > > Kindly let us know of the arrangements > > Charles > > > CHARLES N. NDUATI > GENERAL MANAGER > JKUAT ENTERPRISES LTD > JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY > JUJA MAIN CAMPUS, THIKA > P. O. BOX 79324-00200 > NAIROBI, KENYA > TEL: 254-067-52420 OR 254-067-52711 FAX: 254-067-52438 > MOBILE:254-722728815 > EMIAL:charlesnduati2002@yahoo.co.uk,cnduati@gmail.com,bm@jkuates.jkuat.ac.ke > www.jkuat.ac.ke > > > Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we have been been waiting for. - Kenyan-American Barack Obama -----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: podera_2002(a)yahoo.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/podera_2002%40yahoo.com

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Fwd: Fw: Reuters.com - Kenya sees $5-$10 bln ICT investments by 2010
by Margaret Gichuki 23 Mar '09

23 Mar '09

--- On *Mon, 3/23/09, Reuters_News(a)reuters.com <Reuters_News(a)reuters.com>*wrote: From: Reuters_News(a)reuters.com <Reuters_News(a)reuters.com> Subject: Reuters.com - Kenya sees $5-$10 bln ICT investments by 2010 [image: Reuters] <http://www.reuters.com/> Kenya sees $5-$10 bln ICT investments by 2010<http://www.reuters.com/article/email/idAFLN25512420090323> Mon Mar 23 13:19:15 UTC 2009 * Kenya sees foreign ICT investment booming * Says multinationals interested in back-office operations By Duncan Miriri NAIROBI, March 23 (Reuters) - Kenya expects $5-$10 billion of foreign investment from communication technology firms by next year, a senior government official said on Monday. East Africa's biggest economy is set to link up with the rest of the world via broadband from June through three undersea telecoms cables. "I would comfortably estimate that next year, even with a very poor economy, we will probably see between $5-$10 billion coming," Bitange Ndemo, permanent secretary at the ministry of information and communication, told Reuters in an interview. He said international firms that had expressed interest in investing included Google <GOOG.O>, Accenture <ACN.N> and General Electric <GE.N>. "We are seeing huge interest by multinational companies who want (to) take advantage of these connections and the availability of many youths who are educated to create back offices in this country," he said. Kenya's government is fronting one fibre-optic cable worth $110 million that will link it with the United Arab Emirates. The chief executive of SEACOM, a $700 million private equity venture, said on Monday that sales of bandwidth capacity were going well ahead of its cable's completion in June. [ID:nLN478381] Analysts say enhanced telecoms infrastructure has the same growth potential as mobile telephony, which has grown exponentially in the world's poorest continent in recent years. (Editing by Daniel Wallis; editing by Simon Jessop) This service is not intended to encourage spam. The details provided by your colleague have been used for the sole purpose of facilitating this email communication and have not been retained by Thomson Reuters. Your personal details have not been added to any database or mailing list. If you would like to receive news articles delivered to your email address, please subscribe at www.reuters.com/newsmails © Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved. Users may download and print extracts of content from this website for their own personal and non-commercial use only. Republication or redistribution of Thomson Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters and its logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Thomson Reuters group of companies around the world. Quotes and other data are provided for your personal information only, and are not intended for trading purposes. Thomson Reuters and its data providers shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the quotes or other data, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

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Kenya going Open Source route...
by Gakuru Alex 23 Mar '09

23 Mar '09

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/business/Local/Kenya-going-Open-Source-route-185… Questions and comments are most welcome,, Alex

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Ten African countries sign alliance for e-commerce
by alice 23 Mar '09

23 Mar '09

Balancing Act Ten countries sign alliance for e-commerce Ten African countries have signed up to the "Pan African Alliance for E-Commerce," a new ICT based program launched by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The Alliance hopes to establish and encourage the use of “Single Window” across the continent, which is an electronic platform where traders undertake transactions online. The system is believed to reduce the need for paperwork. The main aim of the alliance is said will intensify cooperation and initiate common projects of interest to African countries and sub-regions. Senegal, Tunisia and Mauritius have such platforms, dramatically reducing the time it takes to clear customs in those countries. So far 10 African countries have signed with the alliance while a number of other countries are expected to join the alliance in the next few months Ibrahim Nour Eddine Diane, president of executive committee of the alliance, told journalists at the launching ceremony this week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Cameron, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Ghana, Morocco, Gabon, Libya, Togo and Kenya were listed as the 10 countries that have signed with the alliance. It is the first of its kind on the continent, and the signatories hope to encourage more countries to create their own single windows platforms that would become part of the wider network. The Pan-African Alliance on e-Commerce seeks to set up a framework for exchange of Single Window experiences in Africa and establish a mechanism to assist countries in the development of Single Windows. It also plans to ensure Africa’s representation in international forums and contribute to the development of the concept at a global level. Putting in place a platform of resources for facilitating the establishment of regional Single Windows and improving existing projects and facilitating cooperation with other regions of the world, notably through the establishment of pilot paperless projects with countries of Asia, Europe and America is also mentioned as main target of the alliance. In addition, the alliance also acts as focal point for development partners and international institutions active in the promotion of Single Windows in Africa. (Source: Africa News)

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POLE SIGANGA
by charles nduati 23 Mar '09

23 Mar '09

hi Brother Waudo, I saw a funeral mesage in the nation lats week, and I believe it concerns your family, so pole sana and may God sooth your souls. Kindly let us know of the arrangements Charles CHARLES N. NDUATI GENERAL MANAGER JKUAT ENTERPRISES LTD JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY JUJA MAIN CAMPUS, THIKA P. O. BOX 79324-00200 NAIROBI, KENYA TEL: 254-067-52420 OR 254-067-52711 FAX: 254-067-52438 MOBILE:254-722728815 EMIAL:charlesnduati2002@yahoo.co.uk,cnduati@gmail.com,bm@jkuates.jkuat.ac.ke www.jkuat.ac.ke

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Food for thought : ICANN should be reformed before 'privatization']
by alice 23 Mar '09

23 Mar '09

Dear All, This has just been released and is worth reading. Now, where do we, in Africa, stand in this debate? And how best could we promote the voices (if any?) of African business & Industry sectors and the Governments ? Pierre Dandjinou ICANN Should be Reformed Before "Privatization", Says New Study <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090317_study_icann_reform_before_privatizat…> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090317_study_icann_reform_before_privatizat… * Mar 17, 2009 4:33 PM PDT * Comments: 1 <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090317_study_icann_reform_before_privatizat…> * Views: 568 Print <http://www.circleid.com/posts/print/20090317_study_icann_reform_before_priv…> Comment <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090317_study_icann_reform_before_privatizat…> By *CircleID Reporter* <http://www.circleid.com/members/501/> The Technology Policy Institute (TPI), an IT and communications policy think tank, has just released a paper proposing that "ICANN's governance structure should be dramatically reformed to make it more accountable before the current tie with the U.S. Department of Commerce is allowed to expire." The paper titled /"ICANN At a Crossroads: a Proposal for Better Governance and Performance"/ is written by Thomas M. Lenard, President and Senior Fellow at TPI, along with Lawrence J. White, Professor of Economics at the NYU Stern School of Business. The 52-page study also asserts that ICANN must have a clear focus on encouraging competition with minimal role as a regulator with respect to the creation of new generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs). * * * *Executive Summary* The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)—the non-profit company that is at the center of the Internet—has operated under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) since 1998. The MOU was replaced in September 2006 by the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) between ICANN and the DOC, which expires in August 2009. At that time, a decision needs to be made about ICANN's future. Should the JPA tie with the U.S. Government be retained? Or should the link be wholly severed, as ICANN advocates? And, in either case, what governance structure would best promote Internet efficiency and innovation? This paper evaluates the structure and governance of ICANN to help inform the upcoming decision. In particular, it reviews ICANN's structure and functions, and also the structures of a number of other organizations that perform a roughly comparable range of private-sector and quasi-governmental coordination and standard-setting functions, to explore what might be applicable to ICANN. We find that although ICANN has control over extremely important aspects of the Internet, it is largely accountable to no one. No organization with ICANN's level of responsibility operates with the independence that ICANN enjoys, even under the current arrangement of nominal oversight by the U.S. Department of Commerce. ICANN's proposal for complete privatization and termination of the DOC's oversight would make the accountability problem worse. Virtually all of the organizations that we reviewed are governed by their direct users, and we believe that this would be a good model for ICANN as well; it would also be consistent with the reduced regulatory role that we envision for ICANN. Governance by its direct users—the registries and the registrars—would provide the external accountability that could allow for eventually ending ICANN's ties with the U.S. Government. However, we recommend that the new structure be permitted to operate for a while, to allow time for evaluation, before severing those ties. We also address the issue of ICANN's status as a de facto regulator. ICANN's recent proposal to expand the number of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) highlights a distinct choice between alternative regulatory approaches: On the one hand, ICANN could proceed under the assumption that the market for gTLDs is not (and perhaps cannot be) at least workably competitive (as the U.S. Government apparently believes). ICANN would then assume greater public-utility type regulatory responsibilities. Alternatively, ICANN could allow relatively free entry into the domain space, in order to bring the benefits of a competitive gTLD market to consumers. We favor the latter approach, which is consistent with our proposal concerning governance reform. For free entry to work well, however, ICANN needs a less costly mechanism for protecting the intellectual property associated with domain names in order to address the problems of defensive registrations and cybersquatting. Our specific recommendations are as follows: * The JPA should be extended beyond its current expiration date. In the absence of changes in governance along the lines that we recommend, the JPA is particularly important. If our recommended changes are adopted, they should be permitted to become established before allowing the JPA to expire. * ICANN should remain as a nonprofit organization, but its governance should be restructured, so that it is governed by and directly accountable to its direct users: the registries and the registrars. Seats on ICANN's board of directors could be rotated among the major operators in a manner that would reflect the diversity of viewpoints among registries and registrars. * ICANN should have a clear mission of encouraging competition. This implies a minimal role as a regulator with respect to the creation of new gTLDs. Instead, ICANN should adopt a relatively automatic way of introducing gTLDs, whereby any entity that meets a set of minimum technical and financial qualifications for being a registry should be able to be certified to become a registry for any gTLD that is not already taken. * For this "open entry" policy to be workable and beneficial, ICANN must also strengthen the protections for incumbent domain name holders, so that they are not subject to "nuisance" or "ransom" demands from new registries; adopting an IP registry and strengthening ICANN's "uniform dispute resolution policy" (UDRP) could be part of these improved protections. These four recommendations are complementary, and combined they would significantly further the goals of Internet efficiency and innovation. * * * *Related Links:* Lenard-White Study [PDF]: ICANN at a Crossroads: A Proposal for Better Governance and Performance <http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/files/icann%20at%20a%20crossroads1.pdf> Press Release: ICANN Should be Reformed Before "Privatization" - Lenard-White Study Proposes New Governance Structure <http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/news/show/23120.html> ITU Website: The Technology Policy Institute <http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/> *Other sources:* UPDATED Mar 19, 2009 12:50 PM PDT ICANN at a Crossroads: Please Choose Carefully <http://blog.pff.org/archives/2009/03/icann_at_a_crossroads_please_choose_ca…> Mike Plage, PFF, Mar.19.2009 *Related topics:* DNS <http://www.circleid.com/topics/dns>, Domain Names <http://www.circleid.com/topics/domain_names>, Internet Governance <http://www.circleid.com/topics/internet_governance>, Policy & Regulation <http://www.circleid.com/topics/policy_regulation>, Top-Level Domains <http://www.circleid.com/topics/top_level_domains>

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The latest on Cybersquatting from WIPO
by alice 23 Mar '09

23 Mar '09

Latest Cybersquatting Stats from WIPO <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090316_latest_cybersquatting_stats_wipo/> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090316_latest_cybersquatting_stats_wipo/ * Mar 16, 2009 12:23 PM PDT * Comments: 2 <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090316_latest_cybersquatting_stats_wipo/#co…> * Views: 686 Print <http://www.circleid.com/posts/print/20090316_latest_cybersquatting_stats_wi…> Comment <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090316_latest_cybersquatting_stats_wipo/#ad…> By *CircleID Reporter* <http://www.circleid.com/members/501/> Latest Cybersquatting Stats from WIPO According to latest reports from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO <http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/>), allegations of cybersquatting by trademark holders continued to rise in 2008, with a record 2,329 complaints filed under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP <http://www.icann.org/en/udrp/udrp-policy-24oct99.htm>). This represented an 8% increase over 2007 in the number of generic and country code Top Level Domain (gTLDs and ccTLDs) disputes handled and brings the total number of WIPO cases filed under the UDRP since it was launched ten years ago to over 14,000. To improve efficiency and respond to growing demand, WIPO has proposed an "eUDRP Initiative <http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/amc/en/docs/icann301208.pdf>” [PDF] to render the UDRP paperless. *Countries Involved* Since the launch of the UDRP in December 1999 through December 2008, the WIPO Center has received 14,663 UDRP or UDRP-based cases—both gTLDs <http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/gtld/> and ccTLDs <http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/cctld/>—covering 26,262 separate domain names. US, France, UK, Germany, Switzerland and Spain were the most frequent bases for complainants, while the US, the UK, China, Spain, Canada, and France were the most represented countries by named respondent party. English was the most common language for WIPO case proceedings (86%) in 2008 as the majority of domain names involved were registered with US-based registrars. Cases were also processed in 12 other languages, including (in order of frequency) Spanish, French, Dutch, German, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Italian, Romanian, Russian, Hebrew and Portuguese. The character set of the disputed domain names themselves remained overwhelmingly ASCII (English alphabet), with a small number of names in Chinese, French, Hebrew, Spanish, and Swedish. *Generic TLDs Involved* The .com gTLD remained the solid leader in terms of the number of domain names included by complainants in cases filed with WIPO (79%). *Sectors Involved* According to data from WIPO, in 2008 cases covered a wide variety of sectors, reflecting prevailing public interest, business activity and upcoming events (e.g., Singapore Flyer observation wheel, Madrid 2016 Olympic bid, Montreal Jazz Festival, Golden Globes); transportation (e.g., Air France, Austrian Airlines, BMW, Lufthansa, Southwest Airlines, Subaru); hotels (e.g., Taj Hotels, InterContinental Hotels, The Sheraton/Westin Hotels); media and publishing (e.g., the BBC, Edmonton Journal, National Geographic, Harvard University Press); educational institutions (e.g., The John Hopkins University, Sydney University, Yale University, TOEFL); computers and electronics (e.g., Research in Motion's BlackBerry, computer manufacturer Gateway, Samsung); sports teams, leagues and personalities (e.g., English Premier League, the Arsenal Football Club, as well as its player Cesc Fàbregas, yachting's Volvo Ocean Race, former basketball star Dennis Rodman, Adidas); actors and personalities past (e.g., Ian Fleming, Gene Kelly) and present (e.g., Scarlett Johansson); fashion (e.g., Christian Dior, Lancôme); popular culture (e.g., Barbapapa, Bob the Builder, Marvel Comics' Xmen); numerical identifiers (e.g., 4711); and other familiar enterprises and groups such as Breitling, Canada Post, Coca-Cola, Ebay, Ghirardelli Chocolate, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Google, Hard Rock Café, LEGO, Nestlé, Ticketmaster, and Western Union. A case was also filed by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation in relation to the Monticello estate. The top five sectors for complainant business activity were biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, banking and finance, Internet and IT, retail, and food, beverages and restaurants. WIPO's complete announcement can be found here <http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2009/article_0005.html#3>. *Other sources:* UPDATED Mar 18, 2009 11:16 AM PDT WIPO Cybersquatting Report Ignores Real UDRP Trends <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090318_wipo_cybersquatting_report_ignores_r…> Antony Van Couvering, Mar.18.2009 WIPO's Misleading Release <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090317_wipo_misleading_release_domain_dispu…> Michael Geist, Mar.17.2009 Record Cybersquatting Cases As WIPO Seeks New Trademark Protections <http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/03/16/record-cybersquatting-cases-as-wi…> IP Watch, Mar.16.2009 Record cases of 'cybersquatting' in 2008: UN <http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090316_latest_cybersquatting_stats_wipo/Cyb…> Reuters, Mar.16.2009 UN warns on new web domains <http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/15710d0e-1172-11de-87b1-0000779fd2ac.html> FT, Mar.16.2009 *Related topics:* Cybersquatting <http://www.circleid.com/topics/cybersquatting>, Domain Names <http://www.circleid.com/topics/domain_names>, Domain Registries <http://www.circleid.com/topics/domain_registries>, Law <http://www.circleid.com/topics/law>, Top-Level Domains <http://www.circleid.com/topics/top_level_domains>

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Re: [kictanet] Disturbing Advert or appropriate local content?
by Marie-Anne Kinyanjui 23 Mar '09

23 Mar '09

It is quite a disturbing ad... Walu, I think it would be prudent to alert the Advertising Practitioners Association - they have the power to remove controversial ads. I don't have their exact contacts but annette(a)accessleoburnett.co.ke and rmukoma(a)ibea.co.ke should be able to help. -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+mkinyanjui=nation.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+mkinyanjui=nation.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Pamela Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 12:56 PM To: Marie-Anne Kinyanjui Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' Subject: Re: [kictanet] Disturbing Advert or appropriate local content? Dear Walu, You may also want to send your concern to the Chairman PSK (Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya) for some guidance, as there are regulations governing advertising of medicinal products. The email: pskkenya(a)yahoo.com, to the attention of Dr. Karanja, Chairman PSK pamela -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+pamela=cardiacimplants.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+pamela=cardiacimplants.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke ] On Behalf Of alice Sent: 20 March 2009 11:38 To: pamela(a)cardiacimplants.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Disturbing Advert or appropriate local content? I guess within the scramble for customers this is one example. This is a complex issue and people are likely to respond differently to this kind of content( indeed content generally). And it also depends on whether it is on television or radio, in a cinema film, on the Internet, in the press etc. So while you may find it offensive, I may find it very informative and educative. So what harm is this advert likely to cause our youth against any benefits? difficult to know/measure and again quite complex. So important to balance "harm and offence". Re: complaints process etc both institutions are responsible at various levels. best alice (Views expressed are personal and not a reflection of any of the institutions I am affiliated with) John Walubengo wrote: > By the way Alice, your post reminds me...there's this little Advert running on FM Radio stations about "the emergency pill". I must confess that I personally find it disturbing - particular when put in the context of our listening youth. > > I have a whole thesis on why it should be pulled off air and just wondering where to submit the same. Is it to CCK or Media Council? Either way, could someone share the email contact for receiving customer complaints against Media? > > walu. > > --- On Thu, 3/19/09, alice <alice(a)apc.org> wrote: > > >> From: alice <alice(a)apc.org> >> Subject: [kictanet] African media fragmentation piles the pressure on radio and TV stations as they scramble for audiences >> To: jwalu(a)yahoo.com >> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> >> Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009, 10:12 PM >> (From Balancing Act) >> >> African media fragmentation piles the pressure on radio and >> TV stations as they scramble for audiences >> >> Once upon a time everyone knew what television and radio >> were and they played a key role in people's lives. >> Particularly for urban Africans they were the soundtrack to >> life, the sports match in the bar and the common >> conversations about television programmes. Nowadays in the >> more liberalised of African countries there are more >> television and radio stations than you can remember the >> names of and for the smaller group of the more well-off, >> there are pay TV channels, time-shifting and DVDs. And all >> that's before you take into account SMS information >> services and the Internet which are eating away at the edges >> of the audiences. Russell Southwood looks at the >> fault-lines. >> >> Dakar will shortly have 7 television stations, not >> including the three Pay-TV channels you can get if you can >> afford them or can pirate a service. Lagos has 13 television >> stations and perhaps three main Pay-TV channels. Kinshasa >> has over 40 television stations, many of which simply show >> pirated television content. In this circumstance, no channel >> will get more than 20-30% of audience share on a regular >> basis. >> >> Pay-TV may seem a very modest presence in most countries >> but because it is widely watched in public places, it >> audience reach is understated by its subscriber numbers. >> Furthermore, piracy means that a large number of additional >> subscribers (sometimes double the number) are watching >> without paying for content. >> >> Vernacular radio has exploded and the number of radio >> stations is exponentially larger than for television >> stations as many of them are much more local. Uganda has 150 >> stations and Kenya over 90. But whilst radio might have a >> wider and deeper audience reach than television, the >> fragmentation makes it difficult for advertisers to reach >> their audiences. >> >> The standard broadcasting formats that seemed to serve so >> well in less competitive times are now being taken apart and >> put back together by the viewers and listeners themselves. >> Legitimate and pirated DVDs provide a steady stream of >> relatively cheap entertainment, particularly of films. >> Recent releases may command a better price but three >> relatively old action action movies (Bruce Lee, Stephen >> Seagal, that kind of thing) can be bought for around US$2. >> PVRs, streaming and catch-up downloads will all become a >> reality as part of the dividend of cheaper bandwidth in >> 2009. >> >> Middle class Africans are using a growing array of devices. >> Laptop use is growing as sales of this kind of computer >> begin to equal those of desktop PCs. High-end smart phones >> like Blackberries and iPhones are increasingly visible. One >> African carrier has 800,000 high-end phones on its network. >> >> These devices are not just for doing work or making phone >> calls. They have become media in their own right. Recent >> surveys show that in North Africa 3-7% of the population >> cited SMS as one of their most used daily information >> sources. Likewise the Internet is set to have a much greater >> impact with the spread of broadband subscriptions. >> >> According to Alexa.com, Facebook and You Tube are already >> amongst the Top 10 sites in the African countries that it >> analyses. Again based on survey work, between 1-8% of the >> population used the Internet daily across a range of very >> different countries. With cheaper international bandwidth, >> these figures will increase slowly but surely. Mobile >> Internet will become cheaper and play an increasingly large >> role in people's lives. >> >> Current ad spend on the Internet and SMS is tiny but ad >> money will migrate as it gets larger. This is money that >> will most likely be lost to newspapers which seem the most >> vulnerable as the media landscape's tectonic plates begin >> to shift. >> >> So what can the African broadcaster do faced with all of >> this? There are two ways to stay in the game: by using new >> media to extend the appeal of interesting content across all >> platforms and by stealing new media's best ideas and using >> them to survive. Unfortunately too few TV stations have >> invested in convincingly local TV content that might well >> provide the adhesive that would keep viewers eyeballs glued >> to the their channel. >> >> This article is a summary of a more detailed analysis in >> the recently published African Film and TV Yearbook. A list >> of contents can be found by clicking on the following link: >> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/yearbook.html >> >> The second part of the Yearbook contains a full listing of >> African film and television companies broken down by country >> as well as a section with useful international addresses for >> anyone in the sector in Africa. There is also two specially >> focused listings: one looks at Film Location Agencies and >> Screen Commissions across the continent and the other lists >> companies and education institutions providing film and >> television training. >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> This message was sent to: jwalu(a)yahoo.com >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com >> > > > > > _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: pamela(a)cardiacimplants.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/pamela%40cardiacimp lants.com _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: mkinyanjui(a)nation.co.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mkinyanjui%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://mobile.nation.co.ke to read news on your mobile phone.�

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Book your Exhibition stand now
by Joseph Ochola 22 Mar '09

22 Mar '09

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Short-Term ICT Consultancies in Southern Sudan
by Shem Ochuodho 21 Mar '09

21 Mar '09

Opportunity has arisen for 2 short-term experts on Video-Conferencing and Government E-Mail System Development in Southern Sudan. Any communication should be addressed to the contacts given on the attachments. Shem J. Ochuodho, MSc (Eng), PhD, LLD (Hon) Senior Advisor Ministry of Telecom & Postal Services Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), Juba Cell: +249-955-021-040/+256-477-232025/+254-734-137371 Skype: shem.ochuodho

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FW: 13th Executive Course on Telecom Reform, 20 - 24 April 2009, Cape Town, South Africa
by Edith Adera 21 Mar '09

21 Mar '09

FYI - for those interested in this course supported by IDRC. Edith adera ________________________________ From: CPRsouth [info(a)cprsouth.org] Sent: March 20, 2009 7:22 AM To: Khaled Fourati Subject: 13th Executive Course on Telecom Reform, 20 - 24 April 2009, Cape Town, South Africa Please forward this call to those interested in Telecom Reform in your organisation --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 13th Executive Course on Telecom Reform will be held from 20 - 24 April, 2009, in Cape Town, South Africa. It is being offered by the Edge Institute and the University of Cape Town Business School. Themed, ‘Connectivity and Convergence: Alternative Regulatory Strategies for Telecommunications’, the course is designed to enhance the strategic thinking of a select group of senior decision-makers in telecom and related sectors in Africa and elsewhere. After having been offered in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America, this executive programme is now being offered in Africa to meet the challenges it faces in this sector. Target delegate profiles include decision-makers in telecommunications and related sectors in Africa including government; regulatory agencies; operators; unions, ICT journalists, consumer groups and NGOs active in the sector Confirmed faculty members include Rohan Samarajiva, CEO of LIRNEasia, Alison Gillwald, Associate Director, the Edge Institute and Tracy Cohen, former Councillor on the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa. Further details, including registration information, are available at http://www.gsb.uct.ac.za/gsbwebb/EMEBrochure.asp?intpagenr=583. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you and regards CPRsouth

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Nathan and the Mobile Operators
by Alex Gakuru 20 Mar '09

20 Mar '09

Interesting article...http://manypossibilities.net/2009/03/nathan-and-the-mobile-operat…

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African media fragmentation piles the pressure on radio and TV stations as they scramble for audiences
by alice 20 Mar '09

20 Mar '09

(From Balancing Act) African media fragmentation piles the pressure on radio and TV stations as they scramble for audiences Once upon a time everyone knew what television and radio were and they played a key role in people’s lives. Particularly for urban Africans they were the soundtrack to life, the sports match in the bar and the common conversations about television programmes. Nowadays in the more liberalised of African countries there are more television and radio stations than you can remember the names of and for the smaller group of the more well-off, there are pay TV channels, time-shifting and DVDs. And all that’s before you take into account SMS information services and the Internet which are eating away at the edges of the audiences. Russell Southwood looks at the fault-lines. Dakar will shortly have 7 television stations, not including the three Pay-TV channels you can get if you can afford them or can pirate a service. Lagos has 13 television stations and perhaps three main Pay-TV channels. Kinshasa has over 40 television stations, many of which simply show pirated television content. In this circumstance, no channel will get more than 20-30% of audience share on a regular basis. Pay-TV may seem a very modest presence in most countries but because it is widely watched in public places, it audience reach is understated by its subscriber numbers. Furthermore, piracy means that a large number of additional subscribers (sometimes double the number) are watching without paying for content. Vernacular radio has exploded and the number of radio stations is exponentially larger than for television stations as many of them are much more local. Uganda has 150 stations and Kenya over 90. But whilst radio might have a wider and deeper audience reach than television, the fragmentation makes it difficult for advertisers to reach their audiences. The standard broadcasting formats that seemed to serve so well in less competitive times are now being taken apart and put back together by the viewers and listeners themselves. Legitimate and pirated DVDs provide a steady stream of relatively cheap entertainment, particularly of films. Recent releases may command a better price but three relatively old action action movies (Bruce Lee, Stephen Seagal, that kind of thing) can be bought for around US$2. PVRs, streaming and catch-up downloads will all become a reality as part of the dividend of cheaper bandwidth in 2009. Middle class Africans are using a growing array of devices. Laptop use is growing as sales of this kind of computer begin to equal those of desktop PCs. High-end smart phones like Blackberries and iPhones are increasingly visible. One African carrier has 800,000 high-end phones on its network. These devices are not just for doing work or making phone calls. They have become media in their own right. Recent surveys show that in North Africa 3-7% of the population cited SMS as one of their most used daily information sources. Likewise the Internet is set to have a much greater impact with the spread of broadband subscriptions. According to Alexa.com, Facebook and You Tube are already amongst the Top 10 sites in the African countries that it analyses. Again based on survey work, between 1-8% of the population used the Internet daily across a range of very different countries. With cheaper international bandwidth, these figures will increase slowly but surely. Mobile Internet will become cheaper and play an increasingly large role in people’s lives. Current ad spend on the Internet and SMS is tiny but ad money will migrate as it gets larger. This is money that will most likely be lost to newspapers which seem the most vulnerable as the media landscape’s tectonic plates begin to shift. So what can the African broadcaster do faced with all of this? There are two ways to stay in the game: by using new media to extend the appeal of interesting content across all platforms and by stealing new media’s best ideas and using them to survive. Unfortunately too few TV stations have invested in convincingly local TV content that might well provide the adhesive that would keep viewers eyeballs glued to the their channel. This article is a summary of a more detailed analysis in the recently published African Film and TV Yearbook. A list of contents can be found by clicking on the following link: http://www.balancingact-africa.com/yearbook.html The second part of the Yearbook contains a full listing of African film and television companies broken down by country as well as a section with useful international addresses for anyone in the sector in Africa. There is also two specially focused listings: one looks at Film Location Agencies and Screen Commissions across the continent and the other lists companies and education institutions providing film and television training.

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Re: [kictanet] Disturbing Advert or appropriate local content?
by Kanja Waruru 20 Mar '09

20 Mar '09

Walu, i have been told many times a good adv is the one that provokes and gets the audience attention. this one is a good adv because it grabbed Walu's attention and we are now debating it. but to answer you the media council is very much alive and kicking and you can contact Ms Esther Kamweru on email info(a)mediacouncil.or.ke website:www.mediacouncil.or.ke regards. Kanja --- On Fri, 3/20/09, John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > From: John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Disturbing Advert or appropriate local content? > To: kanjawaruru(a)yahoo.com > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Date: Friday, March 20, 2009, 2:18 AM > > Complex is indeed the term. And depending on your > scientific convictions on when life actually begins i.e. is > at conception or after birth? Then this emergency pill > could be "abortion over the counter" and last time I checked > abortion was still illegal in Kenya. What media is > therefore doing is promoting the culture of death and > impunity that is already rampant in our society. > > But that's my thinking and If I can get the correct email > for Media Council I can submit more details/points. Makali, > Kanja is this Media Council thing still active or was it > overtaken by the new Kenya Communication Amendment Act > (2008)? > > walu. > --- On Fri, 3/20/09, alice <alice(a)apc.org> > wrote: > > > From: alice <alice(a)apc.org> > > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Disturbing Advert or > appropriate local content? > > To: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > > Date: Friday, March 20, 2009, 12:38 PM > > I guess within the scramble for customers this is one > > example. > > > > This is a complex issue and people are likely to > respond > > differently to > > this kind of content( indeed content generally). And > it > > also depends on > > whether it is on television or radio, in a cinema > film, on > > the Internet, > > in the press etc. So while you may find it offensive, > I may > > find it very > > informative and educative. > > > > So what harm is this advert likely to cause our youth > > against any > > benefits? difficult to know/measure and again quite > > complex. So > > important to balance "harm and offence". > > > > Re: complaints process etc both institutions are > > responsible at various > > levels. > > > > best > > alice > > > > (Views expressed are personal and not a reflection of > any > > of the > > institutions I am affiliated with) > > > > > > > > > > John Walubengo wrote: > > > By the way Alice, your post reminds me...there's > > this little Advert running on FM Radio stations about > > "the emergency pill". I must confess that I > > personally find it disturbing - particular when put in > the > > context of our listening youth. > > > > > > I have a whole thesis on why it should be pulled > off > > air and just wondering where to submit the same. > Is it to > > CCK or Media Council? Either way, could someone share > the > > email contact for receiving customer complaints > against > > Media? > > > > > > walu. > > > > > > --- On Thu, 3/19/09, alice <alice(a)apc.org> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > >> From: alice <alice(a)apc.org> > > >> Subject: [kictanet] African media > fragmentation > > piles the pressure on radio and TV stations as they > scramble > > for audiences > > >> To: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > > >> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" > > <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > > >> Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009, 10:12 PM > > >> (From Balancing Act) > > >> > > >> African media fragmentation piles the > pressure on > > radio and > > >> TV stations as they scramble for audiences > > >> > > >> Once upon a time everyone knew what > television and > > radio > > >> were and they played a key role in > people’s > > lives. > > >> Particularly for urban Africans they were > the > > soundtrack to > > >> life, the sports match in the bar and the > common > > >> conversations about television programmes. > > Nowadays in the > > >> more liberalised of African countries there > are > > more > > >> television and radio stations than you can > > remember the > > >> names of and for the smaller group of the > more > > well-off, > > >> there are pay TV channels, time-shifting and > DVDs. > > And all > > >> that’s before you take into account SMS > > information > > >> services and the Internet which are eating > away at > > the edges > > >> of the audiences. Russell Southwood looks at > the > > >> fault-lines. > > >> > > >> Dakar will shortly have 7 television > stations, not > > >> including the three Pay-TV channels you can > get if > > you can > > >> afford them or can pirate a service. Lagos > has 13 > > television > > >> stations and perhaps three main Pay-TV > channels. > > Kinshasa > > >> has over 40 television stations, many of > which > > simply show > > >> pirated television content. In this > circumstance, > > no channel > > >> will get more than 20-30% of audience share > on a > > regular > > >> basis. > > >> > > >> Pay-TV may seem a very modest presence in > most > > countries > > >> but because it is widely watched in public > places, > > it > > >> audience reach is understated by its > subscriber > > numbers. > > >> Furthermore, piracy means that a large number > of > > additional > > >> subscribers (sometimes double the number) > are > > watching > > >> without paying for content. > > >> > > >> Vernacular radio has exploded and the number > of > > radio > > >> stations is exponentially larger than for > > television > > >> stations as many of them are much more > local. > > Uganda has 150 > > >> stations and Kenya over 90. But whilst radio > might > > have a > > >> wider and deeper audience reach than > television, > > the > > >> fragmentation makes it difficult for > advertisers > > to reach > > >> their audiences. > > >> > > >> The standard broadcasting formats that seemed > to > > serve so > > >> well in less competitive times are now being > taken > > apart and > > >> put back together by the viewers and > listeners > > themselves. > > >> Legitimate and pirated DVDs provide a steady > > stream of > > >> relatively cheap entertainment, particularly > of > > films. > > >> Recent releases may command a better price > but > > three > > >> relatively old action action movies (Bruce > Lee, > > Stephen > > >> Seagal, that kind of thing) can be bought > for > > around US$2. > > >> PVRs, streaming and catch-up downloads will > all > > become a > > >> reality as part of the dividend of cheaper > > bandwidth in > > >> 2009. > > >> > > >> Middle class Africans are using a growing > array of > > devices. > > >> Laptop use is growing as sales of this kind > of > > computer > > >> begin to equal those of desktop PCs. > High-end > > smart phones > > >> like Blackberries and iPhones are > increasingly > > visible. One > > >> African carrier has 800,000 high-end phones > on its > > network. > > >> > > >> These devices are not just for doing work or > > making phone > > >> calls. They have become media in their own > right. > > Recent > > >> surveys show that in North Africa 3-7% of > the > > population > > >> cited SMS as one of their most used daily > > information > > >> sources. Likewise the Internet is set to have > a > > much greater > > >> impact with the spread of broadband > subscriptions. > > >> > > >> According to Alexa.com, Facebook and You Tube > are > > already > > >> amongst the Top 10 sites in the African > countries > > that it > > >> analyses. Again based on survey work, between > 1-8% > > of the > > >> population used the Internet daily across a > range > > of very > > >> different countries. With cheaper > international > > bandwidth, > > >> these figures will increase slowly but > surely. > > Mobile > > >> Internet will become cheaper and play an > > increasingly large > > >> role in people’s lives. > > >> > > >> Current ad spend on the Internet and SMS is > tiny > > but ad > > >> money will migrate as it gets larger. This > is > > money that > > >> will most likely be lost to newspapers which > seem > > the most > > >> vulnerable as the media landscape’s > tectonic > > plates begin > > >> to shift. > > >> > > >> So what can the African broadcaster do faced > with > > all of > > >> this? There are two ways to stay in the game: > by > > using new > > >> media to extend the appeal of interesting > content > > across all > > >> platforms and by stealing new media’s best > ideas > > and using > > >> them to survive. Unfortunately too few TV > stations > > have > > >> invested in convincingly local TV content > that > > might well > > >> provide the adhesive that would keep viewers > > eyeballs glued > > >> to the their channel. > > >> > > >> This article is a summary of a more detailed > > analysis in > > >> the recently published African Film and TV > > Yearbook. A list > > >> of contents can be found by clicking on the > > following link: > > >> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/yearbook.html > > >> > > >> The second part of the Yearbook contains a > full > > listing of > > >> African film and television companies broken > down > > by country > > >> as well as a section with useful > international > > addresses for > > >> anyone in the sector in Africa. There is also > two > > specially > > >> focused listings: one looks at Film Location > > Agencies and > > >> Screen Commissions across the continent and > the > > other lists > > >> companies and education institutions > providing > > film and > > >> television training. > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ > > >> kictanet mailing list > > >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > >> > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > >> > > >> This message was sent to: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > > >> Unsubscribe or change your options at > > >> > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > This message was sent to: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: kanjawaruru(a)yahoo.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kanjawaruru%40yahoo.com >

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Discounted Rates to attend the 1st East African WiMAX Conference & Expo 24-26 March 2009, Safari Park Hotel Nairobi
by John Mwangi 19 Mar '09

19 Mar '09

Dear AITEC Supporter, Due to the great interest that the upcoming conference has received from the market we have been requested by a few of privately sponsored delegates to lower the registration fee in order to accommodate every one for the conference. In this regard we have revised our rate for the 3 day conference to 17,400 inclusive of 16% VAT. Please take this early opportunity and register before Friday the 20th March 2009 deadline. I have attached the final conference programme and the booking form for your consideration, kindly email back the registration form duly filled to confirm your participation. Very limited spaces are available so please hurry. I look forward for your feedback and to assist you with your booking. Kind regards, John Mwangi Managing Director AITEC East Africa Showbe Plaza Muranga Road PO Box 13891-00800, Nairobi, Kenya * (Office) +254 20 2121028 * (Cell) +254 721 860 228 * <mailto:johnm@aitecafrica.com> johnm(a)aitecafrica.com <http://www.aitecafrica.com/> www.aitecafrica.com

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Kenya National BPO Week - 7th to 9th April 2009
by Peres Were 18 Mar '09

18 Mar '09

'Under the auspices of the Ministry of Information and Communications' Proud Sponsors Include: cid:3320036433_125206 For Bookings Contact Joe or Grace Studio House, along Argwings Kodhek road, 2nd floor E-mail: <mailto:secretariat@kenyabposociety.or.ke> secretariat(a)kenyabposociety.or.ke Website: <http://www.kenyabposociety.or.ke> www.kenyabposociety.or.ke Tel. No. /020-2391301/ 0722-663176/ 0733-917518

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WIPO-Proposed New gTLD Trademark-Based Post-Delegation Procedure
by alice 18 Mar '09

18 Mar '09

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Center has released a detailed proposal for a trademark-based post-delegation dispute resolution procedure involving new gTLD registries. http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/resources/icann/index.html. WIPO's proposed post-delegation procedure addresses registry behavior that causes or materially contributes to trademark abuse, whether through the TLD itself or through domain name registrations in the TLD, as further described in item 2 of the letter. Sincerely, WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center PS You may also wish to refer to our new Press Release at http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2009/article_0005.html. ------ World Intellectual Property Organization Disclaimer: This electronic message may contain privileged, confidential and copyright protected information. If you have received this e-mail by mistake, please immediately notify the sender and delete this e-mail and all its attachments. Please ensure all e-mail attachments are scanned for viruses prior to opening or using. _______________________________________________

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join the liveblog on management of African ccTLDs
by Rebecca Wanjiku 18 Mar '09

18 Mar '09

join liveblog on beckyit.blogspot.com Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Kenya National BPO Week 7th to 9th April 2009
by Peres Were 17 Mar '09

17 Mar '09

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Kenya.png> px Proud Sponsors Include Under the Auspices of the Ministry of Information and Communications For bookings contact: Joseph or Grace Kenya BPO & Contact Centre Society. Studio House, along Argwings Kodhek road, 2nd floor E-mail: secretariat(a)kenyabposociety.or.ke Tel. No. /020-2391301/ 0722-663176/ 0733-917518

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Secure ICT 2009 Conference Nairobi, Kenya
by Evans Kahuthu 17 Mar '09

17 Mar '09

FYI, You are invited to attend the 1st annual Information Communication Technology & Network Security (Secure ICT) Conference, September 8 and 9, 2009 at the Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi Kenya. Secure ICT 2009 is a "must attend" event for those tasked with protecting personal or confidential information in a rapidly changing technological environment. The security of ICT infrastructure is of critical importance as Enhanced high-speed Internet is coming to East and Southern Africa as early as June 2009 by way of a new undersea fiber optic cable linking the continent to India and Europe (Seacom;Eassy;Teams). This conference will bring security experts to provide information technology and communication professionals and managers with the latest information on cyber security threats, trends, tools and strategies for protection of critical information technology and communications assets. The conference will offer two concurrent tracks, Information Security Management and Incident Response and Information Security Technology and Operations. The sessions on these two track have been carefully selected to address the specific needs of ICT managers and technical staff. For more information, please visit our website http://secureict.co.ke Sincerely, Evans Kahuthu

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