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Re: [kictanet] [NewVisionKenya] Fwd: [africa-oped] Bulk of Kenyan Wealth Owned by Foreigners
by Shem Ochuodho 08 Jul '08

08 Jul '08

This is an interesting research study. That "Kenyans" own only 31% of "Kenya's" wealth!!! I wonder if there is anybody else perturbed by this fact like me - if at all it is true; and I have no reason to doubt the EA Standard! Apart from South Africa and Nigeria which have enacted laws that restrict the % of stake foreigners can own in banks, Ethiopia too has some interesting laws. There are sectors like banking, broadcasting and air-transport (for aircrafts of less than 20 seating capacity) that are reserved exclusively to 'domestic investors'. There are also sectors (like telecoms) where an investor can only co-invest in partnership with the Government (e.g. currently ZTE/ETC are rolling out a US$ 1.5billion national fiber backbone!!!). One can easily dismiss these Ethiopian (or Nigerian or SAfrican) policies as 'repugnant' - until this 'Kenyan' experience hits you! Wams thanks for sharing! SO --- On Wed, 6/18/08, Margaret Gichuki <Wams2006(a)gmail.com> wrote: From: Margaret Gichuki <Wams2006(a)gmail.com> Subject: [NewVisionKenya] Fwd: [africa-oped] Bulk of Kenyan Wealth Owned by Foreigners To: "KCA" <kca_main(a)yahoogroups.com> Cc: NewVisionKenya(a)yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2008, 6:37 PM ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: nmatunda <matunda@hotmail. com> Date: Jun 18, 2008 3:03 PM Subject: [africa-oped] Bulk of Kenyan Wealth Owned by Foreigners To: africa-oped@ yahoogroups. com For many years I have tried to make the point made by Kamau Ngotho below! I am glad that someone has done some research that exposes the fallacy of Kenyans "owning" Kenya. Yet, looking back on events of the past, Kenyans have killed and maimed fellow Kenyans in the pretext that some have eaten more. The real culprits (and we need a national solution for this) are foreign ownership and skewed wealth distribution Read on! By Kamau Ngotho The bulk of Kenya's wealth is in foreign hands, according to statistics obtained exclusively by The Sunday Standard. If Kenya were a cake to be shared out, Kenyans would only lay claim to 31 per cent of the country's total wealth. The rest would go to foreigners. Agriculture, tourism and banking, which combined bring in the country's largest earnings, are in foreign hands. Last year, tea, tourism, flowers and coffee earned the country Sh140 billion, nearly half of the annual national budget. Of this money, only 31 per cent ended up in the country � as tax and real earnings to the nationals. And shareholding in the richest 20 companies that trade at the Nairobi Stock Exchange is foreign. The skewed distribution of wealth between foreigners and Kenyans puts paid to all efforts since independence to hand control of the country to its citizens. Tea growing, which earned the country Sh43.5 billion last year, is concentrated in the hands of six leading agricultural companies whose shareholding is largely foreign. Up to 78 per cent of earnings from tea went, therefore, to foreigners � leaving the balance for Kenyans. The Big Six in the tea sector are Unilever Tea Kenya, Kakuzi Ltd, Williamson Tea Company, Kapchorua Tea, Limuru Tea Company and Sasini Coffee and Tea. The British-owned Brooke Bond Group holds 43.1 million shares of the total 48.8 million shares issued in Univeler Tea Kenya. The same group owns 54 per cent of the total 3.9 million shares issued in Limuru Tea Company. In Kakuzi Ltd, foreigners have a total shareholding of 68.3 per cent of the total 19.6 million shares issued. They hold the shares through Bordure Ltd and Lintak Investment Ltd, with 35.1 and 33.2 per cent shareholding, respectively. Britain's Williamson family has a controlling majority shareholding in both Williamson Tea and Kapchorua Tea companies. In Williamson Tea, it holds 67.2 per cent of the total 8.8 million shares issued through their company, Ngong Tea Holding PLC. In Kapchorua tea, they hold 40 per cent of the 3.9 million shares issued. Sasini Tea and Coffee Ltd is 87.3 per cent owned by business magnate Naushad Merali, a Kenyan. Merali's companies hold his shares in these businesses: Legend Investments Ltd (51.7 per cent), East African Batteries (18.7 per cent), Yana Towers (15.9 per cent) and Swan Estates (1.04 per cent). The reinvigorated tourism sector, which earned Sh42 billion last year, is also foreign-owned. And just as the Sh43.5 billion earnings from tea sector ended up in foreign pockets, so did the Sh42 billion that came from tourism. Tourism earnings went into three directions: Hotels, airlines, and travel/booking agents, in that order. Of Kenya's 290,000-plus tourist hotel bed spaces, foreign hoteliers own 74.3 per cent of it. Tour flights to Kenya are entirely in the hands of foreign airlines. It is all the more foreign-dominated in the traditional tourist peak periods of Easter and Christmas, when there are no scheduled flights to Kenya's tourist hub of Mombasa. During the two seasons, tourists arrive in Mombasa in chartered jets arranged by European tour operators. A tea-picker at work. Foreign companies stationed in European and American capitals also entirely control hotel bookings and transfers. Where internal travel is concerned, foreigners too, dominate by owning 7 of the 11 leading local tour travel firms. At the end of the day, tourism in Kenya remains a foreigners' enclave with indigenous Kenyans left to scratch the surface on petty trades like selling curios and prostitution. After years of lobbying, last year the European Union set aside Sh250 million to economically empower indigenous Kenyans to get a fair share of the lucrative industry. Seven projects were targeted to tilt the balance in a programme called Tourism Diversification and Empowerment Project. But a spokesman at the Nairobi EU office said the money is yet to be released as project proposals submitted are still under evaluation. The only hotel chain listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange is the TPS Serena. The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development holds the company's majority shareholding through its company, TPS Holdings Limited. Horticulture, which earned Kenya Sh28.2 billion last year, is the country's third largest foreign exchange earner. It, too, is a foreigners' affair. Indigenous Kenyans mainly come in as casual labourers on the flower farms. Of the 44 certified companies dealing with horticulture products, 26 are foreign-owned. But an even bigger irony is that the leading 10 players in the industry � all foreign-owned � bag 83 per cent of the total income from the sector. Flower farming (floriculture) is the key plank in Kenya's agriculture sector. Seventy six per cent of Kenya's total flower production is concentrated in foreign-owned flowers farms around the Naivasha area. The big three are Homegrown, Sulmac and Oserian. Late last year, Kenya overtook Israel and Columbia as leading exporters of cut flowers. But you would not know that from the world's leading flower auctions in Amsterdam and London. Why? Foreign flower exporters in Kenya have registered their companies abroad � mainly in Amsterdam � and sell flowers they have grown in Kenya under a foreign label. In that case, while flowers from a local company are sold in Amsterdam as flowers from Kenya, Dutch companies growing their flowers in Naivasha sell theirs as flowers from Holland. The consequence of it is that flowers owned by Dutch companies receive preferential treatment at the auction, including exemption from the strict EU-imposed export rules. Flower auctions in Amsterdam and London account for 65 and 25 per cent of Kenya flower sales respectively. Of the approximate 60,000 tonnes of flowers exported from Kenya last year, 37,000 tonnes were sold in Amsterdam and London auctions as flowers from Holland. The statistics can make it look like the entire flower industry in Kenya is one big conspiracy against indigenous people. Foreign air charters, the only ones used in flower transport, charge the highest rates in Nairobi. Freight charges on flowers from Kenya are twice those in the capitals of Kenya's nearest competitors Israel, Columbia and Costa Rica. There are also 40 to 45 per cent higher than in Egypt and South Africa, Kenya's two biggest competitors on the continent. At $400 a day, inspection and storage charges at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport are the highest in the world. So is the freight charge of $1.85-$2.2 per stem. Flowers sold in Kenya's name are inspected stem by stem at the JKIA at the cost of 12 Euro cents a stem. Those grown in Kenya but marketed by overseas-accredited companies are only inspected in bulk. On average, it costs upwards of $1 million to set up a typical flower farm on a half acre spread , which in turn brings in a $50,000 a year. Kenya's fourth leading export earner, coffee, is equally depressing on the ownership scale. The majority of small-scale coffee growers in Kenya sell coffee raw from the farm, earning less than 10 per cent of what the finished end product earns in foreign markets and in a foreign label. Though touted as an agricultural country, the other large-scale agricultural activities in Kenya are also foreign-owned. Rea-Vipingo Plantations, which deals mainly in sisal and dairy farming is 77 per cent owned by the Robinson family of England. They hold the shares through REA Holdings PLC, Unibuckle Holdings Ltd and REA Trading Ltd. Del Monte, world famous for pineapple products, is entirely a French affair and sells its products with the label "Made-in-France" . The question of who owns Kenya's wealth sticks out like a sore thumb in the banking sector. The leading two banks with a combined market share of 71.4 per cent are Barclays Bank of Kenya and the Standard Chartered. They are foreign-owned. Barclays Bank plc of London owns 68 per cent stake in Barclays Bank of Kenya. Standard Bank Africa, a London outfit, in turn owns 81 per cent shareholding in Standard Chartered Bank. To avoid domination by foreign banks, Nigeria and South Africa enacted laws on percentages of shareholding a foreign bank could own. Foreign ownership is also the same cord that runs through key blue chip companies listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. At the East African Breweries, British-owned Guinness plc holds 63.5 per cent of the total equity, leaving Kenyans to scramble for the rest. Guinness shares are held in the names of Diageo Kenya Ltd and Diageo Netherlands B.V. In the Nation Media Group, the Aga Khan holds 28.2 million shares of the 35.6 million shares issued. The Aga Khan's shares are held in the names of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and Amin Nanji Juma. In Kenya Airways, Dutch company, KLM, holds 40.6 per cent equity. In Total Kenya Ltd, French companies Total Outre-mer and Elf Oil Kenya Ltd, own 77 per cent of the total shareholding, while in BAT Kenya Ltd, Molensteegh Investment BV of London, holds 68 per cent of the total shareholding. The question of who owns Kenya's wealth generated a national debate in 1968 when the National Council of Churches of Kenya published a paper entitled: "Who Owns Kenya's Industry?" In the paper, the late Anglican Bishop, the Rev Henry Okullu, regretted that five years into independence, "the compass needle had not moved in the direction of indigenous ownership of Kenya's wealth." Thirty-seven years later, the Rev Okullu would turn in his grave to note that the needle has drifted even further away. __._,_.___ Recent Activity 1 New Members 1 New FilesVisit Your Group Yahoo! News Odd News You won't believe it, but it's true Best of Y! Groups Discover groups that are the best of their class. Check out the Y! Groups blog Stay up to speed on all things Groups! . __,_._,___

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Legislation and Regulation for e-Commerce in Kenya
by Alex Gakuru 08 Jul '08

08 Jul '08

Kevit, Please educate me who are KEPSA, KIF, and Centurion Systems(you?) and how they inter-relate to enlighten the conversation on the underlying dynamics. If they have published websites(vision, mission, strategy members, leadership hierarchy... etc)- that would be most useful. Now at the political stage;) then will come motives and finally whatever proposals each could be advancing.... regards, --- On Mon, 7/7/08, Kevit Desai <kevit(a)centurionsystemltd.com> wrote: > From: Kevit Desai <kevit(a)centurionsystemltd.com> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Legislation and Regulation for e-Commerce in Kenya > To: "alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com" <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> > Cc: "Kevit Desai" <kevit(a)centurionsystemsltd.com>, "kictanet-lists" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Date: Monday, July 7, 2008, 11:15 PM > Hi Alex, > The Barcamp was a great success. We do need to congratulate > > Skunkworks. Maybe Riaz can tell us how we can scale things > up? > Innovation is a national theme. So many people are > involved. > > KEPSA elections for Governors and Directors are in April > 09. > > Kevit Desai > > > > > > > On 8 Jul 2008, at 07:07, Alex Gakuru > <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > There is so much work outstanding yet > > so many just want jobs and flashy titles > > Fat salaries and untaxed allowances > > Not that they will excel at the jobs > > No! They will instead obstruct others > > Use their high office appointments to > > frustrate real workers and innovators > > Then lobby for own private interests > > Using the high offices just acquired > > > > This is how I view issues these days: > > > > 1. Start with the politics on the subject > > 2. Study the motives of involved actors > > 3. Then get to the details or proposals > > (If there will be a need after, that is) > > > > "Regulating" akin to "Controlling" > is archic > > Even the future of sector regulation changed. > > > > "Regulating convergence, finding solutions to > > foster creativity and answering consumer fears > > about identity theft, fraud and the invasion > > of their privacy were central questions at the > > recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation > > and Development (OECD) ministerial meeting in > > Seoul, Korea." > > > > Regulators future simplified to concentration > > on increasing competition,consumer protection;) > > > > The “Seoul Declaration” signed by 39 governments > > and the European Union on 18 June was announced > > as a “roadmap for the future of the internet > > economy. The conference was held on 17-18 June. > > > > > <http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/49/28/40839436.pdf> > > > > Civil Society background paper "Fueling > Creativity, > > Ensuring Consumer and Privacy Protection, Building > > Confidence and Benefiting from Convergence." > > > <http://thepublicvoice.org/events/seoul08/cs-paper.pdf> > > > > Skunkworks may not be a "Registered > Association" but > > you bet it's value to us is 10x all others > combined. > > > > Looking back, one sees little, if any, consumer value > > proposition from most of already existing > associations, > > except their vocalness advancing "members > interests" > > > > regards, > > > > > > --- On Mon, 7/7/08, Harry Hare > <harry(a)africanedevelopment.org> wrote: > > > >> From: Harry Hare > <harry(a)africanedevelopment.org> > >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Legislation and Regulation > for e-Commerce > >> in Kenya > >> To: alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com > >> Cc: secretariat(a)kif.or.ke, "'KICTAnet ICT > Policy Discussions'" > <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > >> > > >> Date: Monday, July 7, 2008, 2:18 PM > >> Dear all, > >> > >> IMHO in this day and age we should not be talking > about > >> "regulation" or > >> "regulating" anything, this is concept > that

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FW: Advert - KIPPRA Economists
by Edith Adera 07 Jul '08

07 Jul '08

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E-Files management Tool
by wesley kiriinya 07 Jul '08

07 Jul '08

Ladies, Gentlemen and Geeks, There is a tool which I think might be very useful in many organizations when it comes to file management. It's called SVN which stands for SubVersioN. Probably some people in the list may already be using it or have heard about it. What is it? SVN was initially created to assist software developers manage their source code files. So it is popularly used in small to large scale software development environments and software repositories. It can also be used to manage ordinary electronic files. It's comes with an easy to use Windows application called TortoiseSVN. It's also available for Linux, Unix family of operating systems, etc. What does it do? Have you been in a situtation where: 1. More than 1 person can access a file in a server, make changes to it and save it back, then there is a conflict between changes made by different people and that conflict has to be resolved cleanly? 2. A person makes a change to a file, saves it and overwrites the original version, then latter the person finds out that s/he needs the original? 3. You are fed up with backing up files by making copies? Not only is it tedious but also becomes disorganized as the files increase and leads to using large amounts of disk space (If a paragraph in a 100 page document is edited, and one still needs the original then a new copy of the edited document has to be saved). SVN keeps track of document changes, including changes to folders. So what's the big deal? SVN alerts anyone sharing a document when there is a conflict between the copy they want to save and the one that is already in the server. This conflict can arise when someone opened the same document, made changes and saved it back without the first person knowing about it. So the first person will be presented with a screen showing the changes made and s/he can merge his/her changes with what the second person did. SVN will keep track of document changes by doing a difference analysis on the documents and storing this difference only, instead of a new document. Another great feature is the ability to look at historical versions of the document. All in all SVN gives you a great way to manage your files be they document, images, etc. Where can I find it (or where can I start)? http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org/ Security SVN supports SSH and SSL for secure file transfers. You can also restict access to folders and files. Extentions If one is building software that requires the SVN functionality to manage the software's content then it can be integrated with SVN. For example: In government you have different departments that might need to fill out certain parts of a form for an individual. A software system might assist in filling out the form e.g. getting the required fields from a database. If all these departments are working on different parts of the form at the same time and they save, the software can use SVN to merge the entire document into 1 result, and highlight to the relevant departments where a conflict in entries exist. It might take some days to get it up and running, but the savings in terms of time, money and more importantly peace of mind are well worth it! And yeah it's free. B~)

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Open position at AfriNIC
by Brian Munyao Longwe 07 Jul '08

07 Jul '08

FYI - apologies for cross-posting Begin forwarded message: > From: "Kiran Cunniah" <kiran(a)afrinic.net> > Date: July 7, 2008 11:08:07 AM GMT+03:00 > To: <announce(a)afrinic.net> > Subject: [AfriNIC-announce] Open position at AfriNIC > > Dear Colleagues, > > We wish to inform that AfriNIC has a vacancy for the position of > SENIOR > SOFTWARE ENGINEER. This post will be based at our headquarters in > Mauritius. > > More details are available at http://www.afrinic.net/job/job.htm > > For any further queries, do not hesitate to contact us on > jobs(a)afrinic.net. > > Kind Regards, > > Kiran Cunniah > Executive Assistant > AfriNIC > www.afrinic.net > > > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.486 / Virus Database: 269.16.13/1165 - Release Date: > 02/12/2007 > 20:34 > > > _______________________________________________ > announce mailing list > announce(a)afrinic.net > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/announce >

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Free Culture (was Re: eBay hit with £30m fine for sales of fake luxuries)
by Brian Longwe 07 Jul '08

07 Jul '08

Hi all, I've made a small change in the subject because now we are talking about much more than just Ebay and looking at *Principles*, *values* and a number of other intangibles (yes, Alex including Intellectual Property). In 1999, David Pogue said: "Unlike actual law, Internet software has no capacity to punish. It doesn't affect people who aren't onlin (and on a tiny minority of the world population is). And if you don't like the Internet's system, you can always flip off the modem. Prof. Lawrence Lessig - another renown author - challenges this point of view and asserts that today the battles that rage online dearly affect "people who aren't online". He says that there is no swith that will insulate us from the Internet's effect. He then proceeds to elaborate on what he calls a "Free Culture" and I quote: ...we come from a tradition of 'free culture' .... A free culture supports and protects creators and innovators. It does this directly by granting intellectual property rights. But it does so indirectly by limiting the reach of those rights, to guarantee that follow-on creators and innovators remain *as free* *as possible* from the control of the past. A free culture is not a culture without property.it is not a culture in which artists don't get paid...a free culture, like a free market, is filled with property. It is filled with rules of property and contract that get enforced by the state. But just as a free market is perverted if its property becomes feudal, so too can a free culture be queered by extremism in the property rights that define it. In my view, the incidents and circumstances surrounding the ebay saga are evidence that extremism is beginning to show, and that those who can afford it are manipulating the 'system' to protect themselves and their property regardless of the fact/extent that they are infringing on the rights of the *individual consumer* - who is largely innocent. Regards, Brian On Mon, Jul 7, 2008 at 12:17 PM, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > --- On Mon, 7/7/08, Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > From: Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> > > > So, I still come back to my earlier point. If I want to > > sell my Toyota > > AE-100 - I have a right to 'identify' it using the > > brand (though the > > brand does not in itself belong to me) - but I have a > > 'transient' > > ownership as far as it relates to 'my' toyota. > > People even refer to it > > as Bryo's toyota. Of course once it is sold, it now > > belongs to someone > > else. > > > > July 7, 2008. Intellectual Property Regime Stifles Science and Innovation, > Nobel Laureates Say > > By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch MANCHESTER, UK - The > basic framework of the intellectual property (IP) regime aims to "close down > access to knowledge" rather than allowing its dissemination, Professor > Joseph Stiglitz said at a 5 July lecture on "Who Owns Science?" Stiglitz, a > 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economics, and Professor John Sulston, a 2002 Nobel > Laureate in Physiology/Medicine, launched Manchester University's new > Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation. Both were highly critical of > today's patent system, saying it stifles science and innovation. > > Link to the article: <http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/index.php?p=1129> > > > > -- Brian Munyao Longwe e-mail: blongwe(a)gmail.com cell: + 254 722 518 744 blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com

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test
by Brian Munyao Longwe 07 Jul '08

07 Jul '08

is this list working?

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eBay hit with £30m fine for sales of fake luxuries
by alice 07 Jul '08

07 Jul '08

Hi all, interesting ruling by French courts on 30th June....of E-commerce and brand protection, advertisement consumer protection and so many other issues. best alice http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jul/01/ebay.hitechcrime eBay hit with £30m fine for sales of fake luxuries The world's biggest online auctioneer, eBay, was ordered by a French court yesterday to pay €38.6m euros in damages to the luxury goods group LVMH for negligence in allowing the sale of fake bags, lipsticks and designer clothes. The fine of more than £30m is the biggest eBay has faced in Europe and is the latest episode in a series of long-running legal battles it has fought with fashion and cosmetic giants. The site immediately appealed against the ruling and said luxury goods giants were using the issue of fakes as a "stalking horse" to attack online commerce and keep a stranglehold of sales outlets to the detriment of consumers. The confrontation has implications for the access of online shoppers to luxury brands through auction sites and also for eBay's business model as it faces the issue of how to police its platform of global sites, which at any one time have about 100m items for sale across the world. The issue has particular resonance in France - the base for some of the world's biggest luxury goods companies, who have placed themselves at the forefront of fighting counterfeit. The French company LVMH, the world's leading luxury brand, went to the Paris commercial courts demanding €50m in damages over two issues: first it argued that eBay had committed "serious errors" by not doing enough to prevent the sales of fake goods in 2006, including Louis Vuitton bags and Christian Dior products; it also argued that eBay had allowed unauthorised sales of perfume brands owned by the group: Christian Dior, Kenzo, Givenchy and Guerlain. It said that even if the perfumes were real and not fake, their sale on the site violated Christian Dior's distribution network which only allowed sales through specialist dealers. The court ordered eBay to stop selling the perfumes or running ads for the brands, or face a fine of €50,000 a day. The ruling ordered eBay to pay €19.28m to Louis Vuitton Malletier and €17.3m to its sister company Christian Dior Couture for damage to their brand images and causing moral harm. It must also pay €3.25m to the four perfume brands for sales in violation of its authorised network. Pierre Gode, an aide to Bernard Arnault, the LVMH president and France's richest man, told AFP: "It is a major first, because of the principles that it recognises and the amount sought." He said the decision was crucial for the creative industry and "protected brands by considering them an important part of French heritage". The ruling comes a month after another French court ordered eBay to pay the fashion house Hermes €20,000 for allowing the sale of counterfeit handbags. The site said it had stepped up its measures to prevent counterfeiting since 2006 and now spends $20m (£10m) a year keeping the site "clean", using programmes to analyse suspicious sales and working with the owners of brand rights. Last year, 2m items suspected of being counterfeit were removed from the site and 50,000 sales stopped. Vanessa Canzini, an eBay spokeswoman in Europe said: "The big issue here doesn't seem to be to do with counterfeiting - if it was, they would have gone after the counterfeiters. It's about saying we are a luxury brand, we don't want others selling our goods, even if they are real. That's why we will appeal this decision." In a statement, eBay said big luxury goods labels had a hidden agenda and were using fakes as a "stalking horse". "It is clear that eBay has become a focal point for certain brand owners' desire to exact ever greater control over e-commerce. We view these decisions as a step backwards for the consumers and businesses whom we empower every day." The group, which saw around $60bn worth of goods sold across its platforms last year, says that as a host for independent vendors, it has a limited responsibility and capacity to regulate what is sold. But luxury goods groups have accused eBay, which earns a commission on sales, of facilitating forgeries and fakes by providing a marketplace for vendors who knowingly sell counterfeit items. The site is also facing other lawsuits worldwide: the New York jeweller Tiffany & Co has sued the site for turning a blind eye to sales of counterfeits, describing it as a "rat's nest" of fake goods. It also faces action from L'Oreal in the UK and five other European countries.

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E-Files management Tool
by smwangi＠kencall.com 07 Jul '08

07 Jul '08

Can I get more information on this subject matter. Thank you Stephen Mwangi IS/AD Manager Kencall EPZ Ltd (O) 254-6602000 (D)020-2387010 (C) 254-733226793 -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Subj: kictanet Digest, Vol 14, Issue 16 Date: Mon 7 Jul 2008 9:27 am Size: 1K To: Stephen Mwangi <smwangi(a)kencall.com> 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: Legislation and Regulation for e-Commerce in Kenya (Gakuru , Alex) 2. Fwd: [afnog] Google launches official blog for Africa (Dorcas Muthoni) 3. E-Files management Tool (wesley kiriinya) 4. Re: eBay hit with ?30m fine for sales of fake luxuries (Sylvester Kisonzo) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2008 19:36:14 +0300 From: "Gakuru , Alex" <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Legislation and Regulation for e-Commerce in Kenya To: "Marcel Werner" <marcelcwerner(a)gmail.com> Cc: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Message-ID: <1981f3fd0807060936s27390b95tb1ae167bfab5e554(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 On Sun, Jul 6, 2008 at 5:43 PM, Marcel Werner <marcelcwerner(a)gmail.com> wrote: > KIF has studied drafts currently circulating in the public domain, the > Information and Communications Bill, 2008, Where did you get this one from? I've sought a copy from the Ministry --- message truncated --- -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.

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Fwd: [afnog] Google launches official blog for Africa
by Dorcas Muthoni 07 Jul '08

07 Jul '08

FYI ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Divon Lan <divon(a)google.com> Date: Sat, Jul 5, 2008 at 12:46 PM Subject: [afnog] Google launches official blog for Africa To: afnog(a)afnog.org Greetings, I thought it might be worth while letting you know that we (Google) launched our official blog for Sub Saharan Africa this week. You can view it here: http://google-africa.blogspot.com We have also launched a new discussion forum open to all, for discussing topics related to Google and the Internet in Africa: http://groups.google.com/group/google-africa-community I hope you find these useful and interesting. Divon Lan Product Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Google _______________________________________________ afnog mailing list http://afnog.org/mailman/listinfo/afnog -- Muthoni My Blog: http://rugongo.blogspot.com/ -------------------------------------------- Mahatma Gandhi once said:- First they ignore you, Then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, AND THEN YOU WIN!!!

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[Fwd: Kenya Diaspora Roadshow - Sep 2008 - Call for Participation]
by alice 05 Jul '08

05 Jul '08

Following our successful tour of Silicon Valley in September 2007, ICTvillage.com is organizing the Kenya Diaspora Roadshow in September 2008 to engage with Kenyans living and working abroad. We shall visit the following cities to meet with Kenyans in the Diaspora: * London - Sunday 31 Aug to Tuesday 2 Sep; * New York - Thursday 4 Sep to Saturday 6 Sep; * Chicago - Tuesday 9 Sep to Thursday 11 Sep; * Los Angeles - Sunday 14 Sep to Tuesday 16 Sep; * Atlanta - Thursday 18 Sep to Saturday 20 Sep. The Kenyan diaspora remits over US$ 2 billion to Kenya every year through formal and informal channels making remittances the largest source of external capital. Through these remittances, our diaspora contribute to national development in the following ways: * supporting relatives and friends all over the country; * purchasing Kenyan products and services; * building residential and commercial property; * investing in capital markets and enterprises; * philanthropy and other social contributions; * promoting tourism and Kenyan culture. We invite organizations in Government, public, private and civil society sectors to participate in the Kenya Diaspora Roadshow to (1) establish relationships with Kenyans abroad; (2) showcase products and services; (3) boost online interactions and transactions. If your organization is interested in participating in this Roadshow, please contact the undersigned for more information. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to radically transform Kenya's economy, society and politics. We look forward to your favorable response! Best Regards, Njoki Mumira, Tour Coordinator. www.ictvillage.com <http://www.ictvillage.com/> Idea Factory Limited, The Office Park, Riverside Drive, P.O Box 12 - 00606, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: 254-20-444 9277, 254-20-444 7655, Fax: 254-20-444 9210.

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[Fwd: "Criticism in Leadership (Passive, Active and Self), July 16th Leadership Forum]
by alice 05 Jul '08

05 Jul '08

A good workshop to attend in view of the last "e-fracases...slight e-flare ups" best alice *‘Criticism in Leadership** -** Passive, Active and Self’* *Criticism that works. What is its place in personal development and leadership?* · * When and how to give* · * Receiving* · * Applying it to self –self criticism* *‘The best criticism doesn't trap an employee or child in a dead end. It gives them an escape route’. – Source Unknown* *The British Council Leadership Forum invites you: * * ** ** Date:* Wednesday 16^th July 2008 *Presenter:* * Mr* Wafula Nabutola–*/ Chairman NCBDA/* /Nabutola is a land and environmental economist with over 20 years progressive experience in general management operations, investment appraisals, banking, wildlife conservation and supervision of real estate projects and programmes in the private and public sectors. He also has an extensive experience in project management, market analysis, corporate governance, quality customer care, budgeting & financial planning, strategic planning and change management. / *Venue:* The Stanley Hotel- Ball Room *Time:* * 6.00pm to 8.00pm* *Charges:* Leadership Forum members – Free Non-Leadership Forum Members – Kshs 3,000 membership or Kshs 500 per session Please confirm your attendance by Tuesday 15^th July to facilitate planning. Please visit the Leadership Forum blog _http://britishcouncilkenyalead.blogspot.com/_ for the June presentation. Attached is Nabutola’s bio data. <<Nabutola'S Bio data.doc>> Regards, *Linet Otibine* Projects & Communications Officer British Council | PO Box 40751, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya Phone +254 (0)20 2836000 (Pilot) Fax +254 (0)20 2836500 */Organisational change for less than you think./* _www.britishcouncil.org/africa_ <http://www.britishcouncil.org/africa> This message is for the use of the intended recipient(s) only. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete it. The British Council accepts no liability for loss or damage caused by software viruses and you are advised to carry out a virus check on any attachments contained in this message. The British Council is a registered charity 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland). Our purpose is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries and to increase appreciation of the UK's creative ideas and achievements.

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Veronica Njoki, Program Officer you would like to hire.
by I Love ICT 05 Jul '08

05 Jul '08

Hello good people, I would like to share with you the profile of someone I have worked with before and whose capabilities I can voucher anytime. She is on her final days of employment as her project is ending, project funding is ceasing. She is Veronicah Njoki. Please find her CV attached. Should you need a dynamic, dependable, result-oriented and professional Progam Officer, you may want to hire her. I know she should have sent this herself but I have confidence in her to do it on her behalf. Best regards, Athanas ~~~ ICT Programs Coordinator Education Development Center Inc. (www.edc.org) Southern Sudan Interactive Radio Instruction Project (www.ssiri.org) Maridi, Southern Sudan +256477153505 | +249122705303 | +8821667900954 amwamba(a)edc-ssiri.org | athanas_mwamba(a)yahoo.co.uk +254722826562 (Kenyan mobile) [Skype: athanasmwamba] [MSN: jiwek] [Google talk: iloveict] "Luck is when Opportunity meets Readiness"

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Check out the World eBook Fair!!!]
by alice 04 Jul '08

04 Jul '08

A Million Plus Books Free for the Taking! July 4 2008 The Third Annual World eBook Fair Starts July 4th. "Own Your Own Library" is the theme of this year's World eBook Fair. Starting July 4th you will be able to do just that in an unprecedented opportunity to download books in the widest variety ever available. Visit www.worldebookfair.org <http://www.worldebookfair.org> to get started. Project Gutenberg and partner sponsors encourage readers to create the "personal library" of their choice in a "personal computer." Most of the fair's electronic books are free of charge, and an additional 160,000 or more have coupon or discount purchases available during the month. All possible types of electronic books, or eBooks, are available: eBooks in over 100 Different Languages! eBooks designed for cell phones! eBooks designed for Adobe readers! eBooks designed for plain text readers! eBooks out loud in theatrical performances! eBooks that your computer can read aloud to you! eBooks that can be easily quoted in school papers! 160,000 eBooks in brand new commercial editions!!! Music, movies, etc. are also included. . . . Highlights of the World eBook Fair Just two years ago The First World eBook Fair came on the scene with about 1/3 million books, doubled to 2/3 million in 2007, and now over one million. Created by contributions from 100+ eLibraries from around the world, here are the largest collections As of press date of midnight Central Daylight Time July 1, 2008 these were the approximate numbers: ~100,000+ from Project Gutenberg ~500,000+ from The World Public Library ~450,000 from The Internet Archive ~160,000 from eBooks About Everything ---------- ~1,210,000+ Grand Total as of July 1, 2008 The Internet Archive will add about 1,000 books on each business day, along with various additions by the other contributors during World eBook Fair. Thus the final grand total may be over 1,230,000 Contact information: If you have any questions, or seek further materials, an interview or would like to confirm the schedule or contents please feel free to contact any of the following: Michael S. Hart Founder, Project Gutenberg 405 W. Elm, Urbana, IL 61801 hart(a)pglaf.org <mailto:[email protected]> hart(a)pobox.com <mailto:[email protected]> US Phone 217-344-6623 Cellphone 808-295-0615 Gregory B. Newby CEO, Project Gutenberg gbnewby(a)pglaf.org <mailto:[email protected]> US Phone 907-450-8663 http://www.gutenberg.org John Guagliardo Founder, World Public Library Honolulu, Hawaii john(a)gutenberg.cc US Phone 808-292-2068 http://www.worldpubliclibrary.org Catherine Hodge eBooks About Everything info(a)ebooksabouteverything.com <mailto:[email protected]> US Phone 760-327-5100 http://ebooksabouteverything.com The Internet Archive http://www.archive.org/details/texts -- FN * Independent Journalist http://fn.goa-india.org Ph +91-832-2409490 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Goa http://www.linkedin.com/in/fredericknoronha ======================================= APC Forum is a meeting place for the APC community - people and institutions who are or have been involved in collaboration with APC, and share the APC vision - a world in which all people have easy, equal and affordable access to the creative potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve their lives and create more democratic and egalitarian societies. _______________________________________________ apc.forum mailing list apc.forum(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/apc.forum

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Google launches official blog for Africa
by Divon Lan 04 Jul '08

04 Jul '08

Greetings, I thought it might be worth while letting you know that we (Google) launched our official blog for Sub Saharan Africa today. You can view it here: http://google-africa.blogspot.com I hope you find it useful and interesting. Divon Lan Product Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Google

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This is a test - please ignore
by Joseph Manthi 04 Jul '08

04 Jul '08

-- Joseph Manthi CEO MEO Ltd http://www.meoltd.com

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Conference on E-Commerce & Internet Security @ KICC
by Brian Longwe 03 Jul '08

03 Jul '08

FYI - apologies for cross-posting --------------------------- THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON E-COMMERCE AND INTERNET SECURITY IN EAST AFRICA VENUE: KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, NAIROBI DATE: 13TH-15TH AUGUST 2008 Dear Partner, RE: THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON E-COMMERCE AND INTERNET SECURITY IN EAST AFRICA Information and Communication Technology has been recognised as the engine of development all over the world. ICT sector provides endless opportunities for Africa and its growth in East Africa provides even greater benefits. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) may arguably be the most powerful tool for social and economic development. E-commerce has been the centre of debate in business management in the 21st Century across the globe. The pressure for businesses in Africa to go online like most developed nations could be attributed to large multinational corporations, who integrate the internet into their operations; as such suppressing buyers and suppliers located in developing countries, to adapt to the new business models. With the marketplace becoming increasingly global, many companies have come to a realization that it takes more than high quality, affordable prices and differentiation to excel in today's highly competitive multinational market place. E-commerce in the United States of America has flourished owing to several pre-existing conditions: along history of catalogue marketing that has helped the fast acceptance of virtual transactions, a high rate of internet penetration, a mature credit payment system and the presence of efficient delivery services. It is very significant that businesses in East Africa realize they have much to gain from embracing e-commerce in their marketing strategies. The payoffs are tremendous; penetration rate estimated currently at over 470 million people, reducing processing costs by up to 90%, reducing cycle time by up to 80% and improving staff productivity between 20% and 300%. The solution for Kenyan products and services to penetrate the global market lies in developing "e-markets", electronic meeting places for buyers and sellers with defined rules for e-purchasing, e-bidding and e-selling". It is a question of acting small but being big. Kenyan and East African companies have no choice but to deploy internet technologies to remain competitive. However, African government needs to take a proactive role in developing a robust, flexible regulatory framework for e-commerce. It is equally important to ensure effective coordination of government agencies, industry association and other facilitators. It is important that a stable physical and virtual infrastructure of trust - shared by all concerned parties, public authorities, local and foreign entrepreneurs, financial services, providers and customers - be equally enhanced. It is very significant that businesses realize that they have much to gain from embracing e-commerce in their strategies Development sector and commercial enterprises in Africa and all over the world however, have to grapple with serious challenges arising from the massive computer application insecurities such as stolen data, viruses, hackers, spam mail, government monitoring and privacy invasion among other threats. These threats are not only expensive to an organization in its efforts to deliver effective and efficient services to its clients but is time wasting and potentially destructive to organizations. Purple Images Productions proposes to organize the first conference to promote e-commerce as a tool of business and national development in the region. The main objective of the conference will be to create national forum to review and evaluate ICT development in organizations in relation to the internet and general computer security threats and challenges globally and in the region. Conference Presentation Topics: E-Commerce * The Challenges of Connectivity in Africa * The impact of Cultures on e-business * E-Commerce and youth employment * Web marketing challenges and opportunities * Business Process Outsourcing : The Challenges and Opportunities * Management Challenges facing E-businesses in East Africa * Marketing issues facing E-businesses in East Africa Computer and Internet Security · Website security : opportunities and challenges · E-Commerce Business Management and Marketing Security and Risk Management challenges * E-government, E-commerce, E-learning and E-banking Security: Emerging Threats and Technology Trends · Computer and Internet Crimes; The need for Legislation and Compliance · Business Process Outsourcing Opportunities , Challenges and Security Threats · E-commerce Security Policies , Alignment of Business and IT Security Efforts and intellectual property rights protection * In house security threats to business, database security, forensics, identification and authentication, intrusion detection INTERNET SECURITY & E-COMMERCE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS The following are the categories for the awards dinner ceremony: * The Most Successful E-Commerce Company in East Africa * The Most Promising Young Person in E-Business of the Year * The Most Innovative E-Commerce Achievement for the Year * The E-Commerce Woman of the Year * The ICT Manufacturer of the Year * E-Tourism Business of the Year * Computer Security Software Development Award of the Year * Business Process Outsourcing Company Award of the Year * Computer and Internet Security Business Leader of the Year (To be nominated for awards, send a profile of your e-commerce business on showing the successes of your business to: info@purpleimages. com) Booking and Conference Costs • Delegates to pay Kshs. 16,000 ($ 250) per person. The fee will cater for meals and materials. Delegates must also meet the costs of their travel and accommodation in Kenya . To be part of this great event, please register by completing the conference application form. Payment of the participation fee stipulated above is required to guarantee a slot in the limited places available. This fee covers lunches, teas & conference materials. Registration of delegates and the stakeholders is in process. There is a technical committee to receive and review abstract papers from the presenters and workshop facilitators. After reviewing the abstract papers on the different themes of the conference, the final list of the facilitators and delegates will be sent out alongside the final conference programme. Ms. Mercy Kariuki The Conference Coordinator The 1st International Conference on E-Commerce and Internet Security in East Africa Mbuchia House, 3rd Flr, West Wing, Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya P.O BOX 58182 - 00200 Nairobi Telephone: 254-20-4450937/ 4452674 Cell: 254-720-425175/ 722 634947 Email: purplemedia2000@ yahoo.com or info@purpleimages. com Email: www.purpleimages. com -- Brian Munyao Longwe e-mail: blongwe(a)gmail.com cell: + 254 722 518 744 blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com

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Fw: Google Groups: You've been added to KAZI AFRIKA
by Alex Gakuru 03 Jul '08

03 Jul '08

This is the probably the third time I am asking to be unsubscribed to a list owners keep forcefully subscribing me to yet again . And out of conversations on kictanet. Niko na kazi mingi, sihitaji kuongezwa zingine tafadhali;) Walu please issue an advisory. --- On Thu, 7/3/08, noreply(a)googlegroups.com <noreply(a)googlegroups.com> wrote: > From: noreply(a)googlegroups.com <noreply(a)googlegroups.com> > Subject: Google Groups: You've been added to KAZI AFRIKA > To: alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com > Date: Thursday, July 3, 2008, 2:47 AM > matengo marymatengo(a)gmail.com has added you to the KAZI > AFRIKA group with > this message: > > welcome to the biggest list of African intellectuals > > Here is the group's description: > > Karibu KaziAfrika groups. This is a group which is surely > interested in > posting vacancies for members. Please feel free to send > your jobs,cvs, career > tips and anything related to the work environment to > kaziafrika@googlegroups. > com. > > ----------------------- Google Groups Information > ---------------------- > > The owner of the group has set your subscription type as > "Email", meaning that > you'll receive a copy of every message posted to the > group as they are posted. > > > To view this group on the web, or edit your subscription, > you will need to > create a Google Account by going to: > > http://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?service=groups2&reqemail=alex.gak… > > Visit this group on the web by using this URL: > > http://groups.google.com/group/kaziafrika?hl=en > > You can unsubscribe from this group using the following > URL: > > http://groups.google.com/group/kaziafrika/unsub?u=xYimwggAAAC5fW2PEscwK2lHF… > > -------------------- Information About This Message > -------------------- > > If you feel that this message is abuse, please inform the > Google Groups staff > by using the URL below. > http://groups.google.com/groups/abuse?direct=YQAAAAAANMZOAAAAAAb9l40AAAAAB0…

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Lets stick to the ICT Policy Agenda
by John Walubengo 03 Jul '08

03 Jul '08

A member whose address is disguised since the mail was private has challenged me on why I seem to be protecting 'thieves'. I sought to clear the air by saying that if you reviewed my first paragraph, you will realise that I did NOT deny that we have corrupt operators in our ICT industry (after all we are officially ranked by Transparency International amongst top 5 corrupt nations in Africa/World?). And neither am i protecting anyone for that matter. My thinking was simply that KICTAnet may miss its objective by attempting to un-ravel scandals that we are paying other people to un-ravel. In other words I dont think it should be our core business as a community and we may not be as effective on scandals as when we focus on ICT Policy and its implementation. Finally, I did not block discussion on corruption in ICT per se, but just thought care must be taken to avoid a full-blown, mud-slinging, self-defeating, electronic mob-justice episodes that results in collateral damage (i.e. the disintegration of an ICT Platform for exchanging useful ideas). I simply put some conditions for discussing such sensitive issuess by saying that they should be based on conclusive evidence and should add value in terms suggesting what governance/policy interventions can be put in place to avoid recurrence. This is the best practice and you can benchmark with the BBC blogging rules http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/help/4176520.stm walu. --- On Thu, 7/3/08, <xyz(a)xxx.com> wrote: > From: <xyz(a)xxx.com> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Lets stick to the ICT Policy Agenda > To: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > Date: Thursday, July 3, 2008, 12:16 PM > Why do you protect thieves > Sent from my xxxx

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Fwd: Bulk of KenyanWealth Owned by Foreigners
by wainaina.mungai＠gmail.com 03 Jul '08

03 Jul '08

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: wainaina.mungai(a)gmail.com Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 12:22:00 +0300 Subject: Bulk of KenyanWealth Owned by Foreigners To: kictanet(a)kictanet.org Kudos John/Moderator.. I suggest the next time a member opts to digress towards shadow boxing and unsubstantiated insinuations, a 2 week suspension may be a good prescription. We seem to have forgotten our common enemy......that is, inadequate ICT policies, laws and action plans... have a moderated day ;-) Wainaina -- Made in Kenya Network P. O. Box 72031 - 00200 Nairobi. Kenya Tel: +254-20-3590451 Cel: +254-722-811171 Cel: +254-735-370840 www.madeinkenya.org www.bungesms.com www.pamonet.org -- Made in Kenya Network P. O. Box 72031 - 00200 Nairobi. Kenya Tel: +254-20-3590451 Cel: +254-722-811171 Cel: +254-735-370840 www.madeinkenya.org www.bungesms.com www.pamonet.org

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Muthoni wins prestigious international award award that honours technical women
by Wanjira, Alice Munyua 03 Jul '08

03 Jul '08

Congratulations Dorcas...we are proud of you! More details below. best alice ----------------- The Anita Borg Change Agent Awards honor technical women that live and work outside the United States. They are change agents in their community - working to attract and support women in technology in their region. Recipients are recognized for their technical leadership and advocacy work. http://www.anitaborg.org/initiatives/awards/ -------------- Dear Dorcas, Congratulations! In recognition of your commitment to bringing attention to the issues of women in computing in Kenya, we am pleased to inform you that you have been awarded an Anita Borg Change Agent Award. We recognize your work as a change agent, and we would like you to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing Conference. As a highly respected scientist who is dedicated to addressing the challenges of advancing a complex society as Kenya, and holding the position of Founder and Managing Director of OPENWORLD Ltd., you truly are a pioneer. It is our hope that your participation in the Grace Hopper Celebration will help bridge women technologists in the United States and abroad. _______________________________________________

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E-Commerce/M-commerce - which way for Africa?
by Brian Longwe 03 Jul '08

03 Jul '08

E-Commerce/M-commerce - which way for Africa? As pointed out by White African in his blog, there are lots of ideas flying around regarding payment solutions that can both fit and function according to the needs of the broader African populace. Top amongst these is the opportunity (or should we call it challenge) that mobile telephony offers. It has been well documented by the ITU that mobile telephony in Africa is growing faster than in any other part of the world. This is supported by World Bank reports that "The African mobile market has been the fastest-growing market of all regions, expanding at twice the rate of the global market." There is therefore every reason to see mobile telephony as an avenue towards delivery of financial services to the largely unbanked population of Africa. White African very elaborately says that "What we need is a carrier and bank agnostic ecommerce platform for Africa." This is further borne out in his discourse on the benefits of such a platform and the potential risks associated with current models that are tied to a single network operator. A couple of years ago during a period of much reflection on the same subject I came across a company that has implemented such a system in South Africa. Wizzit - mobile banking in South Africa Wizzit - is the name of the South African service that provides a cellphone based banking and transaction system. The company deliberately kept a low profile during it's early days to avoid been stonewalled by the larger banks in South Africa and instead developed it's product in partnership with a small bank that had enough flexibility and innovation to support the development of the product. The most significant aspect of Wizzit is that it works across all networks i.e. it is not linked or tied to any of the mobile operators - any subscriber with any network can sign up and use the service by simply purchasing a 'starter pack' for the equivalent of Kshs 60 (US$ 1) at any filling station convenience store or major supermarket. Employing the Unemployed Another very cool aspect of Wizzit's intervention is that instead of going the conventional route and hiring a sharp and savvy team of marketers and sales people, they created something called Wizz-Kids and invited unemployed youth; trained them, suited them up in very cool, branded gear and sent them out into the townships, rural areas and nether regions of the country to sign up customers. The initial team of close to 1,000 kids brought in over 10,000 accounts and in excess of 100,000 transactions within the system within the first couple of months. Since it's launch in 2004 Wizzit has provided thousands upon thousands of South African youth with employment. Banking the Unbanked Users don't have to have a bank account, but get a Maestro Debit card with the starter pack, which is linked to their Wizzit account which they can load up with money at any of thousands of agents, post offices and bank branches across the country. Once an account is loaded they can make person to person payments or transfer money to any other Wizzit user or merchant, load up airtime and pay for utilities. For those who need cash, a network of 'cash back' outlets at post offices and major supermarkets countrywide is available. What about the rest of Africa? Wizzit's innovation has had an incredible impact in South Africa but unfortunately has not been 'exportable', 'transferable' or capable of replication in countries outside of South Africa. In 2005 I made a number of efforts to engage with Wizzit guys and discuss the possibility of bringing the brand and model to Kenya. Unfortunately the fees and percentages that came out of these discussions were unbearable (or to be more precise commercially unviable). And for whatever reason, no one in other countries seems to have been able to put together a similar package of partnerships, agreements, legal loopholes to allow delivery of a similar model (at least none that I know of) So, what can we do about getting something like this going in other parts? [Brian blogs on venture capital, startups, investment, technology and trends at: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com] -- Brian Munyao Longwe e-mail: blongwe(a)gmail.com cell: + 254 722 518 744 blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com

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E-Commerce/M-Commerce - which way for Africa?
by Brian Longwe 02 Jul '08

02 Jul '08

E-Commerce/M-commerce - which way for Africa?<http://mashilingi.blogspot.com/2008/07/e-commercem-commerce-which-way-for.h…> As pointed out by White African <http://whiteafrican.com/> in his blog, there are lots of ideas flying around regarding payment solutions that can both fit and function according to the needs of the broader African populace. Top amongst these is the opportunity (or should we call it challenge) that mobile telephony offers. It has been well documented by the ITU that mobile telephony in Africa is growing faster than in any other part of the world. This is supported by World Bank reports that "The African mobile market has been the fastest-growing market of all regions, expanding at twice the rate of the global market." [full article at http://mashilingi.blogspot.com] -- Brian Munyao Longwe e-mail: blongwe(a)gmail.com cell: + 254 722 518 744 blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com

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Job ICT Manager -- Deadline 4 July
by Catherine Adeya 01 Jul '08

01 Jul '08

Sorry if you have already seen this but it is important for those who have not as I am aware there are many who are searching. Every opportunity must be grasped. Thanks Nyaki ----- Original Message ---- ICT MANAGER POSITION JOB TITLE: ICT Manager JOB CODE: PR/DC/ICTM/608 DEPARTMENT: ICT REPORTS TO: Managing Director LOCATION: Nairobi CLOSING DATE: July 4, 2008 Summary Our client is a leading retail chain in East Africa and are looking for an innovative ICT Manager to manage the overall ICT function for efficient and effective service delivery in Nairobi, Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. This position reports directly to the Managing Director and will require the individual to immediately take ownership and manage the implementation of a new ERP system. Primary Responsibilities · Identify and implement relevant programs and infrastructure for ICT applications for effective customer relationship management · Manage all communication and data transfer activities of the organization · Ensure appropriate backups, archiving and disaster preparedness procedures are adhered to · Generate reports as required by user departments · Evaluate and recommend suitable ICT equipment · Ensure timely systems licensing and documentation · Training users on ICT · Managing ICT staff performance and evaluations (1 ICT Administrator and 2 hardware and software support technicians) Basic Requirements · Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science, ICT, Electrical /Electronics Engineering of recognized equivalent · Recognized industry certification in networking and systems administration · At least 3 years experience in a management position · Demonstrable leadership, professionalism, initiative and competence in organizing and directing work · Ease with both practical and strategic management orientations · At least 30 years of age Benefits · Medical · Group Life Insurance · Pension Contribution HOW TO APPLY If you have the above credentials, please apply attaching your current resume and quoting the job code on the subject line of your email or application. Email applications are preferable. The application should reach the following address by 4 July 2008. Personnel Resource Email: recruiter(a)personnelresource.org P.O. Box 856-00606 Nairobi, Kenya

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FW: Search for ERNWACA Regional Coordinator / Le ROCARE recherche un Coordonnateur régional
by Edith Adera 01 Jul '08

01 Jul '08

_____ From: ROCARE/ERNWACA [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 01 July 2008 10:16 To: Undisclosed-recipients: Subject: Search for ERNWACA Regional Coordinator / Le ROCARE recherche un Coordonnateur régional ANGLAIS Please circulate Search for ERNWACA Regional Coordinator, based in Bamako (Republic of Mali) The Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) is pleased to call for applications for the position of Regional Coordinator, based in Bamako, in the Republic of Mali. The deadline for receipt of applications is 14 August 2008. More information is available at the following internet addresses: Job Description: www.ernwaca.org/web/IMG/pdf_RC_Job_Desccription.pdf Call for Applications (in French): www.ernwaca.org/web/spip.php?article138 Call for Applications (in English): www.ernwaca.org/web/spip.php?article139 Please circulate this announcement to all those who may be interested and to appropriate electronic lists and webmasters. Do not hesitate to include it in institutional and other publications. _____ Veuillez faire circuler FRANCAIS Le ROCARE recherche un Coordonnateur régional, basé à Bamako (République du Mali) Le Réseau Ouest et Centre Africain de Recherche en Education (ROCARE) a le plaisir de lancer un appel à candidatures pour le poste de Coordonnateur régional, basé à Bamako, en République du Mali. La date limite de réception des candidatures est fixée pour le 14 août 2008. Plus d'informations sont disponibles aux adresses Internet suivantes: Description du poste: www.ernwaca.org/web/IMG/pdf_RC_Job_Desccription.pdf Appel à candidatures (en Français): www.ernwaca.org/web/spip.php?article138 Appel à candidatures (en Anglais): www.ernwaca.org/web/spip.php?article139 Veuillez faire parvenir cette annonce à tous ceux qui sont susceptibles dêtres intéressés par le poste , aux listes électroniques de diffusion et aux webmasters. N'hésitez pas à l'inclure dans les bulletins dinformation et autres publications de vos institutions respectives. Job description Vision of ERNWACA: Give an African face to African education. Mission: Promote African expertise and a culture of research to improve educational policy and practice. Regional Coordinator position, based in Bamako, Mali; start date is November 2008 Application deadline: 14 August 2008 Responsibilities * Develop and promote the vision and leadership of the network, * Develop, in a participatory way, the 2010-2016 strategic action plan in two budgetary cycles, in collaboration with network leaders and partners in member countries; * Coordinate implementation of the plan in ways that promote development of the national branches of ERNWACA and institutional development of the organization; * Assure the consolidation, expansion and deepening of the network and mechanisms for the decentralization of responsibilities for planning, action plan implementation, and monitoring; * Ensure an effective and coordinated communications strategy for the promotion of the network and use of its expertise and products in policymaking and in improving the quality of education in member countries; * Oversee transnational research projects and processes * Facilitate planning and organization of training workshops on research methodologies and writing, as well as seminars and conferences to share research findings and stimulate public and policy dialogue; * Consolidate existing partnerships and develop and maintain appropriate synergistic and mutually beneficial partnerships at the regional level, so as to broaden the networks influence in matters pertaining to the development of education; * Network with regional organizations, inter-governmental institutions, universities, research institutes, teacher training colleges and unions, foundations, development agencies, and other partners to implement and/or co-finance joint training, research, advocacy, and publication programs; * Raise funds and diversify sources of funding for the network to ensure greater autonomy of financial management as well as institutional sustainability, including through the Friends of ERNWACA giving program and the Endowment Fund campaign; * Support the national branches of the network to design, implement, monitor and evaluate their annual action plans, in collaboration with the national coordinating committees, and ensure respect of statutory obligations and responsibilities; * Support national network branches in strategic partnership development and resource mobilization in order to ensure greater autonomy of national branches; * Promote linkages among the networks different branches in member countries and facilitate communication and sharing of lessons learned and good practices among them; * Work with the networks scientific committees to ensure the quality of research and publication processes; * Work with the Board of Directors in ensuring healthy institutional development, including financial transparency and good governance at national and regional levels; * Regularly assess, evaluate and report on organizational capacity and performance; * Present annual technical and financial reports to the Board of Directors for approval; * Represent the network at regional and international meetings, with other network leaders and network members. Profile * Possess at least a maters degree or its equivalent, preferably a PhD and several scholarly publications; * Have a background in social science research, preferably with university linkages; * Have a least 5 years of documented and proven experience in the following areas: * management, networking, and institutional development; * communications, negotiation, and public relations; * partnership building and fundraising; * Able to mobilize and manage human and financial resources; * Innovative team player with excellent human relations skills; * Excellent use of French and English in written and oral communication; * Regular use of information and communication technologies for learning/teaching/training, research, and administration; * Resident/citizen of African country and familiar with educational development challenges and aspirations on the continent; * Able to travel at least 25% time. This is a full time position for three years, based in Bamako, Mali. Contract renewal is based on performance and the search for and renewal of complimentary funding. The coordinator will be employed by ERNWACA. ERNWACA looks forward to negotiating detachment from responsibilities at a national institution. To apply Please send by 14 August 2008 the following in a SINGLE message with ERNWACA plus your FULL NAME in the subject line to Raynal et Fadhika RH, Abidjan, at recrutement(a)rfrh.net and also to recrutement.rocare(a)ymail.com. 1/ Motivation letter 2/ CV 3/ three (3) letters of recommendation (obligatory), addressed to the President of the ERNWACA Board of Directors 4/ current earnings as well as salary expectations (obligatory) 5/ indication of institution in your country with video-conference facilities where pre-selection interview could take place All five (5) items are required and incomplete applications will not be considered. Qualified women candidates are encouraged to apply. Se désinscrire

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