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Safaricom enforces a 20MB cap on Data Bundles Sambaza
by Odhiambo Washington 01 Mar '15

01 Mar '15

[Sorry for cross-posting] I think Safaricom should consult her customers and know what they want. I also think Safaricom shouldn't bully it's customers. I have just realized that Sambaza Bundle has been capped to 20MB per day, and you can only sambaza 10MB in a single transaction - do that twice and the day is closed! Now, I have close to 1GB on my modem and I wanted to sambaza about 200MB to my phone. Three attempts and I am getting this strange error, only to call Safaricom CC and be shocked with the news. Here is the big question: If I go into a supermarket and buy 10Kgs of Sugar and pay for it, what business does the supermarket have in deciding what I can do with the Sugar? Once I buy 1,5GiB data bundle from Safaricom, what business does it still have in deciding whether I can use it on that SIM card or Sambaza it to others? Well, looks like Sambaza was a privilege that Safaricom could withdraw at any time? I did not read the T&Cs, but it doesn't seem right, even if people have been doing business with data bundles. Once you've paid for the bundles, you should be left alone, no? -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 "I can't hear you -- I'm using the scrambler."

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Safaricom cancels Sh1bn-plus tender in staff bribery claim
by S.M. Muraya 01 Mar '15

01 Mar '15

An "International" audit firm favored by bureaucrats in go.ke and NSE listed firms lost (due to internal fraud) about 40M in 2013 in one small incident. What struck me most is when one of the fixers noted even data storage (backup records) were missing. This is an "International" firm consulted (favored over our niche firms stuck in Kenya and therefore more patriotic) about ICT Policy in Kenya. Finance professionals have told me more than once, crooks (even in international organizations) favor one big firm, one big deal, to solicit bribes from one party - not from 3 or 4 specialist/niche firms - increasing their demands (risks) for kickbacks from different quarters ): http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Safaricom-cancels-Sh1bn-tender-in-staff-… Safaricom cancels Sh1bn-plus tender in staff bribery claim[image: Kenya’s top telecommunications firm Safaricom is locked in a legal dispute with the Lebanese company Mobinets over the cancellation of a Sh1 billion tender. PHOTO | FILE] Kenya’s top telecommunications firm Safaricom is locked in a legal dispute with the Lebanese company Mobinets over the cancellation of a Sh1 billion tender. PHOTO | FILE IN SUMMARY - Safaricom says in papers filed at the Milimani Law Courts that Mobinets colluded with its employees to ensure the tender went to the Lebanese firm. - The firm had in June last year contracted Mobinets to supply, instal and maintain a system to manage network planning, configuration tools, inventory and work flow but the telecoms operator cancelled the deal on September 1, sparking a court battle. Telecoms operator Safaricom <http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/stocks/-/1322440/1394278/-/shkse6/-/inde…> cancelled a multi-million dollar tender it had awarded to Mobinets SAL Limited after it found out that the Lebanese firm bribed its employees to secure the lucrative contract, a Nairobi court has been told. Safaricom says in papers filed at the Milimani Law Courts that Mobinets colluded with its employees to ensure the tender went to the Lebanese firm. Safaricom had in June last year contracted Mobinets to supply, instal and maintain a system to manage network planning, configuration tools, inventory and work flow but the telecoms operator cancelled the deal on September 1, sparking a court battle. Mobinets went to court seeking orders compelling Safaricom to seek arbitration on the matter as provided for in the contract documents. Safaricom has, however, maintained that the agreement it signed with Mobinets in June last year provided for immediate termination of the deal in the event that either party was found to have engaged in any acts of corruption. “Safaricom was under obligation to terminate the agreement with immediate effect upon determination at any time that Mobinets representatives engaged in corrupt practices during the procurement or execution of the agreement,” said James Maitai, Safaricom’s head of quality and service assurance. Mobinets claims Safaricom has refused to provide it with the names of staff who were bribed, times, dates and places and full details of the alleged collusion. READ: Lebanese firm sues to stop Safaricom cancelling deal <http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Lebanese-firm-sues-to-sto…> The Lebanese firm also insists that the matter should be tabled before an independent arbitrator to salvage the Sh1 billion it has invested in the project. The Tripoli-based firm has denied engaging in any act of corruption with any of Safaricom’s employees. Safaricom has not indicated how many employees were involved in the alleged bribery scam or whether they have been sent packing. The telecoms operator has, however, sacked 159 employees over their involvement in unethical activities in the past three years, according to fraud statistics the firm releases at the end of its financial year. READ: Safaricom fires 56 employees in graft related cases <http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Safaricom-fires-56-employ…> The telecoms operator is expected to release its fraud statistics for the year ending March 2015 in the next few weeks as part of a campaign against corruption. Safaricom reckons that the provision on arbitration only applied to resolving disputes that have taken more than 30 days without an amicable settlement. Safaricom faults Mobinets for filing the suit, as it claims the two parties were in the process of concluding talks over a possible settlement where it was to offer the details the Lebanese firm was asking for. “Safaricom and Mobinets commenced the process of amicably settling the matter. The parties had agreed on the protocols and individuals responsible for ensuring the process of disclosure but Mobinets filed this suit before that process was concluded,” Mr Maitai adds. Justice Farah Amin on Tuesday directed the two parties to file their respective responses to claims made in the suit so far, and to appear before her on March 18. The Lebanese firm claims to have completed the functional specifications of the software system to Safaricom’s preference, which it says required equipment worth $6.2 million (Sh558 million). It also claims to have sealed deals with other hardware and software firms worth $5 million for the completion of its contractual obligations as per the agreement with Safaricom. Mobinets therefore argues that termination of the deal will interrupt its other businesses around the world that will be associated with Safaricom’s claim of corruption. “The allegations of corrupt practices by Safaricom pose a grave reputational risk to Mobinets. For instance, Vodafone Limited has on the basis of the allegations terminated all future business with Mobinets,” said Labib Shalak, Mobinets’ CEO. But Safaricom argues that the contract has already been terminated, and that quashing the decision amount to changing terms of an agreement that has already outlived its purpose. The telecoms giant argues that quashing the cancellation would also violate its rights, as it had the green light from the agreement to pull the plug on the deal in the event it discovered corrupt practices in its award. “Grant of the orders sought by Mobinets would amount to re-writing the agreement in denying Safaricom its right, as freely negotiated between the parties to terminate the deal with immediate effect in the circumstances envisaged,” Safaricom says. The Lebanese firm says it was forced to move to court over fears that Safaricom would offer another firm the contract while the dispute was pending between the two firms. Safaricom insists that calls for arbitration are futile as the agreement was terminated with immediate effect. Besides, Safaricom argues it is for the Arbitration Tribunal and not the High Court to determine whether a dispute is ripe for arbitration in any event. “There is no subject matter of the arbitration under threat to warrant issuance of an interim measure of protection by this court. Mobinets has failed to show evidence or threat whatsoever to the subject matter of the arbitration,” Safaricom adds. The suit comes just months after Kenya’s private sector was listed as one of the most corrupt in the world in a report by international audit firm Ernst & Young last November. Another report published by PriceWaterhouseCoopers found that tender fraud is the number one economic crime in Kenya. Back to Business Daily: Safaricom cancels Sh1bn-plus tender in staff bribery claim

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Kenya finally signs WCIT12 ITRs
by Ali Hussein 27 Feb '15

27 Feb '15

Listers So finally Kenya Government signs the 2012 ITRs which the former government didn't sign. It would really be good to know the process taken to rescind the earlier decision; who was engaged locally and why weren't the stakeholders at least given the courtesy of being formally informed. http://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/mm.final-acts.list?_languageid=1&_agrm… Ali Hussein +254 770 906375 / 0713 601113 Twitter: @AliHKassim Skype: abu-jomo LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim Blog: www.alyhussein.com "I fear the day technology will surpass human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots". ~ Albert Einstein Sent from my iPad

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Kenya finally signs WCIT12 ITRs
by Ali Hussein 27 Feb '15

27 Feb '15

Listers So finally Kenya Government signs the 2012 ITRs which the former government didn't sign. It would really be good to know the process taken to rescind the earlier decision; who was engaged locally and why weren't the stakeholders at least given the courtesy of being formally informed. http://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/mm.final-acts.list?_languageid=1&_agrm… Ali Hussein +254 770 906375 / 0713 601113 Twitter: @AliHKassim Skype: abu-jomo LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim Blog: www.alyhussein.com "I fear the day technology will surpass human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots". ~ Albert Einstein Sent from my iPad

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The challenge of value realization for indigenous technology firms - The mind of Mbugua Njihia
by Mbugua Njihia 27 Feb '15

27 Feb '15

http://www.mbuguanjihia.com/business/challenge-value-realization-indigenous…

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Fwd: Thank the FCC
by Bernard Kioko 27 Feb '15

27 Feb '15

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Derek Slater, Google" <no-reply(a)takeaction.withgoogle.com> Date: Feb 27, 2015 1:17 AM Subject: Thank the FCC To: "Bernard Kioko" <bkioko(a)bernsoft.com> Cc: <https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/page/m/1439da90/18aeee9/2a6fe56/3ed7d859/…> Dear Bernard: You may have heard that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) just put in place rules to protect 'net neutrality.' That's big news. But there was another important decision today to help keep the Internet competitive and open — and while it's getting less attention, it may be just as important. As part of its agenda to encourage meaningful competition in high speed broadband for all Americans, the FCC supported allowing cities to make their own decisions about investing in new broadband networks. More needs to be done to drive innovation in bigger, faster broadband, but this is a good step. *Share this graphic to thank the FCC and Chairman Tom Wheeler for their actions:* <https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/page/m/1439da90/18aeee9/2a6fe56/3ed7d833/…> [image: Thank the FCC for their critical action.] <https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/page/m/1439da90/18aeee9/2a6fe56/3ed7d826/…> [image: Share on Google+] <https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/page/m/1439da90/18aeee9/2a6fe56/3ed7d818/…> [image: Share on Facebook] <https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/page/m/1439da90/18aeee9/2a6fe56/3ed7d8f3/…> [image: Share on Twitter] <https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/page/m/1439da90/18aeee9/2a6fe56/3ed7d8e4/…> While the FCC's net neutrality rules can help prevent Internet access providers from relegating some applications to a "slow lane," this move alone won't lead to a world where every consumer has an ultra fast connection to the entire Internet. That's going to take more competition and innovation in new broadband networks. It's been nearly five years since we offered to build a fiber-optic network in one U.S. city as an experiment — and as we've expanded Google Fiber into a business, we've seen firsthand how faster speeds can improve lives and give cities new platforms for economic development. Google is not the only one innovating in this area. Along with investments by other private providers, cities like Lafayette, LA and Chattanooga, TN have been investing in their own networks and developing public-private partnerships to that end. Today, the FCC decided that it's important for users to be able to control their own Internet connections and for communities to make their own choices to suit their local needs for broadband. While it may not make sense for most governments to operate broadband networks themselves, we think faster, better broadband for all Americans is too important to remove an option for deployment. *Thank Chairman Wheeler and the FCC for supporting local choice and competition in broadband networks:* *https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/thank-the-fcc* <https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/page/m/1439da90/18aeee9/2a6fe56/3ed7d8df/…> Thanks, Derek Slater Google Inc. P.S. If you want to learn more about the ingenuity of cities supporting broadband investment and competition, check out *Next Century Cities.* <https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/page/m/1439da90/18aeee9/2a6fe56/3ed7d8cc/…> © 2015 Google Inc. 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA You are receiving this email because you asked to receive updates on Internet legislation and initiatives from Google. To opt out of future communications, please click here <https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/page/m/1439da90/18aeee9/2a6fe56/3ed7d8b9/…> . -- * ------------------------------ * This e-mail and any attachments may contain information that is confidential, legally privileged and protected by law and is intended for the sole use of the named recipient(s). Any unauthorized review, use, or disclosure or distribution is prohibited. Any liability (in negligence or otherwise) arising from any third party acting, or refraining from acting on any information contained in this email is hereby excluded. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete the contents and notify the sender immediately; do not disclose the contents to any other person, use it for any purpose or store or copy the information in any medium. Whilst our e-mails are checked for viruses, we cannot guarantee that this message or any attachment is virus free, does not contain malicious code or is incompatible with your electronic system and the Company does not accept liability in respect of viruses, malicious code or any related problems that you might experience. For further information about us, please contact us at the address indicated below. Bernsoft Interactive Limited - P O Box 15177-00100 Nairobi - Tel: +254 722 929192 Email: admin(a)bernsoft.com Web: www.bernsoft.com

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ADN OWNERSHIP - DOES SK MACHARIA'S SON & A COLLEAGUE OWN CONSORTIUM?
by James Mbugua 26 Feb '15

26 Feb '15

Listers, Things never cease to get interesting in this country. So, now, it turns out, according to a document circulating, that the African Digital Network (NTV, CTV, KTN & QTV) that the consortium could be owned by two individuals: The names John Macharia Maina and Timothy Charo-Odhiambo are named as the two shareholders of ADN with 500 shares each of the issued 1000 shares. The share capital is listed as Sh100000 and the address of the directors is given as 669 00516 Nairobi. The only anomaly appears to be the date given for registration which is listed as January 1, 1900. The Director General of CAK Francis Wangusi had wondered at a recent show on TV whether the ADN consortium was even registered. The document purporting ownership of ADN is shown to be issued by the Assistant Registrar of Companies on February 23, 2015 and addressed to The Star newspaper. So, exactly what is the participation of each of the three media houses in the said consortium? Regards, James

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Re: [kictanet] Kenya's Silicon Savannah & the Need to do more
by Matunda Nyanchama 26 Feb '15

26 Feb '15

Paul Korir and James Kulubi I stand educated on some of the provisions of the Science Technology and Innovation Act of 2012. I think this is debate worth engaging in to have some of the offending sections struck out. It is possible the "voices" needed to forestall the inclusion of the said sections weren't loud (or powerful) enough to be felt by the drafters of the Act. My 2 cents observation is that the lobbying potential of the Science, Technology and Innovation "sector" is very weak; unlike sectors like manufacturers (with KAM) and the larger private sector (with KEPSA) the myriad of organizations in the sector (e.g. in ICT) present a weak front to mount any meaningful lobby. But I also see the large number of universities as a blessing of some sorts; now suppose they work with the regulator CHE (if the law allows) they can be a formidable force to occasion change in the act. Research (basic or applied) and the entire science and technology sector are too important a cog in the wheels of development to be constrained by sections in the laws such as this. My reading: we need to do more. Cheers! Matunda Nyanchama Message: 2 Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2015 06:20:00 +0000 From: James Kulubi <jkulubi(a)yahoo.co.uk> To: Paul Korir <polariseke(a)gmail.com>, KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Kenya's Silicon Savannah & the Need to do more Message-ID: <1424931600.16271.YahooMailBasic(a)web172102.mail.ir2.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Paul, you hit the nail on the head. The problems facing research and innovation commenced in the late 70s when some experts thought that research and innovation could only be carried out by institutions created by a Science and Technology law. Upon enactment, the law created the KEMRIs, KIRDIs, KEFRIS, KARIs and allowed the government to create additional research institutes when necessary. With the government diverting research funds to these institutions, the University of Nairobi (only university in the 1970s) started experiencing both human and capital problems as active researchers drifted to these institutes and the government cut the university research budget. This served well the political system of the day since they wanted to tame political radicalism at the university by diverting the much needed funds to these ill conceived institutions. The political elite overlooked the fact that the university can conduct research at very low cost since students are not paid to carry out research (instead they pay the institution through fees, research grants, etc) and by design students are always graduating from the institution thus avoiding problems associated with ageing researchers. Proponents of modern university would tell you that the Science and Technology Act killed the ?triple helix?, i.e the interplay between the university, industry and government and reduced the universities to lecturing, evaluating and degree granting institutions. Lastly, although licensing of researchers may be necessary in certain fields such as medicine on ethical basis, it should not apply to all fields. The drafters of the STIA 2013 needed to be more specific in this regard or specify that regulations will be developed covering the fields to be licensing and that the regulations will be reviewed from time to time. James A. Kulubi -------------------------------------------- On Thu, 26/2/15, Paul Korir via kictanet <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote: Subject: [kictanet] Kenya's Silicon Savannah & the Need to do more To: jkulubi(a)yahoo.co.uk Date: Thursday, 26 February, 2015, 3:21 Listers,? I recall reading the Science Technology and Innovation Act of 2013 (STIA 2013) and being sorely disappointed at some of the articles in that piece of law. I?m not convinced that that is the kind of law that will advance Kenya. If anything, it has taken us back (pre-1976 when the previous legislation was signed into law). For example, article 12 criminalises scientific research except with with a license, which is clearly in contravention of article 33 (c) of the constitution (academic and scientific freedom). The penalty of this contravention is a fine of up to five million or a sentence of four years.? Unless I?m missing something could someone please explain how this is progress? The previous law was in harmony with international laws (to the best of my understanding) in support of scientific research but these were thrown out because NACOSTI (previously NSTI, if I recall) had been operating ?illegally? (i.e. demanding licenses without any legal basis). Now STIA 2013 makes it legal and given NACOSTI the teeth it needs to enforce its agenda. In fact, private companies are required to pay the highest research license fees. These are things which only happen in developing countries and stifle creative innovation for short-term gain. Paul Korir, PhD+353 86 224 1966+254 72 400 4767 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama(a)aganoconsulting.com Agano Consulting Inc.; www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda; Skype: okiambe ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Manage your ICT risks! We are the experts you need! The trusted partners you deserve!Call: +1-888-587-1150 (Canada) +254-20-267-0743 (Kenya) or info(a)aganoconsulting.comLicensed by Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.

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Kenya's Silicon Savannah & the Need to do more
by Paul Korir 26 Feb '15

26 Feb '15

Listers, I recall reading the Science Technology and Innovation Act of 2013 (STIA 2013) and being sorely disappointed at some of the articles in that piece of law. I’m not convinced that that is the kind of law that will advance Kenya. If anything, it has taken us back (pre-1976 when the previous legislation was signed into law). For example, article 12 criminalises scientific research except with with a license, which is clearly in contravention of article 33 (c) of the constitution (academic and scientific freedom). The penalty of this contravention is a fine of up to five million or a sentence of four years. Unless I’m missing something could someone please explain how this is progress? The previous law was in harmony with international laws (to the best of my understanding) in support of scientific research but these were thrown out because NACOSTI (previously NSTI, if I recall) had been operating ‘illegally’ (i.e. demanding licenses without any legal basis). Now STIA 2013 makes it legal and given NACOSTI the teeth it needs to enforce its agenda. In fact, private companies are required to pay the highest research license fees. These are things which only happen in developing countries and stifle creative innovation for short-term gain. Paul Korir, PhD +353 86 224 1966 +254 72 400 4767 > On 25 Feb 2015, at 15:29, kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke wrote: > > Kenya's Silicon Savannah & the Need to do more

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Kenya's Silicon Savannah & the Need to do more
by Matunda Nyanchama 26 Feb '15

26 Feb '15

Friends, The MoICT and ICT Authority are planning a 2-Day ICT Innovation Forum on the 2nd and 3rd of March, 2015. See details on the ICT Authority website) I offered (and the Technical Committee organizing the Forum agreed) that I do 2 Op-ed pieces on the subject as a lead up to the Forum. Business News » Kenya as Silicon Savannah – The need to do more!; I will be posting the second piece in the next day or so. | | | | | | | | | Business News » Kenya as Silicon Savannah – The need to do more!Business News - Reading is FunDamental | | | | View on www.aganoconsulting.com | Preview by Yahoo | | | | | Kenya as Silicon Savannah – The need todo more!by Matunda Nyanchama*February 22, 2015 The National ICT Innovation Forum, convened by the Ministry ofInformation Communications and Technology and ICT Authority, is slated for March2rd and 3rd, at the Kenyatta International ConferenceCentre (KICC). Its theme is SiliconSavannah! Mind the Gap! Close the Gap! Participants are expected totackle challenges pertaining to ICT innovation in the country and the wayforward to ensure ICT innovation thrives in Kenya. Industry stakeholders areagreed: our ICT sector has reached a tipping point: no longer just a sexy idea,but an industry that is creating lasting change and impact. One may ask why the theme: Silicon Savannah! Mind the Gap! Close theGap!? The media coinage, Silicon Savannah, has become near-synonymouswith Kenya’s technology sector. The words carry a subliminal play with America’sSilicon Valley, home of many global technology giants such as Apple, Google,Oracle and many others. As a country, we offer a series ofadvantages to claim the Silicon Savannah brand. These include boasting a largenumber of academic institutions offering ICT programmes; taught in English, theglobal business language, steering our next generation of leaders; our laws andregulations, favouring free market economics and more. This is in addition toKenya being the region’s economic powerhouse despite lacking in resources (oil,minerals, etc.) that have been the curse of many African nations. The Silicon Savannah label didn’tcome by accident. A lot of time and effort has been invested in promoting thecountry as a technology destination. Under a triumvirate of the Ministry ofInformation of Communications and Technology, the ICT Authority and BrandKenya, the nation’s image as a leader in the technology sector has continued torise. And the proof of the pudding isin the eating. Kenya’s image, as a leader in innovations, is well-known. Onecase in point is M-Pesa that stands out to become a global brand in electronicmoney transfer. The Konza Technology City plans, if well-executed, wouldfurther buttress the Silicon Savannah brand. In addition, there is a lot morein the works with the vibrant activities happening in incubation hubs,university ICT departments, government, and the private sector. The future isbright; the future is IT. With Government and the privatesector working in tandem, the Silicon Savannah brand value can only grow. Otherswould claim that we have a huge gap between that brand promise and where weare. In spite of the achievements to date, serious work needs to be done tofully realize the benefits of that gilded metaphor. There is a need to accelerate thepace of the sector’s growth via deliberate efforts, plans, actions andperformance monitoring. These efforts must tap into the amount of energydevoted to innovation in order to harness its full potential. The approachshould result in a well-oiled innovation ecosystem that would deliver thepromise. A thriving innovation ecosystem needskey components synergistically working towards a common goal: exponential ICT growththat has wide-ranging, knock-on benefits. Key among these are the laws,regulations and policies; access to knowledge and expertise; access to capital;ongoing research and development; deliberate promotion of the sector’s productsand services; and a vibrant network of incubation hubs with clear tentacles tothe market, academia and financiers. Laws, Regulations and Policies & Promotion of Kenya ICT Products& Services The public sector, includingnational and county governments, public agencies and state corporations, aremajor consumers of ICT products and services. The national ICT spending acrossthe public sector could be in the range of hundreds of billions of Shillings. Now,suppose Government regulations and policies required that we give priority tothe local ICT sector, driving innovation at home. This would assure a readymarket for Kenyan ICT products and services; the resultant process would createjobs, build local ICT capacity and provide a springboard towards regional andinternational growth for the sector. There is more. With the recognition of thesignificance of the ICT sector, Government could make deliberate effort topromote the sector abroad. It is key to include ICT sector representation ininternational trade fairs and promotions the country participates in. In part,it would help the sector’s targeted contribution of 8% GDP and 180,000 jobs by2017. Knowledge and Expertise In recent years, Kenya has seen asubstantial growth of institutions: universities are expanding both in studentpopulation and in programmes offered. This is the good news. The bad news is that higherlearning in Kenya appears to be more of the business of education than thequality of the programmes and relevance to the market. There is a disconnectbetween what we are teaching and the needs of local industry, such that universitiesstand accused of a failure to proactively tune their programmes to marketneeds. The term “yellow notes” has been mentioned in relation to use of thesame material from year to year by some lecturers and professors, caring lessfor the dynamic nature of knowledge. ICT education and knowledge is afast-paced affair. Knowledge and its packaging evolves rapidly, as do the deliverymodes. Academic institutions must keep up with these changes if their graduates,especially in ICT – a key pillar to the President’s Digital Promise - have tofind relevance in the market. There is more. There are fewinstitutions with focus on bridging gaps between what is learnt in universitiesand what the market needs. Further, as a relatively young (e.g. compared withengineering) discipline the sector does not have a clearly defined professionalpath for growth. Nonetheless, the need forprogrammes that bridge gaps between academic qualifications and practicalindustry needs has never been greater. There are yawning gaps in this space.Indeed, it is this realization that resulted in the establishment the recentlylaunched Presidential Digital Talent Programme to address government ICT needs. Sadly, there is still more badnews. As we celebrate the mushroomingof universities we appear to have forgotten the key role played by tertiary andvocational training institution. Our universities appear to have grown at theexpense of polytechnics and, in the process, left a gap in human capital development. Finally, considering that ICT isexpected to play a key role in economic growth, there is a need to ensure thatICT graduates come out of university equipped with even basic businessknowledge, such as knowledge of intellectual property and how to secure it; andhow to turn the intellectual property into a business venture, how to raisemoney and how to run an enterprise. Access to Capital According to recent privateequity surveys, Kenya is missing out to its African neighbours, Nigeria, andSouth Africa. The challenges in Kenya include lack of innovator awareness ofthe varied range of sources of capital and the required preparedness to obtainrisk capital. This has also been blamed on lack of viable business plans for early-stagebusinesses. On the other hand, most investorsstake their money in tried and tested ventures such as in real estate; and theyhave poor understanding of the technology sector. Clearly, there is a need toaddress the gap via (say) a venture capital fund that would help start-ups gothrough the early stages of development while raising awareness on thepotential for growth that the sector presents. Research and Development Innovation pertains toimprovements (product, service, process) that addresses a key need. Ofteninnovation takes ideas from different disciplines, combines these to realizesomething new. A good example is M-Pesa that significantly improved themovement of money using mobile phone and messaging. It was an innovation that has transformedlives. In order to experiment with andtest ideas, there is a need to have ongoing research and development. The needfor collaboration and cooperation between the ICT sector and academicinstitutions, has never been greater. In addition, companies - public and private- need to set up research and development departments that would be chargedwith continual innovation. Often significant value can berealized through incremental changes via co-innovation, e.g. throughcustomization and incremental change to an existing product, service orprocess. Research and development activitycan be substantially enhanced through government incentive programmes. The Innovation Hubs A number of these exist in thecountry. They are run as independent businesses, components of businesses oracademic institutions. There is no doubt that a lot takes place in these hubs,with respect to testing and incubating ideas with a view to commercialization. The need for stakeholder collaborationhas never been greater. There is a need for greater awareness of their role andstructure and value they add to the innovation value chain. … The need for focus in ICTinnovation has never been greater. Deliberate action is needed in order tocreate a well-oiled innovation ecosystem with a friendly policy and regulatoryenvironment, aided by a supportive incubation ecosystem, supplied with relevantskills, fed by ongoing research and development, served with risk capital, and activelypromoted nationally and globally by all. Dr. Matunda Nyanchama is a Director and Managing Consultant at AganoConsulting Inc., and a Technical Advisor in the Ministry of Communications andTechnology and can be reached at mnyacnhama(a)aganoconsulting.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama(a)aganoconsulting.com Agano Consulting Inc.; www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda; Skype: okiambe ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Manage your ICT risks! We are the experts you need! The trusted partners you deserve!Call: +1-888-587-1150 (Canada) +254-20-267-0743 (Kenya) or info(a)aganoconsulting.comLicensed by Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.

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