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ICT for ICT's sake...road carnage - is there an app for that?
by Francis Hook 18 Jun '12

18 Jun '12

I do not mean to throw cold water on home grown initiatives to leverage technology... http://www.itwebafrica.com/mobile/309-kenya/229396-dangerous-driving-app-la… but sometimes I think we need to pause a little and ask a ffew questions like: - if the app is really intended to make driving safer - bearing in mind the person who can make driving safer is the driver and NOT the passenger, how does such an app really help? if anything it prompts the driver to fiddle more with his phone while driving thus making him a danger to other road users. - if I may quote the article - "Allowing users to report dangerous drivers or vehicles as well as corrupt police officers, it is intended to flag situations that could potentially lead to an accident before they do." - we can already do this by dialling a number (and if we do not have a number, then one can be put in place) - do we seriously really need an app for this? - "“Once the user downloads the app, he will have a map with an updated index of the health facilities around the area they are travelling in and the hospitals that are closest to their location,” ...Google Maps already has this. - "The app, called ‘Nduru’ after the Swahili word for ‘scream’, allows Kenyans to report accidents, reckless drivers, dangerous vehicles and other high road risks." - I think there was a similar inititiative (overlap.co.ke) with similar intentions....but I gather that did not grow legs and perhaps served more to vent frustration that bring about any tangible action. I think a bigger part of the problem is how we are as Kenyans (drivers, police, passengers, pedestrians, etc) - our attitude is what needs to be changed more than yet another overload of info which no one will have time to look at/analyse and act on. At the very best, such apps will treat the symptoms and NOT the cause. Again, with all due respect to the developers and other aspiring developers. -- Francis Hook +254 733 504561

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Your views on M.Sc. curriculum - Stakeholder Input
by Mwololo Tim 18 Jun '12

18 Jun '12

Dear all, The School of Computing and Informatics (UoN) is in the process of reviewing its MSc programs. We value your input. Kindly complete the online survey to give us feedback. It will take you 10-15 minutes. ps: copy it in full https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG9FNnVCSmxMaTVzdjNEZG… -- Timothy Mwololo Waema (PhD, PMACM) Professor of Information Systems School of Computing & Informatics, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya.

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Internship Opportunity
by Evans Ikua 16 Jun '12

16 Jun '12

Dear Listers, We have an internship opportunity for a recent graduate who is determined to develop a career in line with our areas of interest. Previous work experience is not a prerequisite. The right candidate will have to demonstrate the following attributes: 1. Have recently graduated with a degree in IT, Computer Science, Business IT, Business/Commerce, Management or a related subject 2. Some knowledge or qualifications in Marketing or entrepreneurship - demonstrable business acumen 3. Self starter, self motivated, able to work without supervision 4. Excellent Leadership qualities 5. Excellent Communications skills, self confident, personable 6. Trustworthy, highly responsible, of high integrity, with solid references 7. Able to multi task and ready to learn 8. PASSION If you think you meet most of these qualities and are willing to learn, please send us an application letter with a one (1) page resume outlining your qualifications to this email address. Kind regards everyone and nice weekend. -- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831

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Computer for Schools and Cloud Computing
by James Kagwe 16 Jun '12

16 Jun '12

Afternoon all, Computer for schools is definitely a very good initiative by the Kenya government and a strong statement that it supports ICT and hopes it will be a major driving force for the economy as we transition to a knowledge economy. This was clearly demonstrated by a budgetary in this years budget. The budget though small will definitely change something in the educational sector. Cloud computing technology on the other side is growing rapidly and is being said to have the capability of making the third world leap frog to first world in terms of technology. Imagine an application in the cloud which is taken up by at least half of Kenya's SMEs and the impact it would have on them. Cloud computing is also easy and fast to deploy from a user perspective and does not necessarily require the skills of an ICT project manager in the classical sence (you probably do not need an ICT project manager to move companies mails to Google apps or hosted Microsoft exchange). Cloud computing is envisaged to revolutionise computing in the classical sence in that people may not require PCs to do their work to an extent where BYOD (bring your own device) model will be used at our workplaces. If this really happens companies will definitely realize lots of costs reduction. It is also envisaged that people will increasingly move away from convectional computing devices (desktops and laptops) to smart handheld devices like smart phones, tablets etc. This technology should inform us a lot in our computer for schools provisioning strategies. The computer for schools approach has been buying out computers, setting up LANs and connecting them to internet in a laboratory. If trends in cloud computing continue we will see less and less of computers and more and more of handheld smart devices. Think about ourselves now and see how often we use the desktops in our offices. BYOD which is being fought by most ICT Managers will be an obvious situation. There is a possibility that the students in schools today might not use computers at all in their working life. I guess we should start thinking of how we can introduce these devices in schools because really they are the future of computing. Instead of teaching convectional programing we probably should be teaching mobile and cloud applications programming. The best thing about these devices is their mobility and the fact that you can charge once and use for several hours thus appropriate for areas with electricity power challenges. I could write more but those are my quick thought. regards, James

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2012 Budget Highlights for ICT
by Dorcas Muthoni 15 Jun '12

15 Jun '12

*Technology, media and telecommunications* •• The world is expected to convert from analog to digital TV by 2015 and duty has been removed on imported converters of analogue to digital TVs. •• Duty on imported computer software has also been removed. •• KES 7.2 billion allocated to the ICT sector. •• Government investing in digitization of registry records at the lands registry and other important registries to eliminate the bottlenecks that investors experience. •• The government aims to consolidate the current cargo clearing system and all the entities involved are to be consolidated into one single entity. •• KES 480 million allocated for purchase of computers for schools.

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On line debate Agenda for 2012 Kenya IGF commences tomorrow June 14, 2012
by Grace Githaiga 15 Jun '12

15 Jun '12

Good morning Listers The Kenyan IGF debate will commence tomorrow and Barrack Otieno will be taking the lead. All your suggestions have been taken on board and even if they do not appear in the main themes, they will be dealt with in the debate. This is the proposed agenda: 1. ITRs, Thursday June 14, 20122. Intermediary liability, Friday June 15, 20123. Technology and violence against women, Monday June 18, 20124. Open data/E-government, Tuesday June 19, 2012· 5. Infrastructure Wednesday, June 20, 20126. Data Protection Bill as well as the Freedom of Information Bill, Thursday June 21, 20127. Winding up, Friday June 22, 2012. As always we look forward to a very healthy debate. RgdsGG

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Kenya IGF on line Discussions Day 1: International Telecommunications Regulations (ITR's)
by Barrack Otieno 15 Jun '12

15 Jun '12

Listers, International Telecommunication regulations are general principles related to international telecommunication services and its transport means. The purpose and Scope includes among other things: - Interconnection and interoperability of telecommunication facilities. - Giving precedence for the *Radio Regulations* in case of contradiction. - Allowing, within its framework, mutual agreements between countries. - To set primary rules for accounting and settlements between members. The ITR treaty was adopted in the *World Administrative Telegraph and Telephone* *Conference* (WATTC) held in Melbourne, 1988. It however came into force on July 1 1990, since then no updates have been made to the ITR provisions which leads to the following question: 1. As countries prepare for the World Congress on International Telecommunications to be held in Dubai in December 2012 ( http://www.itu.int/en/wcit-12/Pages/overview.aspx) What should Kenya's priorities be? 2. Should Kenya make its stand as a country or should we bargain through the Africa Telecommunications Union as per Dr. Ndemos proposal during a discussion on the list what are the implications of taking a stand as a country or as a regional block ? The floor is open -- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/

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Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS)
by Esther Wanjau 15 Jun '12

15 Jun '12

Dear All, The Directorate of e-Government has developed an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) geared towards providing information about the services provided by the Government to the public. This is departure from the traditional methods of providing this information like through the media (print and electronic), or physical enquiries from where the services are provided. It is a mobile based application where the citizens can get this information. It is a one-stop-shop. The system has been motivated by the high number of citizens (over 65%) with the access to the mobile phones as well as the changing communication channels. Please call 0900007282 from from your phone to get government services. For more information please visit www.e-government.go.ke. Let us have some feedback. Esther Wanjau Directorate of e-Government Presidency & Cabinet Affairs Office email: esther.wanjau(a)kenya.go.ke

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Asterisk Expert Needed
by Edwin Onchari 14 Jun '12

14 Jun '12

Listers, An international aid agency is looking for an expert Asterisk developer. DM for details Best Regards, Edwin M Onchari 0773711600 0720755951 eonchari(a)lynxbits.com

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Fwd: University of Toronto's Canada Centre and Citizen Lab Announce the Cyber Stewards Program
by waudo siganga 13 Jun '12

13 Jun '12

This could interest some colleagues, feel free to sambaza to your other networks: University of Toronto’s Canada Centre and Citizen Lab Announce the Cyber Stewards Program The Canada Centre for Global Security Studies (Canada Centre) and the [1]Citizen Lab at the [2]Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto (with the support of the [3]International Development Research Centre (IDRC)) are pleased to announce the launch of the Cyber Stewards program. The Cyber Stewards program is designed to address the urgent need to support South-based cyber security scholars, advocates, and practitioners to articulate a vision of cyber security in which rights and openness are protected on the basis of shared research and empirical knowledge. Cyber Stewards will be selected from across the global South. They will work locally while networking globally through the auspices of the Canada Centre and Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. Cyber Stewards will define their own scope of work and activities based on their local context and pressing concerns. The expectation will be that Cyber Stewards will map, analyze, and ultimately impact the cyber security priorities of their own countries and regions on the basis of shared knowledge and practices. “We are excited about this opportunity, and the prospects that the Cyber Stewards network can accomplish,” says [4]Ron Deibert, Director of the Canada Centre and Citizen Lab. “Working together, we envision the Cyber Stewards will help contribute to a growing global movement of citizens, scholars and practitioners - a community of practice - whose aim is to protect cyberspace as a secure but open commons of information in which human rights are respected.” Detailed Overview As cyberspace expands and deepens in the global South, there are growing concerns around how cyberspace will be governed and constituted. The security of cyberspace is now an urgent concern. A cyber arms race among governments and non-state actors has begun in earnest. Facing a growing number of threats, from cyber crime to espionage and warfare, governments are developing ambitious cyber security strategies, some of which include far-reaching and potentially ominous censorship, surveillance, and information operation components. Unless proper checks and balances are instituted locally, there will continue to be strong pressures to build “surveillance-by design” into newly built infrastructure -- particularly the newly emerging mobile and social media ecosystems. These troubling trends of information control and securitization portend the gradual disintegration of an open and secure commons of information on a global scale. It is essential that the process of cyber securitization taking place in the South includes local voices who can articulate a vision of cyber security in which rights and openness are protected on the basis of shared research and empirical knowledge. The aim of the Cyber Stewards project is to help support and develop those local voices. Why “Steward”? Stewardship is typically defined as an ethic of responsible behaviour in a situation of shared resources, typically with respect to the natural environment and the commons, such as the oceans and outer space. Although cyberspace is more of a mixed pooled resource that cuts across public and private sector than a commons per se, the concept of stewardship still carries considerable merit: it implies behaviour that goes beyond self-interest to accomplish something in the service of a wider public good. It emphasizes the need for balance and the appreciation of the complexity of the system. It carries with it a connotation of custodianship and citizen-based monitoring, all of which mesh with the aims of the network we are setting out to build. Why should South-based scholars and practitioners link up with a North-based institution, like the University of Toronto? Moving forward, it is imperative that stewards of cyberspace include representation from all stakeholders in the global communications environment, and that bridges are built between communities across North, South, East and West. Although the challenges of each locality are unique, together we live in a shared communications space that is becoming increasingly dense and interconnected. We have a shared responsibility to sustain that space in a manner that supports everyone’s rights, while keeping it secure. Networking South-based Cyber Stewards with the University of Toronto’s Canada Centre and Citizen Lab’s already existing network of collaborative partnerships will help accomplish that goal and hopefully build a broad community of global Cyber Stewards that empowers us all collectively. Who will make up the Cyber Stewards program and how will it operate? There will be a diversity in research topics and methods, as well as regional and disciplinary backgrounds, in the constitution of Cyber Stewards. We anticipate that the group will form a network of peers, in which the Cyber Stewards regularly interact with each other, engage in knowledge sharing and joint research and development, and mutual mentorship. Cyber Stewards will interact virtually as well as through occasional joint workshops and major conferences, facilitated by the Canada Centre and Citizen Lab. Interested parties from any of the following regions should send a CV and a five page outline that details project ideas to [5]cyberstewards(a)citizenlab.org (Central America, Caribbean, South America, sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, and Asia). About the Canada Centre for Global Security Studies The[6]Canada Centre for Global Security Studies at the[7]Munk School of Global Affairs is a centre of interdisciplinary research, policy development, and other activities in emerging security issues that are critical to Canada's future. Established in spring 2010 with a grant from the Government of Canada, the Canada Centre's areas of interdisciplinary study include cyber security, global health, food security, and region-specific concerns, such as the future of the Arctic, post-Soviet Europe, the new Asian powers, and the changing face of the Americas. About the Citizen Lab The [8]Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, Canada focusing on advanced research and development at the intersection of digital media, global security, and human rights. We are a “hothouse” that combines the disciplines of political science, sociology, law, computer science, engineering, and graphic design. Our mission is to undertake advanced research and engage in development that monitors, analyses, and impacts the exercise of political power in cyberspace. We undertake this mission through collaborative partnerships with leading edge research centers, organizations, and individuals around the world, and through a unique “mixed methods” approach that combines technical analysis with intensive field research, qualitative social science, and legal and policy analysis methods undertaken by subject matter experts. The Citizen Lab’s ongoing research network includes the [9]OpenNet Initiative, OpenNet Eurasia, and Opennet.Asia as well as the Cyber Security Stewards network. The Citizen Lab was a founding partner of the [10]Information Warfare Monitor (2002-2012). The Citizen Lab developed the original design of the Psiphon censorship circumvention software, which spun out of the lab into a private Canadian corporation (Psiphon Inc.) in 2008. Ronald Deibert Director, the Citizen Lab and the Canada Centre for Global Security Studies Munk School of Global Affairs University of Toronto (416) 946-8916 PGP: [11]http://deibert.citizenlab.org/pubkey.txt [12]http://deibert.citizenlab.org/ [13]twitter.com/citizenlab [14]r.deibert(a)utoronto.ca References 1. http://citizenlab.org/ 2. http://www.munkschool.utoronto.ca/ 3. http://www.idrc.ca/ 4. http://deibert.citizenlab.org/ 5. mailto:[email protected] 6. http://www.munkschool.utoronto.ca/canadacentre/ 7. http://www.munkschool.utoronto.ca/ 8. http://citizenlab.org/ 9. http://opennet.net/ 10. http://www.infowar-monitor.net/ 11. http://deibert.citizenlab.org/pubkey.txt 12. http://deibert.citizenlab.org/ 13. http://twitter.com/citizenlab 14. mailto:[email protected]

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