- KICTANet - KICTANet

Is SA Department of Education taking a reasonble step?
by John Kariuki 11 Oct '13

11 Oct '13

Here is an article talking about the South African department of education banning the use of Open Source software in schools. http://www.webaddict.co.za/2013/10/09/south-africa-education-department-ban… John Kariuki

5 4

Fwd: Re: Three days in Nigeria
by Lizette Kraft 11 Oct '13

11 Oct '13

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Lizette Kraft" <lfkraft(a)gmail.com> Date: 10 Oct 2013 18:34 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Three days in Nigeria To: "John Masiwe" <jmasiwe(a)bluegate.co.ke> Cc: Hello!!!!! Can we not read someones experience and narrative ( Daktari wrote beautifully) without commenting on how or what he should have referred to. Everyone to write and refer as he pleases. What is with the culture of critising when there is no need!!! Please!! On 10 Oct 2013 15:31, "John Masiwe" <jmasiwe(a)bluegate.co.ke> wrote: > Daktari, > > This is good prose. You should seriously consider a platform for this kind > of writing where you weave a narrative with personal observations during > formal engagements. A welcome break from your usual policy-style writing. > As > a parting shot, maybe you should have quoted the more contemporary > Chimamanda Adichie instead of Achebe. :) > > John Masiwe > > -----Original Message----- > From: kictanet > [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Bitange Ndemo > Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 11:54 PM > To: jmasiwe(a)bluegate.co.ke > Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Three days in Nigeria > > Three days in Nigeria > Standing outside Abuja Airport in the soaring temperatures you get amazed > on how similar to Kenya Nigeria is. This is Africa's most populous > country. People idling around and women talking animatedly with their > hands akimbo and they are larger than you can see in Kenya. I had missed > the person who was to pick me up. Oga! Those who walked by me remarked. > I assumed it was some greetings to a brother. Colours of their clothing is > similar to ours and perhaps the only difference with Kenya is that more men > wore multi-colour kanzus. Open shoes, Akala type are more prevalent here. > > I walk towards the taxis. They are gentler than I have read in Nigerian > literature. They were honest too with the fare to the cities. I had begun > to settle down and give Nigeria the benefit of doubt but my mind takes me > back to Odili, the narrator in Achebe's 1966 novel, Man of the People. > Also > not forgetting the many stories told about Nigerians. > > For a while I savor the beauty of Abuja scenery. Green everywhere. It > must > be within the rain forest. Land is expanse and untilled. I turn my > attention to my driver Oku Moses. An affable young man perhaps in his > early > 30's. I tell him I am from Kenya and in Abuja for the CTO conference. He > smiles broadly and asked me what I thought of Nigeria as if he had read my > mind. I said so far so good and immediately I divert his train of thought > to football. I tell him Nigeria is the main hindrance to Kenya's quest to > get to World cup. We became friends instantly as he opened up to tell me > more. > > You see that road, he says it leads to nowhere. Corruption is the only > problem here he adds as his tone begin to sound angrier. I calm him down > and tell him it happens all over Africa. The 50 kilometer super highway > from the airport to Abuja is as good as it gets, actually better than > Nairobi Thika highway. The Hotel I am headed to, is called Chelsea, named > after the English league team Chelsea. Oku is a fan of Arsenal another > English league team. He knows all the players. He asks which team I > support and when I tell him none, he then says that is why you will never > go > to world cup. > > At the hotel Oku bids me farewell and hands me his card. Call me he says. > I will show you the best of Nigeria. It is still hot and my room was > steaming with heat. This three star hotel does not have a centralized AC > but I could do with an old cranky stand-alone cooling system. As I cranked > it up, it made more noise that I could not listen to news on TV. > Then suddenly the lights went off - blackout!!. Outside it was raining > heavily. I said Geez this is home but soon some generator boomed just > outside my room to bring light. I wished they had shut it down. > > Dinner time I joined other colleagues, Sonia, Karin, Robert and John for > Dinner. Me and Sonia were the vegetarians and so requested for pasta, the > only vegetarian dish on the menu. Alas! when the food came there was > chicken on pasta instead of tomato. The young waitress tells me she > decided on chicken since there were no tomatoes. After a few exchanges > she seems to remember something and says I can make it vegetarian. Wala! > like magic she comes back with pasta alone. I said thank you but as I > start > to eat, I discover or rather the waitress had forgotten that the base was > chicken and she had only removed the toppings of chicken. She meant well > and wanted to do well but she missed the point. > > As I watched Nigerian channels that evening, I say to myself, Nigeria is > Kenya and Kenya is Nigeria. We were colonized by the British. We attained > independence at about the same time in the 1960s. We have new > constitutions > with devolved powers. Just like Kenya, Nigeria continues to experience > longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although in Kenya's 2008 as in > Nigeria's 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant > irregularities and violence, but both countries are experiencing relative > peace interrupted by the Al-Shabab and Boka Haram respectively. > > On Nigerian TV as in Kenya politicians complain that they need more power > to > states and counties. They seem not to understand that they are the ones > with the power to change legislation and so when they complain, the masses > have no representation. They also need more money yet they are the ones > who > appropriate resources. They complain about soaring crime yet they are the > ones who have the mandate to bring better security legislation. > On the roads, motor bikes ride on the assumption that every motorist should > watch on them. Careless and dangerous like in Kenya. If you admire the > cleanliness of Abuja while driving, you will for sure hit one of them. > Public places including hotels are guarded by armed policemen. > > In my speech at the conference I said I was glad to visit Nigeria, land of > Okonkwo from Umuofia (one of a fictional group of nine villages in > Nigeria, inhabited by the Igbo people). Only a handful of the people in > the audience who knew that I was referring to Achebe's 1958 novel, Things > Fall Apart. Later Funke, a prominent Nigerian businesswoman and friend > tells me that intellectualism died in Nigeria. There was a time in Nigeria > prominent writers were the role model of society. These were the people > who > put our oral history on paper but we decided to chase them away. It is sad > that Achebe had to die in foreign land alone without his people. I tell > Funke, it is so strikingly similar to Kenya that our prominent writers are > getting old and wasted away in foreign lands. > > Haruna is driving me back to the airport. He like Oku is polite but with > much better intellect than an ordinary driver. His grasp of African > matters > is excellent. Out of the blue he tells me, you worked with government. I > tell him yes and I quickly ask him why. No I just wanted to know, he says. > Then he tells me that he is driving a car (VX Land > Cruiser) that he will never afford to buy in his entire life. I note the > ambition in him and tell him that if you know then you are capable of > buying > the car. I am not in government, he says. I tell him you do not need to > be > in government to buy the car. You see I was in government but I still > cannot drive such a thing. He looks at me then he says, it is by choice on > your part. I tipped him $20 and bade him farewell. He was stunned. > > I leave Nigeria with many fond memories. It was three days but enough to > grasp the dreams of other people. Their desires. Their hopes. We are all > the same and hopefully one day we shall change the stigma of corruption by > improving the fortunes of our Africa. God bless Africa. > > > Ndemo. > > > University of Nairobi > Business School, Lower Kabete Campus > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jmasiwe%40bluegate.co > . > ke > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for > people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and > development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, > share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do > not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus > signature > database 8897 (20131009) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus > signature > database 8900 (20131010) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/lfkraft%40gmail.com > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform > for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, > share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do > not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >

5 4

Did I hear Telco CEOs say Everyone is Registered?
by Edith Adera 11 Oct '13

11 Oct '13

Listers, At the press conference yesterday, did the Teleco CEOs say that everyone is registered? A number of people complaining that their phones were switched off last night and they got automated messages indicating that their phones were not registered. We need to be honest and run this industry professionally! Have we lost direction? Edith

24 35

Re: [kictanet] Did I hear Telco CEOs say Everyone is Registered?
by Edwin Onchari 10 Oct '13

10 Oct '13

This is a very interesting discussion. A while back when the MOI had issued the directive to have all SIMs and phones registered, I had approached one Telco with an app idea where a vendor could send an SMS to verify an ID number of the person wishing to register their SIM (I saw a business opportunity for myself in this- make some money from the transactions and an opportunity to digitize records at Immigration). The logic was simple, the vendor was to physically verify the particulars on the ID issued given by the customer, and send an SMS to query the registered persons database at no extra cost to the vendor or customer. The return SMS would then validate that the number was authentic - complete with date of birth, names, etc. I was turned down with an explanation that this was not good for business and it was illegal! I would suggest that the Telcos work with Immigration, registrar of persons, office of the AG, etc....question then becomes, does such a DB exist, and if it does? how accurate is it? would this be legal? Kind regards, Edwin -----Original Message----- From: kictanet [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 1:26 PM To: Edwin Subject: kictanet Digest, Vol 77, Issue 70 Send kictanet mailing list submissions to kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://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: Did I hear Telco CEOs say Everyone is Registered? (Edith Adera) 2. Re: Did I hear Telco CEOs say Everyone is Registered? (Kivuva) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 09:19:49 +0000 From: Edith Adera <eadera(a)idrc.ca> To: Bitange Ndemo <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Did I hear Telco CEOs say Everyone is Registered? Message-ID: <B62E14120536B14B81E328F4FF78AA99D9AC0C(a)hqvm24.IDRC.ORG> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Bwana Ndemo, My beef is with CEOs not telling the truth in public!! You condone it? We're good at shifting blame. Telcos and CCK have to play their part, period. If it was not done, they should be held liable. We are too used to getting away with "below average" in Kenya. If the system worked, no unregistered SIM would have been active anyway, you get my point? Edith ________________________________________ From: Bitange Ndemo [bitange(a)jambo.co.ke] Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 12:51 PM To: Edith Adera Cc: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Did I hear Telco CEOs say Everyone is Registered? Edith, We are just quarrelsome people. We lack the discipline to: take our responsibilities seriously, obey the law, be part of the solution and above all be our brother's keepers. The Ministry did their best in pushing for the registration. It was even forced to change the law in order to do it legally. It is for us and operators to follow the law. As for what the registration will do to evade terrorists, let us do our part in securing our people. Traceability is critical in any security arrangement. Ndemo. > Listers, > > At the press conference yesterday, did the Teleco CEOs say that > everyone is registered? A number of people complaining that their > phones were switched off last night and they got automated messages > indicating that their phones were not registered. > > We need to be honest and run this industry professionally! Have we > lost direction? > > Edith > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo. > co.ke > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder > platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT > policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for > reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled > growth and development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, > respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. University of Nairobi Business School, Lower Kabete Campus ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 13:24:06 +0300 From: Kivuva <Kivuva(a)transworldafrica.com> To: Mark Mwangi <mwangy(a)gmail.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Did I hear Telco CEOs say Everyone is Registered? Message-ID: <CAEhPqwoR+r5ABFmT7kMCYhOCdGtMCP8O_G8F=Lc3wMfEXf0ceA(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" <snip>. > > That there are fake IDs being made in river road is also the > authorities > Where in River Road are fake IDs made? </snip> > problem. I Imagine they are always better informed than the regular > mwananchi what with their network of informants and NIS agents. > > Discipline comes from the top. > > > On Wed, Oct 9, 2013 at 7:51 PM, Bernard Kioko [Bernsoft Group] < > bkioko(a)bernsoft.com> wrote: > >> Well said Daktari, >> >> My mind goes wild everytime I imagine 100% compliance in this >> registration. >> The m-commerce and e-commerce opportunities that lie hidden by this. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: kictanet >> [mailto:[email protected]] On >> Behalf Of Bitange Ndemo >> Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 7:52 PM >> To: bkioko(a)bernsoft.com >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Did I hear Telco CEOs say Everyone is Registered? >> >> Edith, >> We are just quarrelsome people. We lack the discipline to: take our >> responsibilities seriously, obey the law, be part of the solution and >> above all be our brother's keepers. The Ministry did their best in >> pushing for the registration. It was even forced to change the law >> in order to do it legally. It is for us and operators to follow the >> law. >> >> As for what the registration will do to evade terrorists, let us do >> our part in securing our people. Traceability is critical in any >> security arrangement. >> >> >> Ndemo. >> >> >> >> >> > Listers, >> > >> > At the press conference yesterday, did the Teleco CEOs say that >> > everyone is registered? A number of people complaining that their >> > phones were switched off last night and they got automated messages >> > indicating that their phones were not registered. >> > >> > We need to be honest and run this industry professionally! Have we >> > lost direction? >> > >> > Edith >> > _______________________________________________ >> > kictanet mailing list >> > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> > >> > Unsubscribe or change your options at >> > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo. >> > co.ke >> > >> > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder >> > platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT >> > policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for >> > reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT >> > enabled growth and development. >> > >> > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable >> > behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's >> > times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or >> > personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares >> > or >> qualifications. >> >> >> University of Nairobi >> Business School, Lower Kabete Campus >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bkioko%40bernso >> ft.com >> >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder >> platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT >> policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for >> reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT >> enabled growth and development. >> >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable >> behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times >> and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, >> respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mwangy%40gmail. >> com >> >> >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder >> platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT >> policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for >> reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. >> >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable >> behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times >> and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, >> respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >> > > > > -- > Regards, > > Mark Mwangi > > markmwangi.me.ke > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kivuva%40transwo > rldafrica.com > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder > platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT > policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for > reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, > respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva twitter.com/lordmwesh google ID | Skype ID: lordmwesh On 9 October 2013 20:16, Mark Mwangi <mwangy(a)gmail.com> wrote: > @Dr. Ndemo are we now saying that this is also the citizens fault? If > I can buy a SIM card without registering, I will. The hustle of > registering is a waste of my time since it is of no benefit to me. The > information is valuable to the government and so the establishment > should be at the fore front of ensuring it is collected correctly. > > That there are fake IDs being made in river road is also the > authorities problem. I Imagine they are always better informed than > the regular mwananchi what with their network of informants and NIS agents. > > Discipline comes from the top. > > > On Wed, Oct 9, 2013 at 7:51 PM, Bernard Kioko [Bernsoft Group] < > bkioko(a)bernsoft.com> wrote: > >> Well said Daktari, >> >> My mind goes wild everytime I imagine 100% compliance in this >> registration. >> The m-commerce and e-commerce opportunities that lie hidden by this. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: kictanet >> [mailto:[email protected]] On >> Behalf Of Bitange Ndemo >> Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 7:52 PM >> To: bkioko(a)bernsoft.com >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Did I hear Telco CEOs say Everyone is Registered? >> >> Edith, >> We are just quarrelsome people. We lack the discipline to: take our >> responsibilities seriously, obey the law, be part of the solution and >> above all be our brother's keepers. The Ministry did their best in >> pushing for the registration. It was even forced to change the law >> in order to do it legally. It is for us and operators to follow the >> law. >> >> As for what the registration will do to evade terrorists, let us do >> our part in securing our people. Traceability is critical in any >> security arrangement. >> >> >> Ndemo. >> >> >> >> >> > Listers, >> > >> > At the press conference yesterday, did the Teleco CEOs say that >> > everyone is registered? A number of people complaining that their >> > phones were switched off last night and they got automated messages >> > indicating that their phones were not registered. >> > >> > We need to be honest and run this industry professionally! Have we >> > lost direction? >> > >> > Edith >> > _______________________________________________ >> > kictanet mailing list >> > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> > >> > Unsubscribe or change your options at >> > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo. >> > co.ke >> > >> > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder >> > platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT >> > policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for >> > reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT >> > enabled growth and development. >> > >> > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable >> > behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's >> > times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or >> > personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares >> > or >> qualifications. >> >> >> University of Nairobi >> Business School, Lower Kabete Campus >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bkioko%40bernso >> ft.com >> >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder >> platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT >> policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for >> reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT >> enabled growth and development. >> >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable >> behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times >> and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, >> respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mwangy%40gmail. >> com >> >> >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder >> platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT >> policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for >> reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. >> >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable >> behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times >> and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, >> respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >> > > > > -- > Regards, > > Mark Mwangi > > markmwangi.me.ke > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kivuva%40transwo > rldafrica.com > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder > platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT > policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for > reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, > respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >

1 0

Join Us at DEMO Africa
by Harry Hare | African eDevelopment Resource Centre 10 Oct '13

10 Oct '13

Dear all, If you are an investor, technology buyer, policy maker, journo/blogger, technology user or just an enthusiast this http://www.demo-africa.com/events/event-details/demo-africa-2013 might interest you. 40 startups from 7 countries will be launching their products to the world for the first time on one platform. Solutions cover education, health, agriculture, renewable energy, entertainment, trade and commerce, communication, retail, transportation etc. Also a good place to network with thought leaders and speakers from around the world, see the confirmed speakers and panelists here http://www.demo-africa.com/events/agenda/demo-africa-conference Kindest Regards Harry Hare Director | African eDevelopment Resource Centre PO Box 49475 00100 | Nairobi, Kenya Tel +254 20 4041646 | Cel +254 725 650044

1 0

Practical "Ndemo" Talk Show?
by S.M. Muraya 10 Oct '13

10 Oct '13

Intellectual and Practical Talk show for Bw.Ndemo? Intelligent Debates on how to deal with Corruption hindering/resisting Transparent more Automated Governance? Regards Murigi / Stanley Muraya On Oct 10, 2013 8:15 AM, "waudo siganga" <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com> wrote: > This is a well written article Daktari. Your power of observation and > penchant for detail are an indication that you have other talents > outside ICT. I like the irony that when you start off your speech with a > joke about Okonkwo, most of the (Nigerian) audience appears not to know > who or what you are talking about. Then immediately linking this as a > metaphor for the death of intellectualism in Africa is brilliant. > > Otherwise congratulations on your honorary chairmanship and best wishes > to attaining the set goals. > > Waudo > > On Wed, Oct 9, 2013, at 11:54 PM, Bitange Ndemo wrote: > > Three days in Nigeria > > Standing outside Abuja Airport in the soaring temperatures you get amazed > > on how similar to Kenya Nigeria is. This is Africa's most populous > > country. People idling around and women talking animatedly with their > > hands akimbo and they are larger than you can see in Kenya. I had missed > > the person who was to pick me up. Oga! Those who walked by me remarked. > > I assumed it was some greetings to a brother. Colours of their clothing > > is similar to ours and perhaps the only difference with Kenya is that > > more > > men wore multi-colour kanzus. Open shoes, Akala type are more prevalent > > here. > > > > I walk towards the taxis. They are gentler than I have read in Nigerian > > literature. They were honest too with the fare to the cities. I had > > begun to settle down and give Nigeria the benefit of doubt but my mind > > takes me back to Odili, the narrator in Achebe’s 1966 novel, Man of the > > People. Also not forgetting the many stories told about Nigerians. > > > > For a while I savor the beauty of Abuja scenery. Green everywhere. It > > must be within the rain forest. Land is expanse and untilled. I turn my > > attention to my driver Oku Moses. An affable young man perhaps in his > > early 30’s. I tell him I am from Kenya and in Abuja for the CTO > > conference. He smiles broadly and asked me what I thought of Nigeria as > > if he had read my mind. I said so far so good and immediately I divert > > his train of thought to football. I tell him Nigeria is the main > > hindrance to Kenya’s quest to get to World cup. We became friends > > instantly as he opened up to tell me more. > > > > You see that road, he says it leads to nowhere. Corruption is the only > > problem here he adds as his tone begin to sound angrier. I calm him down > > and tell him it happens all over Africa. The 50 kilometer super highway > > from the airport to Abuja is as good as it gets, actually better than > > Nairobi Thika highway. The Hotel I am headed to, is called Chelsea, > > named > > after the English league team Chelsea. Oku is a fan of Arsenal another > > English league team. He knows all the players. He asks which team I > > support and when I tell him none, he then says that is why you will never > > go to world cup. > > > > At the hotel Oku bids me farewell and hands me his card. Call me he > > says. > > I will show you the best of Nigeria. It is still hot and my room was > > steaming with heat. This three star hotel does not have a centralized AC > > but I could do with an old cranky stand-alone cooling system. As I > > cranked it up, it made more noise that I could not listen to news on TV. > > Then suddenly the lights went off – blackout!!. Outside it was raining > > heavily. I said Geez this is home but soon some generator boomed just > > outside my room to bring light. I wished they had shut it down. > > > > Dinner time I joined other colleagues, Sonia, Karin, Robert and John for > > Dinner. Me and Sonia were the vegetarians and so requested for pasta, > > the > > only vegetarian dish on the menu. Alas! when the food came there was > > chicken on pasta instead of tomato. The young waitress tells me she > > decided on chicken since there were no tomatoes. After a few exchanges > > she seems to remember something and says I can make it vegetarian. Wala! > > like magic she comes back with pasta alone. I said thank you but as I > > start to eat, I discover or rather the waitress had forgotten that the > > base was chicken and she had only removed the toppings of chicken. She > > meant well and wanted to do well but she missed the point. > > > > As I watched Nigerian channels that evening, I say to myself, Nigeria is > > Kenya and Kenya is Nigeria. We were colonized by the British. We > > attained independence at about the same time in the 1960s. We have new > > constitutions with devolved powers. Just like Kenya, Nigeria continues > > to > > experience longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although in > > Kenya’s 2008 as in Nigeria’s 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were > > marred by significant irregularities and violence, but both countries are > > experiencing relative peace interrupted by the Al-Shabab and Boka Haram > > respectively. > > > > On Nigerian TV as in Kenya politicians complain that they need more power > > to states and counties. They seem not to understand that they are the > > ones with the power to change legislation and so when they complain, the > > masses have no representation. They also need more money yet they are > > the > > ones who appropriate resources. They complain about soaring crime yet > > they are the ones who have the mandate to bring better security > > legislation. > > On the roads, motor bikes ride on the assumption that every motorist > > should watch on them. Careless and dangerous like in Kenya. If you > > admire the cleanliness of Abuja while driving, you will for sure hit one > > of them. Public places including hotels are guarded by armed policemen. > > > > In my speech at the conference I said I was glad to visit Nigeria, land > > of > > Okonkwo from Umuofia (one of a fictional group of nine villages in > > Nigeria, inhabited by the Igbo people). Only a handful of the people in > > the audience who knew that I was referring to Achebe’s 1958 novel, Things > > Fall Apart. Later Funke, a prominent Nigerian businesswoman and friend > > tells me that intellectualism died in Nigeria. There was a time in > > Nigeria prominent writers were the role model of society. These were the > > people who put our oral history on paper but we decided to chase them > > away. It is sad that Achebe had to die in foreign land alone without his > > people. I tell Funke, it is so strikingly similar to Kenya that our > > prominent writers are getting old and wasted away in foreign lands. > > > > Haruna is driving me back to the airport. He like Oku is polite but with > > much better intellect than an ordinary driver. His grasp of African > > matters is excellent. Out of the blue he tells me, you worked with > > government. I tell him yes and I quickly ask him why. No I just wanted > > to know, he says. Then he tells me that he is driving a car (VX Land > > Cruiser) that he will never afford to buy in his entire life. I note the > > ambition in him and tell him that if you know then you are capable of > > buying the car. I am not in government, he says. I tell him you do not > > need to be in government to buy the car. You see I was in government but > > I still cannot drive such a thing. He looks at me then he says, it is by > > choice on your part. I tipped him $20 and bade him farewell. He was > > stunned. > > > > I leave Nigeria with many fond memories. It was three days but enough to > > grasp the dreams of other people. Their desires. Their hopes. We are > > all the same and hopefully one day we shall change the stigma of > > corruption by improving the fortunes of our Africa. God bless Africa. > > > > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > University of Nairobi > > Business School, Lower Kabete Campus > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/emailsignet%40mailcan… > > > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform > > for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and > > development. > > > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > > bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect > > privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/murigi.muraya%40gmail… > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform > for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, > share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do > not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >

2 1

CBK TO SPLIT MOBILE FINANCIAL SERVICES FROM OPERATORS
by James Mbugua 10 Oct '13

10 Oct '13

Listers, The Business Daily is reporting that CBK will require telcos to open independent subsidiaries to handle the cash remittance function complete with a separate management structure and keeping separate books of account for the payment service division. Now this does not go as far as introducing the carrier neutral mobile money service we need but maybed hand in hand with the new rules will be a requirement to these services to "TALK" seamlessly with each other and with other payments systems and banks the way different banks transact with one another. Secondly, I think it should be a wake up call to Safaricom to OPEN M-Pesa to allow third parties to run away with new innovations with a standard API or standard protocols for interfacing with the service without having to require Safaricom's assessment of whether the service is viable or not or even taking part in profit sharing. As great a pioneering product Safaricom has brought, one thing is for sure, the Brains at Safaricom House cannot match those of the thousands of IT kids coming out of school daily and the logical thing is to let others now come up with innovations that ride off M-PESA independently. Otherwise, Kenya may be the global leader in Mobile money transfers, but if we do not allow our kids to make the next great products by opening these systems to them now, we will rue it later when the Paypal of mobile money or the Ebay of mobile money is invented and popularized in another country and we will hear of how Silicon Valley has produced yet another Billionaire riding a product we could have come up with years before. Regards James http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/CBK-seeks-mobile-firm-subsidiaries/-/539…

1 0

Fw: Declining voice revenues, Netflix in South Africa?, Cyber-Surveillance Legalised in Zimbabwe
by Matunda Nyanchama 10 Oct '13

10 Oct '13

FYI ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: ICT Africa <info(a)ictafrica.info> To: mnyanchama(a)aganoconsulting.com Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 6:25 AM Subject: Declining voice revenues, Netflix in South Africa?, Cyber-Surveillance Legalised in Zimbabwe October 9, 2013 Africa Mobile Revenues Are Declining - Operators to Focus on Data, Video Whether you are an entrepreneur looking into establishing a new ICT business in Africa or an established operator running a mobile or fixed line network, voice is no longer a recommended primary source of revenue. While Africa celebrates the rapid increase in mobile subscriptions (over 30% CAGR over the past 8 years) the average revenue per user (ARPU) is dwindling and it is no longer possible to run a viable business primarily on voice. Read more... NETFLIX in South Africa? - Lack of Video Content Slowing FTTX in Africa There is a lot of anticipation in South Africa about the possibility of consumers finally getting an alternative to the Multichoice satellite TV monopoly after it emerged that Telkom, the incumbent fixed line operator, was in negotiations for rights to stream NETLIX content. Telkom is reportedly planning to offer the NETFLIX video services as part of their VDSL services. Read more... Cyber-Surveillance Legalised in Zimbabwe A government spy program will now monitor phone calls, text, email and the details will be kept in a national database for use on demand by the state security agencies. Read more... Ban on Islamic Radio License in Zambia - Where is The Freedom of Warship? THE International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC) has commended Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) chairperson Emmanuel Mwamba for suspending issuance of radio licences to entities seeking to start broadcasting Islamic programmes. Read more... Why American Telecommunication Vendors Struggle to Win in Africa Triggered by the liberalisation of the telecommunication industry as a result of economic structural adjustment programmes, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other factors, an information and communication technology (ICT) revolution has taken shape in Africa. The realisation that ICT is an important vehicle for sustained economic development has compelled almost all African political and industry leaders to put a concerted effort into the development of ICT in Africa. Read more... FTTH Council Africa to Address Low Fibre Capacity Uptake The FTTH Council Africa Conference to be held at Maropeng, South Africa, from October 29 to 30 will address, among other things, the apparent low fibre take up rate in Africa. Apparently, this development is discouraging some investors from investing in more terrestrial fibre optic networks in Africa and perhaps leads to an erroneous notion that there is now adequate terrestrial optical fibre in Africa. We will reiterate the inadequacy of terrestrial fibre optic networks in Africa and make suggestions of some of the key issues that delegates at the FTTH Council Africa Conference should address. Read more... ICT Africa Supported ICT Events in Africa Corning Fiber Optic Workshop, Cape Town International Conference Centre, S. Africa As the fundamental passive carrier of all your network data, the optical fibre is one of the most important elements of a telecommunications network. The optical fibre you install today is expected to perform for 25 years or more. Therefore deciding which fibre to use is a highly important decision that determines the future performance of your network. The workshop will cover fundamentals of optical fiber, different types of optical fiber for different applications and some aspects of network design. FTTH Council Africa Conference, Maropeng, South Africa The Conference will cover a variety of topics aimed at the telecoms sector and policy-makers, Ministries, local, provincial and national government leaders as well Competition authorities. Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation (CTO) Forum, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, Nigeria The Forum is the constitutionally mandated 'flagship' event of the CTO which takes place every year. This year's event will offer regional and international solutions for those in Commonwealth regions sharing knowledge, lessons learnt and key information about technological advances across the Commonwealth and beyond. 'Innovation through broadband' is this year's theme on which speakers and exhibitors at the Forum will provide critical updates and insight into infrastructure, security and application challenges. Featured Jobs Director of Operations - Ghana Technology Support Executive - Nigeria Manager - Business Development - Nigeria Please visit the Job Page to search these and many other positions Don't miss any important ICT information or events in AfricaRegister for our weekly newsletter for updates Stay Connected Forward this email This email was sent to mnyanchama(a)aganoconsulting.com by info(a)ictafrica.info | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. ICT Africa| 1073 Sing Sing Road| Horseheads| NY| 14845

1 0

Safaricom Credit Disappearing
by S.M. Muraya 09 Oct '13

09 Oct '13

Hi, How does one stop Safaricom credit disappearing? Many of us have noticed it does not last even when data is disabled. Have resorted to loading 50 bob only to limit credit disappearance. Forgot and loaded 100 bob (not 50 bob) and it is already disappearing. Data is disabled. I get sms's I never subscribed to download ringtones, Have not tried downloading a ringtone since 2011 - as the mobile os is not supported -- was never reimbursed, never received responses for 3 or more failed downloads. Realized then not to trust the sms service providers on these these telcos. SOS! Murigi / Stanley Muraya *"Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city." Prov 16:32*

8 10

IFMIS Reloaded? Is this the silver bullet to corruption? Or is it just another PR exercise in futility?
by Ali Hussein 09 Oct '13

09 Oct '13

Listers There has been a lot said about IFMIS and how it's supposed to have revolutionized Government accountability and spending. There are as many detractors as there are supporters. What is the real story? Can someone in Treasury/ICTA share with us how this Government ERP has fared since its inception? See links below from the same media group that have different stories to tell about the success/failure of IFMIS http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/New-cashflow-audit-system-rolled-out-in-… http://mobile.nation.co.ke/business/Treasury-ministries-in-row-over-use-of-… It would be good to get a 'State of IFMIS' report from the Treasury. Ali Hussein +254 0770 906375 / 0713 601113 "Kujikwaa si kuanguka, bali ni kwenda mbele" (To stumble is not to fall but a sign of going forward) - Swahili Proverb Sent from my iPad

4 7