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Cloud computing - moving the country ahead
by wesley kiriinya 01 Aug '08

01 Aug '08

Good Furahi-day Gentlmen & Ladies, I believe the govenment, parastatals, related agencies and private organizations like financial institutions e.g. CMA, should consider cloud computing as a way to move Kenya ahead. Why? I will answer that briefly with some examples. 1. Any organization (e.g. NGOs) who wants to transact with govenment can link with their Web Service applications. A Web Service application is a piece of software that runs on a server. It encapsulates the business rules of an organization and it is specialized in performing a particular function. More than one Web Service application can be used to create an entire business process. Institutions have rules and services that they provide and sometimes it's not really their interest to act on those rules i.e. they can create rules meant to be followed by other institutions/organizations, these are good candidates for Web Service applications. For example the ministry of immigration can host a Web Service application that simply maintains the records of people in Kenya, and any other institution (e.g. banks) that wants access to this information knows where the official place for getting the information is. Therefore software running in the bank meant should link with the Web Service application from the immigration department to obtain people's records. This point is very summarized. I would encourage you to open your mind and think of the possibilities. One of the basic ideas here is Separation of Concerns i.e. do what you are meant to do and do it well! 2. It is independent of the platform on which the Web services/cloud computing is taking place. 3. There is great investment in the local fibre connection and in the next few years it seems network connection will be very good. 4. Business for data centers. 5. It is local content! 6. It is cheaper to build and maintain. One barrier might be whether the current software systems bought (by government) can be easily configured to work in a cloud computing environment, i.e. having the software run as web services. If these systems were done locally (apart from the obvious gains of employment, utilizing the country's knowlegable workforce, encouraging research in higher education institutions, etc) adjusting them to new technology is convinient and the client buying the software is bound to Kenyan law and not the laws of the country where the software originated. Another advantage of going local is that foreign companies that charge expensively for their software might be reluctant to adjust the software to work with technology that is cheaper for the client and in this case Web Services are probably cheaper as refactoring (changing) the software is less complex because the components are loosely coupled. This is a big topic and I should probably write a proper/formal paper on this but due to time I cannot, though if anyone manages to write one have the courtesy to credit me (if u got the idea from this email). Regards. 8~)

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Fwd: NSE @ Week 31
by Bill Kagai 01 Aug '08

01 Aug '08

MediaCorp (c) Empowering Investors** *Global Overview* MediaCorp last week finalised an agreement setting ground for establishment of MediaCorp [UG] Ltd which will now be housed on Plot3, Pan Africa House along Kimathi Avenue in Kampala. This will help us serve our Uganda Clients better and also provide Kenyan investors with better intelligence on the Uganda financial market. MediaCorp [TZ] and MediaCorp Dubai Offices will also be operational by December 2008. Dubai is increasingly becoming the *financial hub closest to Nairobi *and quickly overtaking Johannesburg's relevance more so, due to easier requirements for visa processing and larger capital base supporting the emerging new economy in East Africa. MediaCorp in collaboration with our partner in Dubai will soon be releasing new indices to gauge investment coming from Asia/Middle East into East Africa. As Africa continues to privatise national assets in line with *structural policies of the Bretton Woods institutions*, the mortgage crisis in America which has hit banks severely *prompts new thinking on how effective this strategy really is*. In an election year, the U.S. Congress approved a massive housing market rescue bill on Saturday, offering emergency financing to mortgage titans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and setting up a USD 300-billion fund to help hundreds of thousands of troubled homeowners. Though this eases but not ends the crisis, it does prove how critical Government involvement is in sensitive facets of the economy. Private finance in mortgages has simply been withdrawn, and *the bill seeks to empower Treasury/Government to buy shares into these companies should they run into trouble*. In other words, Nationalisation has gripped America through the back door and serves as a lesson to African Governments in a hurry to release national assets to private companies who will quickly fold in when signs of economic distress become visible. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac problems can easily be compared to Rift Valley Railways which is clearly on its deathbed should the Government fail to intervene. Running the port and railway as one unit could be the solution East Africa should be pursuing. Globally, stocks behaved badly. The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 1.1 percent and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX slipped 0.2 percent. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 1.2 percent. Britain's blue-chip FTSE index ended 0.2 percent lower on Friday, as banking and insurance stocks fell on a gloomy economic outlook, outweighing gains in commodities and retail sector shares. In Hong Kong and Tokyo, stocks fell by 2% though both markets reported the best weekly gains in 3 months. *Local Highlights* Nothing much to write home about in the local market. Turnover this week declined to Kshs.2.3bn from the previous week's Kshs.5.6bn. The number of shares traded stood at 228M against 231M posted the previous week. The NSE 20-share index was down 1.24% during the week to close at 4963.46 points. The NSE All share index shaved-off a total of 0.23 points during the week to stand at 105.71. *Dividends Update* BAT • 1st & Final Dividend: 4.50/= • Payment: 5-Sep-08 Olympia • Dividend: 0.20/= • Payment: 11-Aug-08 • Books closed: 23-Jul-08 Centum • 1st & Final Dividend: 0.45/= • Books close: 7-Aug-08 • Payment: 16-Oct-08 Kapchorua • 1st & Final Dividend: 0.50/= • Books close: 25-Jul-08 Williamson Tea • 1st & Final Dividend: 0.50/= • Books close: 25-Jul-08 Kenya Airways • 1st & Final Dividend: 1.75/= • Payment: 24-Oct-08 Agriculture sector traded 187,000 shares, which accounted for 0.08% of the week's traded volume. Sasini was the most heavily traded counter in this sector, with 142,000 shares changing hands at between shs.12.80 and shs.14.00. Rea-vipingo unchanged at shs.18.70 moved 41,000 shares. Commercials had 209M shares traded, which accounted for 91.95% of the week's traded volume. Safaricom Ltd was the week's biggest mover with 204M shares dealt at between shs.6.20 and shs.6.95. CMC Holdings eased fifteen cents to close the week at shs.19.85 on a volume of 2.8M shares. Financials had 9.8M shares traded and represented 4.29% of the week's volume. Equity Bank down 0.32% to shs.307.00 moved 879,000 shares despite Kshs 3 Billion in profit for H1. KCB actively moved 3.5M shares at between shs.29.50 and shs.31.00. Centum Investment down 4.81% to shs.24.75 moved 1.6M shares. Industrial sector had 8.1M shares, which accounted for 3.59% of the week's volume. KenGen moved 3M shares during the week and closed at shs.24.50. Mumias Sugar moved 3M shares at between shs.11.00 and shs.12.00. Alternative Investment Segment moved 209,000 shares, which accounted for less than 1% of the week's traded volume. Express Ltd down 0.51% to shs.19.40 sold 200,000 shares. *NSE Highlights* * * * * *18th July* *21st July* *22nd July* *23rd July* *24th July* *25th July* *Price Change * *Price Change * *Shares Traded Last Week* *Total Shares Issued* *Agricultural* *Code* *Unilever Tea* *UNLV* 45.00 45.00 45.00 0.00 0.00% - 48,875,000 *Kakuzi* *KAKZ* 34.50 40.00 39.75 35.00 35.00 0.50 1.45% 3,800 19,599,999 *Rea Vipingo* *RVPL* 18.70 19.80 19.40 18.75 18.75 18.70 0.00 0.00% 41,764 60,000,000 *Sasini* *STCL* 13.55 13.75 13.00 13.05 13.15 13.45 -0.10 -0.74% 142,150 228,055,500 * * * * *Commercial & Services* * * *Access Kenya Group* *AKGL* 34.25 35.50 35.50 32.50 34.75 33.00 -1.25 -3.65% 1,531,783 199,885,578 *Car & Gen* *CAGR* 52.50 50.00 51.00 50.50 51.00 -1.50 -2.86% 3,622 22,279,616 *CMC* *CMCH* 20.00 21.00 20.50 19.95 20.50 19.85 -0.15 -0.75% 2,854,852 582,709,440 *Hutchings Biemer* *HUBM* 20.25 20.25 0.00 0.00% - 360,000 *Kenya Airways Ltd* *KAIR* 48.50 49.00 48.50 47.75 48.75 47.50 -1.00 -2.06% 295,409 461,615,484 *Marshalls*** *MSHL* 30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00 0.00 0.00% 1,000 14,393,106 *Nation Media Group.* *NATN* 333.00 345.00 346.00 338.00 344.00 339.00 6.00 1.80% 64,589 71,305,260 *Safaricom* *SCOM* 6.20 6.30 6.90 6.45 6.95 6.35 0.15 2.42% 204,880,376 40,000,000,000 *Scangroup Ltd* *SCGP* 31.00 32.00 32.25 30.75 32.00 30.50 -0.50 -1.61% 301,324 160,000,000 *Standard Group Ltd * *STDG* 57.50 59.00 59.50 60.50 56.50 -1.00 -1.74% 12,961 73,275,029 *TPS Eastern Africa (Serena) Ltd* *TPEA* 69.00 69.00 68.50 67.50 69.50 68.50 -0.50 -0.72% 30,486 105,864,742 *Uchumi Supermarkets* *UCHM* 14.50 14.50 0.00 0.00% - 180,000,000 * * * * *Financial* * * *Barclays Bank* *BARC* 68.50 69.00 68.50 68.50 68.00 67.00 -1.50 -2.19% 442,420 1,357,884,000 *CFC Bank* *CFCB* 109.00 115.00 115.00 110.00 111.00 108.00 -1.00 -0.92% 32,599 273,684,211 *Diamond Trust* *DTBK* 94.50 95.00 95.00 94.00 95.00 94.50 0.00 0.00% 99,084 163,037,108 *Equity Bank Ltd* *EQTY* 308.00 306.00 307.00 302.00 307.00 307.00 -1.00 -0.32% 879,717 362,209,905 *Housing Finance* *HFCK* 30.00 32.25 30.50 28.75 28.50 28.75 -1.25 -4.17% 1,274,218 115,000,000 *Centum Limited* *CENT* 26.00 26.50 26.75 25.00 26.00 24.75 -1.25 -4.81% 1,642,000 549,951,880 *Jubilee Holdings Ltd* *JBLH* 181.00 185.00 185.00 177.00 185.00 179.00 -2.00 -1.10% 26,250 45,000,000 *KCB* *KCBL* 30.50 30.25 30.00 30.00 31.00 30.00 -0.50 -1.64% 3,524,598 *Kenya** Re* *KERE* 15.95 16.25 16.00 15.70 16.00 15.75 -0.20 -1.25% 1,239,485 600,000,000 *National Bank* *NBKL* 65.00 61.00 60.50 63.00 61.50 63.50 -1.50 -2.31% 398,706 200,000,000 *National Industrial Credit* *NICB* 58.00 58.50 58.00 56.00 57.50 56.00 -2.00 -3.45% 188,523 296,692,383 *Pan Africa Insurance Holdings Ltd* *PAIH* 73.00 70.00 70.00 70.00 70.00 -3.00 -4.11% 6,200 48,000,000 *Standard Chartered Bank* *SCBL* 202.00 204.00 205.00 200.00 208.00 201.00 -1.00 -0.50% 46,204 271,967,810 * * * * *Industrial & Allied* * * *Athi River Mining Ltd* *ARML* 113.00 105.00 106.00 112.00 108.00 112.00 -1.00 -0.88% 62,801 94,000,000 *BOC (K)* *BOCK* 160.00 160.00 0.00 0.00% - 19,525,446 *Bamburi* *BMBR* 195.00 195.00 192.00 192.00 192.00 190.00 -5.00 -2.56% 5,570 362,959,275 *British American Tobacco* *BATK* 158.00 164.00 161.00 160.00 161.00 159.00 1.00 0.63% 15,087 100,000,000 *Carbacid* *CARB* 137.00 137.00 0.00 0.00% - 11,326,755 *Crown Berger * *CRBG* 38.75 40.00 39.25 38.00 38.75 38.00 -0.75 -1.94% 31,400 23,727,000 *E.A.Cables* *EACL* 38.75 40.25 40.00 38.25 39.50 37.00 -1.75 -4.52% 172,983 202,500,000 *E.A.Portland* *EAPC* 115.00 110.00 108.00 -7.00 -6.09% 400 90,000,000 *E.A.Breweries* *EABL* 194.00 191.00 192.00 194.00 197.00 194.00 0.00 0.00% 393,464 790,774,356 *Eveready East Africa Ltd* *EEAL* 5.10 5.50 5.75 5.10 5.50 5.40 0.30 5.88% 199,650 210,000,000 *Kenol* *KOCL* 90.00 92.50 90.50 89.50 92.50 91.00 1.00 1.11% 670,257 147,176,120 *K.Pow.& L.* *KPLC* 203.00 206.00 201.00 198.00 201.00 191.00 -12.00 -5.91% 142,410 79,128,000 *KenGen* *KEGN* 24.00 23.50 23.25 23.50 23.25 24.50 0.50 2.08% 3,013,895 2,198,361,456 *Mumias* *MSCL* 11.65 12.15 11.95 11.65 11.55 11.20 -0.45 -3.86% 3,004,576 1,530,000,000 *Olympia** Capital Holdings* *OCHL* 15.20 15.20 15.35 14.95 15.10 14.55 -0.65 -4.28% 71,780 40,000,000 *Sameer Africa Ltd* *SAMR* 9.00 9.60 9.50 8.95 9.50 9.10 0.10 1.11% 218,859 278,342,393 *Total* *TOTL* 32.50 30.25 30.00 32.00 29.75 31.75 -0.75 -2.31% 149,600 175,064,706 *Unga* *UNGA* 12.60 13.45 12.65 12.60 12.75 12.45 -0.15 -1.19% 45,354 63,090,728 * * * * *Alternative Investment Market Sector (AIMS)* *A.Baumann* *ABCL* 11.10 11.10 0.00 0.00% - 3,840,066 *City Trust * *CITL* 135.00 148.00 150.00 133.00 -2.00 -1.48% 2,200 5,207,558 *Eaagads* *EAGD* 37.00 35.00 -2.00 -5.41% 4,800 8,039,250 *Express * *EXPK* 19.50 19.55 19.05 19.40 19.40 19.40 -0.10 -0.51% 200,306 35,403,790 *Williamson Tea* *WTKL* 73.00 73.00 73.00 75.00 2.00 2.74% 2,000 8,756,320 *Kapchorua* *KTCL* 75.00 78.00 80.00 78.00 75.00 0.00 0.00% - 3,912,000 *K.Orchads* *KEOL* 3.00 3.00 0.00 0.00% - 12,868,124 *Limuru Tea* *LTCL* 338.00 338.00 0.00 0.00% - 600,000 * * Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue P. O. Box 20311 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete S - 1°17'13.8" E - 36°48'22.7" --- www.mediacorp.co.ke

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cocktail @6pm KICC
by Rebecca Wanjiku 31 Jul '08

31 Jul '08

The cocktail starts at 6pm, Ndemo, Njoroge (new DG), and Waweru (former DG) will be present Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Live session update
by Rebecca Wanjiku 31 Jul '08

31 Jul '08

the sessions are going on very well..... there are 60 people following on the liveblog @ beckyit.blogspot.com Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Material available online
by Rebecca Wanjiku 31 Jul '08

31 Jul '08

Just to let you know that all the presentations tomorrow will be uploaded to the website www.kictanet.or.ke after the forum Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Liveblog session
by Rebecca Wanjiku 31 Jul '08

31 Jul '08

I am attempting to do a liveblog session..... check it out on beckyit.blogspot.com Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Tomorrow's National ICT Stakeholders final program
by Rebecca Wanjiku 30 Jul '08

30 Jul '08

National ICT Stakeholders meeting to be held on 31st July 2008 at Kenya International Conference Centre – Tsavo B all Room 8:00 – 8:30 Registration 8.30 – 9:00 KICTANet – Introduction PS - Bitange Ndemo DG – Charles Njoroge 9:00- 9:30 TESPOK KENIC Skunk works Kenya ICT Board 9:30 – 9:45 Q&A 10- 10:30 Kenya Telecommunications Operators Form ICAK – ICT Consumer Association of Kenya Kenya Private Sector Alliance 10:30- 10:45 Q&A 10:45-11:00 Tea Break 11:00- 11:30 Kenya BPO & Contact Centre Kenya ICT Federation Linux Chix Kenya Software Industry Association (KSIA) 11:30- 11:45 Q & A 11:45 -12:30 ISACA - Information System Audit and Control Association E- Government NSCT Media Council 12:30 – 12:45 Centre for Corporate Governance 12:45 – 1:00 Q&A 1:00 – 2:00 Lunch 2:00 – 2:30 Computer Society of Kenya 2:30 – 3:00 Linux Professional Association Business Incubator Association of Kenya 3:00 – 3: 15 Q & A 3:00 – 3:45 Grant s Management – Githongo & Association 3:45 – 4:00 Q & A 4:00 – 4:30 EACIT4D Media Owners Vision 2030 4:30 – 5:30 Open mic 6:00 Cocktail COCKTAIL PARTY PROGRAM Overall MC – Bill Kagai 6:00 - 6: 15 Introduction 6:15 – 6:30 Eng. Waweru DG – CCK - Njoroge P.S Ndemo Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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[Fwd: NATINAL BUSINESS AGENDA, NBA ISSUES]
by alice 30 Jul '08

30 Jul '08

Dear All, Kindly review the attached National Business Agenda, NBA draft in your respective sector and give us more input in order be included in the final NBA document to be presented in the Prime Ministers Round table meeting soon. We will appreciate, when we get the input at the soonest time. Best Regards, Anthony Wanjohi Weru, Kenya Private Sector Alliance, KEPSA Mamlaka Rd,Shelter Afrique Bldg, 2nd Flr, P. O. Box 3556-00100 - Nairobi Tel: 254-020-2730371/2 Fax: 254-020-2730374 Cell: 0735999979 / 0720340949 Personal: 0720 972782 Website: www.kepsa.or.ke

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National Stakeholders Forum, Thursday July 31st
by Rebecca Wanjiku 30 Jul '08

30 Jul '08

Re: National Stakeholders Forum July 31st 2008 at the KICC The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) and the Kenya ICT Board wish to invite you to the national ICT stakeholders’ forum to be held on July 31st at the KICC from 8.00 am-5.30 pm. The forum will bring together the ICT industry stakeholders- software developers, industry experts, consumer organizations, government agencies, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) among others. All major associations will be given a chance to present about their organizations, their formation, and activities. The forum will also address corporate governance issues as well ways of creating synergy between the various players and the government. Bitange Ndemo, Permanent Secretary in the ministry of information and communication will open the meeting. The new Director-General of CCK, Mr. Charles Njoroge will also grace the occasion and interact with participants. Kindly confirm participation with Evelyne at Evelyne(a)kictanet.or.ke or 0204453671, 0204453672, 0728111018, 0737550003. Yours faithfully, Brian Munyao Longwe Chairman, KICTANet Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Perceptions about Africa
by Brian Munyao Longwe 30 Jul '08

30 Jul '08

So here we are, working very hard to build knowledge societies, knowledge economies and bring 'e' into as many areas as possible. Achieving the highest levels of mobile growth than any other continent in the world. Providing the highest returns on any kind of investment into any sector than any other continent in the world. But here is how we are percieved: http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/kevin-myers/africa-is- giving-no thing-to-anyone--apart-from-aids-1430428.html What can we do about this? Troubled, Brian

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