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Re: [kictanet] Freedom of Information laws and records management/ e- discussion continued
by Ali Hussein 20 Apr '17

20 Apr '17

Henry Must have given Google a headache to fish out that old email from Dr. Ndemo, of October 19th, 2011. :-) I see what you did there.. :-) To your point, that discussion is a relevant today as it was 6 years ago. To Ndemo's point on cultural re-orientation. The point he was making is best used to re-orient government. Citizens are evolving with the use of information and data. This issue of Army worms started making headlines weeks ago in Southern and Central Africa. What made us think we were immune as a country? *Ali Hussein* *Principal* *Hussein & Associates* Tel: +254 713 601113 Twitter: @AliHKassim Skype: abu-jomo LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim> 13th Floor , Delta Towers, Oracle Wing, Chiromo Road, Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya. Any information of a personal nature expressed in this email are purely mine and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the organizations that I work with. On Thu, Apr 20, 2017 at 1:31 PM, henry--- via kictanet < kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote: > Dear All, > > The demand side for information is clear but it continues to be frustrated > by the bureaucracy. For instance, we have the Fall Army Worm attacks in a > number of counties in the country. Farmers sought information on what could > be done to mitigate and the type of seeds, pesticides to use and at what > frequency? > > The government remained talking of settling aside 300million and hiring > NYS to help. How then can we have farmers ask other questions if the > information given is irrelevant and if not incomplete and delayed. > > I ended speaking to agronomists and proposed a set of pesticides by an NGO > Acre Fund long before bureacrats in Govt run an advert a week ago. > > Kind regards > > Henry > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > To: henry(a)article19.org > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 4:17:22 AM > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Freedom of Information laws and records > management/ e- discussion continued > > Grace, > I am sort of disappointed with the discussion on FOI. We are delving much > into theoretical assumptions. The whole issue of FOI has not built demand > for the information into the kind of model we are discussing. Let us not > allow foreigners dictate why we need information to be available to our > citizens. > > What needs to be done is more of cultural reorientation to make our people > use information. We rarely make informed decisions. I mean use of > science to make decisions. Poverty keeps on going up yet science tells us > our productivity has dropped to the extent those we call farmers cannot > make ends meet. Whereas we need qualified people in work place we do not > require qualification for farmers. We now have novice farmers as wen > grapple with food insecurity. If we cannot use available information on > how we can be food secure, what more information you need that would > change our lives? > > For as long as we have lived on earth no Kenyan community has information > on their own recipes. The assumptions is that if you want Ugali you just > get to know how to cook it. There are more than fifteen Ugali recipes and > none is documented. There are more than 100 Githeri recipes and none is > documented to create rich information that application developers can > proudly create apps. Until we move from our oral culture, information > will be confined to storage places where it will occasionally be used. > > We are also confusing information and data. The Government can release > data and unless someone converts it into information, it will never > translate to your theoretical assumptions. We generally want to listen to > someone tells us what information is available. You recall some > communities did not read the constitution since the leaders had read it. > I had difficulty explaining some sections of the constitution even though > we all had the document. > > FOI will pass as has been many legislations that were key. We have fought > for these legislations but after they are passed nothing happens. We > wanted the ICT policy but many of it's advocates have not gone out there > to tell Kenyans how to benefit from it. This certainly will happen the > same way to FOI. We are rebels without a cause. I have met dozens of > women groups and taken them through our census report highlighting the > glaring disparities between men and women but in spite the fact that they > promise to do something, none has ever done anything even bringing the > issue up for debate. > > We must aim to change our culture. We must make our people to demand to > know what information they require in order to change from where they are > to a desired future. We must build institutional frameworks to move date > into information. As we debate, let us put a side theories from textbooks > and begin from the end. Ask questions such as what formats are we to get > the information? Who will set the standards for information? How will the > poor benefit from the information? How will the information be > disseminated? > > Picture our problems and create the vision on how information can be used > to bring better life for our people. Work the food security issue I > mentioned backwards. We have mapped our soils in the country and the > result is available on the open data yet you see farmers growing crops > that will never give them the desired productivity. For example, in > Ukambani, farmers can grow cassava or water Mellon which will give them > more money to buy maize from the north rift instead of them growing the > maize that would impoverish them. How can we effectively communicate > this. > > We must create language institutes for every ethnic group in Kenya. > Language is dynamic yet we have not kept pace with technological > advancement with our languages. This is why we fail to communicate. > There is no African language that has a translation of break-even point or > productivity yet these two words determine whether you will be poor or > not. Information is information if the medium of communication is > understood by all. We all need FOI but we have a lot to do if it is to > making meaning in our lives. > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > > > > > Harry, thanks for those probing questions that have kept this discussion > > going and continue to raise more questions. As a result, our attention > > has been drawn to a very important document. Kudos to Kerubo for the > > responses. > > > > Rosemary, the Africa Platform on Access to Information Declaration is a > > great document. It is comprehensive and we appreciate your bringing it to > > our attention. It will contribute to the review of the IRMT/IDRC study on > > aligning records management with ICT, e-goverment and freedom of > > information, which has been the basis of this e-discussion. > > > > In your contribution, you point out that access to information cannot > > succeed unless government takes initiative to develop legislation and > > ensure its implementation. Harry felt that the State must at all costs > > avail information. The question to listers is: > > > > What demands would Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation place on > > government? > > > > > > Henry, you have unpackaged the Right to Information (RTI) concept in a > > very practical and relevant manner. The local example using Mavoko is on > > spot. I know listers will take you up on your offer to seek more > > information on the topic. > > > > You point out the need to have information in retrievable formats and > > proactively making as much of such information public. Also, that public > > servants/officers have a duty to assist citizens who may not know where > to > > find information they may need. > > > > What strategies could be developed to synchronize Freedom of Information > > and records management initiatives? > > > > And finally to Harry: did you find out what the citizens' responsibility > > would be in all this? > > > > A great day to all of you listers. Lets hear your views. > > > > Rgds > > Grace > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > ----------------------- > > If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life > > is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go > > forth and rule the World! > > > > > > > > > > > > From: harry(a)comtelsys.co.ke > > Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:58:44 +0300 > > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Freedom of Information laws/ e- discussion > > continued > > CC: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To: ggithaiga(a)hotmail.com > > > > > > > > > > Many thanks Kurubo/Grace, > > > > I suppose then, in light of the foregoing, State must at all costs avail > > "information" under it's possession. > > > > Citing the "Freedom of information" clause within this context however, > > makes it imperative for State to > > do so within universally adopted benchmarks. But within the same > context, > > what is the citizen's > > responsibility? > > > > I could check this out. But does the clause in the same vein confer a > > mandatory responsibility upon the > > citizen to ensure their exercise of this "Right to access" does not go to > > waste, or does he/she have the > > freedom to exercise this right/liberty liberally. > > > > One can argue that for instance, a mother who fails to vaccinate her > > child against polio, because of "failure" > > to access information as opposed to "lack" of access to information > should > > be held responsible. Is this > > enforceable in law..? How? > > > > Lastly but not least, State has only a tiny custody of information > > consumable by the public. I dare say that > > a lot of information/knowledge sought after by information consumers fall > > well outside the State domain. > > > > How do we police those outside, who hoard information desperately needed > > by consumers...? And what > > of those who deliberately avail misleading information/knowledge, > > including state..? > > > > Harry > > > > > > > > ______________________________ > _________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > http://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. > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ > mailman/options/kictanet/henry%40article19.org > > 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 > Twitter: http://twitter.com/kictanet > Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KICTANet/ > > Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ > mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.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. >

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Fwd:Defamatory Blog Publication by Moses Kuria & Demand For Apology
by Grace Mutung'u (Bomu) 20 Apr '17

20 Apr '17

Dear all, the suit between Muite & Others versus Moses Kuria, which I understand is proceeding to court, should be a very interesting one to watch. Hopefully it shall give some insights on content control vs freedom of expression. See below. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ngunjiri <ngunjiri(a)kikuyusforchange.com> Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:05:07 +0300 Subject: {K4c} Defamatory Blog Publication by Moses Kuria & Demand For Apology To: KC4 <kikuyusforchange(a)googlegroups.com> This will most probably interest some of us, and help all of us be careful about what we write on our blogs. --- Ngunjiri [image: Issa & Co Advocates] Our Ref: M/058/001/L**** **** Tuesday, October 4, 2011**** **** Moses Kuria**** P. O. Box 1838-00200 ‘*Advance copy by email*’**** *NAIROBI***** **** Dear Sir,**** **** *RE: DEFAMATORY PUBLICATION ***** ------------------------------ We have been instructed by our clients, Wambugu Ngunjiri, Paul Muite, Ndung’u Wainaina, Maina Kiai and Hassan Omar.**** **** Our instructions are that you published in your widely read blog the following words of and concerning our clients.**** **** *‘I have said Ocampo has no case. All he has are fake witnesses coached by Hassan Omar, Wambugu Ngunjiri, Paul Muite, Ndungu Wainaina, Njonjo Mue and Maina Kiai.’***** **** Your insinuations are unfounded and baseless and our clients’ professional respective standings, characters and reputations have been severely tarnished by your publication.**** **** Our instructions are to demand a retraction, an apology and an admission of liability on your part for the publication of the defamatory words. This we hereby do. We shall address the issue of the damages payable to our clients upon receipt of your apology and admission.**** **** *NOTE* that if you do not publish an apology and retraction on your blog within the next *Seven (7) Days* of the receipt of this letter we shall proceed to the law for redress at your risk as to costs. **** **** Yours faithfully,**** *ISSA & COMPANY ADVOCATES***** **** **** *MANSUR M. ISSA***** **** cc. Clients**** **** *Issa & Co Advocates* <info(a)issadvocates.co.ke>**** ------------------------------ 5th Floor, City House, Wabera Street P.O. Box *24210 - 00100*, Nairobi, Kenya *ph*: *+ 254 20 340 150 · * *fx*: *+ 254 20 340 151* *em*: *info(a)issadvocates.co.ke · ***** ------------------------------ *CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:* This email and any attachments may contain information that is confidential, legally privileged and protected by law. Access by the intended recipient is authorized. Any liability (in negligence or otherwise) arising from any third party acting, or refraining from acting, or any information contained in this email is hereby excluded. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediatelyand do not disclose the contents to any other person, use it for any purpose or store or copy the information in any medium.**** -- --- Fear makes men act even against their own interests- changing them from men of reason to blubbering fools. -- Grace L.N. Mutung'u (Bomu) Kenya Skype: gracebomu Twitter: GraceMutung'u (Bomu)

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Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] Recordings of the webinar on April 19, 2017
by Bob Omondi 20 Apr '17

20 Apr '17

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Yaovi Atohoun <yaovi.atohoun(a)icann.org> Date: Wed, Apr 19, 2017 at 7:16 PM Subject: [AfrICANN-discuss] Recordings of the webinar on April 19, 2017 To: AfrICANN Community List <africann(a)afrinic.net> ENGLISH: The presentation from SACF, the Adobe Connect Chat Room discussions and URL for recording are available at https://goo.gl/WtU2cC . Please do not forget to post your comment to the Public Comments area on ICANN website https://www.icann.org/public-comments/africa-dns-market- study-2017-03-11-en FRANCAIS: La Présentation de SACF, les discussions dans Adobe Connect ainsi que le lien pour re-ecouter la présentation sont disponibles à https://goo.gl/WtU2cC . N’oubliez pas d’envoyer vos commentaires sur la page des Commentaires publics sur le site de l’ICANN https://www.icann.org/public-comments/africa-dns-market-study-2017-03-11-en Thanks/Merci -- Yaovi Atohoun Stakeholder Engagement & Operations Manager – Africa Tel. +229 66015649 <+229%2066%2001%2056%2049>/ 97891228 / 65209067 www.icann.org _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/africann

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Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] reminder: 27 April 1500 UTC: Quarterly Stakeholder Call for FY17 Q3
by Bob Omondi 20 Apr '17

20 Apr '17

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Yaovi Atohoun <yaovi.atohoun(a)icann.org> Date: 2017-04-20 6:31 GMT+02:00 Subject: [AfrICANN-discuss] reminder: 27 April 1500 UTC: Quarterly Stakeholder Call for FY17 Q3 To: AfrICANN Community List <africann(a)afrinic.net> Hello everyone, this is just a reminder Bonjour à tous ; ceci est un rappel FRANCAIS: Cliquez ici <http://survey.clicktools.com/app/survey/go.jsp?iv=2lpync344lnf7> pour participer à cet appel du 27 avril et recevoir des instructions pour vous connecter à la salle de réunion virtuelle. Si vous ne parvenez pas à accéder au formulaire, merci de nous envoyer un courriel <icann.communications(a)icann.org> à icann.communications(a)icann.org avec votre nom et une adresse de courrier électronique pour vous inscrire. Plus d’information à l’adresse : https://www.icann.org/news/ announcement-2017-04-13-fr ENGLISH: Please click here <http://survey.clicktools.com/app/survey/go.jsp?iv=2lpync344lnf7> to register for the call and receive instructions on how to join. If you are unable to access the form, please email us <icann.communications(a)icann.org> your full name and an email address to be registered. More information at https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2017-04-12-en Thanks/Merci -- Yaovi Atohoun Stakeholder Engagement & Operations Manager – Africa Tel. +229 66015649 <+229%2066%2001%2056%2049>/ 97891228 / 65209067 www.icann.org _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/africann

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Mobile money access: Rosy numbers that do not quite add up
by Nanjira Sambuli 20 Apr '17

20 Apr '17

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/markets/news/Mobile-money-access--Rosy-n… Regards, Nanjira. Sent on the move.

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webinar on the draft report of the Africa DNS Market Study: Wednesday April 19, 2017 from 15:00 to 16:00 UTC
by Bob Omondi 19 Apr '17

19 Apr '17

Dear colleagues, On behalf of our team, we would like to inform you that a webinar for our community on the draft report of the Africa DNS Market Study is scheduled for Wednesday April 19, 2017 from 15:00 to 16:00 UTC. Please join this webinar using one of the following options: 1) OPTION I: ADOBE CONNECT at participate.icann.org/gse-afr . The default language in the Adobe Connect room is English. If you need audio in French, you can also dial-in (see option II). 2) OPTION II (audio only): Please dial into the Adigo Conference Center, using the ICANN Adigo International Dial-in Numbers: http://adigo.com/icann/ Once you reach the conference center, you have to enter the conference ID for the language channel you wish to join. Our Adigo language IDs will be as follows: English: 9001 French: 9002 Regards Bob.

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African governments that shut down the internet could lose it
by Walubengo J 19 Apr '17

19 Apr '17

In an unprecedented policy suggestion, some members of the AFRINIC community have proposed denying internet to African governments that shut it down in their respective countries.>>>more belowWALUBENGO: African governments that shut down the internet could | | | | | | | | | | | WALUBENGO: African governments that shut down the internet could On Kenya the jury is still out, but the government is giving mixed signals. | | | | walu.

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ANTI-SHUTDOWN-01 Policy
by Andrew Alston 18 Apr '17

18 Apr '17

Hi All, I've been looking through the archives from earlier this month and reading the discussions around the policy proposal that went into AfriNIC, and figured I'd add some more information and some clarifications. My apologies that this is coming a few days after the discussions initially occurred on this list - there was a problem with my list subscription. So firstly - let's talk a bit about the motivations behind this policy proposal. As many of you will be aware, there was a report out that showed $2.4 billion dollars in economic losses due to internet shutdowns in 2016 - this number is ever increasing and its hurting both the industry and those associated with the industry. Since 1995 when the first shutdown was recorded, the number of shutdowns being seen per year is ever increasing, each with its own cost. Interestingly, one of the most expensive shutdowns is judged to have been the shutdown in Morocco, which is estimated to have cost a whopping $355 million. In addition to this, there is the ongoing shutdown in Cameroon, now in its 91st day I believe and the statements issued by various organisations seem to have little effect. This got us thinking, if the statements from the various internet bodies are not having an effect, perhaps it's time for more drastic action. Now, to fully understand the approach taken, its necessary to go into how the policy development process works within AfriNIC. Firstly - anyone is free to propose policy within AfriNIC - this is then submitted and debated on the AfriNIC mailing lists and finally on the floor at a policy meeting (The next meeting is end of May in Nairobi at the Boma hotel). If the policy reaches consensus it will then go into a last call phase, and if it gets through that it then gets ratified and implemented. Now, this matters - because it means that any policy proposed is subject to modification based on the communities feelings and thoughts - and this played heavily into the authors thoughts when we wrote this - we knew full well that what we were proposing wasn't potentially perfect - it's the start of an idea - and yes - it takes strong action, but the key here is that what triggers that action and the actions we take are now up for debate so that we can come to an ideal solution. Secondly, as I have stated on the policy lists - we are already considering some modifications as suggested - including but not limited to: exempting academia in the cases where academia is directly controlled by state and tightening the targeting of the proposal to aim at the executive branches if possible. Obviously we have absolutely no desire to impact the general population, and the purpose of this policy is to apply pressure to stop the shutdowns -no create further problems for the general population of the countries affected. We also realize that this policy pushes the boundaries of what an organisation like AfriNIC normally is involved in, and asks the question about if an RIR should be involved in what is essentially a political matter. To answer this, we have to look at the AfriNIC mandate as stated in section 3.4 of the bylaws. We believe that section 3.4.(v) when combined with section 3.4.(ix) of those bylaws does actually allow AfriNIC to implement a policy like this within its mandate. The critical point here however is that we get more discussion, both to fine tune the policy to reach consensus within the wider African community and also to continue to shine a spotlight on the issue. The mere existence of this policy and the heavy debate around it may in and of itself encourage governments to think twice about what they are looking at when they attempt to turn off the Internet. So, I'd welcome further questions as I'm sure the other co-authors would, but I'd also encourage everyone to get on the AfriNIC policy mailing lists and get involved in the discussions - as well as to attend the policy meeting at the end of May in Nairobi so that we can have a robust and productive debate on the issue on the floor. I hope this clarifies some things and I welcome further discussions. Thanks Andrew

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When the Web Becomes a Whitelist | Digital - AdAge
by Ali Hussein 18 Apr '17

18 Apr '17

Listers The era of fake news, terrorism and other 'offensive' content is changing the face of the Internet. The ad-supported world wide web is abruptly in danger of shrinking from a sprawling, inventive and untamed territory to a set of safe spaces for advertisers, possibly changing the character of the internet in the process. Read on:- http://adage.com/article/print-edition/web-a-whitelist/308667/?utm_source=d… Ali Hussein Principal Hussein & Associates +254 0713 601113 Twitter: @AliHKassim Skype: abu-jomo LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit." ~ Aristotle Sent from my iPad

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The Future of Telecommuting
by Mildred Achoch 16 Apr '17

16 Apr '17

Hi Listers, Some food for thought: 1. "a new economic axis which separates industries, much like "blue-collar" and "white-collar" did in the early 20th century; location-dependent (LD) and location-independent (LI) jobs" 2. "Some jobs may even split up. Consider elementary and secondary education : teaching is really a fusion of two jobs, teaching and childcare...the separation of these jobs into two different things is already being pioneered by home-schooling co-ops." 3. Offshoring: simply a percusor to automation. A long but informative post on the future of telecommuting: https://medium.com/@yonatanzunger/the-future-of-telecommuting-4d019770d3e7 -- Check out the Rock 'n' roll film festival, Kenya TV Channel! http://kenyarockfilmfestivaljournal.blogspot.com

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