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Getting inclusive healthcare right
by Mbugua Njihia 03 Dec '15

03 Dec '15

Linda Jamii "flopped" will M-Tiba and CarePay work? - http://www.mbuguanjihia.com/business/getting-inclusive-healthcare-right.html ᐧ

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Re: [kictanet] [isoc_ke] The pitfalls of Innovation moving faster than Regulation - The case of Safaricom and Lipisha (Mwendwa Kivuva)
by Matunda Nyanchama 03 Dec '15

03 Dec '15

Friends This is a good discussion. I read somewhere about the emergence of Toyota and its global dominance. Back in time, American auto companies (then the world's largest) failed to embrace ideas proposed by the founder of Toyota (I believe Toyoda is the name). He went ahead to do exactly what had found resistance in North America and the rest is history. ... It took these auto companies close to 20 years to even measure to the quality standards of the 'new comer' in their space. ... there is a similar story to be told of IBM (in reference to Microsoft, Apple, etc.) or Western Union (in reference to Bell companies) ... If I were Safaricom, I would seriously consider acquiring those companies with innovative solutions as a way of staying ahead; with its deep pockets and influence in the market, you can bet the company can lead the way if it desires so. ... smothering and suffocating others can only come to bite later on as innovation would always find its way into the market. my 2 cents worth.

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Fully Funded: 2016 TechWomen Emerging Leaders Programme For Women In Technology to Study in the USA (Fully Funded)
by WANGARI KABIRU 03 Dec '15

03 Dec '15

https://www.techwomen.org/participants/eligibility-and-applicationApplicati… Deadline: February 1st 2016 Please blow over to all the TechWomen in your network,thank you! All the best TechWomen! Have a blessed day. Regards/Wangari --- Pray God Bless. 2013Wangari circa - "Being of the Light, We are Restored Through Faith in Mind, Body and Spirit; We Manifest The Kingdom of God on Earth". What is TechWomen? TechWomen empowers, connects, and supports the next generation of women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East by providing them the access and opportunity needed to advance their careers, pursue their dreams, and inspire women and girls in their communities.Through mentorship and exchange, TechWomen strengthens participants’ professional capacity, increases mutual understanding between key networks of professionals, and expands girls’ interest in STEM careers by exposing them to female role models. Eligibility and Application The application for the 2016 TechWomen program is now open through February 1, 2016. Apply Now Selection Process TechWomen participants are selected based on the eligibility requirements below. Applications are reviewed by independent selection committees composed of industry leaders and regional experts. Semifinalists may be interviewed by United States Embassy personnel in their country of permanent residence. 2016 TechWomen Eligibility Requirements Applicants must - Be women with, at minimum, two years full-time professional experience in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) - Have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree/four year university degree or equivalent - Be proficient in written and spoken English - Be citizens and permanent residents of Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Zimbabwe at the time of application, and while participating in the program - Be eligible to obtain a U.S. J-1 exchange visitor visa - Not have applied for an immigrant visa to the United States, or participated in a visa lottery in the past five years - Not hold U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. legal permanent resident Preference will be given to applicants who - Demonstrate themselves as emerging leaders in their chosen professional track through their work experience, volunteer experience, community activities, and education - Are committed to return to their home countries to share what they have learned and mentor women and girls - Have limited or no prior experience in the United States - Have a proven record of voluntary or public service in their communities - Have a demonstrated track record of entrepreneurialism and commitment to innovation - Demonstrate a willingness to participate in exchange programs, welcome opportunities for mentoring and new partnership development, and exhibit confidence and maturity TechWomen encourages people with diverse backgrounds and skills to apply, including individuals with disabilities.Women committed to addressing concerns of global climate change and environmental issues are particularly encouraged to apply. Selection Timeline Semifinalists will be contacted via email in/around April 2016. Final decisions will be made in May 2016. All applicants will be notified of the results of their application.Apply Now

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20th Annual Kenya ICT Excellence Awards Gala
by waudo siganga 03 Dec '15

03 Dec '15

Dear All, Just for information, the best performing ICT Companies this year will be feted tonight at the Laico Regency Hotel starting at 7.00 p.m. There are still a few seats for colleagues interested in attending, call Philip Malinda on 0727322854 by 2 p.m. There are no tickets available at the door. The chief Guest is Hon. Dan Kazungu in his capacity as member of the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Energy and ICT. Kind Regards, Waudo

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Kenya’s tech sector optimistic on new Cabinet pick
by Grace Githaiga 02 Dec '15

02 Dec '15

When the President announced his revamped government line-up, now dubbed Government 2.0, many within the ICT sector were happy to see Joe Mucheru and Victor Kyalo rise to the top.Sammy Itemere was also nominated Principal Secretary, though information on his background is not widely available within the sector. ..."Will they surround themselves with sycophants who cannot dare criticise them or will they be open to accommodating opposing views that may sound harsh or uncomfortable, but eventually add value?" http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/blogs/dot9/walubengo/tech-sector-Cabinet-Kenya…

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Fwd: [Internet Policy] FYI - Post on "Where is WSIS heading post-2015?" and new WSIS+10 comments matrix
by Barrack Otieno 02 Dec '15

02 Dec '15

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dan York <york(a)isoc.org> Date: Tue, Dec 1, 2015 at 10:00 PM Subject: [Internet Policy] FYI - Post on "Where is WSIS heading post-2015?" and new WSIS+10 comments matrix To: Internet Policy External <internetpolicy(a)elists.isoc.org> Internet policy subscribers, Today we published a post from Constance with a view on where WSIS is heading post-2015: https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/public-policy/2015/12/where-wsis-headi… She talks a bit about what happened in New York last week but more on what she sees in the time ahead. She also mentions a new matrix we published that compiles in one place all the comments from the 34 organizations, governments and other entities that submitted comments on the 4 November 2015 WSIS+10 draft outcomes document: https://www.internetsociety.org/doc/wsis10-matrix-comments-4-nov-2015-draft… That matrix is available for all of you to use and has also been added to our overall https://www.internetsociety.org/wsis/matrix page. Regards, Dan P.S. For those of you who share posts on social networks, here are some relevant links: https://twitter.com/internetsociety/status/671763896324087808 https://twitter.com/ISOCPolicy/status/671763897003577345 https://www.facebook.com/InternetSociety/posts/10153038087518239 https://plus.google.com/+InternetSociety/posts/cb3KJaGSvWG https://www.reddit.com/r/internetgovernance/comments/3v16gc/where_is_wsis_h… https://www.linkedin.com/company/internet-society/comments?topic=6077529016… -- Dan York Senior Content Strategist, Internet Society york(a)isoc.org +1-802-735-1624 Jabber: york(a)jabber.isoc.org Skype: danyork http://twitter.com/danyork http://www.internetsociety.org/ _______________________________________________ To manage your ISOC subscriptions or unsubscribe, please log into the ISOC Member Portal: https://portal.isoc.org/ Then choose Interests & Subscriptions from the My Account menu. -- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/ <https://www.avast.com/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-em…> This email has been sent from a virus-free computer protected by Avast. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-em…> <#DDB4FAA8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

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New Cabinet
by waudo siganga 02 Dec '15

02 Dec '15

Congratulations to Joe Mucheru!

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Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] Fwd: [ALAC-Announce] ICANN News Alert -- Request for Proposal: Study About the Domain Name System (DNS) Industry and Business in Africa
by Bob Omondi 01 Dec '15

01 Dec '15

FYI... [image: ICANN] <http://www.icann.org/> News Alert https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2015-11-30-en ------------------------------ Request for Proposal: Study About the Domain Name System (DNS) Industry and Business in Africa 30 November 2015 The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is seeking a provider to conduct a study on the domain name industry in Africa. The goal of this study is to identify and define the strengths and weaknesses in the industry ecosystem within the region and develop recommendations on how to advance the industry and bring it closer to the opportunities available. The ICANN's Africa Strategic Plan, reviewed in 2014, defined four key areas of interest as strategic focus for the region. Two of those, namely Capacity Building and Outreach and Economic Concerns consider the different areas and opportunities available to further develop the domain name industry in Africa. The study at a minimum will: - Investigate the current state of the Internet and the domain name industry in the region - Define best practices that have made an impact in domain name market growth - Look at the broader ecosystem of the Internet infrastructure and online services and describe the impact of such elements on the overall evolution of the domain name industry - Describe the business potential in the domain name industry in Africa, and - Provide suggestions on how to develop the industry and what business models can be adopted in the entire industry chain. The study will include data, analysis, and recommendations. The final report of the study is to be delivered no later than 30th April 2016. An intermediary report should be provided in March 2015 For additional information and instructions for submitting responses please click here <https://community.icann.org/display/gseafrcawkspc/RFP+documents> . Proposals should be submitted to Yaovi.atohoun(a)icann.org by 23:59 UTC on 05 December 2015. _______________________________________________ ALAC-Announce mailing list ALAC-Announce(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac-announce At-Large Official Site: http://www.atlarge.icann.org -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Seun Ojedeji,Federal University Oye-Ekitiweb: http://www.fuoye.edu.ng <http://www.fuoye.edu.ng> Mobile: +2348035233535**alt email: <http://goog_1872880453>seun.ojedeji(a)fuoye.edu.ng <seun.ojedeji(a)fuoye.edu.ng>* Bringing another down does not take you up - think about your action! _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/africann

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Pitfalls of the outgoing ICT CS and the lobbying power of Safaricom
by Mwendwa Kivuva 29 Nov '15

29 Nov '15

*http://www.nation.co.ke/news/The-intrigues-of-Uhuru-changes-to-the-Cabinet/-/1056/2976504/-/t1nhdc/-/index.html <http://www.nation.co.ke/news/The-intrigues-of-Uhuru-changes-to-the-Cabinet/…>* *IT AGENDA* ICT nominee Joe Mucheru brings in global visibility and a youth perspective which Mr Kenyatta wants as he pushes his youth and IT agenda that was crucial during his election campaign and which is expected to play a crucial role in the 2017 elections. Mr Mucheru previously headed Google Kenya’s office where he worked mainly with youthful Kenyans. Dr Fred Matiang'i, it is understood, was transferred to Education ministry to “save him from himself”. A hard worker who often delivered on his mandate and tough assignments given by the President such as resolving the deadly land dispute in Murang’a and lately the Waitiki saga in the Coast, Dr Matiang’i was, however, fast falling victim to land cartels that have for many years controlled business at Ardhi House. The ICT Secretary had been overseeing operations at the Lands ministry after Mrs Ngilu was forced out in March. Dr Matiang’i was also viewed as having created too many enemies within his previous Information docket. Apart from having frosty relations with the media, he also quickly fell out with major players such as giant telco Safaricom which complained that he was favouring Airtel in making key decisions. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva, Nairobi, Kenya "There are some men who lift the age they inhabit, till all men walk on higher ground in that lifetime." - Maxwell Anderson

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The pitfalls of Innovation moving faster than Regulation - The case of Safaricom and Lipisha
by Ali Hussein 28 Nov '15

28 Nov '15

Listers Did we miss this unfolding precedence setting battle? In brief:- Safaricom has been sued by two mobile money service providers for suspending their services through alleged intimidation. Lipisha Consortium Limited and Bitpesa Limited Friday went to court over termination of their services on November 12. The pair offers a platform for businesses that enables them to collect, process and integrate payments from customers and clients using mobile money. Read on:- http://www.nation.co.ke/business/Mobile-money-providers-sue-Safaricom-for-s… My questions and comments:- 1. Is Safaricom correct in shutting down a service without notice to protect its brand? Your guess here is as good as mine. 2. The legality or otherwise of bitcoins seems to be the main bone of contention here. Here's an opinion from Wikipedia on the treatment of bitcoins in various countries. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_bitcoin_by_country 3. Did the CBK ask Safaricom to shut down the service or is Safaricom acting unilaterally because of point 1 above? 4. How do we protect the innovation ecosystem in the region from such happenings? This may well be a legitimate case of a startup that didn't do its homework regarding the regulatory framework in the space it chose to play in. According to Rosemary Kimwatu, a Legal Officer in the Tech Fin sector:- "The main problem Bitpesa faces is that cryptocurrency operate from an unrecognised payment system. The position by CBK on Bitcoins is that it's a currency that operates outside the purview of the normal payments system and can therefore not be monitored in regards to Money Laundering. A payment system/platform needs to work within a recognized payment system because then funds origination and destination can be tracked. Bitcoins however are not from the banking system so how will one know if someone is not using it to clean up illegally obtained funds?" Good and solid arguments. My only problem with that argument is that innovation is almost always ahead of regulation. And Safaricom, of all organizations should know better than to behave like this. I fully understand the situation they are in and I can imagine the legal heads at Safaricom working overtime to 'contain' a potential mine field situation that can contain its core Mpesa System. I however believe that a softer approach could have had a better effect. My humble opinion:- Safaricom needs a better approach than the ones they take handling potential Frenemies. The case of Equitel is still fresh in our minds. The narrative is going against them and they need to manage this. The current scenario paints them as a Bully intent on crushing any potential threat to their payment platform. They are better than this. However Rosemary has a different argument:- "The whole thing is bad for innovation but the battle should be with the regulator not Safaricom. It would be in everyone's interest if CBK was forced to deal with change but this won't happen if the Bitcoin guys fight Safaricom. They have to deal with it in the right way by facing the regulator head on and proving how secure their system is in regards to Anti Money Laundering (AML) by showing how it has been done in other countries." Can't argue with that.. 5. A few day ago I talked about the Angani issue. Here's another compelling issue to add on to our bucket list of helping and growing the Startup space in our region - Compliance with Regulation. It's become such a major component of institution building that we can't play 'Pata-Potea' (loosely translated as gambling) with it anymore. #TechRoundTable, are you listening? Ali Hussein Principal Hussein & Associates +254 0713 601113 / 0770906375 Twitter: @AliHKassim Skype: abu-jomo LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim Blog: www.alyhussein.com "Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought". ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi Sent from my iPad

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