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Telecoms harmonisation lunch at 12.30
by Rebecca Wanjiku 03 Oct '07

03 Oct '07

hi lunch starts at 12.30 to 2pm, jacaranda on monday oct. 8th----please confirm attendance, email me directly The main focus of this working lunch will be the harmonization of communications regulation which is envisaged in the East African Community strategic plan. What are your views on the issues surrounding harmonization of regulation in East Africa region? Regional harmonization is particularly concerned with increasing trade within the EAC, so What are the perceptions of this within the Kenyan telecoms business community? What are the best ways in which harmonization might be effected in practice. Rebecca Wanjiku wrote: > hi, > > KICTANet invites you to a working lunch to meet with David Souter, who > is in kenya to discuss various ways of Telecoms harmonisation in East > Africa. > > lunch will be at Jacaranda on October 8. > > the meeting will be ideal for representatives from private sector, > government, civil society, and academia, to interrogate all attendant > issues, > > please confirm directly with me.....off list, > > regards > > becky > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers > <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48252/*http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesear…>, > not web links. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/rebeccawanjiku%40yahoo… ____________________________________________________________________________________ Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html

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Small Internet firms struggle not to fall to the big players... and what about KDN????
by alice 03 Oct '07

03 Oct '07

Small Internet firms struggle not to fall to the big players Written by Kui Kinyanjui October 03 2007: Broke A$$?" asked an aging billboard along Nairobi's Argwings-Kodhek Road. Get connected to the cheapest ISP." Apart from its corny use of language, the billboard was fairly nondescript. It's symbolism as a monument to the evolving Internet industry was more apparent. The ancient billboard belonged to Bidii.com, an up-start of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that challenged the both the norms of advertising and the ISP business. In its short-lived existence in 2001, the ISP managed to gain a notable share of the lower-end Internet market. It was later swallowed up by Africa Online, a much larger ISP, in a tale that is familiar to many of the service providers who existed during the heady years when acquisitions and mergers were the catch-words of the Kenyan ISP market. Gateway Online, ISP Kenya, Nairobinet and Net2000 were a few of the casualties of the consolidation movement taking place in the market, with most of them either running out of steam in the rapidly competitive market or being bought by larger Kenyan operations. And then, late last year, the buying started again. This time, the bigger boys who managed to survive the rout of the earlier buying spree were the target, and the buyers were not Kenyan. In 2006, a South African firm acquired a controlling stake in Interconnect, a local Internet service provider. As part of the deal, IS injected Sh300 million in fresh capital in to the ISP. "There was no way we could have continued on our own. For many Kenyan grown ISPs, getting access to cheap bandwith and financing makes it harder to survive in the market," said Mr Tejpal Bedi, Managing Director of IS Kenya. Much of the investment, Sh100 million, was set aside to upgrade systems. The company planned to roll-out new technologies and services, hoping to maintain its share of the corporate market by offering cost effective virtual private networks to organisations. "The only way we could maintain our market was by partnering with the South Africans and diversifying our product line, which costs money," said Mr Bedi. The acquisition was touted as part of the South African company's growth strategy to gain a footprint in the local and the greater Eastern and Central African market. "We will ensure the product mix is right for the Kenyan market, by deploying our proven services in Kenya," said IS business development director Ermano Quartero, at a function to announce the deal. The company that bought Bedi's company is one of the leading converged communications service providers in South Africa, boasting a client base at the time of the Interconnect aquisition that included 80 per cent of South Africa's top 250 listed companies. A few months later, the industry was abuzz with the biggest acquisition yet. The target was Africa Online, one of the largest ISPs in sub-Saharan Africa – and the South Africans were after it again. Telkom South Africa eventually won what was an acrimonious battle for the Kenyan-born company. "With the decline of the voice market we are extending and defending our core profitable services. This acquisition fits that objective," said Africa Online's new Chief Executive Officer John Joseph. Telkom SA has plans to invest Sh300 billion over the next five years in projects aimed at gaining the company a foothold in key African markets. Formerly the giant of the Kenyan ISP industry, the South Africans took on a company that was cash-strapped and had struggled with periods of losses over the last few years under it ownership by London firm African Lakes. The situation may get worse for the few small ISPs still fighting for market share. Smaller ISPs have traditionally been dial-up providers, an industry currently being affected by a shift in consumer preference. Although over 50 per cent of users still use dial-up access, use of the service is estimated to be decreasing by 30 per cent while mobile and wireless Internet access is increasing by 40 per cent annually. Up from just under 4,000 users in 1996, Kenya's Internet market grew by its largest margins last year, and now includes 200,000 users. The cost of international bandwidth, still expensive and accounting for most of ISPs' operating costs, has largely limited more rapid growth. Still, Kenya's Internet industry is set to grow more rapidly than ever in the next five years according to new research from Frost and Sullivan. In order to tap into that growth, Frost predicts small companies will fall to larger Internet firms. "Consolidation is likely to increase on the market between the smaller market players in order to gain market competitiveness as the Internet markets are currently dominated by a few major players," says the report. A large number of African ISPs are now controlled by large international organisations, with a few "for Africa, by Africa" ISPs. This is attributed to the high operating costs associated with ISPs in the market. "It is true that many of the ISPs are foreign owned however other major firms are still Kenyan owned. By market share it is probably 50/50," said Mr David Somen, of Access Kenya. His firm broke with tradition and sought local investment funds through a listing on the Nairobi Stock Exchange earlier this year – raising Sh800 million to fund its growth. Access has since bought two Kenyan IT firms and is said to be on a major spending spree. "We believe that with the correct incentives there is no reason why large ISPs should not remain Kenyan. There are great opportunities in the ISP industry and Kenyans continue to invest in this business," said Mr Somen. ISPs in Kenya still face three major challenges. They have limited access to investment and venture capital; there is still a shortage of skilled ICT personnel especially at management level; and Kenyans themselves need to see more local content on the net to for demand for Internet services to go up. But allowing more foreign investment is often the only recourse many ISPs have to keep their businesses running. As a result, the industry regulator, the Communications Commssion of Kenya (CCK) is said to be revising its rules to allow for Kenyan ISPs to have more foreign ownership. Also looming on most providers' radar screens is the increasingly urgent need to own their infrastructure. "My prediction is that East Africa will become a global top ten ICT hub within 10 years – we're betting the farm on the fact that this will be the case," said Richard Bell, whose largely locally owned venture capital firm, East Africa Capital Partners, took on Telkom SA in the recent Africa Online buyout saga. "The ISP industry is a "non industry". Any ISPs that aren't dead already will die – it's just a matter of time. The only business model with any legs on it is that of being an Infrastructure provider," said Mr Bell, who firm has already made three Kenyan acquisitions and one Tanzanian in that line. Infrastructure ownership issues have also driven the latest purchase by a South African firm of a Kenyan business. Technology company Altech is said to be willing to pay nearly Sh5 billion for a 51 per cent stake in the Sameer Group's ICT division. http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3383&Item… <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3383&Item…>

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Re: [kictanet] [Kictanet] Call for Participation: AITEC's Wireless BroadbandAfrica conference 29Nov-1Dec 2006 Hilton Hotel
by Sean Moroney 03 Oct '07

03 Oct '07

Dear Colleagues, I'm sorry there is low Kenyan attendance here at our Outsourcing & Contact Centre Conference here in Mauritius, opeing today. But as you can see from my Welcome Speech, attached, I'm doing my best to fly the Kenyan flag. Brian Longwe is also here to support me, so I hope we can attract participation in the East African Outsourcing & Contact centre Conference in Nairobi over 21-22 November. Regards, Sean Sean Moroney Chairman AITEC Africa seanm(a)aitecafrica.com UK Tel: +44(0)1480-880774 UK Fax: +44(0)1480-880765 UK Mobile: +44(0)7973-499224 Kenya Mobile: +254(0)721-845674 Nigeria Mobile: +234(0)802-0571766 SA Mobile: +27(0)72-610-7153 Skype: seanmoroney www.aitecafrica.com Registered as:AITEC Conferences Ltd at Companies House, No. 4698475. Address: Cromer House, Caxton Way, Stevenage, Herts SG1 2DF, UK

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Fwd: ITS CREATORS CALL INTERNET OUTDATED, OFFER REMEDIES
by Alex Gakuru 02 Oct '07

02 Oct '07

> --- Alex Gakuru wrote: > See also: > Van Jacobson's talk:"A New Way to look at > Networking" > http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6972678839686672840&q=engeduthis > > > > "The Internet wasn't designed for people to watch > television," he says. "I know because I designed > it." > (Larry Roberts on below article) > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > From: WWWhatsup <joly(a)punkcast.com> > > Date: Oct 2, 2007 5:31 PM > > Subject: [isoc-ny] ITS CREATORS CALL INTERNET > > OUTDATED, OFFER REMEDIES > > To: isoc-ny(a)yahoogroups.com, discuss(a)isoc-ny.org > > > > > > ITS CREATORS CALL INTERNET OUTDATED, OFFER > REMEDIES > > [SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Bobby White > > bobby.white(a)wsj.com<bobby.white%40wsj.com> > > ] > > There's a growing debate over whether the > Internet's > > current infrastructure > > is sufficient to handle the explosion of > > bandwidth-hungry services such as > > Internet telephony and video. In a recent report, > > Cisco calculated that > > monthly Internet traffic in North America will > > increase 264% by 2011 to more > > than 7.8 million terabytes, or the equivalent of > 40 > > trillion email messages. > > If such Internet traffic continues increasing, > many > > believe networks could > > crash or at least slow to a crawl. Today, > > information travels the Web by > > being broken into tiny bits called packets, which > > are routed through the > > least congested pipes to their destination. Once > the > > packets arrive, they > > are reassembled into their original form. The > > problem is that the increasing > > size of files, such as video, has begun > overwhelming > > some equipment handling > > the traffic, resulting in errant or lost packets. > To > > tackle the problem, a > > slew of start-ups are producing gear and software > to > > accelerate Internet > > traffic or to increase the network's capacity. > > > http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119128309597345795.html?mod=todays_us_marke… > > (requires subscription) > > * Our fraying Internet infrastructure (Commentary) > > > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/10/01/EDGBSAN5C.DTL > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > WWWhatsup NYC > > http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com > > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > > > __._,_.___ Messages in this topic > > > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/message/1778;_ylc=X3oDMTM0YzZnYnJrBF9…>( > > 1) Reply (via web post) > > > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwZTJiY2g1BF9TAzk3MzU…>| > > Start > > a new topic > > > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlN2VoczA3BF9TAzk3MzU…> > > > > > Messages<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJlYWRldTBjBF9TAzk…>| > > > Files<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/files;_ylc=X3oDMTJmcjk1aG5oBF9TAzk3Mz…>| > > > Photos<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/photos;_ylc=X3oDMTJlaTVjdm1xBF9TAzk3M…>| > > > Links<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmY2poZDI5BF9TAzk3Mz…>| > > > Calendar<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJkNGx2ZmNtBF9TAzk…> > > ---------------------------------------------- > > http://isoc-ny.org > > "The Internet is for Everyone!" -- Vint Cerf > > ---------------------------------------------- > > [image: Yahoo! > > > Groups]<http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJkNXJhNHI2BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIxN…> > > Change settings via the > > > Web<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJmdjltc2dvBF9TAzk3MzU…>(Yahoo! > > ID required) > > Change settings via email: Switch delivery to > Daily > > > Digest<isoc-ny-digest@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email+Delivery:+Digest>| > > Switch > > format to > > > Traditional<isoc-ny-traditional@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change+Delivery+Format:+Traditional> > > Visit Your Group > > > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny;_ylc=X3oDMTJkZzQzcGN2BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0…>| > > Yahoo! > > Groups Terms of Use > > <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> | Unsubscribe > > <isoc-ny-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com?subject=> > > Visit Your Group > > > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny;_ylc=X3oDMTJlaG5pZmgwBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0…> > > Search Ads > > > > Get new > > > customers.<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jlkpmgp/M=493064.10729656.11333347.8674578/D=…> > > > > List your web site > > > > in Yahoo! Search. > > Y! Messenger > > > > Instant > > > hello<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jfd4ook/M=493064.10729668.11333359.8674578/D=…> > > > > Chat over IM with > > > > group members. > > Food Lovers > > > > Real Food > > > Group<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jkqnc86/M=493064.11036139.11614791.8674578/D=…> > > > > on Yahoo! Groups > > > > find out more. > > . > > > > __,_._,___ > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Building a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small > Business gives you all the tools to get online. > http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/webhosting > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

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Internet Statistics
by Alex Gakuru 02 Oct '07

02 Oct '07

Despite internet users increasing from 1 million (2005) to 2,770,300 (2007) end user prices have hardly reduced and in some instances actually they went high up. Obviously this has something to do with the 540 per cent mark up on local bandwidth prices by ISPs (CCK Internet Market Study) Well, notwithstanding the price pain penetration now compares well with Egypt's Enjoy http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm#africa (Update 30 Sept 2007) ____________________________________________________________________________________ Got a little couch potato? Check out fun summer activities for kids. http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&…

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Telecoms harmonisation in East Africa
by Rebecca Wanjiku 02 Oct '07

02 Oct '07

hi, KICTANet invites you to a working lunch to meet with David Souter, who is in kenya to discuss various ways of Telecoms harmonisation in East Africa. lunch will be at Jacaranda on October 8. the meeting will be ideal for representatives from private sector, government, civil society, and academia, to interrogate all attendant issues, please confirm directly with me.....off list, regards becky ____________________________________________________________________________________ Building a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online. http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/webhosting

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Re: [kictanet] KDN
by Kai Wulff 01 Oct '07

01 Oct '07

Brian, KDN's aim is to run infrastructure to EVERY corner of the region and later the continent! Since I am constantly spending money (though operational very profitable) for this, I would be ill advised to chase people before they can give us an idea of what they want to do! If Altech or ANY other investor wants to participate by INJECTING (I am not talking about a sale of shares, I don't think this is in the interest of anybody at KDN or Sameer) substantial amounts of money to fasttrack this goal, I will listen VERY carefully! Rgds Kai ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Longwe" <brian(a)isisweb.nl> To: "Kai Wulff" <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 14:48 Subject: Re: [kictanet] KDN hmmm - I seem to recall that the big man over there has a requtation for pulling v. surprising deals at the last minute - might this be one of them? Regards, Brian On Oct 1, 2007, at 11:08 AM, Kai Wulff wrote: > Morning! > > Isn't it interesting what the media can do? > > We have not even received an offer (although it is true that Altech is > interested to come into the East African Market and is looking around), > so > how can we be sold? > > If this was true, CCK would know about .. > > More updates (if anything happens) on this channel! > > Rgds > > Kai > > P.S. Buying Kai would be difficult .... > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> > To: <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 08:02 > Subject: [kictanet] KDN > > > Kai, > SA Group buys Kai. See below. > > > > Business Report > Altech's R500m Kenyan buy should give it access to new submarine cable > Thabiso Mochiko > 411 words > 28 September 2007 > The Star > e1 > 3 > English > © Copyright 2007 Independent Newspapers (UK) Limited. All rights > reserved. > > Johannesburg - Allied Technologies (Altech) will pay more than R500 > million for a 51 percent stake in a division of Kenya's Sameer Group, > which should give the telecommunications technology company access to an > undersea cable. > Altech, which has a war chest of R1.2 billion, has agreed to buy a > majority shareholding in Sameer's information and communication > technology > (ICT) division, which houses Kenya Data Networks (KDN), Swift Global and > Infocom. > KDN operates an extensive fibreoptic cable network and plans to expand > into Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Swift Global is an > internet service provider with operations in Kenya and Tanzania. Infocom > provides broadband internet services in Uganda. > KDN is expected to participate in the African east coast submarine link, > which will support Altech's aggressive expansion into the telecoms arena. > Altech chief executive Craig Venter said growth opportunities in Kenya > were helped by its stable political environment. > The acquisition formed part of Altech's strategy to become a global > company, he added. > Venter noted that the ever-changing technology environment required > "equal > measures of prudence and agility". > Altech is still on the prowl for acquisitions, but says it will not buy > an > existing cellular network operator because its cellphone service > provider, > Autopage, continues to grow. The firm, which resells products of Cell C, > MTN and Vodacom, now boasts 850 000 subscribers. > Altech operates in India through its satellite television decoder > manufacturer, Altech UEC. Its vehicle tracking firm, Altech Netstar, has > opened shop in Malaysia and will expand to Brazil. > In the rest of Africa, Altech operates in Rwanda, where it has been > licensed to roll out a high-speed WiMax internet network. It has > profitable operations in Nigeria through NamITech, which manufactures 60 > million prepaid airtime vouchers a month for the country's five cellular > operators. > Altech will spend R30 million to expand capacity to make credit cards for > banks and SIM cards for cellular operators. > Another R90 million acquisition, of fleet management firm ComTech, is > subject to competition commission approval. > This week Altech, which is majority-owned by JSE-listed Allied > Electronics, posted a 20 percent rise in revenue to R4 billion for the > six > months to August. Interim operating profit increased by 6 percent to R306 > million from a year earlier. > Altech's shares gained 25c to R61.75 yesterday. The all share index added > 0.44 percent. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kai.wulff% > 40kdn.co.ke > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > > > > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: brian(a)isisweb.nl > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ > mailman/options/kictanet/brian%40isisweb.nl -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.

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Who put me in the wananchi mailing list
by Alex Gakuru 01 Oct '07

01 Oct '07

(Sent on 1 October 2007 10:00 am) I only recall requesting to be on kictanet list but I get two list subscriptions reminders: http://mail.wananchi.com/mailman/options/kictanet/ http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ Could it be the reason some of my posts take 5 days to get bounced? Could moderators Walu and Alice explain plse Alex ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase. http://farechase.yahoo.com/

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[Fwd: [AfriNIC-rpd] Fw: Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space]
by alice 01 Oct '07

01 Oct '07

Egypt has submitted this proposal for allocation for remaining IPv4 addresses space... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name: Hytham Zakaria EL Nakhal Organisation: National Telecom Regulatory Authority, Egypt Version: Draft Date: 07 July 2007 Status: Open for discussion Authors: Roque Gagliano (ANTEL), Francisco Obispo (CENIT), Hytham EL Nakhal (MCIT), Didier Allain Kla (ISOC Cote d'Ivoire) Policy Affected: The current on-demand global policy for the distribution of IPv4 address space to the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) system. Incentive: In order to assure the equal distribution of the IPv4 address space across RIR regions, this policy proposal describes a process for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 space from IANA to the existing RIRs Policy Proposal Name: Global Policy for the Allocation of the Remaining IPv4 Address Space. Proposal: -------------- Policy Statement: This policy describes the process for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 space from IANA to RIRs. When a minimum amount of available space is reached, an identical number of IPv4 allocation units (/8s) will be allocated from IANA to each RIR, replacing the current IPv4 allocation policy. In order to fulfill the requirements of this policy, at the time of its adoption, an identical number of IPv4 allocation units (N) will be reserved by IANA for each RIR. The number N is defined as 5. The reserved units will no longer be part of the available space at IANA pool. The process for the allocation of the remaining IPv4 space is divided in two consecutives phases: 1. Existing Policy Phase: During this phase IANA will continue allocating IPv4 addresses to the RIRs using the existing allocation policy. This phase will continue until a request for IPv4 address space from any RIR to IANA can not be fulfilled with the remaining IPv4 space available in the IANA pool. This will be the last IPv4 address space request that IANA will accept from any RIR. At this point the next phase of the process will be initiated. 2. Exhaustion Phase: IANA will automatically allocate the reserved IPv4 allocation units to each RIR (N units to each one) and respond to the last request with the remaining available allocation units in IANA pool (M units). 2.1. Size of the final IPv4 allocations: During this phase IANA will automatically allocate N allocation units to each RIR from the reserved space defined in this policy. IANA will also allocate M allocation units to the RIR that submitted the last request for IPv4 addresses. 2.2. Allocation of the remaining IPv4 Address space: After the completion of the evaluation of the final request for IPv4 addresses, IANA must: A) Immediately notify the NRO about the activation of the second phase of this policy. B) Proceed to allocate M allocation units to the RIR that submitted the last request for IPv4 address space. C) Proceed to allocate N allocation units to each RIR from the reserved space. Rational: --------------- The IANA pool of allocation units of IPv4 addresses (/8s) is decreasing rapidly. A new policy is proposed to replace the current "on demand" policy in order to bring certainty on how the remaining space will be allocated. This policy eliminates the pressure on the remaining central pool of addresses by allocating equal amount of allocation units (N) to each RIR. RIR may be studying slow-landing policies or the possibility to reserve specific address spaces for "critical infrastructure" or new companies in order to comply with anti-trust regulations in its region. This policy allows each RIR to adopt those policies through its PDP, which is simpler than a global policy discussion process. Each RIR will have the exact information on the amount of address spaces that they will be receiving as a last allocation from the IANA. The policy is written in such a way that the discussion could be split in two sections: first do we agree on the concept of the policy and second what is the appropriate value for the last allocation units N. Thanks & Best Regards Mostafa Ali NOL , Cairo Office Senior P&D Engineer Tel. : +202 760 6677 ext. 560 Mobile: +20 10 5151 189 Fax. : +202 760 7656 E-mail - mmostafa(a)nile-online.net _______________________________________________ rpd mailing list rpd(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/rpd

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South African Minister claims several consortiums interested in NEPAD international fibre project
by Eric Osiakwan 01 Oct '07

01 Oct '07

There were "several" consortiums that had shown interest in getting involved with the proposed information and communication technology broadband infrastructure for the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, the minister of communications, said last week. Matsepe-Casaburri said the government was not delaying the process by insisting on an African majority shareholding for the under-sea cable. The minister did not identify the consortiums. Insiders say that the South African Government will probably end up financing the consortium if it goes ahead. (source: Myadsl) Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Ubuntu Platform Training
by Alex Gakuru 29 Sep '07

29 Sep '07

sent on 29 Sept 2007 2:10 pm Hi all, I am pleased to update you on our earlier announced Ubuntu platform training program. We have received a lot of diverse and encouraging interest on this introductory course. (Also pleased to have reclaimed some earlier users:) We have decided to start off with Saturdays 9:00 am - 12:00 noon for lecture-type classes with students undertaking 2-hours practical work thereafter every class. Sorry *nix* gurus:) our angle is NOT kernel-dev or terminal oriented,rather a gentle Open users introduction easy Ubuntu desktop. ( can't wait for GNONE 2.20 in "Gutsy Gibbon". Obviously spicy IBM's Lotus Symphony will be our Open Office package (http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/09/gnome-update-po.html and http://www.howtoforge.com/ibm_lotus_symphony_ubuntu_7.04 resp) The venue remains our near Nairobi Club, along 4th Ngong Avenue offices, opposite George Williamson House (off Ngong Road) Nairobi. Unfortunately this course is not free because we are not funded by anybody. Full Cost is Kshs 10,000 and YES! One can pay in two installments @ Kshs 5,000/=. will update you in due course on other scheduled discussions on Open Source Training if something concrete is agreed upon. Finally, thanks all for your interest and Josiah Mugambi for Lotus download pointer and YOU for forwarding our training course to your various mailing lists. Remember we are always "send button" away - feel free to ask me anything related through gakuru(a)gmail.com. Thanks Alex "The Future is Open" ____________________________________________________________________________________ Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. http://mobile.yahoo.com/go?refer=1GNXIC

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Cell operators key for African Internet penetration
by alice 27 Sep '07

27 Sep '07

Cell operators key for African Internet penetration Tuesday, 25 September 2007, 11:49 In a continent where restrictive regulations, high operating costs and widespread poverty makes Internet services unaffordable, low literacy among its population limits demand, and poor telecoms infrastructure hinders penetration, Africa's cellular operators have a key role to play in boosting Internet usage. Frost & Sullivan research analyst, Spiwe Chireka, says that while Africa is experiencing double-digit growth of Internet usage, ISPs can significantly enhance this by aligning themselves with cellular operators. "Moving forward, ISPs will need to consolidate their efforts and create strategic relationships with cellular operators," says Chireka. "The further development and increasing penetration of cellular networks would allow ISPs to offer mobile internet access and boost penetration of their services, thus reducing the high initial investment costs involved." At the same time, mobile handset operators need to partner with ISPs to provide affordable tools for mobile internet access. To develop a sound market share in the limited market base characteristic of Africa, there is a need for product differentiation to increase consumer's switching costs. "In addition, ISPs need to target markets outside the major urban areas, since these areas are currently saturated in terms of operators," says Chireka. "Accordingly, partnerships with cellular operators would go a long way to address this challenge. Besides, low cost and high speed access will also be crucial to ensuring market growth." Chireka says that the current double-digit growth is predicted on a narrow base, with the overall number of Internet users remaining limited. In some cases, ISPs, with the help of governments, are gradually designing coping strategies around restrictive licensing regimes, poor telecoms infrastructure and low affordability of services. Promisingly, both governments and private telecoms operators are making significant investments in infrastructure. Such initiatives are setting the stage to leverage the exciting growth potential of the African Internet market. "Most governments have embarked on ICT-led development strategies, aimed at developing e-governance and subsequently internet penetration," Chireka says. Markets such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Senegal, Angola and Mozambique are set to enjoy high growth levels, given their technology neutral licensing regimes, independent regulators, high levels of FDI and highly liberalised markets. Ghana and Nigeria have high growth potential, but this is hindered by poor economic performance and poor licensing regimes, which have limited foreign investment into these markets. By partnering with highly successful cellular operators in regions such as these, ISPs could quickly negate some of these barriers. OEM Division - Novell Garry Hodgson (IP:62.200.56.xxx) 2007-09-25 05:32:38 __._,_.___

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FW: 12th International Business Forum & Global E-discussion
by Harry Hare 26 Sep '07

26 Sep '07

Some of you might find this interesting. Harry -----Original Message----- From: csrwbi(a)worldbank.org [mailto:csrwbi@worldbank.org] Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 11:18 PM Subject: 12th International Business Forum & Global E-discussion The World Bank Institute, in cooperation with InWEnt Capacity Building International, is pleased to invite you to the 12th International Business Forum -- Business Engagement for Governance: Business and the Rules of the Game October 9-10, 2007 World Bank Headquarters, Washington D.C. More information and registration at: http://www.businessandmdgs.net/ Operating in today's globalized economy is risky business. The private sector has identified a need to take the initiative in addressing global challenges that impact their business as much as the societies in which they operate. Often they are doing so in the absence of clear legislation or clear and functioning global frameworks. This conference will pinpoint the role private business can and should play in shaping tomorrow's global governance structures, and suggest corresponding adjustments required by the public sector. Forum topics include: Business Action on Climate Change: The Impact on Corporate Strategy Private Sector Roles in Combating Corruption: Setting One's Own Standards Business Contributions to achieving the Millennium Development Goals As a lead up to the Forum, a Global E-discussion for young leaders will take place from September 24 to October 5, 2007. Register NOW at: http://info.worldbank.org/etools/BusinessMDGs/eDiscussion.htm The e-discussion will bring together young leaders from around the world to discuss youth opinions on the role business should play in dealing with two of today's global challenges: Climate Change and Good Governance. The recommendations from the e-discussion will be presented to senior business and development leaders at the 12th International Business Forum on October 9-10, 2007. For more information about the e-discussion and to register, please see the attached flyer and visit the e-discussion webpage: http://info.worldbank.org/etools/BusinessMDGs/eDiscussion.htm. We look forward to your participation in both events. Djordjija Petkoski Head of Business, Competitiveness and Development Team World Bank Institute (See attached file: World Bank Announcement.pdf)(See attached file: World Bank Announcement.pdf) *Register Now for the Global E-discussion: Free registration at http://info.worldbank.org/etools/BusinessMDGs/eDiscussion.htm or visit www.businessandmdgs.net and go to the Youth Consultations page.*

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Papers Due: ICT Africa 2008 (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Feb 13-15)
by Janet Feldman 26 Sep '07

26 Sep '07

http://ictafrica.nepadcouncil.org Last call for papers: Submission of papers for ICT Africa will now close on September 30. If you are still yet to submit your paper, please do so on or before September 30, at midnight US Eastern time (GMT/UTC-4). With two highly regarded conferences, ICT Africa and NOVATECH, being hosted at the same location - you are guaranteed one of the largest ICT events in Africa. Manuscript due date: September 30, 2007 Acceptance date: November 16, 2007 Camera ready manuscript due date December 15, 2007 ICT Africa 2008 conference and tutorial program will bring together engineers, scientists, developers, government leaders, corporate managers, educators, financiers and project representatives from all over Africa and abroad. Suggested topics include: Paper and tutorial titles will include, but not limited to: Track 1 Networks There have been concerted efforts to develop ICT infrastructure in Africa including submarine fibre links, terrestrial long haul fibre and microwave links, metropolitan and access networks including wireless mesh networks, Wi-Max, ADSL, 3G wireless, broadband over power line and fiber to the premises (deployed in Kigali, Rwanda for example). This track will address technologies appropriate for these developments will include but not limited to: Fiber optic networks Submarine cable systems Digital subscriber line (ADSL) Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Wireless broadband access: including WI-MAX Wireless LANS: including Wi-Fi Broadband over power line Satellite Broadband Fiber to the premises Internet exchange points Track 2 Data Management Issues in Internet-Based Applications: The availability of high-speed networks and high-performance microprocessors is making networks of computers an appealing vehicle for cost-effective internet and business computing. Clusters of computers built using commodity hardware and software are playing a major role in web server design with several applications in E- Commerce, E-learning, E-government, etc. Although applications are flourishing, some challenges remains in the Peer-to-Peer and Internet- based applications. Peer-to-Peer (P2P) refers to a network of equals (peers), where by design two or more peers are able to collaborate spontaneously or share resources without the need for central coordination. We invite contributions from a broad spectrum of disciplines including economics, information systems, information management, and computer sciences. We would also like to involve practitioners whose experiences applications of P2P could certainly enrich the discussions. The track focuses on but is not limited to: Information storage, retrieval and update in a distributed system High performance and reliable mass storage Intrusion prevention, detection and tolerance Formation of supply chains, coalitions, and virtual enterprises Agent technology Public records archives (electronic documents accessibility, authenticity) Trust and privacy e-Voting systems solutions Mobile applications e-government solutions e-learning solutions e-commerce solutions e-health solutions e-labs and distance learning Tutorial Titles Fiber optics Next generation broadband networks VoIP Instructions: PAPERS: Technical papers describing original, previously unpublished research, not currently under review by another conference or journal, are solicited. The conference is interested in contributions addressing all the areas associated with the title above. All paper submissions will be handled electronically at http://www.nepadcouncil.org/ocs . Authors should prepare the full paper following the IEEE paper format. Papers including text, figures and references must not exceed 10 pages. The abstracts should be submitted with the following information: Author's name Co-author(s) Address Company/organization Telephone number email address Title of the paper or presentation Relevant topic (from the areas listed above) One or Two keywords (relating to the subject of the abstract) TUTORIALS: Proposals submission should be in plain text or PDF format and should include a cover sheet and an extended abstract. The cover sheet should specify: The title of the tutorial The length : a half day (3 hours plus breaks) or full day (6 hours plus breaks) The intended audience (introductory, intermediate, advanced) The complete contact information for the contact person and other presenters A brief biography (max. 2 paragraphs) for each presenter The audio/visual equipment needed for the presentation. The extended abstract should be 4 to 6 pages, and should include an outline of the tutorial, along with descriptions of the course objectives and course materials. Paper submission site: http://www.nepadcouncil.org/ocs/ Conference site: http://ictafrica.nepadcouncil.org Contacts Clarissa Dhliwayo cdhliwayo(a)nepadcouncil.org Pamela Odero podero(a)nepadcouncil.org submitted by Janet Feldman (kaippg(a)earthlink.net)

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MPs move to court to block Safaricom IPO, while in Rwanda MTN needs competitor that matches their profile
by alice 25 Sep '07

25 Sep '07

Kenya MPs move to court to block Safaricom IPO Published on September 25, 2007, 12:00 am By Evelyn Kwamboka The battle to stop the sale of shares in Safaricom Limited to the public has moved to court. Three members of Parliament filed a notice at the High Court in Nairobi saying they want to stop a planned initial public offer until the Privatisation Act 2005 comes into force. Their move will also block other planned privatisations as well as secondary offers of partially privatised firms. The IPO, expected before Christmas, will see the sale of a 25 per cent stake held by the Government through the Nairobi Stock Exchange. President Kibaki has already assented to the Act, but its coming into force was on hold until recently when Parliament forced the Finance minister, Mr Amos Kimunya, to move on it. The MPs — Prof Peter Anyang' Nyong'o (Kisumu Rural), Mr Omingo Magara (South Mugirango) and Mr Mwandawiro Mghanga (Wundanyi) — claim the intended sale is illegal and undermines Parliament. They want the court to direct Kimunya to set a date when the Act will come into force. They also want an order barring the Government from any further sale of public corporations and State-held shares until when the Act comes into force. In the papers filed in court through Katwa and Kemboy Advocates, Nyong'o says Kimunya has no legal power to sell the 25 per cent stake in Safaricom or any shares in the company. "It also raises suspicion on the real motive and overall objective of the hurried privatisation exercise done within a legal vacuum, particularly when the overall effect appears likely to be detrimental to the common good against the greater national interest," he says. Another ground the MPs are relying on is that the minister has no authority to form a Privatisation Steering Committee to implement and co-ordinate the process or ignore the collective will of Parliament as expressed in the Privatisation Act 2005. "The decision of the minister is in breach of the order given by the Speaker of the National Assembly on August 23 to the minister to operationalise the Act within seven days from the said date," adds Nyong'o. Kimunya is alleged to have refused to appoint a date on which the said Act will come into force. The Act provides for the formation of a specialised privatisation commission to manage and implement the privatisation programme. Nyong'o says the Act regulates and limits the powers of the Government as well as the minister with respect to the privatisation process. The MP avers that records concerning Safaricom and Vodafone Kenya Ltd have been missing from the Registrar of Companies and Parliament cannot access them. As a result of the shares owned by the Government in Safaricom, the MP says the public has a right to know whom the company does business with. He claims that given the number of Safaricom subscribers and profit the company makes, the proposed privatisation is critical. The company this year announced a pre-tax profit of Sh17.2 billion off a turnover of Sh47 billion. It has close to seven million subscribers. Its actual shareholding structure has previously been cause for controversy. Source: http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143975045 <http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143975045> ************ ************* Uganda Celtel parent firm rebrands Monday, 24th September, 2007 E-mail article Print article By Vision Reporter MTC Group, the parent company of Celtel International, has re-branded to Zain which becomes the group's corporate master brand immediately. In Africa, the Zain Group will continue to trade under the Celtel brand. "Zain will bring together all our operations under a single, strong and unique identity. We believe it is the optimal platform upon which we can build a global brand with the ultimate goal of better serving our customers," Saad Al Barrak Zain Group's chief executive said. "It will propel the group towards becoming one of the top 10 global mobile telecommunications companies in the next four years." The Zain brand's theme is: "A Wonderful World." Brand architect Tito Alai, the group's chief commercial officer who also developed the Zain Group's successful Celtel brand in Africa, said: "The name Zain was selected from a list of over 400 after extensive research across many countries and cultures validated its broad global appeal." http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/220/588294 <http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/220/588294> ******************** Rwanda Tuesday, 25th September 2007 MTN needs competitor that matches their profile BY DAVID KEZIO MUSOKE SEVENTY per cent of Rwandatel shares are up for grabs. By the end of October, Rwanda's telecom market could be having a new player. Is this good or bad news for MTN Rwanda? What about the subscribers, what are they going to expect? There are six bidders including two telecom giants: the Vodacom Group of South Africa and Celtel, Africa's third-largest cell phone firm. The others include V-Tel Holdings of Jordan, Bit Map Ltd of Singapore and two little known companies: LapGreen Network of Uganda and Rwanda's R-Com. Rwandatel and its branded products, including Terracom and recently introduced Karame, have always played the fiddle to the already existing and powerful brand of MTN Rwandcell. The edgy relationship between both premier telecommunication companies has not really played a pivotal role in the development of the market and its infrastructure since 1998. According to the International Development Research Center (IDRC), MTN Rwanda grew a subscriber base four times the number of subscribers of Rwandatel, and the rate for telephone calls from mobile to fixed lines grew prohibitive. This discouraged most of Rwanda's users from calling mobile to fixed telephones. IDRC says they estimate 90 per cent of interconnection calls are initiated from the Rwandatel network and terminate on the MTN Rwandacell network (fixed to mobile). This means Rwandatel has to pay a tremendous amount of money to MTN Rwandacell for termination charges to use the MTN Rwandacell network, a business venture found to be unfair. MTN has since then operated in a monopolistic manner, controlling a market share of 95 per cent to a population of over 8 million Rwandans. The company boasts over 500,000 subscribers. Looking at MTN Rwanda closely, it belongs to the MTN family that set fort in South Africa. From the global footprint, the MTN group operates in 21 countries, serving a combined population of over 500 million people worldwide. But the gold is not that glittering for MTN Rwanda. According to the MTN Group Limited Integrated business report for last year, MTN Rwanda contributed only 2 per cent of subscribers to the South and East Africa (SEA) region of the MTN Group. It also supplied just 1 per cent of the total revenue the MTN Group collects from SEA, a region that includes South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, and Uganda. So what kind of competitor does MTN Rwanda need? What kind of market does Rwanda's population need? Skeptics say telecommunications is very crucial, if not one of the most important tools to eradicate the many socio-economic problems plaguing any third world country. The Rwandan government has made it very clear it is interested in a new owner of Rwandatel who will have to meet certain objectives underlined in the country's Vision 2020. The Grameen Foundation argues Rwanda has a relatively low rural tele- density (the number of telephone lines per 100 people) which is quoted at 5 per cent. Research done by the Research ICT Africa also shows Rwanda has the second highest mobile call tariffs in Africa, trailing Ethiopia. Rwanda has recently joined the East African Community (EAC). All the members states in this bloc (with the exception of Burund) have telecom markets which are quite superior to that of Rwanda. Safaricom of Kenya has a subscriber base of 7.6 million out of the estimated 10 million subscribers in the country. Tanzania boasts four GSM operators, while Uganda's subscribers with the recent registration of Warid and Hits telecommunications have an option of choosing between five operators by the end of this year. All three East African countries are connected to Celtel's `One Network coverage', a borderless network that allows subscribers to make calls at local rates and receive free incoming calls. This network is the first of its kind in the world and has won the company international recognition within the GSM association, a telecom club that harbors over 300 telecommunication companies worldwide. Rwanda would therefore need an alternative telecommunications company that can fully integrate subscribers into the EAC bloc – one which doesn't only concentrate on the transmission of voice, but also on transmission of data. One who will adopt third-generation (3G) mobile services in the country. In a recent statement, Rwandatel said: "We are looking for a strategic investor with capacity to develop the sector by improving the quality of services and meeting the ever increasing expectations of telecommunications market in Rwanda." Of all six bidders, there are only three which have profiles that match those of the telecoms mentioned above. The eventual winner of the bid would provide a highly competitive market for MTN Rwanda. V-Tel Holdings of Jordan and Bit Map Ltd of Singapore have hardly had any operations in Africa. Therefore, they have no experience working in an African setting and definitely don't know the market. Libya Africa Investments Portfolio for Africa (Lap Green) is a Libyan consortium reorganising the interests of investments owned by the Libyan government. The group, which has invested US$4 billion in cash and owns US$3 billion in assets, also owns Lap Green Networks Ltd who bought 69 per cent of shares in Uganda's national telecom operator, Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL). LapGreen Networks also owns Mali's Sahelcom and together with UTL's 700,000 subscribers, it would boast of about 900,000 fixed line and mobile subscribers in Africa. Vodacom and Celtel have both been identified as pan-African with regional interests in sub-Saharan Africa. Vodacom provides 3G GSM services to millions of customers in South Africa, Tanzania, Lesotho, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Vodacom brand is also a 50 per cent joint venture investment with the United Kingdom's mobile firm, Vodafone Group Plc. The same telecommunication company has a 40 per cent stake in Safaricom of Kenya. Celtel which is owned by Kuwaiti-based Mobile Telecommunication Company (MTC), operates in 15 African nations. The company which recently announced a re-branding rollout from MTC Kuwait to Zain International has also established a strong hold across the West African region. Celtel's Fayaz King told telecom regulators by the end of 2007, all 15 countries would be part of its One Network plan recently, at the 1st Mobile Roaming Conference in West Africa. Sources within the telecom circles say MTN Rwanda is planning to forge a regional free-roaming zone with Safaricom. According to sources, MTN Rwanda's chief executive, Themba Khumalo and his Safaricom counterpart, Michael Joseph, met at the sidelines of the annual GSM Conference in Nairobi recently and discussed the prospects. The other advantage Celtel and Vodacom would have over all the other four bidders, is the fact that both companies are subscribers to a US$ 235m project to build a fiber-optic submarine cable. This project would fulfill what the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) calls the `missing link' to 21 eastern and southern African countries by 2009. The project is meant to reduce international connectivity costs by two-thirds. With `Connect Africa,' an ITU sponsored communications summit set to be held in Rwanda next month, the bidding process of the new player in Rwanda telecom market has to be done in line with the interests of ITU. At this summit, different heads of state will have to make key decisions in the regulatory environment in order to approach the market and attract the business leaders, some of which will include these bidders. Rwanda could use this summit to show case its ability to do away with unfair monopolies that might hinder growth in her telecommunications industry. dkmusoke(a)newtimes.co.rw <mailto:dkmusoke%40newtimes.co.rw> http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=1298&article=1147 <http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=1298&article=1147> ***********************

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Econet finally connected after paying $12m fee
by alice 25 Sep '07

25 Sep '07

Econet finally connected after paying $12m fee By A STAFF WRITER The EastAfrican South African-based mobile telephone operator Econet Wireless has finally found an entry into Kenya's highly lucrative market after it was allocated frequencies by the Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK), ending a bruising three-year battle for a licence. Its local subsidiary, Econet Wireless Kenya Ltd, announced last week that it had received the frequencies after it paid the $12 million (Ksh840 million) balance of its licence fee earlier this month. The company said it was now preparing for rollout of it services, effectively becoming Kenya's third mobile telephone operator. The balance is part of the $27 million the company was required to pay before it could be licensed and allocated frequencies. But the company is entering a market dominated by Safaricom Ltd and Celtel International — more or less a duopoly where the two players dictate terms. In a David and Goliath situation — Safaricom Ltd is the most profitable company posting Ksh17 billion ($253.7 million) in profits while Celtel has established a name for itself — Econet can hope that the CCK finds favour with its appeal and enforces a provision in its licence that commits regulatory authorities compel its competitions to provide a level playing field. But this will only be feasible if the competition allows number portability and the sharing of basic physical infrastructure, including base stations. Number portability allows consumers to retain the same number regardless of the network they are on at any one particular moment, but there is no indication that the CCK will introduce and enforce the requirement and even less hope that the other better entrenched companies will be willing to give in. But Econet's ability to roll out its network almost immediately it receives its licence and frequencies as it had promised remains to be seen. Its entry comes in at a time when the sector is undergoing rapid growth. It has recently witnessed the introduction of CDMA technology by Telkom Kenya, Popote Wireless and Flashcom. Econet's hopes of making an impact and quick profits for its principal shareholders will depend heavily on CCK's ability to negotiate complex interconnect agreements between multiple players and set the price for shared infrastructure. The telecommunications sector is characterised by a large mobile- phone segment, that has experienced sustained growth, with the number of subscribers surging at a phenomenal rate. For the period 2000 to 2005, growth in this sector was a remarkable 105 per cent. It is estimated that total subscriber numbers hit a new peak of eight million in December 2006, implying a penetration rate of 23 per cent. The number of fixed lines remains comparatively low, falling from a peak of 320,000 in 2002 to 280,000 in 2006. With ongoing deregulation and a sustained commitment from the government to support the sector, the business environment is seen as being extremely robust http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/News/News24090714.htm <http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/News/News24090714.htm> __._, <http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenyainternational>

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ICANN, TWNIC Host "Toward the New Era of Internet"
by Alex Gakuru 25 Sep '07

25 Sep '07

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-20sep07.htm ICANN, TWNIC Host Toward the New Era of Internet in Taipei Internationalized domain names, Internet security key topics at three-day meeting 20 September 2007 MARINA DEL REY, Calif.: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is joining forces with the Taiwan Network Information Centre (TWNIC) to host a special regional meeting Toward the New Era of Internet in Taipei 19-21 October 2007. ICANN, TWNIC, and the global Internet community are tackling some of the most important issues impacting the Internet since its creation, said Dr Paul Twomey, ICANNs President and CEO. This meeting is an opportunity for technical communities, Internet businesses, and policy makers from the Asia-Pacific to come together and share thoughts and ideas on how we can move forward together. Some of the meeting highlights include: * Internet security and the challenges it presents to governments, service providers, and end-users * The need for a migration to IPv6, with its 340 trillion trillion trillion Internet Protocol addresses, because of the depletion of the widely-used IPv4 space * One of the last official ICANN functions for Board Chair Vint Cerf, whose term ends at the Los Angeles International Public Meeting at the end of October. * ICANNs progress on implementing internationalized domain names (IDNs), which have the goal of adding to the 37 characters presently available for domain names to tens of thousands of characters from many of the languages of the world. IDNs are going to change the face of the Internet when they arrive it will give people the chance to register domain names with their names in their languages, Dr Twomey added. ICANN is about to launch a technical evaluation of the impact IDNs will have, and if all goes well internationalized domain names could be available sometime in 2008. Links to the agenda and registration for the Taipei meeting are online at: http://taipei2007.icann.org/. -- Glen de Saint Géry GNSO Secretariat - ICANN gnso.secretariat[at]gnso.icann.org http://gnso.icann.org ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase. http://farechase.yahoo.com/

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NY Times FREE AGAIN!!!
by Alex Gakuru 24 Sep '07

24 Sep '07

["Now, everyone is entitled to our opinions. Effective September 19, 2007, TimesSelect has ended. Content previously published for TimesSelect is available free to all NYTimes.com visitors." http://www.nytimes.com/marketing/ts/] ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: WWWhatsup <joly(a)punkcast.com> Date: Sep 22, 2007 10:14 PM Subject: [isoc-ny] NY Times FREE AGAIN!!! To: isoc-ny(a)yahoogroups.com, discuss(a)isoc-ny.org [Finally, the old grey lady digs the bullet out of it's foot] http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/ A note to our readers: We have ended TimesSelect. All of our Op-Ed and news columns are now available free of charge. Additionally, The New York Times Archive is available free back to 1987 ---------------------------------------------------------- WWWhatsup NYC http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com ---------------------------------------------------------- ____________________________________________________________________________________ Don't let your dream ride pass you by. Make it a reality with Yahoo! Autos. http://autos.yahoo.com/index.html

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Fwd: NSE Week Ending 21Sep2007
by Bill Kagai 22 Sep '07

22 Sep '07

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bill Kagai <mediacorp.research(a)mediacorp.co.ke> Date: Sep 22, 2007 10:21 PM Subject: NSE Week Ending 21Sep2007 To: mediacorp.research(a)mediacorp.co.ke Dear Sir/Madam, In this week's analysis; i. Improved fiscal rectitude and political governance prompts Citi to open shop for equities market in Kenya. ii. Kengen to pay Kshs 0.80 dividend for year ending June 2007. iii. Time in partnership with CNN ponder the mystery behind M-Pesa - aptly summarised as...'Socially useful yet Profitable'...as Safaricom crosses the 500,000 subscriber threshold for M-Pesa. iv. Test drive [myStocks+] a ground breaking software solution developed by Synergy in partnership with MediaCorp that now manages your stock portfolio and generates your statements using real time data. www.mystocks.co.ke -- -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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Fwd: EuroAfrica-ICT workshops - Publication sur médias et TIC -- CIPACO FLASH - N°7 - 22/09/2007 (IPAO/PIWA)
by Eric Osiakwan 22 Sep '07

22 Sep '07

Begin forwarded message: > From: "contact(a)cipaco.org" <contact(a)cipaco.org> > Date: 22 September 2007 14:21:13 GMT+03:00 > To: newsletter(a)cipaco.org > Subject: EuroAfrica-ICT workshops - Publication sur médias et TIC > -- CIPACO FLASH - N°7 - 22/09/2007 (IPAO/PIWA) > > CIPACO FLASH - N°7 - 22/09/2007 > -------------------------- > > ******** > ENGLISH > ******** > > ** EuroAfrica-ICT workshop in Botswana** > > As you may already know, the EuroAfrica-ICT initiative > (<http://www.euroafrica-ict.org>) is a project developed under the 6th > Framework Programme (FP6) of the European Commission (DG InfSo) > with the > aim to strengthen, develop and support S&T partnerships in the ICT > field > between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa in particular in FP7 > (<http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7>). > > In this framework you are cordially invited to attend the next two > EuroAfrica-ICT Awareness Workshops: > > Gaborone, Botswana > :: Date: October 8 & 9 > :: Venue: Gaborone International Conference Centre - Gaborone, > Botswana > :: Organiser: The Meraka Institute of the CSIR, South Africa > :: Supporting organisations: Ministry of Communications, Science & > Technology (Botswana) and the University of Botswana. > :: Language: English > :: Participation : Free but no schoolarship to support attendance > available. > :: Contact : RNaidoo(a)csir.co.za and cmanneson(a)csir.co.za > > > Yaoundé, Cameroon (details below in French) > :: Date: October 11 & 12 > :: Venue: Franco Hotel - Yaoundé, Cameroon > :: Organiser: Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA), Senegal > :: Supporting organisation: Ecole Nationale Polytechnique Supérieure, > Université of Yaoundé 1 > :: Language: French > > > ** Publication "Enjeux et usages des TIC en Afrique : Les médias > entrent > dans le débat" ** > > New publication by the Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA), mainly in > French, on media and ICTs in Africa. Issues covered: media uses of > ICTs, > blogs, regulation, SAT3, GSM uses, e-administration, telecenters, etc. > Contains analyses on ICT issues for journalists and 43 articles > written > by journalists from West and Central Africa; 262 pages. Produced > within > the framework of a PIWA project funded by IDRC - See details in > French below > > > > ********** > FRANCAIS > ********** > > ------------------------ > Ateliers EuroAfrica-ICT > ------------------------- > > Comme vous le savez peut-être, l’initiative EuroAfrica-ICT > (<http://www.euroafrica-ict.org>) est un projet soutenu par le 6ème > Programme Cadre de Recherche et Développement (PCRD) de la Commission > européenne (DG Société de l’Information et Media) ayant pour > objectif de > faciliter les partenariats scientifiques et techniques entre les pays > d’Afrique sub-saharienne et de l’Union européenne au sein du 7ème PCRD > (<http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7>). > > Dans ce cadre, nous sommes heureux de vous convier aux deux > ateliers du > projet EuroAfrica-ICT: > > GABORONE, BOTSWANA > :: Date: 8 & 9 Octobre > :: Lieu: Centre de Conférences International - Gaborone, Botswana > :: Organisateur: L’Institut Meraka, CSIR, Afrique du Sud > :: Soutien: Ministère des Communications, des Sciences et Technologies > (Botswana) et l’Université du Botswana > :: Langue de travail: Anglais > :: Contact : RNaidoo(a)csir.co.za et cmanneson(a)csir.co.za > > YAOUNDE - CAMEROUN > :: Date: 11 & 12 Octobre > :: Lieu: Hôtel Franco - Yaoundé, Cameroun > :: Organisateur: Institut Panos Afrique de l’Ouest (IPAO), Sénégal > :: Collaboration: Ecole Nationale Polytechnique Supérieure, Université > of Yaoundé 1 > :: Langue de travail: Français > > ** Objectifs de l'atelier du Cameroun: ** > > 1) Informer les participants sur les activités de l’initiative > EuroAfrica-ICT et ses différents services ; > 2) Informer sur les modalités de participation au 7ème PCRD ; > 3) Identifier les principales institutions africaines pouvant > participer > au 7ème PCRD ; > 4) Favoriser la discussion sur les enjeux de la Recherche Scientifique > sur les TIC, ainsi que la collaboration entre les différents acteurs. > > La rencontre réunira les principales organisations intéressées par la > recherche scientifique dans le secteur des TIC, du Cameroun, des pays > voisins, des institutions régionales et internationales, ainsi que des > représentants de l’Union européenne. > > Durant l’atelier, les enjeux de la recherche sur les TIC pour > l’Afrique, > de la coopération avec l’Union Européenne dans ce domaine, ainsi > que des > initiatives de recherche sur les TIC seront discutés. Des visites de > laboratoires TIC auront également lieu. > > Public cible : Universitaires intéressés par les TIC, acteurs du > secteur > privé TIC intéressés par la recherche/développement et la coopération > technique, autres acteurs travaillant sur ces questions, acteurs de > l’Union européenne intéressés par la recherche et la coopération > technique avec l’Afrique dans ce domaine. > > ** Comment y participer ? ** > > La participation est gratuite mais l’inscription préalable est > impérative ; veuillez bien vouloir vous inscrire en remplissant ce > formulaire > http://www.euroafrica-ict.org/awareness_workshops_formulaire.html. Les > inscriptions seront closes le 2 Octobre 2007. > > Les personnes intéressées devront prendre en charge les frais liés à > leur participation. L’initiative EuroAfrica-ICT prendra en charge les > déjeuners durant l’atelier. > > Pour plus d'informations : > http://www.euroafrica-ict.org/awareness_workshops.html et > http://www.cipaco.org/spip.php?article1198 -- > > > ** > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------------ > Publication : "Enjeux et usages des TIC en Afrique : Les médias > entrent > dans le débat" > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------------- > > Une nouvelle publication du Programme "Usages et Politiques du > Numérique" (TIC) de l’Institut Panos Afrique de l’Ouest (IPAO) > vient de > paraître. Elle a été réalisée dans le cadre du projet « La presse > écrite > ouest-africaine : médiatrice des enjeux de la société de l’information > », mis en oeuvre par l’IPAO entre 2004 et 2006 et financé par le > Centre > de Recherches pour le Développement International (CRDI). Il avait > pour > objectif de sensibiliser les acteurs des médias aux enjeux de la > société > de l’information et de renforcer leurs capacités à traiter ce thème de > manière professionnelle. > > La publication rend ainsi compte et débat, d’une part, des usages > actuels des TIC pour le développement en Afrique et, d’autre part, de > leurs usages et enjeux pour les médias eux-mêmes. Elle contient des > analyses et plus de quarante articles écrits dans différents > contextes, > par des journalistes de l’Afrique de l’ouest et de l’Afrique centrale, > en français et dans quelques cas en anglais. L’utilisation des TIC > dans > l’administration, celle des blogs, de la téléphonie mobile, la > régulation, le SAT 3, la question « genre et TIC », la convergence et > surtout l’intérêt des TIC pour les médias, sont autant de > problématiques > traitées dans cet ouvrage collectif de 262 pages. > > Le projet financé par le CRDI a été réalisé en liaison avec un autre > projet de production et de renforcement de capacités des médias sur > les > TIC, financé par l’Agence Intergouvernementale de la Francophonie > (AIF), > dans le cadre du Fonds Francophone des Inforoutes (FFI). > > ** Sommaire ** > > - Renforcer les capacités des médias et favoriser la gouvernance > efficiente des TIC (Avant-propos) > - Quand les médias s’approprient les enjeux des TIC : une analyse de > productions de journalistes ouest-africains > > - Sélection d’articles sur les TIC en Afrique > * Régulation et convergence > * Genre et accès universel > * SAT3, régulation, accès > * Médias, accès > * Gouvernance démocratique, développement > * Thèmes divers > > - Usages et perspectives des blogs en Afrique de l’Ouest : cas du > Sénégal > - Eléments d’évaluation sur la problématique « TIC et Médias » en > Afrique : Interviews d’acteurs > > > ** Télécharger gratuitement votre copie : > http://www.panos-ao.org/IMG/pdf_enjeuxetusagesticmedia.pdf > > Publication également disponible sur support imprimé. > > Pour plus d’information sur les activités de renforcement de capacités > des médias sur les TIC menées par l’IPAO, et financées par des > institutions telles que le CRDI, l’OIF/FFI, OSIWA, consulter le site > http://mediatic.panos-ao.org et http://www.haayo.org > > Pour plus d'informations : http://www.panos-ao.org/spip.php? > article15055 > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------ > "Flash" est un bulletin d’alerte rapide qui paraît, lorsque nécessaire > et au plus deux fois par mois. Il vous informe rapidement sur un sujet > nécessitant votre prompte réaction (événement, opportunité, nouvelle, > etc.). C'est une production du projet CIPACO de l'Institut Panos > Afrique > de l'Ouest. > > Envoyez-nous vos informations: Contact(a)cipaco.org > > Pour s’abonner, envoyez-nous un email ou aller sur : > http://www.cipaco.org/article.php3?id_article=15&lang= > Pour se désabonner, envoyez-nous un email ou aller sur > http://mailman.cipaco.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/newsletter > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ----- > "Flash" informs you on ICT policy issue(s) (event, opportunity, news, > etc) for which you need to take a prompt action; "Flash" is released > only when needed, and at most, twice a month. It is produced by the > CIPACO project of the Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA). > > Contact - To send us an event: contact(a)cipaco.org > > To subscribe, send us a email or go to: > http://www.cipaco.org/article.php3?id_article=15&lang=en > To unsubscribe, send us an email or go to > http://mailman.cipaco.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/newsletter > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------ > > _______________________________________________ > Newsletter mailing list > Newsletter(a)cipaco.org > http://mailman.cipaco.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/newsletter > Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Re: [kictanet] Safaricom Effects Refund; is the Safaricom to Telkom SMS Link?
by John Walubengo 21 Sep '07

21 Sep '07

Alex from ur message below, Snip> "Dear Customer we (Safaricom?) curently have no SMS connection to Telkom. <snip Could someone confirm if there's interconnection between the two Operators at an SMS (texting) level. I would have thought interconnection between the two operators is much more important than refunding for failed messages... walu. --- Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Dear All, > > Further to our earlier SMS conversation, I have received > an SMS > message from Safaricom that states as follows: - > ----- > "Dear Customer we curently have no SMS connection to > Telkom. > Any SMS via our network charged on submission. We now > refund the > charges on your SMS to Telkom" > > Sender: Safaricom > Date 21-September -2007 > Time 11:10:47 > --- > It would appear my remaining airtime balance increased > after that. > > Many thanks > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell. http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/

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Not..Venting Data Vending
by Bill Kagai 21 Sep '07

21 Sep '07

Hi Alex, Actually, we are not venting but trying to be responsible for the changes we want. Despite all our efforts including the Government's in getting ICT related legislation in place, and none of that happening basically means that change of strategy is required. The MediaCorp Board of Directors will be sponsoring my candidature for the Westlands Parliamentary Seat on a KANU platform in 2012. The work nevertheless begins immediately to ensure that MPs who are coming for the 10th August House understand that we are just too behind in IT technology and its a shame to be talking legislation and optic fiber when in Asia, a fridge will send you an email alerting you milk is over and order for the same online. As part of being responsible for the changes we require, we need to identify ICT friendly MPs and make them see the seriousness of ICT...for the buck seems to stop in the honourable August House. See attached.... Good Day.. Bill On 9/19/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Hey Billy, M8 you look like you're really spilling > it;-) > > http://article.wn.com/view/2007/09/14/Data_Vending_Hit_By_Poor_Internet_Con… > > Have y'self a nice day. > > Alex > > > > _

5 8

(no subject)
by John Kariuki 20 Sep '07

20 Sep '07

Please go ahead --------------------------------- Yahoo! Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Tryit now.

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Fwd: GJLOS on traffic offences
by Brian Longwe 19 Sep '07

19 Sep '07

Please pass on to all you know and stop these cops harassing people - especially at the roadblock just after Sigona Begin forwarded message: > Subject: FW: GJLOS on traffic offences > > This is a piece of paper that is handy to have in your car. Please > pass it > on. > > If you are stopped for a minor traffic offence in Kenya, please > follow the > following simple rules > > 1. Demand that the officer identify him/herself through an appointment > certificate OR trough the name and number normally pinned on their > uniform. > > 2. Equally always identify yourself by a driver's license or ID > document. > > 3. Please do not allow police officers to get into your car when > you have > been stopped for a minor traffic offence. (Your car is private > property > and technically the police require a search warrant to enter your > car, but > we are normally polite and allow them to look in the boot etc.) > > 4. If you are being charged with a minor traffic offence, the paper > work > can normally be done on the spot ! it's called a " bail bond" or > "police > bail ". You make a cash payment and get an official receipt (which > is also > a notice to appear in court on a future date). If it cannot be > issued on > the spot, insist that you follow a police car to the nearest police > station and then ensure that the bail bond is issued at the police > station. Please also note that all minor traffic offences in Kenya are > indeed eligible for "bail bond "or "police bail " - there is > absolutely no > justification for you to be locked up at a police station for minor > traffic offences (But this is a threat normally used to scare people) > > 5. Never allow a police officer to take the keys of your car from the > ignition ! This is illegal. > > 6. Be polite and non-confrontational at all times. > > Jacques Carstens > Chief Technical Coordinator > Programme Coordination Office > Governance, Justice, Law and Order Sector (GJLOS) Reform Programme > Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Kenya > Cell: +254 (0)723919539 > Tel:+254-20-224029/55/82x116 or DL 215974 > E-mail: jcarstens(a)gjlos.co.ke http://www.gjlos.go.ke/ > 9th Floor, Room 908, Cooperative Bank House > > This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and > intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom > they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please > notify the system manager. This message contains confidential > information and is intended only for the individual named. If you > are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute > or copy this e-mail. > ______________________________________________________________________ > This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. > For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email > ______________________________________________________________________ > > > "Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have."- > Jomo Kenyatta

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[Fwd: please remove Eng Kariuki former address]
by alice 19 Sep '07

19 Sep '07

Dear all Someone stole Engineers Karuiki's e-mailbox and is using it to commit fraud. Eng. Kariuki is unable to access the box to close it. If any of you has received or receives this message, see below, from this address: jnkariuki(a)gmail.com be warned it is a fraudster using it. Take care of your passwords... best alice ---------------------------------------------------------- > *From:* John Kariuki [mailto:jnkariuki@gmail.com] > *Sent:* 18 September 2007 10:21 > *To:* undisclosed-recipients: > *Subject:* Please, I Need Your Help Urgently. > > How are you doing today? I am in a hurry writing you this message, i > don't have much time on the pc here, so i have to brief you my present > situation which requires your urgent response. Actually, I had a trip > to Nigeria for a program called "Empowering Youth to Fight Racism, > HIV/AIDS, Poverty and Lack of Education, the program is taking place > in three major countries in Africa which is Ghana, South Africa and > Nigeria. but unfortunately for me all my money got stolen at the hotel > where i lodged due to a robbery incident that happened in the hotel. I > had been so restless since last night, i have been without any money i > am even owing the hotel here as well, moreover the Hotel's telephone > lines here got disconnected by the robbers and they are trying to get > them fixed back. > I have access to only emails at the library because my mobile cant > work here so i didn't bring it along, please i want you to help me > with some money so that i can clear my bills and return back home. > please can you send me $3000 so i can return back i would refund it > back to you as soon as i get home, I am so confused right now and > don't know what to do, you can have it sent through Western Union but > My passport is with the Embassy here so not sure if i can use my name > to collect it now, But you can send it directly to a Man who works for > Western Union, he helps people in the hotel i lodge to get money from > their relatives and i would get it through him, I have already spoken > to him, so he will get it immediately it is sent but let me know if > you can help me then i will make findings. please let me hear from you > so i can collect his full name and address where you can send the > money to today please, Its really urgent for me as i don't know what > to do right now than to leave here soonest you send it to me and i > will pay you back immediately i get home. > > Thanks alot for your kindness. I will really appreciate your quick > response. > > > -- > Eng.J.N. Kariuki, > P.O.Box 72748, > NAIROBI 00200, KENYA > e-mail: jnkariuki(a)gmail.com <mailto:jnkariuki@gmail.com> >

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Work in Dar es Salaam...
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 19 Sep '07

19 Sep '07

Please pass on... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ken Ndirangu <kendirangu(a)gmail.com> Date: 19 Sep 2007 14:36 Subject: [Skunkworks] Work in Dar To: skunkworks(a)my.co.ke Hi all. A friend is building a wireless ISP in Tanzania and would like to hire 1 or 2 techies with some experience in this. The job will mainly be to work on the ongoing rollout, maintenance, network management and support. If you are seriously interested please contact me. yahoo id: kendirangu(a)yahoo.com msn: kendirangu(a)hotmail.com Have a nice day, Ken _______________________________________________ skunkworks mailing list skunkworks(a)my.co.ke http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg. --

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Venting Data Vending
by Alex Gakuru 19 Sep '07

19 Sep '07

Hey Billy, M8 you look like you're really spilling it;-) http://article.wn.com/view/2007/09/14/Data_Vending_Hit_By_Poor_Internet_Con… Have y'self a nice day. Alex ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase. http://farechase.yahoo.com/

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Fwd: [Idlelo2] Africa Conference on FOSS and the Digital Commons - Idlelo 3. Call for Papers
by Judy Okite 18 Sep '07

18 Sep '07

FYI ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Nnenna <nne75(a)yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 03:25:52 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Idlelo2] Africa Conference on FOSS and the Digital Commons - Idlelo 3. Call for Papers To: African Information Society Initiative - Discussion Forum <aisi-l(a)lyris.bellanet.org>, ACSIS <africa(a)wsis-cs.org>, Governance <governance(a)lists.cpsr.org>, IDLELO <idlelo2(a)fossfa.net>, Nigeria List <wsisnigeria(a)yahoogroups.com>, Naija_IT_Professionals(a)yahoogroups.com, Language <language(a)fossfa.net> Apologies for crossposting Nnenna ** High Priority ** Call for Papers Paper submissions are invited for Idlelo3 Conference, which will be taking place on the 16-20 March , 2008 in Senegal. Delegates who wish to present papers, case studies and workshops are invited to access this link: http://floss.meraka.org.za/ocs/index.php/idlelo3/idlelo3 which will serve as a guidelines for submission Deadline Schedule Abstract Submission 15 October 2007 Peer Review Result 15 November 2007 Abstract Accepted 14 December 2007 Final Paper 15February 2008 Instructions for Presenters Presentation materials must accompany all papers. The presentation material should compliment your full paper. Failure to submit a full paper will result in speaker benefits being withdrawn. Speaker Benefits All Idlelo 3 speakers have their conference registration fee waived. Note that it is important that you get your papers in by the due dates we reserve the right to withdraw the free registration if you do not get it in on time. If you are having problems meeting the deadlines, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can work with you to figure it out. If you are a student, please make sure that we know it. We may offer prize(s) for the best student paper submitted. Submission Guidelines Proposals Your proposal must include: Name, affiliation and address of principle author Brief biographical note, which summarises your CV and explains relevance of your experiences to the topic of your Paper. Full title of the Paper Abstract of the Paper, including a description of what you expect to cover (Maximum length 250 words) Target Audience, namely, who your talk is likely to interest (keywords indicating categories) Preferred stream for presentation Names and bio information of any co-authors Proposals acceptance Authors will be notified of the acceptance of their proposals by the 14 December 2007. Whilst we encourage many proposals, the constraints of time, resources and space dictate that only a restricted number of proposals will be accepted for presentation. We suggest that you communicate any information regarding your individual local requirements with them as soon as possible to ensure a swift response. Paper Submission All presenters are required to submit presentation materials by the specified date. Failure to do so may result in loss of your speaking slot and speaker benefits. Your full paper should include an abstract, introduction, body and conclusion. Please ensure that grammar and spelling is corrected. Make sure your paper includes at the very least a brief introduction to your subject material and a list of further resources. We would prefer that papers for standard length talks (30 minutes) be no more than 5 A4 pages of 11point type with reasonable margins. Papers for long talks (60 minutes) should be not exceed 10 pages. Appropriate file formats include any file that can be read with Open Office (which includes plain text and HTML with minimal mark-up). Slides (even those accompanied by speaker notes) will not be printed in the proceedings. Please provide a good range of sample paper layouts. By submitting a paper to be published in the proceedings, you are agreeing to the FOSSFA terms and regulations. Review results All papers will be reviewed to ensure that papers are of a high quality. The purpose is not to identify spelling or grammatical errors or to test code snippets, although errors may be corrected during the review if found. It is recommended that the presenters should read their papers thoroughly before submitting. Once your paper has been reviewed, the presenters will receive their results in order to make the requested improvements for the published version. Proceedings version A final copy of your paper will be printed in the conference proceedings. Contact details If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Pumeza Ceza at pceza(a)csir.co.za or Vanessa Phala vanessap(a)dpsa.gov.za Please note: Submissions for the abstracts are strictly on the 15 November 2007 FOSSFA reserves the right to select papers for presentation. Abstracts received will be acknowledged and notification of acceptance or rejection will be by email by 15 December 2007 Abstracts of papers submitted to other congresses or previously published will not be considered. No more than three submissions are welcome per presenter We urge presenters to please read the submission requirements carefully as we expect a high volume of presentations --------------------------------- Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. -- Judy Ann Okite, +254-721237507,+254-734252336 P.O. BOX 2228 00100, NAIROBI,KENYA. "Even if you are on the right track, you'll still get run over if you just sit there."

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Fwd: eLearning Africa 2008 News Service - Call for Papers Now Open!
by Judy Okite 18 Sep '07

18 Sep '07

FYI, ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: newsservice(a)elearning-africa.com Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:54:19 +0200 (CEST) Subject: eLearning Africa 2008 News Service - Call for Papers Now Open! To: judyokite(a)gmail.com To unsubscribe, please scroll to the end of this message. News & Information on the eLearning Africa conference, an annual event for developing eLearning capacities in Africa www.elearning-africa.com 1. Call for Papers Now Open The Call for Papers for the eLearning Africa 2008 conference programme is open. You can submit a proposal for a session, presentation, workshop or discussion. Please send us your proposal by December 7, 2008, using the online submission form submission at www.elearning-africa.com. Themes of eLearning Africa 2008 are: - Unleashing the Capabilities of Universities Through Information and Communication Technologies - Corporate eLearning in Africa and Beyond - Introducing eLearning into the School System - Designing and Delivering eLearning - Building the Infrastructure for Education in the 21st Century - Open Source and Open Content - eLearning in Medical Education and the Fight Against HIV and AIDS - Advanced Technology Developments - eLearning Supported by Development Partners - Empowering Women Through ICT and eLearning - Improving the Quality and Outreach of Technical and Vocational Education - Libraries as Access Providers to Resources and Expertise - Quality Development and Quality Assurance - Achieving Inclusivity Through eLearning - eLearning for the Public Sector - Policy Issues and Large-Scale Take-Up of eLearning More information 2. The eLearning Africa Video The eLearning Africa film crew was constantly on the go during the three conference days in Nairobi to get impressions and statements from speakers, participants and exhibitors. They have produced an entertaining five-minute film that captures the lively and inspiring atmosphere at the event... Watch the eLA Film 3. Exhibition & Sponsoring Opportunities eLearning Africa is accompanied by an exhibition and demonstration area where leading international eLearning manufacturers, suppliers and service providers present their latest products and services. Located centrally within the conference venue, the exhibition has a relaxed atmosphere that encourages cooperation initiatives. Participants value the exhibition as a central meeting point within the conference and an excellent opportunity to meet with the exhibiting companies and institutions. If your company is interested in meeting the participants of eLearning Africa, your presence at the exhibition is surely an excellent opportunity to: Promote your organisation and latest developments to a highly specialised audience Establish and strengthen valuable personal contacts Actively engage with a growing market represented by leading eLearning professionals from all over Africa Should you wish to become a sponsor and/or exhibitor at eLearning Africa's accompanying exhibition, please contact us at marketing(a)elearning-africa.com. Visit the event's website 4. Early Bird Rate - Register Now! Get the special conference rate prior to December 14! African Participants - 200 Euros (250 Euros from December 15) Non-Africa Participants - 490 Euros (590 Euros from December 15) African Students - 80 Euros (100 Euros from December 15) Non-African Students - 120 Euros (170 Euros from December 15) Fees & Registration ==================================== Please send any feedback, comments or suggestions to the eLearning Africa newsletter team at press-service(a)icwe.net. For more information about the event, please contact: ICWE GmbH Leibnizstrasse 32 10625 Berlin, Germany Tel.: +49 (0)30 310 18 180 Fax: +49 (0)30 324 98 33 www.icwe.net, www.elearning-africa.com E-Mail: info(a)elearning-africa.com ==================================== Click here to unsubscribe or to change your settings. -- Judy Ann Okite, +254-721237507,+254-734252336 P.O. BOX 2228 00100, NAIROBI,KENYA. "Even if you are on the right track, you'll still get run over if you just sit there."

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Books
by Dorcas Muthoni 17 Sep '07

17 Sep '07

Dear All, If you happen to have any IT/Computer Science (programming, networking, Internet, Web Development, Databases, AI, Computer Architecture etc) reading materials (books, journals, magazines etc) that you can donate to a school, please get in touch with me. LinuxChix Kenya will be holding an event for girls´ high schools under our mentorship program for young women on 29th September at Catholic University at which we shall donate the books together with others donated to us by NSRC (http://www.nsrc.org/) You are also welcome to the event, Muthoni

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retreat update, spaces available
by Rebecca Wanjiku 17 Sep '07

17 Sep '07

hi, just to let you know that the retreat is still on course, the retreat will take place between the 27-29 of September at the lake Elementaita lodge. we leave on 27th afternoon, at about 5 and get back on 30th, the program will be sent soon by our lead consultant,in attendance will be another prof. who is an expert in the field, we still have space, for those interested in participating, for those who will not make it, you can still forward your contributions for consideration, regards becky Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games.

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ICANN Los Angeles meeting
by alice 17 Sep '07

17 Sep '07

Dear All, For those planning to attend the LA meeting, the schedule has been posted at: http://losangeles2007.icann.org/schedule See below. Schedule and Agendas Sort by Committee / Organization Starts Ends Event Room Saturday, 27 October, 2007 - 00:00 Saturday, 27 October, 2007 - 17:00 GNSO Council Working Session <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/76> Saturday, 27 October, 2007 - 14:00 Saturday, 27 October, 2007 - 18:00 GAC Working Group on IDNs (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/30> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 00:00 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 10:00 GAC Working Group 1: IDNs in gTLD Space (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/31> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 00:00 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 10:30 Fellowship Participants Orientation <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/32> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 09:00 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 16:00 GNSO Council Working Session <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/81> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 10:00 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 11:00 GAC Working Group 1: Follow-up to Whois and New gTLDs (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/37> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 11:15 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 13:00 GAC Working Group on IDNs (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/33> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 13:00 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 14:00 ICANN Board / GAC Joint Working Group (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/34> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 14:00 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 15:30 IANA Workshop: IPv6 <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/36> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 14:00 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 15:45 GAC Working Group 2&4: Meeting w/ ccNSO Council (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/50> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 16:00 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 17:30 IANA Workshop Part II: IPv6 <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/38> Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 16:00 Sunday, 28 October, 2007 - 18:00 Joint GAC/GNSO Council Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/39> Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 00:00 Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 17:00 ccTLD Technical Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/40> Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 00:00 Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 00:00 Fellowship Participants Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/41> Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 09:00 Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 09:45 Welcome Ceremony <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/42> Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 10:30 Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 11:00 ICANN Public Forum: President's Report and Comments <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/43> Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 11:00 Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 12:30 Workshop: GNSO Review <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/44> Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 11:00 Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 12:30 DNSSEC Workshop <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/77> Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 13:00 Monday, 29 October, 2007 - 19:00 GNSO Public Forum on New gTLDs <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/45> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 00:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 00:00 Fellowship Participants Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/46> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 00:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 17:00 gTLD Registries Constituency Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/47> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 00:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 18:00 Registrars Constituency Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/48> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 00:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 17:00 Non-Commercial Business Users Constituency <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/49> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 00:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 10:30 GAC Working Group 7: GAC Reforms (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/60> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 00:30 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 17:00 ccNSO Members Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/51> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 10:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 12:00 Cross Constituency Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/52> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 11:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 11:45 GAC Working Group 7: Discussion of Input on Accountability (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/79> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 11:45 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 13:00 SSAC Briefing for GAC and ccTLD Operators on DNSSEC <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/53> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 14:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 16:30 GAC Plenary (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/54> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 14:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 17:00 Intellectual Property Interests Constituency Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/55> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 14:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 17:00 Internet Service and Connectivity Providers Constituency Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/56> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 14:00 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 16:00 Commercial and Business Users Constituency Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/57> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 16:45 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 18:00 GAC Meeting with the ICANN Board (OPEN SESSION) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/80> Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 19:30 Tuesday, 30 October, 2007 - 23:00 GALA Event @ Sony Studios including Official Tribute to Vint Cerf <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/58> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 00:00 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 00:00 Fellowship Participants Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/59> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 00:00 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 10:30 GAC Plenary (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/62> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 00:00 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 12:00 ccNSO Members Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/63> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 00:00 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 00:00 ccNSO Council Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/69> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 00:30 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 10:00 GNSO Council Meeting & Public Forum <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/61> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 10:30 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 12:00 GNSO Council Meeting and Public Forum Continued <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/64> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 13:00 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 14:00 Workshop: Internet Governance <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/65> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 13:00 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 15:00 SSAC Open Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/78> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 14:00 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 15:00 Workshop: ICANN Translation Policy <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/66> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 14:00 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 18:00 GAC Plenary (CLOSED) <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/67> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 15:30 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 17:00 Workshop: Registrar Accreditation Agreement <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/68> Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 17:00 Wednesday, 31 October, 2007 - 18:30 Workshop: ICANN Nominating Committee Review <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/70> Thursday, 1 November, 2007 - 00:00 Thursday, 1 November, 2007 - 00:00 Fellowship Participants Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/71> Thursday, 1 November, 2007 - 00:00 Thursday, 1 November, 2007 - 00:00 GNSO Council Discussion of Input from Meetings <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/73> Thursday, 1 November, 2007 - 00:30 Thursday, 1 November, 2007 - 10:00 ICANN Public Forum <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/72> Friday, 2 November, 2007 - 00:00 Friday, 2 November, 2007 - 00:00 Fellowship Participants Meeting <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/74> Friday, 2 November, 2007 - 00:30 Friday, 2 November, 2007 - 13:00 Meeting of the ICANN Board <http://losangeles2007.icann.org/node/75>

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Public comments on GNSO Council's WHOIS outputs invited
by Alex Gakuru 17 Sep '07

17 Sep '07

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-14sep07.htm Public comments are invited via email until 00:00 UTC (17:00 PDT) on 30 October 2007 on the GNSO Council's WHOIS reports and recommendations. Submit comments to: whois-comments-2007(a)icann.org. View comments at http://forum.icann.org/lists/whois-comments-2007/. Background In March, 2007, a WHOIS Task Force convened by the GNSO Council in June, 2005 completed its final report. The Task Force was asked to address important questions related to WHOIS. Key questions included the purpose of WHOIS service, which information should be available to the public, how to improve WHOIS accuracy and how to deal with conflicts between WHOIS requirements and relevant privacy laws. In the final report, a simple majority of members of the WHOIS Task Force endorsed a proposal called the "Operational Point of Contact" (OPOC). Under OPOC, every registrant would identify a new operational contact and the technical and administrative contact details would no longer be displayed. The final WHOIS Task Force Report of 12 March, 2007 is posted at http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois-privacy/whois-services-final-tf-report-1…. Following completion of the Task Force Report and public comment period, on 28 March the GNSO Council issued a resolution creating a WHOIS Working Group to examine three issues and to make recommendations concerning how current policies may be improved to address these issues: 1. to examine the roles, responsibilities and requirements of the OPOC, and what happens if they are not fulfilled; 2. to examine how legitimate interests will access unpublished registration data; and 3. to examine whether publication of registration contact information should be based on the type of registered name holder (legal vs. natural persons) or the registrant's use of a domain name. The Whois Outcomes Working Group Report was finalized on 20 August, 2007. It is posted at http://gnso.icann.org/drafts/icann-whois-wg-report-final-1-9.pdf [PDF, 213K]. On 6 September 2007, the GNSO Council approved a resolution which, among other things, establishes a schedule for consideration of the WHOIS Task Force Report and the WHOIS Working Group Report. This schedule includes solicitation of further public comments and culminates in a public Council discussion and vote on 31 October 2007 during the Los Angeles ICANN. In addition, the resolution calls for ICANN staff to prepare a type of "draft final report" that references the Task Force Report, the Working Group Charter and the Working Group Report and which includes an overall description of the process. The following document, entitled, Staff Overview of Recent GNSO WHOIS Activity [PDF, 77K], has been prepared in response to the Council Resolution. It contains the full text of the GNSO resolution and the schedule for GNSO Council consideration of the reports. Again, further public comments are invited via email until 00:00 UTC (17:00 PDT) on 30 October 2007 on the GNSO Council's WHOIS reports and recommendations referenced above and summarized in the Staff Overview of Recent GNSO WHOIS Activity [PDF, 77K]. Submit comments to: whois-comments-2007(a)icann.org. View comments at http://forum.icann.org/lists/whois-comments-2007/. -- Glen de Saint Géry GNSO Secretariat - ICANN gnso.secretariat[at]gnso.icann.org http://gnso.icann.org ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545469

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URGENT: Anyone Attending the Internet Governance Forum in Rio?
by Janet Feldman 16 Sep '07

16 Sep '07

Dear Friends, Please see this urgent message, and contact Michael Gurstein directly, at gurstein(a)gmail.com. Thanks and best wishes, Janet (Feldman, kaippg(a)earthlink.net) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: michael gurstein gurstein(a)gmail.com Date: Sep 16, 2007 7:05 AM Subject: [gta] URGENT: Is anyone from this group (or in associated groups) likely to be attending the Internet Governance Forum in Rio? As most of you know the major follow-on activity to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is the Internet Governance Forum which met last year in Athens and is meeting this year in Rio de Janeiro. http://www.intgovforum.org Civil society is a quite active player in this forum and has the opportunity to nominate speakers for various of the sessions which will be held. I've been fairly vocal in arguing that those such as folks involved with the Telecentre movement i.e. with grass roots experience and interests should have a role to play in these discussions and I've now been roped into being on the Civil Society (actually the CS Internet Governance Caucus) nominating committee for CS participation in the forum. A major problem and one that I and others have been complaining about quite strenuously is that there is NO funding for participation by CS in the IGF. What I'm asking is whether any of you folks (or people that you know as Telecentre colleagues or collaborators) either will be attending the Rio conference or could attend the Rio conference even in the absence of any financial support. If there are such persons on this list or that you know of I need to have an indication of your/their interest in participating more or less immediately (the committee is meeting starting late tomorrow for two days) to come up with a list of names to send forward to the IGF Management Committee. If you do send an indication of interest please also include a brief resume and if possible a statement of what areas would be of particular interest/expertise for you to contribute on. The subject matter areas on which sessions will be held are as follows: Critical Internet Resources: Starting point for the discussion is the definition contained in the WGIG report (Para 13 a): "Issues relating to infrastructure and the management of critical Internet resources, including administration of the domain name system and Internet protocol addresses (IP addresses), administration of the root server system, technical standards, peering and interconnection, telecommunications infrastructure, including innovative and convergent technologies, as well as multilingualization." The session will use a baseline approach, taking into account WSIS principles. The purpose of the discussion is to bring out information and opinion. There will be a balanced panel of five to seven experts, including the major players, reflecting a range of views Access: - Special connectivity problems faced by Africa, land-locked, island and least developed countries. - Access challenges in rural areas. - Skills development, training and capacity building in the use of technology. - Low cost access solutions. - Mobile and wireless access. - International infrastructure reliability, connectivity policy and costs. - Local and regional interconnection and cross-border regulation. - Economic impact of access. - Issues related to net neutrality. Diversity: - Building support and stimulating demand for locally developed content. This includes content that is not commercially viable, software support and the role of audio-visual communication. - The role of open standards in promoting diversity. - The involvement of language communities in developing internationalized domain names (IDN) and in developing multi-lingual content, including content in indigenous and minority languages. - Technologies, policies, and capacity building to reduce illiteracy and to provide access and accessible content for marginalized and vulnerable groups of society, including older persons and persons with disabilities. - Public policies concerned with user generated content. Openness: - Freedom of expression and the role of governments to protect that right. - Protection of privacy and its relation to freedom of expression. - The relationship between national regulations on freedom of expression and the border-free Internet. - The relationship between private enterprise, human rights, and compliance with national law. - The balance between citizens' rights, and the rights of IPR holders. - Innovative business models, made possible by the Internet, for dealing with digital content and their application in development. - Open source software, proprietary software and open standards. - The challenges to access to information and knowledge and what can be done to overcome them. - Maximizing access to content. Security: - Security threats to countries, companies, and individuals as users of the Internet and to the Internet itself - The definition of security threats, international security cooperation, including such issues as cybercrime, cyber-terrorism and cyber-warfare. - The relationship between national implementation and international cooperation. - Cooperation across national boundaries, taking into account different legal policies on privacy, combating crime and security. - The role of all stakeholders in the implementation of security measures, including security in relation to behaviour and uses. - Security of internet resources. - Authentication and identification - Authentication and identification and their role in fostering trust online and their relation to the protection of privacy. - Challenges to privacy in a security environment. - Respecting freedom of expression. - Privacy and identity. - Privacy and development. - Security issues related to the protection of children. - Protecting children from abuse and exploitation in the online environment. Emerging issues - Emerging pervasive nature of the Internet in a political, economic, and social context. - Policy implication of rapid spread wireless and mobile Internet. - Policy implications of user generated content. - Implications of competition policy. Best, MG Michael Gurstein, Ph.D. Centre for Community Informatics Research, Training and Development Ste. 2101-989 Nelson St. Vancouver BC CANADA v6z 2s1 http://www.communityinformatics.net tel./fax +1-604-602-0624

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Internet Service Providers Record Rise in Earnings in Kenya
by alice 16 Sep '07

16 Sep '07

From Balancing Act Internet Service Providers Record Rise in Earnings in Kenya Local Internet service providers are earning higher revenues signalling increased use of the web among consumers, industry statistics show. The data indicate that average revenue per user (ARPU), a measure of how each user spends on internet access, has risen to an all time high of $600 in some segments of the market, up from an average of $500 last year. Globally, ARPU is used as a measure of how much money a service provider makes from the average user and enables the ISPs to make revenue projections as well as determine which products are earning most revenues. It also provides an accurate picture as to what services and products are popular with consumers in certain segments of the market. "Most ICT firms, however, have indicated application of cost leadership strategies, resulting in lower ARPUs with the intention of raking in higher subscriber number," said Shida Mutuku, the group head of marketing at Africa Online. The pan-African ISP, which is changing focus from being a pure ISP services company to a supplier of comprehensive IT services, says demand for ICT products is rising across the board. ISPs can maximise on their resources by using ARPU data to their advantage. ARPU can also be used as a measure of how successful a company is in moving users to new services that are regarded as strategically important. Citing steadily increasing revenues from its broadband product, AccessKenya Group hopes to realise its projected revenue target from customers looking for better speed and capacity from their internet connection. Last week, AccessKenya said it was on track to realising an ARPU average of $540 owing to increased number of large customers coming on board and many existing customers upgrading their bandwidth. The ICT company, which recently announced that it had realised its customer target of 1,720 four months ahead of schedule, says its current ARPU is underpinned by the strength of its Broadband Max 2 leased line solution that has become popular with the corporate market. "Broadband Max 2 offers a quadruple downlink coupled with high reliability evidenced by a 99.8 per cent Service Level Agreement," said Jonathan Somen, the managing director of AccessKenya. "We are the only ISP offering this sort of solution in the Kenyan market and have realised significant increase in demand over the past six months," he said. Somen said AccessKenya had set a new target of enrolling a minimum of 1,900 leased line customers by the end of the year, and has been reinvesting some of its profits from increased customer numbers to build up sales and customer service teams. Africa Online refused to reveal its current ARPUs but said it was targeting ARPU of $1,000 per use by the end of the year. The ambitious target is based on increased demand for corporate leased line solutions and increased take up in the residential user market of the wireless broadband product, Infinet. (Source: Business Daily)

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Research fellow position - at Berkeley
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 16 Sep '07

16 Sep '07

Distribute widely... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: AhA <consultancysupportservices(a)gmail.com> Date: 9 Sep 2007 17:09 Subject: [DigAfrica] Research fellow position - in ip at Berkeley] To: ictcnigeria_group(a)yahoogroups.com, dltw0903(a)yahoogroups.com, NVLNaijaProject(a)yahoogroups.com, Naija_IT_Professionals(a)yahoogroups.com, FGCKadunaOSA(a)yahoogroups.com, Wsisnigeria(a)yahoogroups.com, digitalheritage(a)googlegroups.com, Pro-Unitate(a)googlegroups.com, cyberianigeria(a)googlegroups.com, ALF_DLTW(a)googlegroups.com, ICTAdvocacy(a)googlegroups.com, DLTWFemaleMediaPractitioners(a)yahoogroups.com, DigAfrica(a)yahoogroups.com, cyber-buddies(a)yahoogroups.com Please pass on to those who might be interested __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/message/6309;_ylc=X3oDMTM0ZmdmZGpzB…>( 1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwYmxnaDdiBF9TAzk3M…>| Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlaXFiN2pnBF9TAzk3M…> Messages<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJla2dmZzZiBF9TA…>| Links<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmYTc5NWpzBF9TAzk3…>| Polls<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNXRwNzNuBF9TAzk3…> Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica on IT in Africa Aids-Africa is a forum for communication and information on AIDS related issues in Africa and all are welcome to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids-africa Join us on hiv/aids forum on Kenya at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenya-aids Join us at a Kenyan networking forum and NGOS at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenyainternational [image: Yahoo! Groups]<http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJka3U2azJnBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzI5M…> Change settings via the Web<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJmZDZja2k2BF9TAzk3N…>(Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest<DigAfrica-digest@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email+Delivery:+Digest>| Switch format to Traditional<DigAfrica-traditional@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change+Delivery+Format:+Traditional> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica;_ylc=X3oDMTJkdjBkM2tsBF9TAzk3NDc2NT…>| Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> | Unsubscribe <DigAfrica-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com?subject=> Recent Activity - 3 New Members<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJmbmF1NWw1BF9TAz…> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZ3MyZjNpBF9TAzk3MzU5Nz…> Yahoo! Groups Moderator Central<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jhug8hb/M=493064.10729651.11333342.8674578/D=…> Connecting a world of moderators Real Food Group Share recipes<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jobk3sf/M=493064.11036139.11614791.8674578/D=…> and favorite meals w/ Real Food lovers. Beauty Groups on Yahoo! Groups<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jh1h9u5/M=493064.11135489.11710475.8674578/D=…> A great place to connect and share. . __,_._,___ FYI. This may be of interest to members of our list. - Molly. Original Message: ----------------- > Date: September 6, 2007 7:25:06 PM EDT > To: Fellows(a)cyber.law.harvard.edu <Fellows%40cyber.law.harvard.edu> > Subject: [fellows] research fellow position > > > Please share this notice with anyone you think might be interested: > > The Berkeley Center for Law & Technology (BCLT) is seeking to hire > a Research Fellow for a one year term (possibly renewable for a > second year), beginning in January 2008, to undertake research on > intellectual property and other high technology issues under the > supervision of BCLT faculty. Because the funding for this > fellowship is being provided by Microsoft Corp., the Research > Fellow hired will be known as the "Microsoft Research Fellow." > > BCLT is a research center at the University of California Berkeley, > Boalt Hall School of Law. For the past ten years, BCLT has been > rated by US News & World Report as the best intellectual property > program in the country, in part because of the high quality, high > impact research conducted by its faculty and students. BCLT's > research extends beyond the intellectual property core to > encompass electronic commerce, telecommunications regulation, > cyberlaw, privacy and other areas of law that are affected by new > information technologies. > > Primary Responsibilities > > The primary responsibilities of the Fellow will be: > > research and writing of articles or reports of publishable quality > on high technology issues, under the supervision of BCLT faculty > working with BCLT faculty and staff to organize workshops, > conferences, talks, and meetings with lawyers, policymakers, and > industry representatives > collaborating with JD, PhD students and Professors working on > related projects, including a major study of Intellectual Property > and Entrepreneurship > producing a periodic newsletter focused on BCLT research > writing articles, white papers, and opinion pieces directed at > audiences beyond academia > speaking at conferences and meetings, and to the press about the > research > Examples of issues for research are: patent law and > entrepreneurship, patent law reform, international patent issues, > rules for secondary liability of technology developers, anti- > circumvention regulations, legal regulation of spam, spyware, > malware and deceptive software, privacy and security issues, > digital rights management, trusted computing, computer crimes and > broadband policy. > > Qualifications > > An ideal candidate for this position would have the following > characteristics: > > • J.D. degree or relevant Ph.D. in science and technology > policy > > • research experience > > • excellent communication, analytical and writing skills; > > • subject matter knowledge of intellectual property law > and technology policy > > To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, relevant > transcripts, writing sample, and a detailed statement of interest > as soon as possible, but in any event not later than, October 1, > 2007. Two letters of recommendation (which may arrive separately or > with application materials) required. Materials should be directed to: > > Louise Lee, Assistant Director for BCLT > > School of Law (Boalt Hall Rm 351) > > UC Berkeley > > Berkeley, CA 94720-7200 > > Please refer potential reviewers to the UC Berkeley Statement of > Confidentiality found at: http://apo.chance.berkeley.edu/ > evalltr.html. > > Applicants should be prepared to begin work during the spring of > 2008. Appointment is for one year. > > The University of California is an AA/EEO employer. Minority, > female, disabled and GLBT applicants are particularly encouraged to > apply. > > Compensation > > $45,048 to $51,660 depending upon experience. > > For more information about BC LT visit our website at <http:// > www.law.berkeley.edu/institutes/bclt/>http://www.law.berkeley.edu/ > institutes/bclt > > > > Pamela Samuelson > Richard M. Sherman Distinguished Professor of Law & Information > University of California, Berkeley 94720 > (510) 642-6775 www.ischool.berkeley.edu/~pam ---------------------------------------------------------- mail2web.com – Enhanced email for the mobile individual based on Microsoft(r) Exchange - http://link.mail2web.com/Personal/EnhancedEmail -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg. --

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Two other classics from the Kenyans
by Eric Osiakwan 15 Sep '07

15 Sep '07

Online Newspaper Editions Increase Sales Kenyan newspapers have embraced the internet and increased their sales with innovations such as sending headlines by SMS to readers. Nairobi has also become the hub of an ambitious project to digitise all sub-Saharan newspapers. Field director of the Library of Congress Office in Nairobi, Pamela Howard-Reguindin, told the recent World Library and Information Congress in Durban that the managing editors of Kenya's main papers, the Daily Nation and Standard "realise they must adopt new technology or fall into oblivion as has happened with some of their competitors". Despite limited access to the internet by Kenyans, the two dailies and a Swahili newspaper, Taifa Leo, have used online editions to increase sales of both electronic and print versions. The key to this success has been the production of "born digital" items - first on the net and then in print - as well as marketing innovations. Text teasers and headlines are sent to SMS lists and e-mail addresses. Now the Nation Media Group is to launch a "born digital" publication, Business Daily. Deals have been struck with NewsStand and NewspaperDirect to increase sales and RSS feeds. "Both newspaper editors report that sales of online and hardcopy issues are growing," says Howard-Reguindin. "The Daily Nation is working on a new website Nation Digital that will include text messages via mobile phones, online news/chat rooms, RSS, and specialised services such as sports scores, stock prices, and horoscopes." The Standard is getting about 3 million hits a day for their website, "most from outside Kenya, but a steadily increasing number from within the country as internet access penetrates more Kenyan businesses, schools and households". Meanwhile, the US Library of Congress office in Nairobi is racing against time to digitise the newspapers of 29 sub-Saharan newspapers that are crumbling to dust in archives across the continent. The project started with a "computer-based index of the articles published in the major Nairobi newspapers from 1980 onwards covering the cultural affairs of this country, mainly music, dance, theatre, literature and art", overseen by Ruth Thomas, a noted Nairobi librarian. "Subsequently the topics expanded to include reproductive health, law/ governance affairs, and various others. "Hundreds, if not thousands, of newspaper titles from some 29 sub- Saharan countries have already been microfilmed and dozens more are being filmed on an annual basis by the library and its office in New Delhi, India. "In spite of this laudable work, many more newspaper titles and corresponding issues remain in our ever-growing backlog," says Howard- Reguindin. Ten sub-Saharan titles are being sent to the library in Washington, DC for treatment (www.loc.gov/acq/ovop/nairobi/lc_npapers.html for the list). At the library's office in New Delhi several cameras and camera operators are working overtime to film as much as possible of another 115 titles. "One possible role of Kenyan librarians would be to encourage the newspaper managers to offer internet access to full content of the articles free to Kenyan schools and universities." This "could be a role for any national African library association. Many journal publishers located in the US and Europe are now allowing internet users in developing countries to access full content of journal articles without charge". "If this open access could be offered to Kenya newspaper readers, the information in the daily press could strengthen efforts in governance and democratisation, literacy and responsible civic leadership," says Howard-Reguindin. (Source: Cape Argus) The potential of data vending in Kenya The poor penetration of Internet services coupled with low levels of computer literacy in Kenya are holding back the country's emerging data vending industry. The data vendors, who sell and distribute financial and business news, are targeting rural populations as well as Kenyans in the diaspora. Mr Bildad Kagai , the managing director of data vending firm MediaCorp Limited, told the Business Daily that while data vending has the potential to be a major industry in the financial services sector, more needed to be done to ensure computer services reached majority of the people. "Kenyans, especially those outside Nairobi, have been waiting eagerly for the Real Time data, but inability to access the Internet remains a big challenge," says Mr Kagai He said traders did not have to physically go to the bourse to get financial data, but they could do this in the comfort of their offices through the Internet. He said the highest potential for growth in data vending was in rural towns and that lack of Internet services was limiting the uptake of online financial news and data. MediaCorp earlier this month launched its data vending services in Mombasa to increase its presence in the country. Symon Ndirangu, the chief executive officer of Information Convergence Technologies ICT Ltd, says that with the signing of an average of 50 to 100 new users every month, most of the six data vendor currently operating in the market should break even within the next 12 months. "Although it is taking time for many investors to appreciate the value of data, we are upbeat that revenue will pick up very soon." Currently, the cost of a data vending license from the NSE is valued at Sh170,000 (US$2500) while ISPs are charging about Sh50,000 per month for connection. With an estimated Sh180,000 in other costs, data vendors are paying at least Sh400,000 a month or Sh4.8million annually to stay afloat. Ndirangu however projects that with the developments in the ICT sector as well as the Capital Markets, the data vendors should have at least each have 10,000-20,000 customers utilizing their services. At an annual charge of Sh5000 per customers, data vendors could easily rake in Sh50 million in a year. Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Internet Service Providers Record Rise in Earnings in Kenya
by Eric Osiakwan 15 Sep '07

15 Sep '07

Internet Service Providers Record Rise in Earnings in Kenya Local Internet service providers are earning higher revenues signalling increased use of the web among consumers, industry statistics show. The data indicate that average revenue per user (ARPU), a measure of how each user spends on internet access, has risen to an all time high of $600 in some segments of the market, up from an average of $500 last year. Globally, ARPU is used as a measure of how much money a service provider makes from the average user and enables the ISPs to make revenue projections as well as determine which products are earning most revenues. It also provides an accurate picture as to what services and products are popular with consumers in certain segments of the market. "Most ICT firms, however, have indicated application of cost leadership strategies, resulting in lower ARPUs with the intention of raking in higher subscriber number," said Shida Mutuku, the group head of marketing at Africa Online. The pan-African ISP, which is changing focus from being a pure ISP services company to a supplier of comprehensive IT services, says demand for ICT products is rising across the board. ISPs can maximise on their resources by using ARPU data to their advantage. ARPU can also be used as a measure of how successful a company is in moving users to new services that are regarded as strategically important. Citing steadily increasing revenues from its broadband product, AccessKenya Group hopes to realise its projected revenue target from customers looking for better speed and capacity from their internet connection. Last week, AccessKenya said it was on track to realising an ARPU average of $540 owing to increased number of large customers coming on board and many existing customers upgrading their bandwidth. The ICT company, which recently announced that it had realised its customer target of 1,720 four months ahead of schedule, says its current ARPU is underpinned by the strength of its Broadband Max 2 leased line solution that has become popular with the corporate market. "Broadband Max 2 offers a quadruple downlink coupled with high reliability evidenced by a 99.8 per cent Service Level Agreement," said Jonathan Somen, the managing director of AccessKenya. "We are the only ISP offering this sort of solution in the Kenyan market and have realised significant increase in demand over the past six months," he said. Somen said AccessKenya had set a new target of enrolling a minimum of 1,900 leased line customers by the end of the year, and has been reinvesting some of its profits from increased customer numbers to build up sales and customer service teams. Africa Online refused to reveal its current ARPUs but said it was targeting ARPU of $1,000 per use by the end of the year. The ambitious target is based on increased demand for corporate leased line solutions and increased take up in the residential user market of the wireless broadband product, Infinet. (Source: Business Daily) Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan tangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by Eric Osiakwan 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

fyi from the AfrISPA discuss list.... Begin forwarded message: > From: "Anders Comstedt" <anders(a)ssvl.kth.se> > Date: 9 September 2007 21:52:19 GMT+03:00 > To: <Discuss(a)afrispa.org> > Subject: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan tangled in > acrimony inSouth Africa > Reply-To: Discuss(a)afrispa.org > > Frank, > > You are right that everyone else but RSA needs a cable to RoW much, > much > more than the good folks south, also that the thing has got stuck in > political concerns and power games. The good thing is, however, > that the > general consensus on the needs, commercial impact and development > leverage > of a widely available optical fibre cable has shifted from cold to > warm. > > Technically, there is no need for an East African submarine cable > south > beyond Maputo at all, as there is well protected optical fibre > Maputo - > Pretoria on the power lines. Which, btw, RSA has effectively > prevented open > & fair use of during several years, effectively leaving Maputo on > VSAT for a > much longer time than necessary. So SA could connect that route, > already > today, to any cable from the north that lands close to Maputo. > > Now two small issues: > First, RSA companies are major stakeholders in any submarine cable > proposal > that has emerged the last couple of years, dominant to the extent > that it > has made other parties concerned on who actually will control a > cable system > supposed to be a joint project with some 23 participants. The > Telkom SA part > of EASSy is closer to 50% than 1/23, and may well increase to >50% > if Telkom > buys any of the other participants, which has been contemplated by > some > pundits. > Second, the RSA market is a closed market where only a very limited > number > of politically approved players are carefully allowed to > participate in > sharing the revenues of an artificially high price level market. > Who wants > to rock that boat of the industry insiders? So you have strong > concerns > among established telecom industry interests in RSA to not change > the game > for as long as possible. According to some analysts, keeping this > inflated > price for another year or so is worth much more money in excessive > profits > than the entire investment in EASSy. Why give away money by a too > early > price reduction? > > So what does the rest of the SSA think about this? And also the > international community in general, forking in quite a bit of the > financing > into any of the cable projects suggested? > Well, they probably don't go easily on potentially offending the > single > biggest partner they have in all other trade and political issues > in SSA by > suggesting a solution without clear RSA involvement. The bean > counters then > look at the traffic volumes and say that any project without the > RSA volume > will be a commercial disaster, and what about restoration if we > cannot reach > and have an agreement with SAT-3? > > You end up in a situation where the question is: Who blinks first? > > If there is no initiatives potentially making any EA submarine cable > roll-out happen ex RSA, there will be little change in any broader RSA > stance as long as the revenues and influence of the joint RSA > political and > industrial telecoms interests are lined up the way they are. > > Others have to consider their positions and responsibilities in > relation to > all this. Personally, I cannot help looking at TEAMS in the light > of the > above. > > What about an EASSy project, now financed even more by international > development money, first built to those countries where an open market > exist? Gradually expanding South instead of gradually expanding North? > > Loosing a big Telkom part of the financing is of cause not what those > banking, operator and vendor interests want that have got the > financial > EASSy-packet stitched together with difficulty. > > The interesting thing, however, is that the financing of EASSy > seems to have > been growing softer by the day during 2007. What was a year ago > portrayed as > a pure commercial financing is now looking more and more to be > relying upon > soft elements just short of labelling significant amounts pure grants. > > This shift opens up interesting considerations on the entire > development > financing too: Shall such money be used to shelter commercial > interests from > competition, actively preventing driving user prices down? > Maintaining artificially high profits to protected operators in > restricted > markets is not necessarily in line with what should be eligible for > support. > At some point of time that discussion will re-surface too in a > similar way > as it did at WSIS when the WBG took a clear stance pro openness and > equal > availability of cable capacity for all interested parties. > > I have a hard time understanding how EU institutions can provide > not only > the initial semi-soft "commercial loans" but now more of softer > financing to > any venture so openly wide open to violating several EU principles > regarding > telecoms and general market openness. Sure, as long as it stayed > under the > radar various individuals could claim ignorance, but that is > getting harder > and harder with the EA debate on why an obvious need is not met in > a fair > way. Supporting a questionable package could soon kill a promising > career > inside the EU system rather than promoting it. Time must be running > out on > the non-open conditions? > > The alternatives to EASSy now visible, funded by pure commercial > capital > like SEACOM, makes it even more questionable to give soft funds to any > set-up having questionable market development properties. Rather, it > reinforces the need to justify any support by such funds with even > MORE > arguments on the project openness and development leverage. > > Both EASSy and SEACOM seem to have a hard time in RSA as long as > they are > not clearly controlled by local interests. > > Both seem up for a hard choice in RSA: > Give in, as little as possibly, but the control must be in RSA hands > Pass RSA in an immediate implementation of the rest of the system, or > Delay the whole thing, waiting for RSA to blink in fear of being > left out. > > Other EA stakeholders need to consider what situation they like to > promote > for any cable project in the above respect. Don't just ask the cable > projects to carry the burden of dealing with this political risk > all by > themselves, later blaming them for whatever compromise they make! A > risk now > being the main obstacle between the current deficit and a state-of- > the art, > reasonably priced cable connection for SSA to RoW. > > The worst alternative for RSA operators is probably a combination > of an > early East-West SSA link (EA to Angola or Nigeria?) with two new > terrestrial > and/or submarine links north to the Mediterranean from EA. All the > current > transit traffic from RSA neighbours to SAT-3 will then disappear in > a flash. > Instead, RSA may be faced with not only a very limited interest > from others > to consider an EA submarine cable south, but a desire to making RSA > operators subject to a similar transit pricing practice that Telkom > SA has > up to now offered its neighbours in connecting to SAT-3. > Considering the > profits in the closed RSA market such a scenario may, however, > still be a > good alternative to some players in that local market as it may > delay the > tide by another year or two. > > The frustration over the EA development lag by the delay in cable > implementation is causing a lot of impatient folks to say that "the > only > important thing is that a sub marine cable gets built". That is > understandable but dangerous. Remember SAT-3. > > Dispatched over an industry standard 100Mb/s connection to the home, > commonly available for a couple of Big Macs/month in an open, > competitive > market. > > Anders > > -----Ursprungligt meddelande----- > Från: Discuss-owner(a)afrispa.org [mailto:Discuss-owner@afrispa.org] > För Frank > Habicht > Skickat: den 9 september 2007 09:27 > Till: Discuss(a)afrispa.org > Ämne: Re: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan tangled in acrimony > inSouth > Africa > > Question(s)... > > Who _needs_ (badly) that Eassy lands in SA ? > I'm not up-to-date with most things, but I guess for many the > connection > to Sudan will connect them to the world (maybe without redundancy, but > maybe that redundancy would be clumsy anyway). > > I think the ones who need Eassy to land in SA the most are SA > operators > (maybe excl. Telkom, maybe not?). > > For everyone else only one thing is important: that this thing gets > built! > If SA wants to stay with the connectivity they have now.... fine with > me. I don't want myself to stay with VSATs. > > So, let the SA companies loose out. Let them take it up with their > government. Or change the same if necessary. Their problem. > > The worst thing that can happen in my little uninformed opinion is > that > this political (*&^%()*&% delays the building of that cable. > > So, can we continue to build it up to Maputo, please? > The ..... opinion of politicians in SA shouldn't prevent ~20 other > countries to get proper connectivity. > > For how long has this project dragged on already? For how long been > delayed by politics? > Wasn't the contract done to start building? > > Frank > impatient, disappointed, upset > > > On 9/8/2007 3:10 PM, Eric Osiakwan wrote: >> The sole active supporter of the NEPAD-backed Broadband >> Infrastructure >> Project that will never be built, the South African Government is >> trying >> to arm-twist EASSy because the project has slipped free of NEPAD >> control. This is the arrogant display of naked political power that >> those who have not signed the NEPAD political protocol feared would >> occur if the larger African brother failed to get its way. >> >> The 10,000km Eassy cable will be 27% owned by Telkom, Neotel and MTN, >> and is designed to provide desperately needed cheap bandwidth to 21 >> African countries. But SA's communications department has taken >> umbrage >> at what it sees as the commercial nature of the enterprise, and >> intends >> to withhold landing rights. >> >> Instead, the government will use taxpayers' money to roll out two >> rival >> cables heading east and west, jointly known as the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network. Denying landing rights to EASSy will be >> detrimental to the three local companies, which, they say, have >> had the >> foresight to invest in the project to slash bandwidth prices. >> >> It will also be anticompetitive if EASSy members are not allowed >> to sell >> bandwidth to other operators in SA, says Mohsen Khalil, a director >> with >> the International Finance Corporation (IFC). He also says the >> government's hostility shows it has not understood a new >> commitment the >> consortium has made to open access. >> >> The IFC is part of the World Bank, and is investing $32,5m to help >> about >> 15 small operators participate in Eassy. Yet the director-general >> of the >> communications department, Lyndall Shope Mafole, remains vehemently >> opposed to the project. "Eassy is bad news for developing >> countries that >> are not at the level of SA," she says. >> >> "We have many problems with it. The fact that you work for the World >> Bank makes you think you know what's good for Africa even when you >> don't >> live in Africa. I find that quite insulting." >> >> Because Eassy's biggest shareholders are giants like MTN and Telkom, >> their bulk buying power gives them an advantage over smaller >> operators >> also trying to buy and resell capacity to customers in each >> country, she >> says. >> >> "South African companies could use their dominance to compete >> unfairly >> in other countries. We have a responsibility as the government to >> ensure >> there is fair competition. We are not willing to look at something >> that >> is clearly discriminatory. We couldn't rest with a clear >> conscience." If >> the South African Government has this responsibility, why has it not >> exercised it over Telkom's SAT3 prices? The Department of >> Communications >> talks the talk but does not walk the walk. >> >> A bigger issue threatening not only Eassy but also other foreign- >> backed >> cables is a demand that any cable landing in SA is partly owned by >> local >> companies. The minimum percentage of local ownership will be >> determined >> by Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe Casaburri. >> >> The instant reaction is to question whether SA has the right to do >> that. >> It has, under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, >> Shope-Mafole says. The second reaction is to assume that foreign >> investors will be deterred. The government's belligerent stance in an >> effort to promote local industries may backfire and deprive >> consumers of >> cheaper bandwidth if foreigners opt to bypass SA's coastline. >> >> Nonsense, Shope-Mafole says. "There are millions of people who >> want to >> enter into arrangements and land in SA. We welcome anybody who >> wants to >> invest in submarine cables that land on South African soil, but we >> need >> South African companies to invest." >> >> Although Eassy boasts 27% local ownership, that may not be enough. >> Seacom, another private cable already under construction, must also >> recruit local investors for the plans on its map to match reality. >> Seacom has signed a deal for SA's second network operator, Neotel, to >> operate the local landing station, which does not impress the >> government. >> >> Shope-Mafole said the demand for local ownership in the entire cable >> linking India to Europe via SA was discussed with Seacom's mostly US >> investors over a cup of coffee. "I don't think they thought it was >> unreasonable. I wouldn't say they loved it, but they didn't throw >> their >> cups at us," she says. >> (Source: Business Day) >> >> >> >> Eric M.K Osiakwan >> Executive Secretary >> AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org <http://www.afrispa.org>) >> Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 >> Fax: + 233.21.258811 >> Cell: + 233.244.386792 >> Handle: eosiakwan >> Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North >> Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North >> Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ >> Slang: "Tomorrow Now" >> >> >> >> > > To unsubscribe send a mail to: imailsrv(a)afrispa.org. Type the > following in > the body of your mail (not header): "Unsubscribe discuss" (without > quotes). > This List is operated by ZAnet Internet Services: www.zanet.co.za > on behalf > of www.afrispa.org. For any List Admin queries send mail to > William(a)zanet.co.za > > To unsubscribe send a mail to: imailsrv(a)afrispa.org. Type the > following in > the body of your mail (not header): "Unsubscribe discuss" (without > quotes). > This List is operated by ZAnet Internet Services: www.zanet.co.za > on behalf > of www.afrispa.org. For any List Admin queries send mail to > William(a)zanet.co.za > Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Vote for Pambazuka News
by Alex Gakuru 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

Asked to request for your vote support. Thanks > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Firoze Manji <firoze(a)fahamu.org> > Date: Sep 14, 2007 5:31 PM > Subject: [ke-internetusers] Vote for Pambazuka News > To: ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > > > Dear All > > For the third year running, Pambazuka News has been > selected as one of > 25 finalists for the Top 10 Who Are Changing the > World of Internet and > Politics. > > Pambazuka News is produced by a pan-African > community of some 300 > citizens and organisations academics, policy > makers, social > activists, women's organisations, civil society > organisations, > writers, artists, poets, bloggers, and commentators. > > Winning this award would be a tribute to all the > many contributors who > have made Pambazuka News essential reading for all > concerned with the > cause of justice and freedom in Africa. > > With your help, we could win this award. Please vote > for us at: > > http://tinyurl.com/2yo3vy > > Pambazuka News Changing the World of Internet and > Politics > > Firoze > ______________ > Firoze Manji > Director, Fahamu - Networks for Social Justice > (http://www.fahamu.org/) > Editor, Pambazuka News (http://www.pambazuka.org/) > 2nd Floor, 51 CORNMARKET STREET, OXFORD OX1 3HA > Cellphone: +44 (0) 77 86 62 86 86 > Tel: +44-(0)1865-727006 > Fax: +44-(0)1865-727909 > Skype: firozemanji > Pambazuka News: weekly electronic newsletter on > social justice in > Africa: In English: http://www.pambazuka.org/en/ > In French: http://www.pambazuka.org/fr/ > > > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > > > -- > website: http://www.billowsbpo.co.ke/ > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase. http://farechase.yahoo.com/

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by Joseph Manthi 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

This is from the venerable news magazine The Economist: Telecoms in Africa Not so EASSy Aug 9th 2007 >From The Economist print edition A plan to run a submarine cable down Africa's east coast runs into difficulty THE East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy), a project to wire up several African countries with high-speed optical fibre, is not living up to its name. The plan, hatched in 2003, was simple enough: lay an 9,900km (6,200-mile) submarine cable along the east coast of the continent, from Sudan to South Africa, touching at several points along the way, and then link it up with the rest of the world. But the scheme has become entangled in disagreements between operators and governments over its business model. The logic of the project is clear: extra connectivity would reduce Africa's dependence on the SAT-3 cable, which runs from Iberia down the west coast of the continent, and on expensive satellite links, the only option in some countries. Cheaper connectivity would promote development and make African countries more attractive destinations for offshoring. Connecting a call-centre with 25 agents is said to cost $17,000 a month in Kenya, compared with $600–900 elsewhere. The disagreement centres on the structure of the EASSy consortium, made up of around 30 African and international telecoms operators. The governments of some countries, including South Africa, want to avoid a repeat of what happened with SAT-3. That cable is run by a consortium that allows only one telecoms operator to sell capacity in each country. The lack of competition means prices are so high that satellite is often cheaper, says Alan Mauldin of TeleGeography, a consultancy. To prevent such an outcome with EASSy, several governments, acting through the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), have threatened to withhold landing rights for the cable unless their proposals for how to run it are accepted, says Edmund Katiti of NEPAD. They want governments to join the consortium and to have a veto over strategy; and they want any African operator to be able to buy wholesale capacity at a regulated (ie, low) price. They are even talking of building an entirely new cable on these terms, under NEPAD's supervision. The operators in the EASSy consortium say this is an attempt to hijack an existing commercial project and micromanage the industry. They do not like the sound of government vetoes or regulated pricing. And EASSy's current rules will mean that consortium members will compete to sell capacity in the same markets, driving down prices, says Michel Rouilleault of Axiom, a consultancy attached to EASSy. Critics respond that these rules, the details of which are unclear but which link the cost of access to the size of the operator's investment, could lead to high prices in countries where the local operator has only a small stake in the project. In South Africa, where several competing operators have stakes, there will be plenty of competition, but this may not be true elsewhere. The delays to EASSy have helped to spur other projects, including SEACOM, which has just appointed a contractor to lay a cable along a similar route, and TEAMS, which will link Kenya with the United Arab Emirates. India's Flag Telecom also plans to lay a cable to Kenya. At the moment there is insufficient demand to support so many cables, says Russell Southwood, an expert on African telecoms. But that may prompt operators to offer low prices to stimulate demand. So whatever happens to EASSy, getting cheaper bandwidth along Africa's east coast could soon be a lot less difficult. On 9/13/07, Manthi, Joseph <Joseph.Manthi(a)fmr.com> wrote: > Alex > Just know that you have my help if you need it. > > Joe > -------------------------- > Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> > To: Manthi, Joseph; jmanthi(a)gmail.com <jmanthi(a)gmail.com> > Cc: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Sent: Thu Sep 13 14:09:06 2007 > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa > > Hi Joe, > > I'd be glad to mobilise and work with all consumers > but if you on note my message, I requested Dr. Ndemo > to give us that chance. We wait and see what tomorrow > brings. > > > Alex > > --- "Manthi, Joseph" <Joseph.Manthi(a)fmr.com> wrote: > > > Alex > > Please I beg you to prepare that SV to buy TKL. Let > > me know if youi need help in doing this. > > > > Thanks > > Joe > > ------Original Message------ > > From: Alex Gakuru > > Sender: > > > kictanet-bounces+jmanthi=gmail.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To: jmanthi(a)gmail.com > > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > > Sent: Sep 13, 2007 12:43 PM > > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] > > Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth > > Africa > > > > wow! "Open Access" is music to many no just my ears. > > > > I wish you failure at selling Telkom this way, > > honestly. That said, could you allow me to organise > > a > > Special Purpose Truck for Kenyan consumers to invest > > in Telkom more money that the Shs. 5 Billion? Fast > > tracking (READ get round) NSE rules? > > > > Thanks. > > > > --- bitange(a)jambo.co.ke wrote: > > > > > Dear Alex, > > > Telkon will not own Teams. The Government of > > Kenya > > > will own 40% stake in > > > the Teams SPV while regional operators and > > investors > > > will own 45%. The > > > remaining 15% shall be owned by Etisalat. The > > > Government shall ensure > > > open access in both Teams and the Terrestrial > > > Networks to enable both > > > large and small enterprises to compete. > > > > > > Do not worry about the sale of TKL since we have > > not > > > sold it yet and we > > > shall not sell it if the deal is not good. > > > > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Before quickly "thirding", I urge on the need to > > > have > > > > light shed on TEAMS investment structure, > > > otherwise we > > > > could end up never getting the envisaged cheap > > > > bandwidth. > > > > > > > > Why? After 51% of Telkom Kenya is sold to > > British > > > > Telcom (or another) then whoever will have the > > > cable > > > > ownership transfered to them thus could dictate > > > what > > > > the final price will be. > > > > > > > > Little Telkom sale (Shs 5 Billion) is happening > > > just > > > > when the promising CDMA is getting rolled out. > > > Going > > > > by last year's Safaricom profits, the sale value > > > is > > > > also K > > > > -------------------------- > > Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. > http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html > > -- Joseph Manthi CEO MEO Ltd http://www.meoltd.com

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cableplantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by Eric Osiakwan 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

Dear All, I had refrained from commenting just because of type language being used, please, please lets excercise decorum. First of all, i dont think it is right for us to use certain langaguage among ourselves, how much against our present leaders especially when we disagree with them on issues...please lets stick to the issues because these conversations are about shaping our African future and destiny so lets not fall prey to the temptation to personalise and loose the focus. I am going to attempt to set the conversation back on cause. I think the question that has bedeviled us is "does ownership of a cable or anything for that matter has an impact on the price to market and working mechanism?"..... so far the evidence is YES hence we need to tackle the owership structure. The human nature is such that "self centreing" is obvious and hence the best bet is "cross checking" by other natures. So in every element we setup each other as a check for the other because though one would have noble objectives, if the person has absolute power and control, falling to the temptation of abuse is almost certain. So if one investor or constituency has absolute owership, they obviously would like to maximise that investment or resource. Like SAT3, the incumbent league in some countries are not selling but they just prefer to control under all conditions and not let go though their investment is down the drain. I have argued and i do that a collective owership from all constituencies is the best way to handle a critical national or international infrastructure in a public private partnership where the various interested are represented so that the rules convey a balance of development, profits, community etc. I think there are tools to make this a reality so why dont we try them. On the issue of majority owership by Africans, may be the "capitalist niga" would do..... Eric here From: Brian Longwe <brian(a)isisweb.nl> Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:10:19 +0300 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cableplantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> To: eric(a)afrispa.org hear, hear my mblatha! Mblayo ps. any relationship to Classic's Mwalimu Kingangi? :-D On Sep 14, 2007, at 8:46 AM, Ronald King'ang'i wrote: > I concur lets keep all discussion civilized > > King'ang'i > > -----Original Message----- > From: kictanet-bounces+fes=iconnect.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > [mailto:kictanet-bounces+fes=iconnect.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] > On Behalf > Of Alex Gakuru > Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 5:55 PM > To: fes(a)iconnect.co.ke > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea > cableplantangled > in acrimony inSouth Africa > > I know that I am usually hard hitting at my opposition > discussants, but I am feel expressions used below are > uncalled for no matter how opposed the writer's view > is. > > --- Joseph Manthi <jmanthi(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> Sean, >> You of all people, a man living in England, reaping >> wealth from the >> ignorance of Africans, should not be making comments >> like these. You >> do not want Africans to realize what is going on. Do >> not wake a >> sleeping giant. It is high time we started taking >> care of our own. Why >> do you think that what SA is doing is "Rubbish"? >> Doesn't this >> honourable minister have the right to protect SA >> assets from nyangaus >> like you? >> >> I wish every African government is like South Africa >> where we can weed >> off foreign ownership of African assets. >> >> Bravo SA. >> >> Joe >> >> On 9/13/07, Sean Moroney <seanm(a)aitecafrica.com> >> wrote: >>> Yes, the security angle struck me as typical >> Newspeak from a regime that can >>> get away with rubbish like that where there is no >> effective opposition. How >>> like their Apartheid forebears they sound! >>> >>> Sean Moroney >>> Chairman >>> AITEC Africa >>> seanm(a)aitecafrica.com >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: >> > kictanet-bounces+seanm=aitecafrica.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >>> >> > [mailto:kictanet-bounces+seanm=aitecafrica.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke] >> On >>> Behalf Of Kai Wulff >>> Sent: 12 September 2007 12:54 >>> To: seanm(a)aitecafrica.com >>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions >>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] >> Undersea cable >>> plantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa >>> >>> I second that! >>> >>> It is comforting to know that SA will provide >> security to Africa by >>> insisting on a majority ownership of the cables! >>> >>> I am sure this attitude will change once Kenya >> receives capacity @ less than >>> >>> USD 100,- per M .. >>> >>> Kai >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> >>> To: <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> >>> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" >> <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> >>> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 14:44 >>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] >> Undersea cable plan >>> tangled in acrimony inSouth Africa >>> >>> >>> I used to have a difficult time explaining to >> fellow Kenyans that it was >>> very difficult dealing with our brothers in SA >> because at every meeting >>> goal posts kept on shifting. Perharps now >> everybody understands that the >>> veto power in the NEPAD protocol was a control >> tool. Below please find >>> additional material. >>> >>> Ndemo. >>> >>> >>> Cables require local ownership BY DAMARIA SENNE & >> CHRISTELLE DU TOIT >>> <mailto:damaria@itweb.co.za> [ Johannesburg, 10 >> September 2007 ] >>> >>> South Africa requires that all undersea cables >> landing here be majority >>> owned by South Africans, says communications >> Minister Ivy >>> Matsepe-Casaburri. >>> >>> Speaking at the Southern African >> Telecommunications Networks and >>> Applications Conference (Satnac) 2007, in >> Mauritius, this morning, >>> Matsepe-Casaburri said government was happy with >> indications that >>> investors plan to land cables in the country. >>> However, she will soon announce new landing >> guidelines that require that >>> "all cables " landing in SA be majority owned by >> South Africans, she said. >>> >>> The guidelines will also be consistent with SA's >> foreign policy and take >>> the security of the country, and the African >> continent, into >>> consideration, she said. >>> "Every cable landing or leaving SA should >> incorporate in it the Nepad [New >>> Partnership for Africa's Development] Broadband >> Infrastructure Network." >>> Security measures are important, given the state >> of our insecure world, >>> she added. >>> >>> Matsepe-Casaburri said that she instructed Dep.of >> Communications >>> Dir-General Lyndall Shope-Mafole to propose the >> landing guidelines to the >>> Interim Inter-Governmental Assembly for >> discussion. She also noted that >>> her department studied the communications >> regulations of other countries >>> when drafting the landing guidelines, ensuring >> they are consistent with >>> international trends. >>> >>> Determination expected >>> BMI-TechKnowledge senior analyst Richard Hurst >> says the implications of >>> the ownership stipulations are that "those who do >> end up rolling out >>> cables will have to do so via partnerships". He >> cites Seacom and Neotel's >>> interaction as an example of this, where "Neotel >> basically would control >>> the landing rights of Seacom in SA". >>> According to Hurst, "government is trying to hedge >> its bets", but the >>> stipulations set out by the minister have >> generally been expected. He says >>> South African companies should benefit from the >> directives, as should the >>> consumer. >>> "It should open up access to those cables and >> bring prices down." He adds >>> that, as the international community moves towards >> always-on broadband, SA >>> will also increasingly need high-speed capacity. >> However he reiterates: >>> "The more bandwidth we have, the better." >>> >>> Investor support >>> Meanwhile, Matsepe-Casaburri said SA was convinced >> it was on the right >>> path to break away from the Eassy (Eastern Africa >> Submarine Cable System) >>> cable project and support the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network, as >>> well as initiating its own undersea cable systems. >>> >>> She said there was strong support from potential >> investors in the Nepad >>> Broadband (?) Infrastructure Network. "Instead of >> people running away >>> from us, we have a lot of support from investors." >>> SA and other African governments broke away from >> the Eassy project because >>> larger operators taking part in the initiative >> bought such large >>> quantities of capacity that there would never be >> fair access for smaller >>> operators, she noted. >>> >>> EASSY project was not in line with the Nepad >> objective, which was to >>> facilitate fair and open access for all telecoms >> providers to lower the >>> cost of telecoms on the continent, she said. She >> noted that SA's >>> Parliament had ratified the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network >>> protocol. >>> >>> >>>> fyi from the AfrISPA discuss list.... >>>> >>>> >>>> Begin forwarded message: >>>> >>>>> From: "Anders Comstedt" <anders(a)ssvl.kth.se> >> > === message truncated === > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > ______ > ________ > Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. > http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: fes(a)iconnect.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/fes% > 40iconnect.co.ke > > > __________ NOD32 2527 (20070913) Information __________ > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > http://www.eset.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: brian(a)isisweb.nl > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ > mailman/options/kictanet/brian%40isisweb.nl _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: eric(a)afrispa.org Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ mailman/options/kictanet/eric%40afrispa.org Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan
by Eric Osiakwan 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

Dear Dr. Ndemo, Thanks for the detailing but it would be good if you breakdown what the "Open Access Model' would be in terms of teams and the terrestrial network? Would it be there the infrastructure would be seperate from services so that the entirities that build and operate the infrastructure would be restricted from competing with the service providers and that the price approach would be high volumes against low margins? By the way what happened to the idea of having 20% on the stock market for non-deep pocket folks like myself.....:-) Eric here Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:32:44 +0300 (EAT) From: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plan tangled in acrimony inSouth Africa Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> To: eric(a)afrispa.org Dear Alex, Telkon will not own Teams. The Government of Kenya will own 40% stake in the Teams SPV while regional operators and investors will own 45%. The remaining 15% shall be owned by Etisalat. The Government shall ensure open access in both Teams and the Terrestrial Networks to enable both large and small enterprises to compete. Do not worry about the sale of TKL since we have not sold it yet and we shall not sell it if the deal is not good. Regards Ndemo. > Before quickly "thirding", I urge on the need to have > light shed on TEAMS investment structure, otherwise we > could end up never getting the envisaged cheap > bandwidth. > > Why? After 51% of Telkom Kenya is sold to British > Telcom (or another) then whoever will have the cable > ownership transfered to them thus could dictate what > the final price will be. > > Little Telkom sale (Shs 5 Billion) is happening just > when the promising CDMA is getting rolled out. Going > by last year's Safaricom profits, the sale value is > also Kidogo Sana. > > Alex > > --- Kai Wulff <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> wrote: > >> I second that! >> >> It is comforting to know that SA will provide >> security to Africa by >> insisting on a majority ownership of the cables! >> >> I am sure this attitude will change once Kenya >> receives capacity @ less than >> USD 100,- per M .. >> >> Kai >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> >> To: <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> >> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" >> <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> >> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 14:44 >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] >> Undersea cable plan >> tangled in acrimony inSouth Africa >> >> >> I used to have a difficult time explaining to fellow >> Kenyans that it was >> very difficult dealing with our brothers in SA >> because at every meeting >> goal posts kept on shifting. Perharps now everybody >> understands that the >> veto power in the NEPAD protocol was a control tool. >> Below please find >> additional material. >> >> Ndemo. >> >> >> Cables require local ownership BY DAMARIA SENNE & >> CHRISTELLE DU TOIT >> <mailto:damaria@itweb.co.za> [ Johannesburg, 10 >> September 2007 ] >> >> South Africa requires that all undersea cables >> landing here be majority >> owned by South Africans, says communications >> Minister Ivy >> Matsepe-Casaburri. >> >> Speaking at the Southern African Telecommunications >> Networks and >> Applications Conference (Satnac) 2007, in Mauritius, >> this morning, >> Matsepe-Casaburri said government was happy with >> indications that >> investors plan to land cables in the country. >> However, she will soon announce new landing >> guidelines that require that >> "all cables " landing in SA be majority owned by >> South Africans, she said. >> >> The guidelines will also be consistent with SA's >> foreign policy and take >> the security of the country, and the African >> continent, into >> consideration, she said. >> "Every cable landing or leaving SA should >> incorporate in it the Nepad [New >> Partnership for Africa's Development] Broadband >> Infrastructure Network." >> Security measures are important, given the state of >> our insecure world, >> she added. >> >> Matsepe-Casaburri said that she instructed Dep.of >> Communications >> Dir-General Lyndall Shope-Mafole to propose the >> landing guidelines to the >> Interim Inter-Governmental Assembly for discussion. >> She also noted that >> her department studied the communications >> regulations of other countries >> when drafting the landing guidelines, ensuring they >> are consistent with >> international trends. >> >> Determination expected >> BMI-TechKnowledge senior analyst Richard Hurst says >> the implications of >> the ownership stipulations are that "those who do >> end up rolling out >> cables will have to do so via partnerships". He >> cites Seacom and Neotel's >> interaction as an example of this, where "Neotel >> basically would control >> the landing rights of Seacom in SA". >> According to Hurst, "government is trying to hedge >> its bets", but the >> stipulations set out by the minister have generally >> been expected. He says >> South African companies should benefit from the >> directives, as should the >> consumer. >> "It should open up access to those cables and bring >> prices down." He adds >> that, as the international community moves towards >> always-on broadband, SA >> will also increasingly need high-speed capacity. >> However he reiterates: >> "The more bandwidth we have, the better." >> >> Investor support >> Meanwhile, Matsepe-Casaburri said SA was convinced >> it was on the right >> path to break away from the Eassy (Eastern Africa >> Submarine Cable System) >> cable project and support the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network, as >> well as initiating its own undersea cable systems. >> >> She said there was strong support from potential >> investors in the Nepad >> Broadband (?) Infrastructure Network. "Instead of >> people running away >> from us, we have a lot of support from investors." >> SA and other African governments broke away from the >> Eassy project because >> larger operators taking part in the initiative >> bought such large >> quantities of capacity that there would never be >> fair access for smaller >> operators, she noted. >> >> EASSY project was not in line with the Nepad >> objective, which was to >> facilitate fair and open access for all telecoms >> providers to lower the >> cost of telecoms on the continent, she said. She >> noted that SA's >> Parliament had ratified the Nepad Broadband >> Infrastructure Network >> protocol. >> >> >> > fyi from the AfrISPA discuss list.... >> > >> > >> > Begin forwarded message: >> > >> >> From: "Anders Comstedt" <anders(a)ssvl.kth.se> >> >> Date: 9 September 2007 21:52:19 GMT+03:00 >> >> To: <Discuss(a)afrispa.org> >> >> Subject: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable >> plan tangled in >> >> acrimony inSouth Africa >> >> Reply-To: Discuss(a)afrispa.org >> >> >> >> Frank, >> >> >> >> You are right that everyone else but RSA needs a >> cable to RoW much, >> >> much >> >> more than the good folks south, also that the >> thing has got stuck in >> >> political concerns and power games. The good >> thing is, however, >> >> that the >> >> general consensus on the needs, commercial impact >> and development >> >> leverage >> >> of a widely available optical fibre cable has >> shifted from cold to >> >> warm. >> >> >> >> Technically, there is no need for an East African >> submarine cable >> >> south >> >> beyond Maputo at all, as there is well protected >> optical fibre >> >> Maputo - >> >> Pretoria on the power lines. Which, btw, RSA has >> effectively >> >> prevented open >> >> & fair use of during several years, effectively >> leaving Maputo on >> >> VSAT for a >> >> much longer time than necessary. So SA could >> connect that route, >> >> already >> >> today, to any cable from the north that lands >> close to Maputo. >> >> >> >> Now two small issues: >> >> First, RSA companies are major stakeholders in >> any submarine cable >> >> proposal >> >> that has emerged the last couple of years, >> dominant to the extent >> >> that it >> >> has made other parties concerned on who actually >> will control a >> >> cable system >> >> supposed to be a joint project with some 23 >> participants. The >> > === message truncated === > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ ____________ > Need a vacation? Get great deals > to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. > http://travel.yahoo.com/ > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange% 40jambo.co.ke > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > > _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: eric(a)afrispa.org Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/ mailman/options/kictanet/eric%40afrispa.org Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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TEAMS: Private sector gets more shares for project
by Alex Gakuru 14 Sep '07

14 Sep '07

http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3034&Item… Consumers risk continued participation exclusion unless we get organized. Any interested on investing in TEAMS? We can get together and the government would have to give us priority especially now that local investment space is expanded. Consumers shall have an upper hand in ensuring prices remain affordable while at the same time we shall get return our investment for the next 20-25 years (life of fibre). There are many other advantages we can discuss. Condition: You must Kenyan since others are catered for in the other companies. Talk to me off-list then we can strategize. Alex ____________________________________________________________________________________ Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. http://mobile.yahoo.com/go?refer=1GNXIC

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by Alex Gakuru 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

Hi Joe, I'd be glad to mobilise and work with all consumers but if you on note my message, I requested Dr. Ndemo to give us that chance. We wait and see what tomorrow brings. Alex --- "Manthi, Joseph" <Joseph.Manthi(a)fmr.com> wrote: > Alex > Please I beg you to prepare that SV to buy TKL. Let > me know if youi need help in doing this. > > Thanks > Joe > ------Original Message------ > From: Alex Gakuru > Sender: > kictanet-bounces+jmanthi=gmail.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > To: jmanthi(a)gmail.com > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Sent: Sep 13, 2007 12:43 PM > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] > Undersea cable plantangled in acrimony inSouth > Africa > > wow! "Open Access" is music to many no just my ears. > > I wish you failure at selling Telkom this way, > honestly. That said, could you allow me to organise > a > Special Purpose Truck for Kenyan consumers to invest > in Telkom more money that the Shs. 5 Billion? Fast > tracking (READ get round) NSE rules? > > Thanks. > > --- bitange(a)jambo.co.ke wrote: > > > Dear Alex, > > Telkon will not own Teams. The Government of > Kenya > > will own 40% stake in > > the Teams SPV while regional operators and > investors > > will own 45%. The > > remaining 15% shall be owned by Etisalat. The > > Government shall ensure > > open access in both Teams and the Terrestrial > > Networks to enable both > > large and small enterprises to compete. > > > > Do not worry about the sale of TKL since we have > not > > sold it yet and we > > shall not sell it if the deal is not good. > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > > > > > > Before quickly "thirding", I urge on the need to > > have > > > light shed on TEAMS investment structure, > > otherwise we > > > could end up never getting the envisaged cheap > > > bandwidth. > > > > > > Why? After 51% of Telkom Kenya is sold to > British > > > Telcom (or another) then whoever will have the > > cable > > > ownership transfered to them thus could dictate > > what > > > the final price will be. > > > > > > Little Telkom sale (Shs 5 Billion) is happening > > just > > > when the promising CDMA is getting rolled out. > > Going > > > by last year's Safaricom profits, the sale value > > is > > > also K > > -------------------------- > Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: SV: [AfrISPA.Discuss] Undersea cableplantangled in acrimony inSouth Africa
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

Mr. Manthi, Even South Africans know that your proposals are a mathematical imposibility (see article below from SA). Economics teach us that the only way to bring down cost is not by owning but by creating a competitive environment. All we need from the cables is bandwidth to create wealth. Our current problems in Africa emanate from our past mistakes with respects to our view on economic development. If those you call Nyangaus refuse to buy your flowers, your coffee, your tea and protect their people from travelling to our part of the world, we shall all perish. The world is a small place where we all must share that which is available. If you take a nap as we did in the 19th Century, someone else will take advantage of you. In essence we should blame ourselves for all that happened in the past and that way we shall approach the future with love and wisdom. When you blame someone else, you fill yourself with hate and darkness. Below find the article for your perusal. Bitange Ndemo. 12 September 2007 Cable policy slammed BY PAUL VECCHIATTO , ITWEB CAPE TOWN CORRESPONDENT [ Johannesburg, 12 September 2007 ] - Opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), have railed against communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casburri's stance on undersea cable ownership, saying she wants to control telecommunications. They were reacting to the minister's speech, delivered earlier this week at Telkom's Southern African Telecommunications Networks and Applications Conference, held in Mauritius. She said government would require all undersea cables landing here to be majority-owned by South African companies. Matsepe-Casaburri also announced that guidelines would be drawn up and they would be consistent with SA's foreign policy, and take into account the country's security. DA communications spokesperson Dene Smuts said the Mauritius clarification on undersea cables confirms the Department of Communications' (DOC) desire to get a slice of the pie and to control telecommunications. Her insistence that all cables landing here must be majority South African-owned is a mathematical impossibility if each African country makes similar demands. It is also contrary to SA's interests to prevent the landing of the capacity we need, she said. Suzanne Vos, IFP communications spokesperson, said: This kind of power politics has to stop. The country desperately needs bandwidth to meet its own economic development objectives and to ensure the guarantees signed by the minister for the 2010 Soccer World Cup are met. Vos added: It is no wonder that public enterprises minister Alec Erwin has stepped in as the country's alternative communications minister, because the incumbent can't get things done. She also referred Matsepe-Casaburri to the Electronic Communications Act that effectively brings government interference in the telecommunications sector to an end. Smuts said the DOC's championing of the Nepad ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network has already blocked the East African Submarine Cable System cable. The minister said in Mauritius that any cables landing here would have to become part of the Nepad Network. That network will operate under a protocol that gives each signed-up African government a controlling golden share. She has already told her DG [Lyndall Shope-Mafole, DOC director-general], who is the driving force behind the protocol, to take SA's landing guidelines to the interim intra-governmental assembly. Smuts concluded by saying: No one can make head or tail of the minister's thinking, or her DG's initiatives. The only thing that is clear is that both SA telecoms ministries-public enterprises and communications are reinstating state telecoms against the tide of liberalisation and modern economic trends. Vincent Gore, who was communications spokesperson for the Independent Democrats, refused to comment as he was in the process of crossing the floor to the African National Congress. > Kai, > This has nothing to do with SA. It is Kenya's job to protect Kenya and > not SA. If Kenya does not want the SA satellites broadcasting in > Kenya, they can block it. All SA is saying is that if there any cables > landing in SA, it should be majority owned by SAfricans. Any African > country can do the same. > > And yes any cable landing in SA (or Kenya) is the national asset of SA > (or Kenya). Every SA (or Kenyan) should have access to it. And judging > by the pricing of some of these cable, it is unlikely that majority of > SA (or Kenyans) will be able to afford it. > > Shouldn't SA (or Kenyan) governments be concerned about the pricing > and therefore ownership of these cables? > > Yes - these cables are national assets. Let me see - who owns the > cables entering the Federal Republic of Germany? Germany of course. > Why should you then, a German national, deny the South African > Government of deciding who should own these cables. > > Remember that SA has the experience of SAT3. > > Joe > > On 9/13/07, Kai U. Wulff <kai.wulff(a)kdn.co.ke> wrote: >> Since when is International Connectivity a national asset? >> >> A cable comes, you don't like the price you don't buy .. Why did nobody >> insist on SA ownership of the Satellites that are broadcasting

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Internet Governance Forum (IGF) - Continent to Send 20 Delegates
by alice 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

*Hi all Happy to let you all know that KICTANet was selected to present at the IGF taking place in Rio in November. Any Kenyans on this list planning to attend the forum please let us know. We would like to provide members attending an opportunity to share their experiences at the KICTANet Best Practice Forum. best alice ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Internet Forum - Continent to Send 20 Delegates* Daily Champion (Lagos) NEWS 13 September 2007 Posted to the web 13 September 2007 By Remmy Nweke South Africa Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Africa is to send a 20-member delegation to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Rio de Janero, Brazil in November 2007 to ensure that African voice is heard. At a roundtable session on IGF organised by the Open Society Institute for Southern Africa (OSISA) at the on-going 11th Highway Africa conference in Grahamstown, South Africa, CSOs resolved to ensure that Africa is not relegated at the global meeting. IGF in Rio is being organised by the IGF Secretariat based in Geneva , Switzerland in support of the United Nations Secretary-General's mandate from the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) with regard to convening a new forum for multi-stakeholders policy dialogue. Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, Ms Natasha Primo of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) said that the essence of bringing the crusade to the largest gathering of pen-pushers on the continent was to guarantee that African communicators were not left out. According to her, the session was basically to raise awareness in the participation of Africans at the IGF by having an understanding of the theme focusing on access, openness, security and critical Internet resources and capacity/development agenda. African CSOs, she pointed out would be sending a 20-man delegate to the global meeting to "Get African voices heard centred on capacity and development agenda. We must make ourselves heard in all the themes." She added that the CSOs presently want to continue the crusade online with so as to develop shared position to the Rio meeting with Africa at heart. "We had a preliminary discussion and we want to take that online for further discussions," she asserted, adding that those interested should contact OSISA. The online discussion would kick off on September 15 and that it's an open invitation to organisations and individuals to join hands with CSOs to make certain the aim is achieved.

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[Fwd: [APC Forum] New Book: Diversifying Participation in Network Development]
by alice 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

*Diversifying Participation in Network Development* http://www.regulateonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=104… The final report from the World Dialogue on Regulation (WDR) 3rd research cycle has been released and can now be downloaded at <www.regulateonline.org>. Edited by Amy Mahan and William H. Melody, this most recent collection of the network’s research and case studies elaborates on inclusive and propoor strategies for extending network development. The book is divided into three sections. The first, entitled *Affordability and Use*, opens with a study on affordability - definitions, analysis and issues. This is followed by two demand side studies, the first focusing on mobile use by the poor; and the second assessing communication expenditures across four developing countries. The final chapter in this section reports on a survey of ICT use by SMEs in eight African countries. Section 2, *Models to Extend Participation in Network Development* considers /microfinance/, /smart subsidies/, /community owned microtelcos/ and the /extension of research networks/. The countries used to highlight these alternative approaches include Bangladesh, Nepal, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ghana. Section 3, *Regulatory and Information Practices*, begins with two chapters dedicated to the information provision and communication practices of regulators - which are important for cultivating informed participation in regulatory processes. Next regional regulation in support of national regulators and to ensure competitive markets is examined using the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States as a case study. Further perspective on this is provided by a chapter on multinational operators in African mobile markets. The section concludes with a case study on the regulatory environment in Guyana. This report is the third in a series of research cycles that WDR is undertaking to assess different approaches to regulation in a rapidly changing telecom environment. With the advent of privatisation, competition, and converging infrastructure sectors, the role of the regulator is in a transitional phase. The first World Dialogue on Regulation research cycle assessed two emerging regulatory trends and the report, The Next Step in Telecom Reform: ICT Convergence Regulation or Multisector Utility Regulation; and the second cycle, Stimulating Investment in Network Development: Roles for Regulators - are both available for download and hardcopies of the second can be ordered from WDR.

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Data vending hit by poor Internet connections
by Bill Kagai 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3001&Item… Written by James Makau - Business Daily 13-September-2007: The poor penetration of Internet services coupled with low levels of computer literacy in Kenya are holding back the country's emerging data vending industry. The data vendors, who sell and distribute financial and business news, are targetting rural populations as well as Kenyans in the diaspora. Mr Bildad Kagai , the managing director of data vending firm MediaCorp Limited, told the Business Daily that while data vending has the potential to be a major industry in the financial services sector, more needed to be done to ensure computer services reached majority of the people. "Kenyans, especially those outside Nairobi, have been waiting eagerly for the Real Time data, but inability to access the Internet remains a big challenge," says Mr Kagai He said traders did not have to physically go to the bourse to get financial data, but they could do this in the comfort of their offices through the Internet. He said the highest potential for growth in data vending was in rural towns and that lack of Internet services was limiting the uptake of online financial news and data. MediaCorp earlier this month launched its data vending services in Mombasa to increase its presence in the country. Data from the Communications Commission of Kenya estimates that as of March, this year, only 3.2 per cent of the country's population had access to Internet up from 200,000 or 0.7 per cent of the population in 2000. Internet Service Providers have blamed the low penetration on high costs of Internet on satellite connectivity which costs up to 10 times more than the fibre optic connectivity. But once any of four planned international fibre optic cables land in Mombasa, Internet connection costs should fall drastically. The Government's Digital Villages Project under the Ministry of Information and Communication is also set to greatly boost access, resulting in more subscribers for data vendors. And with the Nairobi Stock Exchange set to switch onto a wide area network (WAN) in the next one month, the potential of data vending services may well be on its way to be unlocked. Mr Symon Ndirangu, the chief executive officer of Information Convergence Technologies ICT Ltd, says that with the signing of an average of 50 to 100 new users every month, most of the six data vendor currently operating in the market should break even within the next 12 months. "Although it is taking time for many investors to appreciate the value of data, we are upbeat that revenue will pick up very soon." Currently, the cost of a data vending license from the NSE is valued at Sh170,000 (US$2500) while ISPs are charging about Sh50,000 per month for connection. With an estimated Sh180,000 in other costs, data vendors are paying at least Sh400,000 a month or Sh4.8million annually to stay afloat. Mr Ndirangu however projects that with the developments in the ICT sector as well as the Capital Markets, the data vendors should have at least each have 10,000-20,000 customers utilizing their services. At an annual charge of Sh5000 per customers, data vendors could easily rake in Sh50 million in a year. "The need for investment decisions based on sound finanical information and data rather than speculation as is often seen today will spur the growth of data vending services," says Mr. Ndirangu. With the chairman of the NSE Jimnah Mbaru estimating that the watershed Safaricom IPO slated for later this year will bring the number of investors at the bourse to 3 million, the need for real time data on the stock markets will clearly be there. Foreign interest in the Kenyan capital markets which has picked up in last one year following a string of high profile IPOs is an also seen as a major driver to the success of data vending services. "Kenyans in the diaspora and international investors who do not have the luxury of popping into Nation Centre to see the market Viewer will definitely drive this industry." Reckons Mr. Kagai It may not be unfathomable then, that local data vendors could enter the big league of Reuters, Bloomberg and CNBC sometime in the future. -- -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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Slightly unusual request
by Brian Longwe 12 Sep '07

12 Sep '07

Hi all, I have a slightly unusual request..... I need to set a vehicle mileage rate for the local operations of one of the NGOs I'm associated with. I have the official AA rate book (August 2007) but would like to benchmark against what other organisations (and especially Public sector or NGOs) give as compensation for mileage. Could anyone who can help with this info send it directly to me off- list please? Warm regards, Mblayo

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[Grant Competition: Lighting Africa]
by alice 11 Sep '07

11 Sep '07

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Grant Competition: Lighting Africa Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:23:00 +0300 From: kmuthembwa(a)worldbank.org To: undisclosed-recipients:; Dear Colleague, I would like to draw your attention to an announcement (below) of a grant competition entitled ?Innovations in Off-Grid Lighting Products and Services for Africa". You are invited to participate if it is relevant, but if not, kindly display and/ distribute it to as many people as possible. Please note that the deadline is 30th October 2007. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Embedded image moved to file: pic18238.jpg) The World Bank Group and its partners are pleased to announce a Development Marketplace (DM) competition for the design and delivery of low cost, high quality, non-fossil fuel-based lighting products targeting low income consumers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The DM is part of the broader Lighting Africa program managed by the World Bank Group which seeks to reach 250 million customers with modern, affordable lighting by 2030. The grant competition entitled ?Innovations in Off-Grid Lighting Products and Services for Africa" will reward project ideas that address the various off-grid lighting needs of Sub-Saharan Africa, including alternative distribution models, new clean lighting technology, stronger production chains, and improvement of the policy environment. Ten to 20 winners will receive grant funding up to $200,000. The competition is open to a broad range of innovators around the world, including private businesses, nongovernmental organizations, universities, government entities, and individuals. Lead sponsors include the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program, the Global Environment Facility, and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility. Other supporters include Good Energies Inc., the Governments of Norway and Luxembourg, and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership. The deadline for submitting proposals is 23:00 GMT on October 31, 2007. (See attached file: DM Competition_Brochure_English.pdf) For more information on how to apply, visit the Lighting Africa Web site at: http://www.lightingafrica.org

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IPv4 to IPv6
by Alex Gakuru 11 Sep '07

11 Sep '07

Hi, We understand Swift Global and .KE are on IPv6 and would appreciate any info on whom else upgrades from this list http://www.cck.go.ke/html/child.asp?title=Telecommunications&contcatid=2&ch… Thanks Alex ____________________________________________________________________________________ Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

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America's wolves
by Dorcas Muthoni 10 Sep '07

10 Sep '07

Kenyans be proud of our wildlife and strive to protect it! *America's wolves need our help! * America's wolves were nearly eradicated in the 20th century. Now, after a remarkable recovery in parts of the country, wolves are once more threatened. **More>> http://action.defenders.org/site/PageServer?pagename=savewolves_homepage&JS…

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Newspaper columnists are dinosaur bloggers- Maher
by Rebecca Wanjiku 10 Sep '07

10 Sep '07

By Rebecca Wanjiku and Mantsha Nkayi The blurred lines that differentiate blogging and journalism were exposed yesterday, at a discussion on whether bloggers are columnists or columnists are bloggers. The discussion was spiced up by the presence of Freddy Khumalo, a columnist who thinks bloggers are not necessarily journalists/columnists and Vincent Maher, who is of the opinion that newspaper columnists are dinosaur bloggers. One of the lingering questions was; who do bloggers speak to and who is their audience? Khumalo took the opportunity to trash some bloggers as mere diarists who do not follow any code of conduct. He argued that some blogs are dedicated to pets and may not make much sense; however, he admitted that some blogs contain important and informative material. When am writing a column, I have to take time to consider the impact of what am writing about and whether it has been said before and under what context. With the blog, it is easy, and there are no such considerations because there is no code of conduct, said Khumalo. But Maher a former head of the New Media Lab at Rhodes University argued that bloggers have filled in a space that was not previously addressed by the mainstream media. He was supported by journalism trainer, Roland Stanbridge who added that 50 per cent of the women in the Middle East are blogging and addressing issues considered as taboo and not addressed in mainstream media. Blogs are giving people voices, whether it is eroding morality in society is not the issue, it is a place for the people to air what they feel. Maybe the people want a change to such standards of morality, said Maher. While supporting the argument that newspaper columnists are dinosaur bloggers, Maher invited participants to evaluate the development of communication from newsletters to newspapers and to letters to the editor-through snail mail. He argued that blogs give an opportunity for feedback and connection with the communities, which is vital for any media organisation, and he also mentions that blogs are personal web pages. But the main question that was not satisfactorily answered in the discussion was: given the challenges of technology and information penetration in Africa, can one claim to be blogging for the public while they have no access to internet or computers? Is blogging elitist? Ends Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games.

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[Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] Employment Opportunities ICANN]
by alice 10 Sep '07

10 Sep '07

-------- Original Message -------- FYI - http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm Employment Opportunities Administrative Support Supervisor/Manager <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#adminmgr> At-Large Coordination Officer <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#atlargeadmin> (Original Title: At-Large Administrative Support Officer) Communications Manager - Policy Development <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#commmgr> Consulting services to assist with the development of a translation policy <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#translate> General Manager, Policy Development <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#gmpd> GNSO Policy Officer <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#gnsooff> Manager, Regional Relations - Asia <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#manregrelasia> Manager, Regional Relations - Europe <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#manregrel> Registrar Liaison Manager <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#regliaison> At-Large Regional Affairs Officer <http://www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm#RAsec> (Original Title:Secretary for Regional Affairs, At-Large Community) _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Southern Africa media in peer review
by Rebecca Wanjiku 10 Sep '07

10 Sep '07

Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius win inaugural gender and HIV/AIDs awards By Rebecca Wanjiku Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius yesterday won the inaugural gender and HIV/AIDs awards, in recognition of their exemplary work place policies. The awards were judged through peer review and targeted 218 newsrooms in the southern Africa region. Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) won the HIV/AIDs category; Times of Zambia was runners up. In the gender policy category, Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) scooped top honours while the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation took the runners up position. Organised by Gender Links and several regional organisations, the awards sought to initiate a process where the media houses in the region will develop and implement policies and commit resources to implement them. We all know that the media has not produced gender and HIV/AIDs policies. But how do you change an institution without putting your neck on the line? The awards seek to recognise media houses in the region willing to sacrifice and implement such policies, said Colleen Lowe Morna, head of Gender Links. While citing scanty statistics of HIV/AIDs reportage in the media, Morna added that the awards are critical in showing other media houses in the region how to implement their policies and improve the quality and quantity of stories. The awards were organised in conjunction with the Sol Plaatje leadership Institute which is dedicated to training media managers in Africa . We would have liked more entries and we hope to receive more last year. It was inspiring to see that most applicants also presented the actual policies and implementation plans, which validated their claims, said Francis Mdlongwa, head of the institute. The awards are targeting 80 per cent of Southern Africa newsrooms by 2008 and it is hoped that reporting of gender and HIV/AIDs issues will also improve. It is also projected that more media houses will implement policies to support national, regional and international legal instruments. Speaking on behalf of the judging panel Mdlongwa said the winners, had committed resources to ensure that policies were understood and complemented through a series of policies. In Mauritius , it was noted that MBC had appointed a gender coordinator who made monthly reports to the head of MBC. The award ceremony was spiced up by music from Nia band, which embodied the true spirit of Africa with representatives from Kenya , Zambia and South Africa . Participants were treated to songs in Swahili, Xhosa and English. As the ceremony drew to a close, Morna encouraged participants to dance to the famous song Vulindlela which is Xhosa for open the way. The song was sung by the late South African musician Brenda Fassie. The song was symbolic for the winners, expected to open or lead the way for other regional media houses. Ends Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games.

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Africa complained, the west has responded
by Rebecca Wanjiku 09 Sep '07

09 Sep '07

Negative images- Africa complained, the west has responded By Rebecca Wanjiku The longest and loudest complaint by African leaders is that western media portrays Africa as desperate and hopeless, the west has now responded. The complaints have been directed to the global media houses such as CNN, BBC, AP, AFP and Reuters accused of only covering civil wars, hunger, corruption and deprivation in Africa- these are form the bulk of African content on the internet. Well, the response does not come from the big media, but from a group of Dutch journalists who felt the situation should change and started a website- www.africanews.com. Africanews.com is a website dedicated to Africans to tell their stories to the world without any inhibitions. The website is targeting politics, social as well as the economic challenges and successes in the continent. The stories, photographs and video are uploaded to the site and have reached audiences in Europe, America, Australia, Asia and Africa. This is calculated to improve on variety and content of stories available of the internet. According to Elles van Gelder, the South African representative, the website has received critical acclaim and is hoping to recruit journalists and bloggers from every African country. Why should western media fly in journalists while there are local journalists willing to tell the stories? We tap the talent, train them, and they become better writers, photographers and can take good videos, said van Gelder. The organisation has started a pilot project for reporting using state of the art mobile phones that can shoot video and upload to the website. This project will be tested during the general elections in Kenya, scheduled for December this year. To establish the reliability of mobile phones in reporting Van Gelder said a group of Dutch students will embark on an Africa-wide trip, testing the mobile phones and the challenges faced. This, van Gelder added, will help improve the quality of African content available on the internet, and the stories that come from the continent. Ends Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games.

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from Highway Africa Conference
by Rebecca Wanjiku 09 Sep '07

09 Sep '07

Rural stories remain untold By Rebecca Wanjiku Africas best stories remain untold, because journalists and bloggers have concentrated in urban areas and neglected rural areas, said Tanzanian journalist Ansbert Ngurumo. Presenting at the Digital Citizens Indaba, Ngurumo indicted journalists and bloggers for the insufficient content of African stories on the internet. The stories have to cover the feelings and aspirations of people. Most of the stories cultural, social and political are in the rural areas. These rural people are isolated because they have no access to the technology and if they do, they may not be able to blog or publish their stories, Ngurumo added. With journalists, he said they concentrate in town centres because that is where there is technology to transmit the stories meaning that most stories told are from the urban centres and occasionally from the rural areas. In developing local content, Ngurumo argued Africans have to develop the civic will to blog more because it does not take political will to start and maintain a blog. Ngurumo told the Indaba that Africa has to villagize the internet and make sure that people in the rural areas blog, podcast and tell their stories to the world. Speaking about lack of a critical mass of African languages on the internet, Ngurumo said he chose to blog in Swahili because that is the language he knows best and is spoken by about 100 million people in east, central and parts of southern Africa. Why would I want to blog in English yet 100 million Africans communicate in Swahili? asked Through his blog- www.ngurumo.blogspot.com , he was able to reach several people mostly from Tanzania where Swahili is the national language. The comments on the blog, he says, have been used to gauge the political and social temperatures. For instance, he said he had been forced to delete certain posts after readers complained about them. Ends Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today!

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Undersea cable plan tangled in acrimony in South Africa
by Eric Osiakwan 09 Sep '07

09 Sep '07

The sole active supporter of the NEPAD-backed Broadband Infrastructure Project that will never be built, the South African Government is trying to arm-twist EASSy because the project has slipped free of NEPAD control. This is the arrogant display of naked political power that those who have not signed the NEPAD political protocol feared would occur if the larger African brother failed to get its way. The 10,000km Eassy cable will be 27% owned by Telkom, Neotel and MTN, and is designed to provide desperately needed cheap bandwidth to 21 African countries. But SA's communications department has taken umbrage at what it sees as the commercial nature of the enterprise, and intends to withhold landing rights. Instead, the government will use taxpayers' money to roll out two rival cables heading east and west, jointly known as the Nepad Broadband Infrastructure Network. Denying landing rights to EASSy will be detrimental to the three local companies, which, they say, have had the foresight to invest in the project to slash bandwidth prices. It will also be anticompetitive if EASSy members are not allowed to sell bandwidth to other operators in SA, says Mohsen Khalil, a director with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). He also says the government's hostility shows it has not understood a new commitment the consortium has made to open access. The IFC is part of the World Bank, and is investing $32,5m to help about 15 small operators participate in Eassy. Yet the director- general of the communications department, Lyndall Shope Mafole, remains vehemently opposed to the project. "Eassy is bad news for developing countries that are not at the level of SA," she says. "We have many problems with it. The fact that you work for the World Bank makes you think you know what's good for Africa even when you don't live in Africa. I find that quite insulting." Because Eassy's biggest shareholders are giants like MTN and Telkom, their bulk buying power gives them an advantage over smaller operators also trying to buy and resell capacity to customers in each country, she says. "South African companies could use their dominance to compete unfairly in other countries. We have a responsibility as the government to ensure there is fair competition. We are not willing to look at something that is clearly discriminatory. We couldn't rest with a clear conscience." If the South African Government has this responsibility, why has it not exercised it over Telkom's SAT3 prices? The Department of Communications talks the talk but does not walk the walk. A bigger issue threatening not only Eassy but also other foreign- backed cables is a demand that any cable landing in SA is partly owned by local companies. The minimum percentage of local ownership will be determined by Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe Casaburri. The instant reaction is to question whether SA has the right to do that. It has, under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, Shope-Mafole says. The second reaction is to assume that foreign investors will be deterred. The government's belligerent stance in an effort to promote local industries may backfire and deprive consumers of cheaper bandwidth if foreigners opt to bypass SA's coastline. Nonsense, Shope-Mafole says. "There are millions of people who want to enter into arrangements and land in SA. We welcome anybody who wants to invest in submarine cables that land on South African soil, but we need South African companies to invest." Although Eassy boasts 27% local ownership, that may not be enough. Seacom, another private cable already under construction, must also recruit local investors for the plans on its map to match reality. Seacom has signed a deal for SA's second network operator, Neotel, to operate the local landing station, which does not impress the government. Shope-Mafole said the demand for local ownership in the entire cable linking India to Europe via SA was discussed with Seacom's mostly US investors over a cup of coffee. "I don't think they thought it was unreasonable. I wouldn't say they loved it, but they didn't throw their cups at us," she says. (Source: Business Day) Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"

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Clear Directions to sega Silicon Valley
by Jose' 08 Sep '07

08 Sep '07

Dear Members, I appoloise for cross posting. I hereby give the correct directions. The best is to take an Akamba bus and drop of at Sega Township bus stop. This is a direct connection rather than dropping off at Kisumu, alternatively with Easy Coach one can drop at Maseno or Kisumu and take a PSV/Matatu to Busia Town and not Siaya town.As stated earlier. Hope to see you all there. Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || --------------------------------- Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel.

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New debate in US & UK on two-tier Internet - is this a good idea for Africa?
by Marcel Werner 08 Sep '07

08 Sep '07

Two tier Internet *The US Justice Department has said that internet service providers should be allowed to charge for priority traffic. *The Justice Department said imposing net neutrality regulations could hinder development of the internet and prevent ISPs from upgrading networks.The agency's stance is contrary to much of the internet community that believes in an open model for the internet. Net neutrality advocates argue that a two-tier internet would allow broadband providers to become gatekeepers to the web's content. Providers that can pay will be able to get a commercial advantage over those that cannot, they say. In particular, there is a fear that institutions like universities and charities would suffer. Last year, Sir Tim Berners-Lee the inventor of the web rallied against the idea of a two-tier internet. What are your ideas? Marcel Werner

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Engineering Students Exhibition 14-15 September, Sarit Centre (Nairobi)
by Marcel Werner 08 Sep '07

08 Sep '07

The 10th annual Engineering Students Exhibition will be held on 14 and 15 September at the Nairobi Sarit Centre (opening hours 10-6). Over a 100 innovative prototype projects will be shown by students from Kenyan universities and universities from seven more countries. The Exhibition theme this year is ICT for Rural Development (electronics, mobile computing, software). The event is held under the auspices of the global engineering society IEEE and Kenya Private Sector Alliance and has attracted wide support and endorsement from Kenyan and multinational companies, government, academia and development partners. The event demonstrates a huge capacity and drive to realise innovation for our market. Do come and see how ICT is being put in practice! Information: info(a)centurionsystemsltd.com Marcel Werner

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Directions to Sega Silicon Valley Initiative.
by Jose' 07 Sep '07

07 Sep '07

Here are the directions. From Nairobi take EASY COACH bus services to Kisumu,Then take another PSV going to Siaya and request the driver to drop you at Sega Township Primary School. IT's going to be the bomb yawa!! dont miss this chance to see how communities are being impacted through ICT. Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || ____________________________________________________________________________________ Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. http://mobile.yahoo.com/go?refer=1GNXIC

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FOIA: Petition to the National Assembly
by Alex Gakuru 07 Sep '07

07 Sep '07

attached ____________________________________________________________________________________ Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

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The 411...
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 06 Sep '07

06 Sep '07

Guys, Information is vital and sometimes can be unavailable, therefore, I want to welcome/introduce you all to my first blog <http://kipsang.wordpress.com/>dedicated entirely to matters concerning Information Technology. As an Information Technologist in the making, sharing information is vital to surviving in this competitive industry and with the advent of blogs, distributing this information will be quick and easy. By all means, feel free to comment on the articles I post and if you have anything you want posted, drop me a line. Enjoy! Kind regards, Michael. -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg. --

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Africa: The race to liberalise broadcast markets is just beginning
by alice 05 Sep '07

05 Sep '07

(From Balancing Act) Africa: The race to liberalise broadcast markets is just beginning The 1990s saw the phenomenal growth of the mobile sector in Africa turning millions of people into the proud owners of a phone. This growth was made possible by opening Africa's telecoms market to new investment and competition, lowering prices and increasing choice. Broadcasting is about to go through the same cycle only twenty years later, writes Russell Southwood, and Africa's broadcast industry may see the same kind of growth. This issue of African Broadcast, Film and Convergence sees new pay-TV entrant GTV going into more countries and a third entrant announcing its presence in the Ugandan market. Cameroon has announced four new broadcast licences for private operators. Togo has announced the arrival of a sports channel. Two new broadcast stations appear to be on the cards, one in the capital Abuja and the other in Kogi State. As elsewhere in Africa, these last two stations have been prompted by local politicians, anxious to have access to the means of communication to promote themselves. It will take a breed of tough, brave regulators to police issues around fairness and access. The state broadcasting sector is largely under-funded and will find it difficult to keep up with the pace of this race. Africa has not often seen public broadcasting in the purer sense (of the kind best represented by the BBC) as too many broadcasters have become the captive of Government, for whom they rely on their funding. At its worst, African state broadcasting is sadly amongst the dullest viewing on the planet. More private broadcasters create new talent and new voices and spread the power to communicate into more hands. Africa's state broadcasters will need to create a clear role for themselves if they are to survive this onslaught. Simply repeating what the Government wants will not play well if there are alternatives. Why watch the President opening yet another something when you can watch a local football match or the Barclays Premier League? A staggering fifty organisations were shortlisted to operate private radio or TV licences in Cameroon. Only four received licences - Spectrum TV, Canal 2 International, Sweet FM and TV+ - but according to Cameroon's Minister of Communications Professor Ebénézer Njoh Mouelle:" Amongst the 50 audio-visual stations only 4 of them have today received licences to operate. It means that 46 others should also be ready to come forth for their licences. The delay depends on them. They need to follow the example of those who have received an authorization to operate a private audio-visual media in Cameroon". In other words, show you can do it and we will give you a licence. The process has been presented as a regularisation of the existing market as many stations already operate without a licence. According to the Minister:" The licence enables those who are already operating in the field to be formal rather than informal. Those who received the licence to operate have become more opened, recognised and can freely negotiate financial deals with foreign operators". The main obstacle for more clearing the requirements for a licence are money. The sum paid depends on whether the station is a local or a national one. All applicants have cleared the technical requirements hurdles but the remaining 46 have found difficulty thus far in finding the money required to pay their licence fees. A lively and healthy media market in broadcasting will doubtless help with the process of raising the money. The first four entrants have a more or less clear run at it and should produce clear evidence of both listener/viewer interest and advertising revenues. Meanwhile in Togo, a new TV channel - Télé Sport has launched that will concentrate on meeting the thirst for sport among its Togolese viewers. It will devote 90% of its content tosport, 5% to culture and 5% to science. It wants to provide coverage of local Togolese sporting events as well as global events. Télé Sport broadcasts on Channel 29 that will start by covering the whole of the north of Lome but will eventually cover the whole region around the capital. It will employ a dozen people band its launch brings to six, the number of TV channels available to Togolese viewers. There are sixty radio stations, one of which is Sport FM.

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Internet Server Set Up at IGAD Secretariat. Expressions of interest
by alice 05 Sep '07

05 Sep '07

We are looking for Experts to undertake the task below in this month of September. If interested please email proposal/quote/ enquirie on bessie.nyirenda(a)igad.org. Thanks Bessie Nyirenda ICT Coordinator - IGAD ____________________________________________________________________________ INTERGOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY FOR DEVELOPMENT (IGAD) REGIONAL INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES SUPPORT PROGRAMME (RICTSP) TERMS OF REFERENCE SETTING UP SERVERS AT IGAD SECRETARIAT AUGUST 2007 Terms for Server Set Up at IT Section for IGAD Secretariat 1. Background Information The regional integration organization of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is implementing a Regional ICT Support Programme. The overall objective of the RICTSP is to contribute to the ESA region's integration agenda through an effective and efficient Information and Communications Technologies (lCT) environment, which will reduce the costs of trade and investment and thereby stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty. The purpose of the RICTSP is to achieve a reduction in the digital divide by removing some of the constraints to the efficient use of ICT. Currently, more efficient use of ICT by entrepreneurs and policy makers is inhibited by a combination of a restrictive regulatory environment; poor connectivity; poor access to commercially valuable information; and a lack of ICT skills. The Programme contains various sets of activities aimed at achieving the following results: 1) The development, and monitoring of implementation, of ICT policy guidelines and strategies and monitoring of e-readiness status; 2) The provision of high speed internet connectivity to regional key stakeholders to reduce costs of doing business in the region and promote migration to Asycuda++ in selected countries; 3) Improved and more efficient access to economic, commercial and policy information of practical use and the establishment of incubator projects to demonstrate the viability of the internet, including e-commerce. Improved capacity for entrepreneurs to exploit ICT opportunities and e-commerce techniques. As part of improved and more efficient access to information, servers have been purchased to host the regional web portal and email services. The first step to ensuring improved access to information is to properly set up the servers to provide an environment for storing information. The set up of the servers of the IT section at IGAD Secretariat will be undertaken with funding under the Regional Information and Communications Technologies Support Programme (RICTSP), funded under the 9th EDF. 2. Objectives of the Assignment The objectives of the assignment are to elaborate: i) Set up secure local hosting services for Email and Web Services for IGAD Region at its Secretariat Offices. Currently these services are being outsourced to an outside hosting Company in the USA. ii) To build capacity of IGAD staff members to take charge of their information and information provision services. 3. Regional Integration Organisation The assignment under these terms of reference will cover the IGAD Secretariat in Djibouti which serves countries of: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan. 4. Scope of Services In order to meet the objectives of the assignment, the consultant will be required to carry out the following activities: i) Carry out a situational analysis of the IT section to assess available hardware and available internet connections ii) Design the network, security system and internet services. iii) Set up the network, security system and Internet services : ? Router configuration for the DMZ, firewall, and NAT ? DNS, outbound Web proxy, and outbound e-mail ? Primary and Secondary Servers ? Name servers ? Security ? set up DMZ ? All software in use on this work must be 100% open source. ? The internal file and email server ? A secure auditing workstation will sit between the DMZ switch and the DMZ Ethernet port on the router. ? Set up Web services with Content Management System (Joomla) ix) Train Systems Administrator and Webmaster is setting up the Servers. 4. Expected Results The results to be delivered under this assignment are - A well functioning Email Service with webmail access to all staff. - A Web Server with content management system - An easy to update antivirus and antispam filtering system for email server; - A Secure network with well functioning DMZ with intrusion detection and network management facility; 5. Duration and Reporting The consultant will be expected to commence the assignment immediately upon signing the contract, and complete the assignment not later than 9 days after commencement date. The short-term expert will work under the supervision of the RICTSP Coordinator and the Supervisor (the IGAD Director of Economic Cooperation and Social Development Division (ECSD)). The consultant will produce a draft assessment report and a final report providing documentation of all work done. Soft and hard copies of the final report and final should be presented in MS Word and MS Excel (Office 2003 compatible) and will be written in English. 5. Profile of Short-term Expert/s The consultant will meet the following requirements: Qualifications and Experience: ? A University degree in Computer Science, Engineering or Equivalent qualification; ? At least 5 years experience of progressively setting up Internet Servers; ? Experience in designing and producing documentation; Record of working collaboratively and successfully with country officials, private sector and the public in the ESA region will be an added advantage. Language: The short-term expert will have an excellent command of English with good report writing skills. Knowledge of French will be an added advantage. _______________________________________________ AAW-Network mailing list AAW-Network(a)lists.apcwomen.org http://lists.apcwomen.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aaw-network

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Invitation to Opening Ceremony of the development aid project „Sega Silicon Valley”
by Jose' 05 Sep '07

05 Sep '07

We would like to invite you to opening ceremony of our project, that will be held on 15th of September 2007 in Sega Township Primary School organized by Simba Friends Foundation Poland. The project is a part of “Sega Sillicon Valley” program financed by Simba Friends Foundation and polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Our activities focus on installation of computers in certain schools in Sega Township, creation of an IT Centre available for the local community, organization of trainings on ICT and environmental protection. The actions of Simba Friends Foundation are aim at empowering the inhabitants of Sega by enabling them access to IT education and as a result widening their chances for employment. Attached is our program of events that would take place from 10.am to 4.pm. You are most welcomed, we hope you will be able to make it. Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || ____________________________________________________________________________________ Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. http://travel.yahoo.com/

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ISO said 'OOXML ?, No thanks'
by Dorcas Muthoni 05 Sep '07

05 Sep '07

http://www.iso.org/iso/newsandmedia/pressrelease.htm?refid=Ref1070

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[Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] Kenya bids to host top IT conference]
by alice 01 Sep '07

01 Sep '07

* <http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143973832> * The East African Standard | Online Edition <http://www.eastandard.net/> * Saturday September 1, 2007 * * Kenya bids to host top IT conference * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *By Alari Alare* Kenya has submitted a bid to host the African round of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) meeting set for November next year. The bid was submitted by the board of the Kenya Information Centre (Kenic) on behalf of the private sector and the Government. Speaking during Kenic's annual general meeting on Friday, chairman Anthony Mugambi, disclosed that a team comprising Government, private sector and the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) will be constituted to lobby for the bid. As a trustee for the dot. ke country-code-top-level-domain, Kenic oversees the Kenyan Domain Name space by managing and administering the dot .ke in conformity with global Internet policies. Icann, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers on the other hand is responsible for managing and coordinating the global Domain Name System (DNS) to ensure each address is unique and that users of the Internet could find valid addresses. It does this by overseeing the distribution of unique IP (Internet Protocol) addresses and domain names. "In an effort to expose Kenya's vibrant ICT community to the rest of the world, the Kenic Board has submitted a bid to host the African round of the Icann meeting in November next year in Nairobi, Kenya", said Mugambi. "We are confident of winning the bid to host the event and we shall be seeking your support in hosting the event," said Mugambi. During the meeting, a new board led by Mugambi was named to steer the Centre's activities. << Back <http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143973832> _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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29-30 October 2007, Kigali, Rwanda:, Connect Africa Summit
by alice 31 Aug '07

31 Aug '07

Connect Africa - The Summit As host of the Summit, the Government of Rwanda will welcome some 500 participants, including Heads of State/Government and Ministers from Africa and other regions, CEOs and senior executives of global and African ICT companies, heads of international and regional organizations and financial institutions, international and local media as well as other stakeholders. The Summit will have a practical, results-oriented format, including interactive, multi-stakeholder panel discussions, partnership announcements, as well as opportunities for participants to showcase their ICT development projects to potential partners and donors. The Summit will also provide an excellent networking platform for leaders from the public, private and financial sectors to meet and forge new partnerships for the future. Participants in the Connect Africa Summit will examine key success factors for ICT investment and development and identify areas for collaboration to: * expand broadband backbone infrastructure and access networks, using innovative business and financing models, such as infrastructure-sharing and demand aggregation among local and regional institutions. This new infrastructure investment includes national and regional interconnectivity initiatives, such as Internet exchange points and rural connectivity projects; * enhance workforce training to support employment and growth in the ICT sector and the overall economy; * stimulate the development of locally-relevant ICT content, applications and services, and * broaden efforts to develop an enabling policy and regulatory environment for investment, including harmonization across regions and sub-regions. The Connect Africa Summit will be preceded by several months of preparations between the partners, including an analysis of the current situation and requirements, an assessment of constraints and an elaboration of policy options to promote private sector investment, strengthening statistical capacities to improve tracking of progress, as well as the development of specific project proposals for funding that will be presented to potential partners and donors. *29-30 October 2007*, Kigali, Rwanda: *Connect Africa Summit* <http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/connect/africa/2007/summit/index.html> http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/connect/africa/2007/summit/index.html

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Who's afraid of Google?]
by alice 31 Aug '07

31 Aug '07

Who's afraid of Google? Aug 30th 2007 >From The Economist print edition The world's internet superpower faces testing times RARELY if ever has a company risen so fast in so many ways as Google, the world's most popular search engine. This is true by just about any measure: the growth in its market value and revenues; the number of people clicking in search of news, the nearest pizza parlour or a satellite image of their neighbour's garden; the volume of its advertisers; or the number of its lawyers and lobbyists. Such an ascent is enough to evoke concernsboth paranoid and justified. The list of constituencies that hate or fear Google grows by the week. Television networks, book publishers and newspaper owners feel that Google has grown by using their content without paying for it. Telecoms firms such as America's AT&T and Verizon are miffed that Google prospers, in their eyes, by free-riding on the bandwidth that they provide; and it is about to bid against them in a forthcoming auction for radio spectrum. Many small firms hate Google because they relied on exploiting its search formulas to win prime positions in its rankings, but dropped to the internet's equivalent of Hades after Google tweaked these algorithms. And now come the politicians. Libertarians dislike Google's deal with China's censors. Conservatives moan about its uncensored videos. But the big new fear is to do with the privacy of its users. Google's business model (see article) assumes that people will entrust it with ever more information about their lives, to be stored in the company's "cloud" of remote computers. These data begin with the logs of a user's searches (in effect, a record of his interests) and his responses to advertisements. Often they extend to the user's e-mail, calendar, contacts, documents, spreadsheets, photos and videos. They could soon include even the user's medical records and precise location (determined from his mobile phone). More JP Morgan than Bill Gates Google is often compared to Microsoft (another enemy, incidentally); but its evolution is actually closer to that of the banking industry. Just as financial institutions grew to become repositories of people's money, and thus guardians of private information about their finances, Google is now turning into a custodian of a far wider and more intimate range of information about individuals. Yes, this applies also to rivals such as Yahoo! and Microsoft. But Google, through the sheer speed with which it accumulates the treasure of information, will be the one to test the limits of what society can tolerate. It does not help that Google is often seen as arrogant. Granted, this complaint often comes from sour-grapes rivals. But many others are put off by Google's cocksure assertion of its own holiness, as if it merited unquestioning trust. This after all is the firm that chose "Don't be evil" as its corporate motto and that explicitly intones that its goal is "not to make money", as its boss, Eric Schmidt, puts it, but "to change the world". Its ownership structure is set up to protect that vision. Ironically, there is something rather cloudlike about the multiple complaints surrounding Google. The issues are best parted into two cumuli: a set of "public" arguments about how to regulate Google; and a set of "private" ones for Google's managers, to do with the strategy the firm needs to get through the coming storm. On both counts, Googlecontrary to its own propagandais much better judged as being just like any other "evil" money-grabbing company. Grab the money That is because, from the public point of view, the main contribution of all companies to society comes from making profits, not giving things away. Google is a good example of this. Its "goodness" stems less from all that guff about corporate altruism than from Adam Smith's invisible hand. It provides a service that others find very usefulnamely helping people to find information (at no charge) and letting advertisers promote their wares to those people in a finely targeted way. Given this, the onus of proof is with Google's would-be prosecutors to prove it is doing something wrong. On antitrust, the price that Google charges its advertisers is set by auction, so its monopolistic clout is limited; and it has yet to use its dominance in one market to muscle into others in the way Microsoft did. The same presumption of innocence goes for copyright and privacy. Google's book-search product, for instance, arguably helps rather than hurts publishers and authors by rescuing books from obscurity and encouraging readers to buy copyrighted works. And, despite Big Brotherish talk about knowing what choices people will be making tomorrow, Google has not betrayed the trust of its users over their privacy. If anything, it has been better than its rivals in standing up to prying governments in both America and China. That said, conflicts of interest will become inevitableespecially with privacy. Google in effect controls a dial that, as it sells ever more services to you, could move in two directions. Set to one side, Google could voluntarily destroy very quickly any user data that it collects. That would assure privacy, but it would limit Google's profits from selling to advertisers information about what you are doing, and make those services less useful. If the dial is set to the other side and Google hangs on to the information, the services will be more useful, but some dreadful intrusions into privacy could occur. The answer, as with banks in the past, must lie somewhere in the middle; and the right point for the dial is likely to change, as circumstances change. That will be the main public interest in Google. But, as the bankers (and Bill Gates) can attest, public scrutiny also creates a private challenge for Google's managers: how should they present their case? One obvious strategy is to allay concerns over Google's trustworthiness by becoming more transparent and opening up more of its processes and plans to scrutiny. But it also needs a deeper change of heart. Pretending that, just because your founders are nice young men and you give away lots of services, society has no right to question your motives no longer seems sensible. Google is a capitalist tooland a useful one. Better, surely, to face the coming storm on that foundation, than on a trite slogan that could be your undoing. __._,_.___

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[Registrar-announce] Streaming KeNIC AGM 2007 - 31st August, 2007
by Michuki Mwangi 30 Aug '07

30 Aug '07

* <apologies for cross posting> Dear Members, Streaming KeNIC AGM 2007 - 31st August, 2007* * *KeNIC will broadcast a live audio stream of its' 4th Annual General Meeting. The live stream can be accessed at http://habari.kenic.or.ke:8001/. In addition, an IM server will be available for remote users to post comments and/or queries. It is our hope that this effort will continue to provide useful, timely and accessible access to the proceedings of these meetings as they happen. *Streaming and Conference Service * Streams are delivered as 64Kb/s unicast-http-streamed mp3 audio, a popular and relatively standard way to deliver internet radio. Most platforms should have a client immediatly available (windows media player, quicktime, real, winamp, vlc, mplayer, zinf, etc) capable of playing back the stream. For the jabber service: (a) those *with *jabber clients can join the meeting room, agm2007(a)conference.psg.com <mailto:agm2007@conference.psg.com>. A list of jabber clients can be found at http://www.jabber.org/software/clients.shtml <http://www.jabber.org/software/clients.shtml> (b) those *without *can send their comments and/or queries to live-comments(a)kenic.or.ke *Testing * To test your client against a currently active stream of the same type, access the stream at the following URL, http://habari.kenic.or.ke:8001 <http://videolab.uoregon.edu/events/ietf/test.m3u>/ *Meeting * Streaming begins at *0900hrs *(GMT+3) *Friday 31st August, 2007*. All meetings will be held at the Simba Room. Kind Regards, ----------------- Vincent Ngundi Technical Manager KeNIC - The Kenya Network Information Center http://www.kenic.or.ke _______________________________________________ Registrar-announce mailing list Registrar-announce(a)ole.kenic.or.ke http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/registrar-announce

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[Fwd: Fwd: FW: first announcement/ radio script writing competition]
by alice 30 Aug '07

30 Aug '07

Dear All, > Developing Countries Farm Radio Network <http://www.farmradio.org/> > (DCFRN) and CTA <http://www.cta.int/> will soon launch a scriptwriting > competition entitled African Farmers Strategies for Coping with > Climate Change for African radio practitioners (broadcasters, > production organizations, NGOs with a radio project, farmers > associations with a radio show etc.). > > > > Climate change is having a major impact on smallholder farmers in ACP > countries and farmers urgently need information to help them > understand climate change, the ways it might affect them, and how they > can adapt their resource management strategies to reduce global > warming and mitigate its negative effects. > > Radio, as we know, is one of the most effective media for providing > rural communities in Africa with information but the capacity of the > stations in writing relevant scripts is also limited. This competition > serves both purposes of better sharing information and strengthening > the capacity of rural radio broadcasters. > > > > Competitors will be invited to submit a radio script on themes related > to local adaptation to climate change under various formats (audio > interview, spots, discussion between two hosts, drama, stories). The > scripts will be reviewed by an international panel of judges. The > winners will be announced in May 2008 and the top 15 entries will > receive audio recorders and be published by CTA and DCFRN. But one of > the most important aspect of the capacity building process is that all > entrants will receive feedback on their scripts. > > > > We plan to widely communicate amongst the radio community in Africa > and amongst those who work with/ for this community (Media network, > African radio broadcasters, Development organisations such as Deutsche > Welle, radio Nederland...). > > > > Thanks for your kind help to help us disseminating the announcement > amongst the radio community in Africa (_let us know if you need a > certain format to communicate on the initiative_). > > > > Best regards > > > > > > Sarah Bel

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Fwd: [ke-internetusers] Safaricom - A case against "Ghost Owners"
by Alex Gakuru 29 Aug '07

29 Aug '07

FYI -Separately, --------Forwarded message------ --- JME Simekha <simekhajme(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:01:03 -0700 > From: "JME Simekha" <simekhajme(a)gmail.com> > To: Judy <judy.adhiambo(a)gmail.com> > CC: ke users <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net> > Subject: [ke-internetusers] Safaricom - A case > against "Ghost Owners" > > *SAFARICOM â A CASE AGAINST 'GHOST OWNERS'* > > > > Kenyans own Telkom Kenya; a company that we all have > invested our taxes in, > and therefore, Telkom is a public asset. Telkom once > owned Safaricom > entirely. Safaricom, in the last three years, has > been the best performing > company in Kenya. At some point, Telkom decided to > sell part of Safaricom > and struck a deal with Vodafone of the United > Kingdom, which bought 30 > percent of the shares. Telkom was left with 70 > percent. However, to date > Telkom owns only 60 percent of the company. This is > a story of who owns the > 10 percent and how that percent was illegally and > fraudulently acquired. > This is a case against the 'ghost owners' of > Safaricom who are reaping where > they did not sow and secondly, want the public to > buy what they literally > stole from the Kenyans. > > > > 1. *From Telkom to Vodafone* > > Part of privatization process, initially pushed as > part of World Bank > conditionalities, involved off-loading some of the > 100 percent ownership of > Safaricom, which Telkom held since the establishment > of the company. Telkom > sought a partner and sold off the 30 percent of the > shares. Vodafone bid and > got the deal, getting 30 percent of the shares. All > paper work regarding > legal and company transfer was complete, and hence > Safaricom was jointly > owned by Kenyans and the company based in the United > Kingdom. > > 2. *From Vodafone to Vodacom Kenya Ltd.* > > Vodafone is known to have made a formal request for > an extra 10 percent of > shares held by Telkom. Rather than bid directly, a > 'subsidiary company' by > the name Vodacom Kenya Ltd, did the bidding. This > company managed to get the > 10 percent from Telkom. However, there is no legal > paper work that was > undertaken. No legal transfer from Telkom to > Vodafone and then to Vodacom > was carried out. At some point, Vodacom is said to > have off-loaded 5 percent > of the shares back to Vodafone but this did not > last, as the shares were > 'returned' to Vodacom Kenya Ltd. > > > > In fact, part of the fraud involved two critical > issues that the > Parliamentary Investment Committee (PIC) documented > in their recent report. > First, the Safaricom Chief Executive Officer, > Michael Joseph, claimed not to > know who owners of the 10 percent shares are. > Secondly, a forged letter, > which was backdated to year 2000, was produced by > Michael Joseph as evidence > but this was unacceptable to the PIC. Therefore, > from Telkom to Vodafone, > the deal involving 30 percent shares was legal. > However, the deal of 10 > percent from Telkom to Vodafone, then to Vodacom, > back to Vodafone and then > back to Vodacom was illegal and compounded by > mystery and secrecy. > > > > 1. *From Vodacom Kenya Ltd to Mobitelea* > > Vodacom has since changed its name to Mobitelea. > Mobitelea is registered in > Guernsey, a small island within the territory of the > United Kingdom, > adjacent to the English Channel. This is an island > ill-famed for > money-laundering but is gradually working on such > infamous attributions. The > 'ghost owners' of Mobitelea are reportedly: former > president Daniel > Toroitich arap Moi, Nicholas Kiprono Kipyator arap > Biwott and the son-in-law > of Biwott. If these allegations are confirmed, then > the owners cease > forthwith to be 'ghost owners'. The three gentlemen, > are reaping where they > did not sow. Other than being transferred 10 percent > of Telkom holding of > Safaricom shares illegally and without paying a > penny for it, they have been > reaping dividends which today amount to Kshs 850 > million. Mobitelea owes > Kenyans, not just the initial value of the shares > that they never paid for, > but also the accrued dividends arising from the > profits made by Safaricom > and forwarded to Mobitelea. This is illegal, unjust, > and unacceptable to > owners of Telkom and by extension Safaricom â the > Kenyan taxpayers. > > > > 1. *From Mobitelea to Safaricom IPO* > > Safaricom Initial Public Offer (IPO) has already > been set in motion. The > Government of Kenya (GoK) has announced that it > wants to off-load 25 percent > of the shares Telkom has in Safaricom. GoK, > represented by the Minister for > Finance, has said that the IPO is unstoppable. With > an unwarranted smile, > the Minister for Finance is asking Kenyans to be > part of the glory that > Safaricom has become. No doubt, anyone wants to be > part of the billions in > profit that Safaricom mints every year. However, > before Kenyans get > financially excited, they should and must ask the > question: which shares are > on sale? First, do the 10 percent of shares, which > were stolen from the > public by Mobitelea, part of the 25 percent on > offer? Secondly, is the GoK > off-loading 25 percent of the remaining 60 percent? > Third, why should > Kenyans buy shares in Safaricom without confirming > who the other > shareholders are? > > > > 1. *Breach of the Laws * > > The Minister for Finance argues all laws have been > observed and that the > Privatization Act is the only ammunition that > Kenyans can have to stop the > Safaricom IPO. Nothing could be further from the > truth. There are many > other laws, which have been breached. Beginning with > the Privatization Act > however, the Minister for Finance should tell > Kenyans why Treasury, despite > assent by the President, had to wait for a warning > from National Assembly > Speaker Mr Francis ole Kaparo to make moves to > operationalise it. This has > not been explained by the smiling Minister for > Finance. > > > > Secondly, the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Act > has ably defined > corruption to involve attempted or actual fraud. > Other laws, such as the > Companies Act, Communications Act, and State > Corporations Act have been > breached. The Capital Markets Act (Regulations) has > also been breached, to > the extent that the intended Safaricom IPO has not > been accompanied by > disclosure to the potential shareholders, who are > the actual owners of > Mobitelea. Therefore, with or without > operationalizing the Privatization > Act, the GoK, through the Minister for Finance, has > breached several other > Laws of Kenya. > > * * > > 1. *Final Word: Stop Safaricom IPO, Do not Buy > what is Yours* > > Safaricom IPO needs to be stopped in its tracks. > Kenyans could be part of > the process to cover up fraud or legitimizing it, > when participating in the > impending Safaricom IPO. The fraud involves looting > from the public asset â > Telkom â by Mobitelea. Secondly, in the process > Kenyans are likely to be > floated some or all the 10 percent of shares owned > by Mobitelea. This would > be tantamount to buying from oneself. Do not buy > what is yours. Third, a > Public Interest Litigation (PLI) is being instituted > by civil Society > Organizations (CSOs) in the High Court on 31st > August, 2007. The Application > seeks a Court Injunction to stop the Safaricom IPO, > pending the ownership of > Safaricom, is disclosed to the public. Be part of > the process to stop the > Safaricom IPO, as engaging in it will be the second > fraud of public > property: Safaricom, a property which you have paid > taxes to establish and > sustain. > > -- > Simekha JME > Director of Programmes > Projects & Allied Consultants Ltd > 1st Floor, Rattansi Educational Trust Building > Koinange/Monrovia Street > Opposite Kengeles Restaurant > P. O. Box 8924 GPO > Nairobi 00100, Kenya > Tel: (+254 20) 340896 / 341097; (+254) 721 920 151 > Fax: (+254 20) 341099 > E-mail: simekha.joseph(a)paconsult.co.ke ; > simekhajme(a)gmail.com > > Focusing on what's going right is a great idea, and > can be quite energizing. > We often spend far too long thinking about what's > going wrong! > > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles. Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/ _______________________________________________ ke-internetusers mailing list ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers

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A small axe to the Safaricom IPO]
by alice 29 Aug '07

29 Aug '07

A small axe to the Safaricom IPO By L. MUTHONI WANYEKI I am not the daughter of a Big Man. Neither am I married to a Big Man or even to the son of a Big Man. I had the good fortune to have essentially middle-class parents who worked hard to give my siblings and me a good basic education. And I had the good fortune to have a mother whose citizenship made it possible for me to attend university, courtesy of the student loans system of her country. The student loans covered fees and accommodation. But my parents couldn't afford to send us much money getting $100 on birthdays and at Christmas was like getting a windfall. So I worked to supplement the student loans, from the time I left Kenya at the age of 16. Of course, I now recognise that, despite not being associated with a big man's family, in comparison with the majority of people in Kenya, I am not only fortunate, I am actually extremely privileged. But, despite that recognition, having worked since the age of 16, I also know the value of my money. I have worked for what I have. This is why, for instance, I get apoplectic with rage about corruption. Under Kenya's ridiculously constructed tax brackets, I fall into the same top tax bracket as Kenya's Big Men. And I get nothing for it, having to pay privately for everythingincluding security where I live and medical insurance. But, my privileges taken into account, I certainly wouldn't mind paying the amounts of tax that I do pay if I felt the money went to help those with fewer privileges, not to pay the obscene salaries of those who cannot be bothered to assure the House of a quorum sufficient to pass even 10 Bills a year or to build the "bigness" of the Big Men. The other night, some friends and I calculated the share of Safaricom's reported Ksh17 billion ($253.7 million) profit that would have gone to Mobitelea the company that, according to the Public Investments Committee, is irregularly in possession of no less than five per cent of the mobile phone company's shares, meaning that there are apparently no records of Mobitelea having paid for that shareholding. MEANING THAT MY TAX MONEY, which went into building and sustaining Telkom and Safaricom, was essentially given away. Meaning that, coming back to our calculation, the alleged owners of Mobitelea the son of a Big Man and the son-in-law of another Big Man under the former regime and a Big Man in this regime earned themselves no less than Ksh850,000,000 ($12.6 million) last year alone. From doing nothing at all, except live off the profits of having stolen from us. Ksh850 million off my back (and your's as well). Again, I am incapacitated with rage. And yet, the Treasury insists that Safaricom's initial public offer will proceed, regardless of the outcomes of the PIC debate within the House or any court cases that might ensue. What?! FRANKLY, DESPITE OUR NEWFOUND fascination with IPOs, I don't think a single one of us should put a single shilling forward. Those of us who do work hard and honestly deserve better. If shares in Safaricom could essentially be given away to Big Men, their sons and sons-in laws, then they can be given away to us. Why should we pay for them? They're our property in the first place, which the government was meant to hold in trust for us. If it breached that trust for three of us, then it should share the love with all of us. It might not seem like it, but there are, in fact, victims of corruption. Those victims are you and me every single Kenyan who dutifully pays his or her taxes. I'm furious. I'm ready for a tax boycott the residential associations led the way and it's time to scale up their efforts. We need to say to hell with that IPO until the issues raised by the PIC have been satisfactorily dealt with. We need to be the "small axes" that Robert Nestor Marley talked about and cut down all those "big trees." L. Muthoni Wanyeki is a political scientist based in Nairobi http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/Opinion/Opinion2708079. <http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/Opinion/Opinion2708079.> htm __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/message/6280;_ylc=X3oDMTM0dDFhZGw5B…> (1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwcDE1bmplBF9TAzk3M…> | Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlNmE4ZmxyBF9TAzk3M…> Messages <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJlbDY5dTNmBF9TA…> | Links <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmdnIxcDkyBF9TAzk3…> | Polls <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJmYnJpaDNoBF9TAzk3…> Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica on IT in Africa Aids-Africa is a forum for communication and information on AIDS related issues in Africa and all are welcome to join us at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/aids-africa Join us on hiv/aids forum on Kenya at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenya-aids Join us at a Kenyan networking forum and NGOS at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kenyainternational Yahoo! 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Consumers to date Safaricom in court
by Alex Gakuru 29 Aug '07

29 Aug '07

Dear All, I regret to confirm the story appearing on Business Daily pp. 28 today. Falling flat-face after their collapse, these talks were aimed at alternative dispute resolution through Communications Commission of Kenya. Alex ____________________________________________________________________________________ Got a little couch potato? Check out fun summer activities for kids. http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&…

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TIDE-Innovation Series With Joe Mucheru, Google Kenya CEO
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 28 Aug '07

28 Aug '07

Sambaza... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Gichingiri Kuria <gichingiri(a)gmail.com> Date: 27 Aug 2007 12:48 Subject: [keepingitrealafrica] Fwd: [Skunkworks] TIDE-Innovation Series With Joe Mucheru, Google Kenya CEO To: MILI <milimani(a)yahoogroups.com>, keepingitrealafrica(a)yahoogroups.com ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Wesonga <john.wesonga(a)multiplechoices.biz> Date: 27-Aug-2007 12:39 Subject: [Skunkworks] TIDE-Innovation Series With Joe Mucheru, Google Kenya CEO To: skunkworks(a)my.co.ke Hi, I'm pleased to invite all of you to *TIDE (Technology, Innovation, Design and Everything)- Innovation Series Event *this Saturday September 1st, 10-12pm at Grand Regency. The guest speaker will be Joseph Mucheru, Google Kenya CEO. The entrance charge is Kshs.1000. This talk is open to all persons and is not a technology only event, it will focus on innovation in Africa from a business and entrepreneur point of view. If you need any matter clarified please contact: *Charity 0733640027 or 0720302036* ** Thank you -- John Wesonga, Technology Director, Multiple Choices http://www.multiplechoices.biz http://wesonga.peupe.net "You are remembered for the rules you break."-Douglas MacArthur _______________________________________________ skunkworks mailing list skunkworks(a)my.co.ke http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com -- Gichingiri Kuria __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/message/1583;_ylc=X3oDMTM…>( 1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJxNnZycGp…>| Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNmFrNzB…> Messages<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJmdTh…>| Files<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/files;_ylc=X3oDMTJnZ3E3Zz…>| Photos<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/photos;_ylc=X3oDMTJmbWFlM…>| Links<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJnYjB1NH…>| Database<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/database;_ylc=X3oDMTJkdmh…>| Polls<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/polls;_ylc=X3oDMTJnaHE2Ym…>| Members<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJmZzhv…>| Calendar<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZGs…> [image: Yahoo! Groups]<http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJldnN0Z2Q5BF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzE3N…> Change settings via the Web<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJnaXFxZGx…>(Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest<keepingitrealafrica-digest@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email+Delivery:+Digest>| Switch format to Traditional<keepingitrealafrica-traditional@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change+Delivery+Format:+Traditional> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica;_ylc=X3oDMTJlczRhcHRnBF9T…>| Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> | Unsubscribe <keepingitrealafrica-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com?subject=> Recent Activity - 4 New Members<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJnc2Zx…> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/keepingitrealafrica;_ylc=X3oDMTJmazB0NGltBF9T…> Y! Messenger All together now<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jglobgf/M=493064.10729668.11333359.8674578/D=…> Host a free online conference on IM. Best of Y! Groups Discover groups<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jfquh1i/M=493064.11127061.11695037.8674578/D=…> that are the best of their class. Endurance Zone on Yahoo! Groups<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jbfjk62/M=493064.11135487.11710473.8674578/D=…> Communities about higher endurance. . __,_._,___ -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg. --

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cancellation of retreat...
by Rebecca Wanjiku 28 Aug '07

28 Aug '07

Dear all Greetings and hope this message finds you well. We apologize profusely to all of you that had made space for the KICTAnet retreat which was scheduled for 29August to 1 September 2007. We have had to postpone it due to unavoidable circumstances. We shall communicate back to all the stakeholders as soon as we have more concrete dates and venue. We look forward to hosting you all to finalize the assessment exercise as well as begin to work on KICTAnet strategic plan for the next two years. Once again my apologies for any inconveniences caused warm regards alice munyua Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV.

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Re: [kictanet] Safaricom SMS Swindlers
by Michael Joseph 28 Aug '07

28 Aug '07

I will look into this immediately Michael Joseph CEO Safaricom Limited BlackBerry powered by Safaricom ----- Original Message ----- From: kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke <kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> To: Michael Joseph Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Mon Aug 27 09:28:57 2007 Subject: [kictanet] Safaricom SMS Swindlers Dear Consumer, It has come to our notice that Safaricom is charging but blocking SMS sent to Telkom Wireless network. Charging for undelivered goods and services is outright theft, and criminal acts under Kenya Laws. Their Network accepts SMS from Telkom Wireless but replies to these message instantly report "message sending failed" although Safaricom still eat your balance. We have been at Telcos malpractices since 2005 and now it is time to change the strategies. We are filing a lawsuit against Safaricom Ltd and we need as many petitions as possible. Kindly send your electronic petition directly to me assist our lawyers in filing the suit. Regards Alex Gakuru Chairman, ICT Consumers Association of Kenya ____________________________________________________________________________________ Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. http://sims.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: mjoseph(a)safaricom.co.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mjoseph%40safaricom.co… The information in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the use of the named addressee. Emails are susceptible to alteration and their integrity cannot be guaranteed. Safaricom Limited does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this email if the same is found to have been altered or manipulated. The contents and opinions expressed in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Safaricom Limited. Safaricom Limited disclaims any liability to the fullest extent permissible by law for any consequences that may arise from the contents of this email including but not limited to personal opinions, malicious and/or defamatory information and data/codes that may compromise or damage the integrity of the recipient's information technology systems. If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender and immediately delete this email from your system.

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Re: [kictanet] Safaricom SMS Swindlers
by Eric aligula 27 Aug '07

27 Aug '07

Barrack, True it is the charges. I don't know about fair, but if you take Safaricom to court, they can argue that they had no agreement with Telkom to provide that service. What recourse do you have then? Eric Aligula Magolo Senior Policy Analyst Infrastructure and Economic Services Division Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis P.O. Box 56445, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: +254-20-2719933/4 Fax: +254-20-2719951 E-mail: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke URL: www.kippra.org First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. Mahatma Gandhi "Ex Africa semper aliquid novi" -----Original Message----- From: Barrack Otieno [mailto:otieno.barrack@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 5:02 PM To: Eric aligula; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Safaricom SMS Swindlers Bwana aligula the contentious issues are the charges, with or without the sla's is it fair? On 8/27/07, Eric aligula <jairah(a)kippra.or.ke> wrote: > Alex, > > Does Safaricom have service agreement with Telkom in respect of this > service? > > Kind regards, > > Eric Aligula Magolo > Senior Policy Analyst > Infrastructure and Economic Services Division > Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis > P.O. Box 56445, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya > Telephone: +254-20-2719933/4 > Fax: +254-20-2719951 > E-mail: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke > > URL: www.kippra.org > > First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then > you win. Mahatma Gandhi > "Ex Africa semper aliquid novi" > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Alex Gakuru [mailto:alex.gakuru@yahoo.com] > Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 9:29 AM > To: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > Subject: [kictanet] Safaricom SMS Swindlers > > Dear Consumer, > > It has come to our notice that Safaricom is charging > but blocking SMS sent to Telkom Wireless network. > Charging for undelivered goods and services is > outright theft, and criminal acts under Kenya Laws. > > Their Network accepts SMS from Telkom Wireless but > replies to these message instantly report "message > sending failed" although Safaricom still eat your > balance. > > We have been at Telcos malpractices since 2005 and now > it is time to change the strategies. We are filing a > lawsuit against Safaricom Ltd and we need as many > petitions as possible. Kindly send your electronic > petition directly to me assist our lawyers in filing > the suit. > > Regards > > Alex Gakuru > Chairman, ICT Consumers Association of Kenya > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________ > ________ > Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play > Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. > http://sims.yahoo.com/ > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jairah%40kippra.or.ke > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: otieno.barrack(a)gmail.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/otieno.barrack%40gmail. com > -- Barrack O. Otieno Project Discovery P.o. Box 21386 Nairobi 00100 Tel: +254721325277 +254726544442 +254733229925 http://projectdiscovery.or.ke

4 3

Re: [kictanet] Safaricom SMS Swindlers
by Eric aligula 27 Aug '07

27 Aug '07

Alex, Does Safaricom have service agreement with Telkom in respect of this service? Kind regards, Eric Aligula Magolo Senior Policy Analyst Infrastructure and Economic Services Division Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis P.O. Box 56445, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: +254-20-2719933/4 Fax: +254-20-2719951 E-mail: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke URL: www.kippra.org First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. Mahatma Gandhi "Ex Africa semper aliquid novi" -----Original Message----- From: Alex Gakuru [mailto:alex.gakuru@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 9:29 AM To: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Safaricom SMS Swindlers Dear Consumer, It has come to our notice that Safaricom is charging but blocking SMS sent to Telkom Wireless network. Charging for undelivered goods and services is outright theft, and criminal acts under Kenya Laws. Their Network accepts SMS from Telkom Wireless but replies to these message instantly report "message sending failed" although Safaricom still eat your balance. We have been at Telcos malpractices since 2005 and now it is time to change the strategies. We are filing a lawsuit against Safaricom Ltd and we need as many petitions as possible. Kindly send your electronic petition directly to me assist our lawyers in filing the suit. Regards Alex Gakuru Chairman, ICT Consumers Association of Kenya ____________________________________________________________________________ ________ Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. http://sims.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: jairah(a)kippra.or.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jairah%40kippra.or.ke

3 2

FYI: Links to DFID projects & funding programs]
by alice 27 Aug '07

27 Aug '07

DFID works in partnership with a range of different organisations to ensure effective use of our development budget and to assist us in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These include multilateral institutions (such as the World Bank, European Community and UN agencies), developing country governments, civil society organisations and the research community. See 'Who DFID works with <about:blank../aboutdfid/dfidwork/>’ for more information. Although the greater part of our development assistance funding is channelled through multilateral agencies, direct budget support and larger scale programmes, there is still substantial support provided through a variety of other funds for smaller scale initiatives. These are aimed at promoting sustainable development and eliminating poverty. They are open to different groups and the following list has been arranged to reflect this. For a breakdown of expenditure see our annual publication, ‘Statistics on International Development <about:blank../pubs/files/sid2006/contents.asp>’. Any organisations or individuals seeking funding should read the guidelines for the Fund which they feel best suits their needs and apply directly, using the instructions given. · Funding for international students wishing to study in the UK <about:blank#individuals> · Funding for not-for-profit organisations <about:blank#orgs> · Conflict and humanitarian funding <about:blank#humanitarian> · Funding for the private sector <about:blank#businesses> · Funding for educational institutions <about:blank#education> · Funding for the media <about:blank#media> · Funding for local authorities <about:blank#commonwealth> · Funding for specific countries or regions <about:blank#countries> · Closed funds <about:blank#closed> *Funding for international students wishing to study in the UK* * Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan <about:blankcsfp.asp> (CSFP) Awards for post-graduate study and occasional undergraduate study covering some Commonwealth countries. * Shared Scholarship Scheme <about:blank../funding/sharedscholarship.asp> Awards for Commonwealth postgraduate students to study in the UK. *Further information* The above schemes are aimed primarily at students from developing Commonwealth countries. For other funding opportunities, please visit the British Council website - * External linkScholarship search <http://www.educationuk.org/scholarships/> External linkStudy in the UK <http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-study-in-the-uk.htm?mtklink=corporat…> *Funding for not-for-profit organisations* * Civil Society Challenge Fund <about:blankcivilsocietycf.asp>Aimed at UK-based not-for-profit organisations working to provide lasting benefits to poor communities and under-represented people in the developing world. * Development Awareness Fund <about:blankdaf.asp> and the Mini Grants Scheme <about:blankdafminigrants.asp> UK-based not-for-profit organisations or networks which share our commitment to raising awareness and understanding of development issues. * Partnership Programme Agreements <about:blank../aboutdfid/DFIDwork/ppas/partnerprogagreements.asp> Agreements between DFID and influential civil society organisations in the UK which set out at a strategic level how the partners will work together to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Strategic Funding is provided, and is linked to jointly agreed outcomes. * Governance and Transparency Fund <about:blankgtf.asp> Targeted principally at not-for-profit organisations. It will also consider proposals which involve local/regional government bodies and certain for-profit groups (particularly those in the media), where their involvement can show to be an integral part of the project/programme. proposal. If you would like to know more about the Fund please e-mail gtf(a)dfid.gov.uk <mailto:gtf@dfid.gov.uk> *Further information* * External linkBOND <http://www.bond.org.uk/funding/> (British Overseas NGOs for Development) * External linkForeign and Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund <http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&…> * Research opportunities <about:blank../research/research-calls.asp> *Conflict and humanitarian funding* * Conflict and Humanitarian Fund <about:blankconflict-humanitarian.asp> *Applications for the current funding round closed on 8 February 2007*. Information about future opportunities for not-for-profit organisations to apply for funding for work in the areas of conflict prevention, humanitarian assistance and access to justice will be published in summer 2007. * Humanitarian response funding <about:blankhumanitarian-funding.asp> Allocated in response to specific emergencies and disasters to not-for-profit organisations, United Nations agencies and the Red Cross Movement. * Disaster Risk Reduction <about:blank../news/files/disaster-risk-reduction-launch.asp> After a major rapid-onset disaster, up to 10% of DFID's response funding may be available for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities including prevention, mitigation and preparedness for future disasters, where this can be done effectively. This is likely to be relevant for sudden onset disasters and will only apply to responses above £500,000. The funding is often managed by the DFID country or regional office. For further information read our Disaster Risk Reduction Policy Paper <about:blank../pubs/files/disaster-risk-reduction-policy.pdf>adobe pdf(657 kb) or contact (+44) (0)20 7023 1476. * The Africa Conflict Prevention Pool <about:blankacpp.asp> (ACPP) and External linkGlobal Conflict Prevention Pool <http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&…> (GCPP) managed jointly by DFID, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. More information on the GCPP is also available <about://aboutdfid/organisation/conflicthumanitarianassistance.asp#GCPP>. * Mine action DFID funds a programme of global mine action through the United Nations and selected NGO partners. For further information please contact the Security and Justice Team in Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE) on (+44) (0)20 7023 0599. *Funding for the private sector* * Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund <about:blank../news/files/aecf.asp> A 7-Year DFID led initiative to stimulate pro-poor growth and create employment in Africa. * External linkBusiness Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund <http://www.busac.org/> (BUSAC) Aims to broaden the engagement of the Private Sector in Policy formulation and implementation in Ghana. * Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund <about:blankemergingafrica.asp> A Public Private Partnership providing long-term debt finance on commercial terms to finance the construction and development of private infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa. * Investment Climate Facility for Africa <about:blank../news/files/pressreleases/investment-climate-facility.asp> Helps lower the cost of doing business in Africa and promote a better investment climate across the continent. *Further information* * Procurement opportunities <about:blank../procurement/default.asp> * Research opportunities <about:blank../research/research-calls.asp> * External linkStrategic Business Partnerships for Growth in Africa <http://www.sbp.org.za/> * CDC Group plc <about:blank../aboutdfid/DFIDwork/privatesector-cdc.asp> Wholly owned by DFID, CDC Group plc invests in poor developing countries and aims to attract private capital by showing that such investments are worthwhile. * Public Private Partnerships in Infrastructure <about:blank../pubs/files/pppinfrastructureoct04.pdf>adobe acrobat pdf(88 kb) * Working with the private sector to eliminate poverty <about:blank../pubs/files/dfid-private-sector.pdf>adobe acrobat pdf(393 kb) * External linkForeign and Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund <http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&…> *Funding for educational institutions* * DELPHE <about:blankdelphe.asp> The DELPHE (Development Partnerships in Higher Education) programme provides funding for partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) working on collaborative activity linked to the Millennium Development Goals <about:blank../mdg/default.asp>. * DFID Global Schools Partnerships <about:blankglobalschools.asp> Provides grants to schools in the UK and Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean to help build partnerships through teacher exchanges and for projects to build development issues into the curriculum. *Further information* * External linkEDULINK <http://www.acp-edulink.eu/> * External linkEngland-Africa Partnerships in Higher Education <http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-eap> * Research opportunities <about:blank../research/research-calls.asp> *Funding for the media* * Commonwealth Broadcasting Association DFID Travel Bursary Fund <about:blankcbatravbursfund.asp> Established UK based network and regional media producers/journalists who want to spend up to three months in a Commonwealth developing country. * Commonwealth Broadcasting Association DFID Programme Development Fund <about:blankcbaprogdevfund.asp> Established UK Producers/Production companies. *Funding for Local Authorities* * Commonwealth Local Government Good Practice Scheme <about:blankcomlocgov.asp> Commonwealth local authorities, local authority associations. *Funding for specific countries or regions* Please note that this list is not exhaustive and there will be more schemes run directly from country offices. *Africa* * External linkRapid Funding Envelope for HIV/AIDS <http://www.rapidfundingenvelope.org/> Provides grants to Tanzanian non-profit civil society organisations, academic institutions, and civil society partnerships for essential, short-term projects aligned with the National Policy on HIV/AIDS and the National Multi-Sectoral Strategic Framework. * Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund <about:blank../news/files/aecf.asp> - due for launch summer 2007. * External linkBusiness Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund <http://www.busac.org/> (BUSAC) Aims to broaden the engagement of the Private Sector in Policy formulation and implementation in Ghana. * Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund <about:blankemergingafrica.asp> A Public Private Partnership providing long-term debt finance on commercial terms to finance the construction and development of private infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa. * External linkFoundation for Civil Society: Tanzania <http://www.thefoundation-tz.org/> Provides grants and other capacity building support to civil society organisations to establish a support mechanism for civil society organisations in Tanzania. * External linkGhana Research Advocacy Programme <http://www.g-rap.org/> Aims to support the institutional development of Research and Advocacy Organisations (RAOs) in Ghana. * Investment Climate Facility for Africa <about:blank../news/files/pressreleases/investment-climate-facility.asp> Helps lower the cost of doing business in Africa and promote a better investment climate across the continent. * External linkRapid Funding Envelope for HIV/AIDS <http://www.rapidfundingenvelope.org/> Provides grants to Tanzanian non-profit civil society organisations, academic institutions, and civil society partnerships for essential, short-term projects aligned with the National Policy on HIV/AIDS and the National Multi-Sectoral Strategic Framework. * External linkRegional Trade Facilitation Programme <http://www.rtfp.org/> Aims to expand the regional and international trade of Southern Africa as a way of reducing poverty. * External linkRights and Voice Initiative <http://www.ravighana.org/> Aims to strengthen capacity of vulnerable groups to exercise voice and demand their rights in Ghana. * External linkSouthern Africa Trust <http://www.southernafricatrust.org/> Supports processes to deepen and widen participation in policy dialogue with a regional impact on poverty. *Further information* * External linkStrategic Business Partnerships for Growth in Africa <http://www.sbp.org.za/> *Asia* * External linkDFID Community Support Programme <http://www.csp.org.np/> aims to provide funding support to poor, marginalized, excluded, and conflict-affected communities in Nepal to address their immediate livelihood issues. * Iraqi Civil Society Challenge Fund <about:blankiraqi-csf.asp> Aims to strengthen capacity of Iraqi civil society organisations, contribute to local/community initiatives, increase access to information, and support organisations in the non-government sector to work better with government to develop and improve social policy across Iraq. * Iraq Political Participation Fund <about:blankiraq-ppf.asp> Organisations that work to support the development of legitimate and inclusive political institutions in Iraq. * Orissa Civil Society and Poverty Programme <about:blankorissaprog.asp> NGOs that have been in existence for a minimum of five years, and are based in Orissa, India. * External linkIndia Poorest Areas Civil Society Programme <http://www.empowerpoor.com/> Seeks to support civil society organisations working in identified thematic areas in India. *Worldwide* * External linkCommunity Led Infrastructure Finance Facility (CLIFF) <http://www.homeless-international.org/text_link.aspx?link_id=1:1464> Provides loan finance for slum development projects that are implemented by the urban poor in India and Kenya. * Small Grants Scheme <about:blanksmallgrant.asp> Now the responsibility of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. *Closed funds* * Business Links Asia * External linkBusiness Linkages Challenge Fund <http://www.businesslinkageschallengefund.org/home_blcf.aspx?siteId=9035ead6…> * External linkFinancial Deepening Challenge Fund <http://www.enterplan.co.uk/fdcf/default.htm> * External linkGhana Business Linkages Challenge Fund <http://www.challengefunds.org/ghana/ghanahome.htm> * External linkHigher Education Links Scheme <http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-higher-education-links.htm> * Know How Fund <about:blankkhf.asp> Strategic Grant Agreements <about:blank../aboutdfid/DFIDwork/strategicgrantagreements.asp>

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Re: [kictanet] Safaricom SMS Swindlers
by Michael Joseph 27 Aug '07

27 Aug '07

As i have said earlier i have for this to investigated and can assure all that this is not intended and may be a configuration error in the billing system. No sms messages to TKL were envisaged earlier and we have just started technical testing. We will try to get records of all sms records and apply a refund Michael Joseph CEO Safaricom Limited BlackBerry powered by Safaricom ----- Original Message ----- From: kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke <kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> To: Michael Joseph Cc: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke>; wawerujn(a)cck.go.ke <wawerujn(a)cck.go.ke> Sent: Mon Aug 27 16:36:44 2007 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Safaricom SMS Swindlers Hello all, I am a victim of this matter, and i would like to point out that the actual charge being levied for the "undelivered" sms is actually ksh 10/= and not even the published sms rate of Ksh 5/= to other networks. By way of this message, i hope also CCK and the courts will give this matter expeditious action. The information in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the use of the named addressee. Emails are susceptible to alteration and their integrity cannot be guaranteed. Safaricom Limited does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this email if the same is found to have been altered or manipulated. The contents and opinions expressed in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Safaricom Limited. Safaricom Limited disclaims any liability to the fullest extent permissible by law for any consequences that may arise from the contents of this email including but not limited to personal opinions, malicious and/or defamatory information and data/codes that may compromise or damage the integrity of the recipient's information technology systems. If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender and immediately delete this email from your system.

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[Fwd: [APC Forum] OII 2nd Call for Applications from Civil Society Practitioners in the global South]
by alice 27 Aug '07

27 Aug '07

hi everyone a reminder on the OII Civil Society internship programme - the deadline is 26th september >Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:40:21 +0100 >From: "Jennifer A. De Beer" <jennifer.debeer(a)oii.ox.ac.uk> >To: oii recruit <recruit(a)oii.ox.ac.uk> >Subject: OII 2nd Call for Applications from Civil Society Practitioners in > the global South > >Reminder: Application deadline 26 September 2007 > >Oxford Internet Institute - Civil Society Practitioners Programme > > > >Invitation to apply > > > >The <http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/>Oxford Internet Institute (University >of Oxford) invites applications from the global South to fill two >places in its Civil Society Practitioners Programme. > >This visitor programme is intended for Civil Society Practitioners >of distinction or outstanding promise who wish to visit the >Institute for a period of six weeks between February and December >2008, to undertake research concerning the social impact of the >Internet and related ICTs. Visitors are expected to reside in Oxford >during their stay, and to participate fully in the intellectual life >of the Institute. The successful applicants will receive: > * A subsistence allowance of 3800 GBP (7500 USD) to cover > research expenses and living costs during their stay in Oxford > * A travel grant of up to 1000 GBP (2000 USD) for travel to and > from the UK > >Applications will ideally be submitted by Civil Society >Practitioners in or from the global South, active in the areas of >freedom of expression, media reform, media justice, and >communications and information policy in the globalized context of >the Internet. > > >How to apply > > > >For details on how to apply, please download: >Information for Applicants (PDF, 45kb) at ><http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/CSPP_Application_Information.pdf>http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/CSPP_Application_Information.pdf > >You may also request to have this information emailed to you in >plain text form. The deadline for completed applications to reach >the OII Academic and Student Affairs Officer (by post or email: >contact details below) is 26 September 2007. Please note that >incomplete applications cannot be considered. > >Final notification of an award will occur in November 2007. >Successful candidates will be expected to take up their six week >residency in Oxford at any time between February and December 2008. > > >Contact > > > >Laura Taylor >Academic and Student Affairs Officer >Oxford Internet Institute >University of Oxford >1 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3JS >United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1865 287222 >Fax: +44 (0)1865 287211 >Email: ><mailto:recruit@oii.ox.ac.uk?subject=Civil%20Society%20Practitioners%20Programme>recruit(a)oii.ox.ac.uk > > >This programme has been made possible through funding by the media >policy portfolio in the ><http://www.fordfound.org/program/edu_main.cfm>Knowledge, Creativity >and Freedom Program of the Ford Foundation. >This Call for Applications is also available at: ><http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/microsites/cspp/>http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/microsites/cspp/ > ======================================= APC Forum is a meeting place for the APC community - people and institutions who are or have been involved in collaboration with APC, and share the APC vision - a world in which all people have easy, equal and affordable access to the creative potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve their lives and create more democratic and egalitarian societies. _______________________________________________ apc.forum mailing list apc.forum(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/apc.forum

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Safaricom SMS Swindlers
by Alex Gakuru 27 Aug '07

27 Aug '07

Dear Consumer, It has come to our notice that Safaricom is charging but blocking SMS sent to Telkom Wireless network. Charging for undelivered goods and services is outright theft, and criminal acts under Kenya Laws. Their Network accepts SMS from Telkom Wireless but replies to these message instantly report "message sending failed" although Safaricom still eat your balance. We have been at Telcos malpractices since 2005 and now it is time to change the strategies. We are filing a lawsuit against Safaricom Ltd and we need as many petitions as possible. Kindly send your electronic petition directly to me assist our lawyers in filing the suit. Regards Alex Gakuru Chairman, ICT Consumers Association of Kenya ____________________________________________________________________________________ Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. http://sims.yahoo.com/

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Fw: Laare computing center in Meru
by Jose' 27 Aug '07

27 Aug '07

Nice innovation in Sirisia,Bungoma. Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || ----- Original Message ---- From: "bitange(a)jambo.co.ke" <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> To: ngunjirijnr(a)yahoo.com Cc: mibuari(a)gmail.com; harry KARANJA <harrykaranja(a)yahoo.com>; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 8:03:09 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Laare computing center in Meru Thank you for sharing the experience with us. We shall contact Laare to upgrade them to a Digital Center under the Digital Village Project. We saw similar projects last week in Bungoma and Busia. The level of innovation in these centers is unimaginable. In Sirisia, Bungoma for example the digital village is the only center where women are taught through internet how to diagonise some of the common diseases at a cost Ksh. 10 and it is the only center where one can charge a mobile at Ksh. 20. The center uses solar enrgey. Regards Bitange Ndemo. > Follow Harry Karanja's 'cathinoned' exploits in Meru - story from his > blog. > > Members of this forum would also be interested in the work Eric has > done at Laare, getting support from MIT. > (attached is a job posting for a manager/trainer he's looking for) > http://laare.csail.mit.edu/ > > > > http://startupkenya.blogspot.com/2007/08/internet-charity-and-miraa- > day-one.html > > Back in July my good pal Eric Mibuari (next M.P. of Ntonyiri > Constituency and MIT alumni) invited me to help him set up internet > access at a computer centre he founded in Laare, Meru. The idea was > to use my internet in the village model which I had already deployed > in two other places. I jumped at the idea, not only is Eric a fun > guy, but I had never been to Meru and I needed a holiday from Forex > trading. So together with another of my pals, Dru, we piled into a > 4WD and headed off towards Meru. > > Now, I have never been to Meru so I didn't really know what to > expect. I borrowed the 4WD from a friend suspecting I'd be in trouble > without it but I was pleasantly surprised to find well paved roads > most of the way. > > There was another reason I borrowed the 4WD, it was because it had > enough storage room. The previous week Nakumatt (Kenya's leading > retailer) had announced the opening of its Meru branch and I had my > eye on a big-screen TV that was going to be on a special half price > offer. I was sure of getting it as I would be in Meru on the day > right after grand opening. > > A rapid learning experience my trip was to prove, the first thing I > realised was that Meru is a very wealthy town. If the fact that the > TVs were all sold out on day one by 11:00 am did not convince me of > this fact then it was the brand new Toyota Hilux pick-ups scattered > everywhere making up 1 of every 3 cars. I was to learn in due course > why this was the favoured vehicle. > > Eric was already in Meru and asked us to rendezvous with him in Maua > - a town 50km north of Meru and near the Meru National Park. We > finally got to Meru at about 6pm and I discovered the second thing > about Meru; at 1800M above sea level and off the slopes of Mount > Kenya, the place is extremely cold. By luck Dru and I had both had > packed heavy woolen sweaters, although the cold seemed to seep > through those too. While waiting for Eric, who was coming from the > centre, we took a tour of Maua. To our surprise we found that half > the town's occupants were of Somali origin. Now for a non-Kenyan to > understand this you must appreciate that rural areas are usually > homogenous in ethnic makeup. We expected at least 90% Meru ethnicity. > Somalis however are extremely capable merchants and Maua has a very > valuable and tradeable commodity, miraa. So like flies to honey they > flocked in their hundreds to the small yet extremely rich town. > > By the time we got to Maua I had been driving for six hours and over > 400km but when we finally met up with Eric he insisted on taking us > to see the centre. So after checking in to our hotel we drove on to > Laare, about 10km from Maua. The centre is temporarily hosted by the > Laare Catholic parish. This stoked the fire of conviction that > churches form a good backbone for such community projects; direct > access to the community and structural resources. > > Our trip to the parish was also our first chance to interact with > locals of Meru - the priests. Kimeru language is not so much spoken > as it is sung, with alternating pitch, tempo, and rhythm. It was > fascinating to listen as the priests and Eric weaved kimeru in and > out of the English conversation. Our hosts generously served us some > hot tea and bananas (incredibly huge bananas) as they found out about > our mission to Meru. > > Eric also showed us the computers and equipment that had been donated > by MIT for use in the centre. An impressive number of relatively new > PCs, laptops, routers and switches all the way from Boston were > stacked up in one corner of the priests' living room waiting for us > to set them up the following day. > > We finally left at around nine o'clock and slowly drove back to Maua. > Slowly because it was a pitch black moonless night and the cold > mountain air hitting the warmer tarmac caused instant rising mist on > the road. > > Used to Nairobi's fast pace we found ourselves still eager to explore > the place at that late hour. However the few places we checked out > were lifeless (it was a Tuesday) so we decided to go to the hotel and > strategize on the following day. Before retiring though we purchased > some of Meru's finest. > > So while chewing on a few choice stems, we tried out the EDGE > internet connectivity from the hotel room using my laptop and my cell > phone as a modem. The connection worked quite well and I was even > able to open my forex trading platform and put in a few trades. > (Isn't technology wonderful - you can buy and sell off Wall Street > while in a hotel in Meru right on the slopes of Mount Kenya!) > > I finally gave in at 1:00 am as even the cathinone in the miraa could > not erase six hours of driving. I left a 'cathinoned' Eric sending > emails and on the phone with his colleagues in Boston late into the > night. > > Watch this space for Day Two coming soon... > _______________________________________________ > skunkworks mailing list > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke > _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: ngunjirijnr(a)yahoo.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ngunjirijnr%40yahoo.com Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545469

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[Fwd: [Fibre-for-africa] South Africa - Another instance where privatization trumped liberalization]
by alice 27 Aug '07

27 Aug '07

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: [Fibre-for-africa] South Africa - Another instance where privatization trumped liberalization Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 23:24:48 -0400 From: Steve Song <ssong(a)idrc.ca> Reply-To: APC - Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> Organization: IDRC To: 'Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants' <fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org> Hi all, I see that a journal article by Willie Currie and Robert Horwitz in Telecommunications Policy entitled "Another instance where privatization trumped liberalization: The politics of telecommunications reform in South Africa-A ten-year retrospective" has been written up in Business Report (http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3998638) and then Slashdotted at http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/08/26/1642210. Looks like a damning summary of how *not* to stimulate investment and competition in the telecom sector. We all knew South Africa was an awful example but it is chilling to have 10 years of greed, incompetence, and mismanagement laid out so starkly. -Steve P.S. While we are on the topic of *access*, I see that the actual journal article is not available on the web. http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1282573.1282768 Obviously not Open Access but perhaps the authors were allowed to self-archive? Willie? -- Steve Song <ssong(a)idrc.ca> Manager ICT4D Africa Programs http://www.connectivityafrica.org http://www.idrc.ca/acacia International Development Research Centre Tel. +1 613 236 6163 x2268 Mobile: +1 613 302 8233 Skype: steve_l_song _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list Fibre-for-africa(a)lists.apc.org http://lists.apc.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa

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Laare computing center in Meru
by Riyaz Bachani 27 Aug '07

27 Aug '07

Follow Harry Karanja's 'cathinoned' exploits in Meru - story from his blog. Members of this forum would also be interested in the work Eric has done at Laare, getting support from MIT. (attached is a job posting for a manager/trainer he's looking for) http://laare.csail.mit.edu/ http://startupkenya.blogspot.com/2007/08/internet-charity-and-miraa- day-one.html Back in July my good pal Eric Mibuari (next M.P. of Ntonyiri Constituency and MIT alumni) invited me to help him set up internet access at a computer centre he founded in Laare, Meru. The idea was to use my internet in the village model which I had already deployed in two other places. I jumped at the idea, not only is Eric a fun guy, but I had never been to Meru and I needed a holiday from Forex trading. So together with another of my pals, Dru, we piled into a 4WD and headed off towards Meru. Now, I have never been to Meru so I didn't really know what to expect. I borrowed the 4WD from a friend suspecting I'd be in trouble without it but I was pleasantly surprised to find well paved roads most of the way. There was another reason I borrowed the 4WD, it was because it had enough storage room. The previous week Nakumatt (Kenya's leading retailer) had announced the opening of its Meru branch and I had my eye on a big-screen TV that was going to be on a special half price offer. I was sure of getting it as I would be in Meru on the day right after grand opening. A rapid learning experience my trip was to prove, the first thing I realised was that Meru is a very wealthy town. If the fact that the TVs were all sold out on day one by 11:00 am did not convince me of this fact then it was the brand new Toyota Hilux pick-ups scattered everywhere making up 1 of every 3 cars. I was to learn in due course why this was the favoured vehicle. Eric was already in Meru and asked us to rendezvous with him in Maua - a town 50km north of Meru and near the Meru National Park. We finally got to Meru at about 6pm and I discovered the second thing about Meru; at 1800M above sea level and off the slopes of Mount Kenya, the place is extremely cold. By luck Dru and I had both had packed heavy woolen sweaters, although the cold seemed to seep through those too. While waiting for Eric, who was coming from the centre, we took a tour of Maua. To our surprise we found that half the town's occupants were of Somali origin. Now for a non-Kenyan to understand this you must appreciate that rural areas are usually homogenous in ethnic makeup. We expected at least 90% Meru ethnicity. Somalis however are extremely capable merchants and Maua has a very valuable and tradeable commodity, miraa. So like flies to honey they flocked in their hundreds to the small yet extremely rich town. By the time we got to Maua I had been driving for six hours and over 400km but when we finally met up with Eric he insisted on taking us to see the centre. So after checking in to our hotel we drove on to Laare, about 10km from Maua. The centre is temporarily hosted by the Laare Catholic parish. This stoked the fire of conviction that churches form a good backbone for such community projects; direct access to the community and structural resources. Our trip to the parish was also our first chance to interact with locals of Meru - the priests. Kimeru language is not so much spoken as it is sung, with alternating pitch, tempo, and rhythm. It was fascinating to listen as the priests and Eric weaved kimeru in and out of the English conversation. Our hosts generously served us some hot tea and bananas (incredibly huge bananas) as they found out about our mission to Meru. Eric also showed us the computers and equipment that had been donated by MIT for use in the centre. An impressive number of relatively new PCs, laptops, routers and switches all the way from Boston were stacked up in one corner of the priests' living room waiting for us to set them up the following day. We finally left at around nine o'clock and slowly drove back to Maua. Slowly because it was a pitch black moonless night and the cold mountain air hitting the warmer tarmac caused instant rising mist on the road. Used to Nairobi's fast pace we found ourselves still eager to explore the place at that late hour. However the few places we checked out were lifeless (it was a Tuesday) so we decided to go to the hotel and strategize on the following day. Before retiring though we purchased some of Meru's finest. So while chewing on a few choice stems, we tried out the EDGE internet connectivity from the hotel room using my laptop and my cell phone as a modem. The connection worked quite well and I was even able to open my forex trading platform and put in a few trades. (Isn't technology wonderful - you can buy and sell off Wall Street while in a hotel in Meru right on the slopes of Mount Kenya!) I finally gave in at 1:00 am as even the cathinone in the miraa could not erase six hours of driving. I left a 'cathinoned' Eric sending emails and on the phone with his colleagues in Boston late into the night. Watch this space for Day Two coming soon... _______________________________________________ skunkworks mailing list skunkworks(a)my.co.ke http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com

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Re: [kictanet] National e-Government Strategies: Designing for Success - 19 June 2007
by Patrick Mburu 26 Aug '07

26 Aug '07

Harry, thank you for the link to this webcast. Am interested to know how many from this list were able to attend this at the WB video conferene. I participated online and was a great delivery with key issues addressed from participants throughout the globe. I hope that there will be a posting of the questions submitted through the chat as well as the brief summary of it posted in the site: http://go.worldbank.org/KYLN3DZF40 Some key questions that was addressed regarding to e-readiness from the Kenyan participants VC), it would be insighful if we could obtain perhaps further deliberations from this perspective and how these could / would be addressed in terms of infrastructural dev activities that are currently underway.... Anyone care to comment / suggest where these could be addressed? Regards, Patrick On 18/06/07, Harry Hare <harry(a)africanedevelopment.org> wrote: > > > > Dear Colleagues, > > > > > > The World Bank office in Nairobi has kindly availed their facility for those > interested in participating in a videoconference is titled "National > e-Government Strategies: Designing for Success" which is to take place > tomorrow June 19th at 9:00 - 11:30 am EST, which is 4pm here. > > > > This VC is organized in partnership with USAID/USTTI and Development Gateway > Foundation. The event will feature several leading experts from India, > Singapore, U.S., Kenya and World Bank who will engage in a discussion with > country clients. The event description is below and more information is > available at: http://go.worldbank.org/KYLN3DZF40 > > > > A great number of governments have now developed e-Government strategies and > are at various stages of implementation. While a significant amount of > attention has been given in the past to identifying the key components of > e-Government strategies and identifying best practices, little attention has > been given to the processes involved in the design of such strategies. > Recognizing that the process of designing an e-Government strategy is > perhaps as important if not more important than the resulting document, this > event will be an opportunity to learn from three different country > perspectives. The speakers will address the process of designing successful > national e-Government strategies, focusing on the following questions: > > > > Why is it important to have well-designed e-Government Strategies? > > Why might the process be as important as the final document? > > What constitutes successful e-Government strategies? What are the key > ingredients? > > How should governments go about designing e-Government strategies? > > What are the steps and processes that are essential not only to the > elaboration of the strategy, but also to its successful implementation? > > > > The VC room at the Bank can accommodate just a few people, and we have been > given about 15 spaces which shall be allocated on a first come first served > basis. Due to security issues at the Bank's offices, we have to submit the > names of those interested by 1pm tomorrow. So if you are interested in > participating, pls send me an email by 1pm tomorrow 19th June 2007. My > apologies for the short notice and we look forward to your participation! > > > > Best regards, > > > > Harry Hare > > African eDevelopment Resource Centre > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Please unsubscribe or change your options at > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/patrick.mburu%40gmail.com >

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NSE Weekly Analytics & MediaCorp Clinic
by Bill Kagai 26 Aug '07

26 Aug '07

Dear Sir/Madam, 1. Please find attached the NSE Weekly Analytics. This week our eye is on the proposed Bamburi/East Africa Portland Cement Merger - The real winners. 2.Next Saturday on 1st September 2007, we will be at Nyali Beach Hotel looking at how ICT can help you trade more efficiently at the inaugural MediaCorp Clinic. Main Plenary * * -Dr. Bitange Ndemo – PS, Ministry of Information and Communication who will speak on the role of ICT in harnessing online trading -Mr. Jimnah Mbaru – Chairman, Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] who will speak on transforming the market from a paper to a digital market and the future vision of the NSE. -Mr. Bob Karina – Managing Director, Faida Securities who will speak on demystifying the bond market by taking advantage of online resources in Kenya. Discussant Mr. Fred Mweni, Chief Executive, Tsavo Securities. First Plenary -Financing IPOs from a bank's perspective – K-Rep Bank - Moses Banda -Custodial Services from Barclays Securities Services – John Odhiambo / Gideon Chokah -NSE Real Time Data Demonstration – MediaCorp - Edwin Wambugu -Investor Rights and Redress – Kenya Association of Investor Groups – Patrick Kariuki -Brokers, Unit Trusts and Investment Groups Exhibition Confirmed Exhibitors Dyer & Blair Investment Bank, Faida Securities, Discount Securities, Barclays Securities Service, Bob Mathews, K-Rep Bank, Old Mutual, Tsavo Securities and Apex Africa have already confirmed exhibiting their services at the Clinic. -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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WHOIS privacy reform reaches dead end
by Alex Gakuru 25 Aug '07

25 Aug '07

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070824-whois-privacy-reform-reaches-… Reforms to the WHOIS database in order to address growing privacy concerns have once again come to a halt, leaving a seven-year-old debate to continue on how much personal information should be displayed to the public. The WHOIS Working Group published its Final Outcomes report (PDF) this week, which detailed nearly three months' worth of talks, negotiations, and disagreements among 70 users, service providers, and law enforcement officials. The group was pulled in two directions: one by those who want increased privacy protections for individuals registering domains and another by those who want easier and quicker access to WHOIS contact information in order to keep an eye on bad apples. Report: http://gnso.icann.org/drafts/icann-whois-wg-report-final-1-9.pdf ------------------- [WWWhatsup NYC, http://pinstand.com,http://punkcast.com http://isoc-ny.org] ------------------- ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545469

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Fwd: [Skunkworks] MEETING - PloneGOV - 28 Aug 2007
by Riyaz Bachani 25 Aug '07

25 Aug '07

this might be useful for members on this forum too. Begin forwarded message: > To: skunkworks <skunkworks(a)my.co.ke> > > > Nicholas Bossut will be speaking about http://www.plonegov.org > > Wananchi Online, 1st Floor Loita Hse > > 6pm, 28 Aug 2007 > > We will probably do dinner after for those wanting more discussions > > > > > > ----- > from Ashok: > > Hello All: > > One of the main creators of PloneGOV project (http:// > www.plonegov.org) [1] is > visiting nairobi during this week, and is interested in meeting > organizations, interested > parties, open source folks.... : > > <quote> > Moreover, I'm truly interested to explore opportunities for PloneGov > project. PloneGov could be a way for african municipalities to fight > the digital divide in saving money. Open source websites as City of > Seneffe website (www.seneffe.be) could be easily copy-paste and help > national administrations in charge of local governments to develop a > presence of public authorities on Internet. Different applications > are independant and interconnectable. In facts, we deployed tools > that aren't useful in Africa but municipalities can choose 'à la > carte' what they need. > </quote> > > Interested parties may drop me an email offline .... > > thanks > > Ashok > > [1] PloneGOV : > ""55 European, African, North and South American Public > organizations participate > in the PloneGov project. In doing so, they aim to gain > independence from large > IT services providers by developing, essentially by themselves and > in a > cooperative manner, applications and websites for their own use as > well as for > their citizens'. > > PloneGov is open and aims to reach more organizations. Initiated by > small towns > in close collaboration with the Plone / Zope Communities, the > project reaches now > cities, regions and 10 parliaments. This collaboration effort > already spans over 3 > continents and 15 countries."" > > > _______________________________________________ > skunkworks mailing list > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com

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Teen 'unlocks' iPhone from AT&T network
by Jose' 25 Aug '07

25 Aug '07

I found this really facinating on the new iphone just released in the USA. The 17 year old guru got it "unlocked" from the AT&T network.Now we await on the blackberry :-) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070825/ap_on_hi_te/iphone_unlocked;_ylt=Al511V… Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545469

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training on Information Security Management Systems
by Rebecca Wanjiku 25 Aug '07

25 Aug '07

in case of interest Course: Information Security Management Systems-ISO 27001:2005 Lead Auditor Course Date: 27th-31st August 2007 (5-days 8am-5pm) Venue:Safaripark Hotel Certification: International Registrar of Certified Auditor (IRCA) Certificate Facilitator: Gerald Kelly ( From Ireland) ( He has hands on expereience in auditing and implementing ISMS so its not theory based) Cost: 69,500 + VAT TARGET GROUP Senior Managers IT Professionals IS Managers Systems Administrators Database Administrators IT Consultants Owner Managers Accountants Quality & Safety Managers Auditors AIMS OF THE COURSE Explain the purpose of Information Security Management Systems(ISMS) Explain the process Involved in establishing,Implementing,Operating,Monitoring,Reviewing,and Improving the ISMS including their significance to auditors. Explain the purpose,content and Inter-relationship between ISO 27001:2005,ISO 17799:2005,and ISO/IEC 13335 To gather evidence through observation,Interview and Sampling of documents and records. Conduct audit follow up to verify the effectiveness of corrective actions. To explain the legislative frame work relevant to ISMS including the inter-relationship with corporate governance. To conduct process based audits in accordance to ISO 27001:2005,ISO 19001:2002,EA7-03,and ISO 17021:2006 Understand the responsibility and competencies of an Auditor Write objective and verifiable audit findings and summary report. BENEFITS OF THE COURSE Accelerate your professional skills and find out what is new in IS auditing and related fields Develop ability to improve audit performance Internationally Accredited Certificate Kindly review and we hope you are going to send participants from your organization. We can also schedule a meeting so that we can discuss the course further and I give you more material. -- Joseph McDonald Ignite Consulting Limited EDEN SQUARE 7th Floor, Chiromo Road, Westlands P. O. Box 15568 00100 GPO Nairobi, Kenya Tel: 254-20-3673250-9 Fax: 254-20-3673231 Email: joseph.mcdonald(a)igniteconsulting.co.ke URL: www.igniteconsulting.co.ke Professional & Life Skills Coaching, Quality Management Systems, Health Safety, Food Safety & Environment Management Systems, Lead Auditor Courses that are Internationally Accredited by IRCA, Training on Conformity and Compliance based on International Standards (ISO), Business Management, Organizational Development, Capacity Building and Strategy Facilitation and Development. IT Solutions:- eDocuments Management, Data Management, Disaster Preparedness and Hosting and Management Services for all your IT needs. Services delivered to you by Ignite Technologies, an Ignite Consulting Division focusing on Systems Integration. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's on, when.

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Nokia battery recall
by Jose' 25 Aug '07

25 Aug '07

Is your Nokia phone model Nokia 1100, Nokia 1100c, Nokia 1101, Nokia 1108, Nokia 1110, Nokia 1112, Nokia 1255, Nokia 1315, Nokia 1600, Nokia 2112, Nokia 2118, Nokia 2255, Nokia 2272, Nokia 2275, Nokia 2300, Nokia 2300c, Nokia 2310, Nokia 2355, Nokia 2600, Nokia 2610, Nokia 2610b, Nokia 2626, Nokia 3100, Nokia 3105, Nokia 3120, Nokia 3125, Nokia 6030, Nokia 6085, Nokia 6086, Nokia 6108, Nokia 6175i, Nokia 6178i, Nokia 6230, Nokia 6230i, Nokia 6270, Nokia 6600, Nokia 6620, Nokia 6630, Nokia 6631, Nokia 6670, Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681, Nokia 6682, Nokia 6820, Nokia 6822, Nokia 7610, Nokia N70, Nokia N71, Nokia N72, Nokia N91, Nokia E50? then log on to this link and read it for further instructions. http://batteryreplacement.nokia.com/batteryreplacement/en/ There after,please call 0911 NOKIA. You'll get it replaced. Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's on, when. http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/222

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KICTANet cocktail at 6.30 pm today
by Rebecca Wanjiku 24 Aug '07

24 Aug '07

just to let you know that the cocktail is today at 6.30 pm at jacaranda, Palm room, hope to see you there, regards becky Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Luggage? GPS? Comic books? Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Search.

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cocktail at Jacranda
by Rebecca Wanjiku 23 Aug '07

23 Aug '07

the cocktail is at jacaranda, 6.30 to 8pm friday august 24th Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links.

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invitation to KICTANet cocktail
by Rebecca Wanjiku 23 Aug '07

23 Aug '07

Re: Introduction of the ICT board Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) and the Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Information and Communication Dr. Bitange Ndemo wishes to invite you to a cocktail on Friday August 24th 2007. At the cocktail, Dr. Ndemo will introduce the members of the newly formed ICT board and honour other members of in the ICT sectors who have made notable contributions. In line with KICTANet mission to bring together stakeholders in the ICT sector, this event aims at providing a forum which the government will inform and update ICT industry players the recent developments in the policy and regulatory arena. The cocktail starts at 6.30 pm and is expected to end at 8 pm. Yours faithfully, Alice Munyua KICTANet Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles. Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center.

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] Kagwe pulls back another proposed law]
by alice 23 Aug '07

23 Aug '07

Kagwe pulls back another proposed law Story by NATION Correspondent Publication Date: 8/23/2007 The Government yesterday withdrew the contentious Kenya Communication Amendment Bill 2007 from the floor of Parliament for redrafting. Information and Communications minister Mutahi Kagwe said the Bill had omitted crucial issues that included cyber crime and penalties to be meted on those who damage fibre optic cables. "The Bill has not sufficiently addressed the internet crimes and the issue of fibre optic cable protection. It will be re-introduced after it is properly drafted," the minister said. Mr Kagwe noted that laws governing theft and damage of copper wires were too lenient to deal with the optic cable that was more expensive. "The cable is expensive and we need to know what to do with those who damage and cause inconvenience to others," he said. Mr Kagwe said the issue of cross-media ownership would also be looked at afresh. "We want companies that are listed at Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) with 51 per cent shares held by the public and the rule will not necessarily apply," Kagwe said. At the same time, the minister said the government was determined to establish Universal Access Fund to enable the Information Communication Technology (ICT) to reach rural areas that were not economically viable for the operators to set up their operations. He said this would increase the ICT coverage in the country, where only 2.7 million use the internet. The minister was addressing the press after opening the 2nd annual connecting rural communities and Africa forum at Grand Regency hotel. He said some of the issues being raised were in the current law and cited the Kenya Film Censorship. He said the content of some FM stations had raised concerns from religious bodies and that their broadcast time should be reviewed. "There is an outcry by the Christian and Muslim religions and that is why we want the Media Council where such complaints can be directed," Mr Kagwe said. Print this Page Email this Story Save this Story __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/message/6251;_ylc=X3oDMTM0ZW8xa2U0B…> (1) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigAfrica/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwMHNxNTBoBF9TAzk3M…>

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SILENT DEMO
by Rebecca Wanjiku 23 Aug '07

23 Aug '07

in case yhou support journalists... Hi all. This is to inform you that we have already notified the police that we shall be holding a peaceful procession as indicated in Mbaus email. We have also dispatched a letter to the AG asking him or his representative to wait for our petition on the appointed date. Please send this message to as many journalists as you can. Thank you. _____________________________________________ From: Samuel Mbau Sent: Friday, August 10, 2007 12:23 PM To: Julius Bosire; Owino Opondo; Editorial Cc: Business Daily; Easy FM; eam; NTV News Subject: SILENT DEMO Dear journalist, The contentious clause 38 (4) in the Media Bill states: "When a story includes unnamed parties who are not disclosed and the same becomes the subject of a legal tussle as to who is meant, then the editor shall be obligated to disclose the identity of the party or parties referred to." As members of the Fourth Estate who take it upon ourselves to fight for the rights of others, we simply cannot afford to sit down and do nothing while our own rights and a basic tenets of our profession are at stake. The Silent Demo is on! The Silent Demonstration will take place on Wednesday August 15, with the blessings and the support from the majority of media houses and associations as well as myriads of well wishers. We shall assemble 8:30am at Freedom Corner at Uhuru Park. We will then march to the AGs Chambers (via Kenyatta Ave- Moi Ave- Harambee Ave) where we will present a petition to the chief legal adviser to the Government and ask him to advise the President against signing the proposed law. We shall then proceed to march around Parliament two times before breaking the demo at Freedom corner. The whole programme should take about two hours maximum. The demo is silent for there will be no chanting nor singing. We will actually be quiet through out the march and our mouths gagged with black cloth or duct tape. We can also adorn black scarves, head bands or arm bands. So please bring along a gag, dress in your organisations branded wear [if available], AND remember to put on some comfortable walking shoes. We are looking forward to your participation and your organisations support as we SILENCE this bad law. NB: Watch out for a spectacular media showing on that day. Standing as one, Inter-media committee DISCLAIMER: The information contained in or accompanying this e-mail is intended for the use of the stated recipient only. It may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information. No confidentiality or privilege is waived or lost by any mistransmission. If you receive this message in error, please immediately delete it and all copies of it from your system, destroy any hard copies of it and notify the sender. You must not, directly or indirectly, use, disclose, distribute, print, or copy any part of this message if you are not the intended recipient. Any views or opinions presented herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Nation Media Group. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today!

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KICTANET COCKTAIL
by charles nduati 21 Aug '07

21 Aug '07

Hi All, Can someone confirm whether the earlier announced cocktail of 22/08 is till on at jacaranda. Charles CHARLES N. NDUATI BUSINESS MANAGER JKUAT ENTERPRISES LTD JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY JUJA MAIN CAMPUS, THIKA P. O. BOX 79324-00200 NAIROBI, KENYA TEL: 254-067-52420 OR 254-067-52711 FAX: 254-067-52438 MOBILE:254-722728815 EMIAL:charlesnduati2002@yahoo.co.uk www.jkuat.ac.ke ----- Original Message ---- From: "bitange(a)jambo.co.ke" <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> To: charlesnduati2002(a)yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, 20 August, 2007 7:20:16 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Kenya Communications Amendment Bill Dear Alex, There is no crisis or tension in the ICT legislative process. I was pointing out the opportunities that are available to you in ensuring that the piece of legislation you want is passed. As far as I am concerned all of us have representation in parliament and we should utilize that opportunity instead of blaming the Government. The Safari Park proposals shall be given to the MPs. The Thursday date was set anticipating that parliament will go on recess. Now that they are not going on recess, they have proposed August 30th and 31st. We are looking for resources for a venue in Mombasa and shall revert to you. Regards Bitange. > May I suggest we ask Eng. Rege to help diffuse ICT > tensions now bottling up? Borrow his experince on > dealing with government, stakeholders, steakholders, > and others? Just thinking aloud and welcome comments. > > Alex > > --- Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> Thanks Alex i appreciate your response your >> arguments are valid though >> >> On 8/17/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> >> wrote: >> > Barrack, >> > >> > My apologies if I appeared to harass the Permanent >> > Secretary. The gist of my, I believe justified, >> > request for information was to know the fate of >> our >> > Safari Park contributions considering that the >> > expected legislators could not come because of >> said >> > Parlimentary Procedures. >> > >> > I needed to know whether we should assume that >> those >> > contributions we made needed to be repeated should >> an >> > opportunity to meet with the Committee present >> itself >> > especially if the ministry could not incorporate >> them. >> > >> > I interpret Dr. Ndemo's advice as "they have them, >> > because we gave them but now lobby hard yourselves >> to >> > ensure your interests are captured" >> > >> > I am sufficiently pleased with his reply, his >> > voluntary additional information, and await >> > confirmation on how the committee sees best fit to >> > receive any outstanding stakeholders' concerns >> on >> > the bill as promised today. >> > >> > Please understand that I consider myself of the >> issue >> > focussed, not the person, nature and I would >> seriously >> > err to substitute any clause, error, commission, >> or >> > omission with "Bitange Ndemo":) >> > >> > Have a laughly day! >> > >> > Alex >> > >> > --- Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack(a)gmail.com> >> wrote: >> > >> > > Good effort bwana Ndemo, Alex i bet you >> understand >> > > how our legislators >> > > operate take it easy on bwana Ndemo, bwana Ps >> try >> > > your level best to ensure >> > > that Stakeholder expectations are met, so far i >> > > guess you deserve a pat >> > > Regards >> > > >> > > On 8/16/07, Benjamin Makai <benmakai(a)yahoo.com> >> > > wrote: >> > > > >> > > > Dr.Ndemo >> > > > This information is very necessary and >> important. >> > > Kindly could you also >> > > > outline to the level or rather phases >> pertaining >> > > the same sir. >> > > > >> > > > This gives us the the auditable elements of >> the >> > > process for the few whom >> > > > may not be aware of the process and yet they >> may >> > > want to shout loundest.. >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > All is about the welfare of our countr >> y(personal >> > > sentiments and not about >> > > > who shouts loundest and in some situations or >> > > least solutions. ICT is all >> > > > bout solutions and world wide tested and >> proven >> > > best practices) >> > > > >> > > > Regards >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > *bitange(a)jambo.co.ke* wrote: >> > > > >> > > > Dear Alex, >> > > > I tried to explain how parliament works >> earlier in >> > > the week. We cannot >> > > > revise the bill here. We have taken the >> proposals >> > > to the committee for >> > > > consideration. >> > > > >> > > > Luckily today the committee sumoned me to >> > > parliament. They want to have a >> > > > stakeholder's meeting either on Tuesady or >> > > Thursday next week in Mombasa. >> > > > I shall confirm this to you tomorrow. Any >> changes >> > > now must go through the >> > > > committee since the bill belongs to >> parliament. >> > > You have this window to >> > > > make the necessary changes. The safari Park >> > > proposals are already with >> > > > them but they may decide that they do not want >> to >> > > include them. This is >> > > > where we need the stakeholders to push. >> > > > >> > > > I hope you do not leave this window of >> opportunity >> > > to pass and blame us >> > > > later. >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > Regards >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > Ndemo. >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > > Dr. Ndemo, >> > > > > >> > > > > You invited us to Safari Park Hotel and on >> > > information >> > > > > and belief, we were coming to meet the >> > > Parliament >> > > > > Committee. We understood your at the venue >> > > explanation >> > > > > why they could not come. >> > > > > >> > > > > However, >> > > > > >> > > > > Would you be in a position to inform >> > > stakeholders what >> > > > > to expect of our Safari Park contributions >> on >> > > the >> > > > > Kenya Communications Amendment Bill 2007? >> i.e. >> > > does >> > > > > the ministry have an "updated" >> > > version-considerate of >> > > > > expressed concerns? I am made to understand >> that >> > > a >> > > > > Bill's mover (who in this case is the >> Minister) >> > > is >> > > > > allowed to amend it anytime. >> > > > > >> > > > > This also would not only help us know where >> our >> > > > > concerns lay but it would also help us take >> > > informed >> > > > > engagements with the Energy and >> Communications >> > > > > Committee. >> > > > > >> > > > > I request for this information in view of >> your >> > > emailed >> > > > > informative note advising stakeholders on >> the >> > > law >> > > > > making processes, advising on the steps, >> when >> > > and >> > > > > where to engaging parliamentary committees >> in >> > > the >> > > > > process. >> > > > > >> > > > > Hope to hear from you. >> > > > > >> > > > > Sincerely, >> > > > > >> > > > > Alex >> > > > > >> > > > > --- Brian Longwe wrote: >> > > > > >> > > > >> Thank you very much Bw. Ndemo for this >> clear, >> > > > >> concise and very >> > > > >> practical reminder of our legislative >> process >> > === message truncated === > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who > knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. > http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545469 > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > > _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: charlesnduati2002(a)yahoo.co.uk Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/charlesnduati2002%40ya… ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out there knows the answer. Try it now. http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/

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Mobile and Internet OPEN SOURCE Experts, International meeting in LONDON
by Rebecca Wanjiku 20 Aug '07

20 Aug '07

st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } FYI and possible circulation think that access to ICT is not enough and it is the ability to create, to add value that is important then you are invited to participate as speaker at the CTO's most innovative conference to date: Open Source in ICT 2007: Bridging the Digital Divide London , 4 - 6 December 2007 Open Source software presents an opportunity to cut costs, see inside the software, demystify technology and understand the design so that all users can adapt technology to meet their own needs. It is widely seen as the key enabler for developing countries to achieve technological self-determination. Open source can reduce total cost of ownership, enhance security, and create a vendor-independent network based on interoperability and open standards. Open source software also provides the opportunity to break free from the shackles of proprietary systems and expensive upgrades . The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation is hosting a three-day event in December devoted to Open Source. It is a must-attend event for ICT giants and start-ups alike. The first day of the conference is reserved for ministers and senior representatives from the public sector, the second day will include speakers from the private and public sector to analyse how open source is bridging the digital divide and the last day of the conference will be devoted to open source in mobile. We are now seeking experts like you to deliver presentations at this industry-shaping event aimed at the private and public sector. If you work in the public sector and are using open source software for e-governance, disaster management, e-literacy campaigns etc then we would like to invite you to share your experiences, achievements and difficulties If you are a service provider and have adopted open source to reduce costs, then we would like you to deliver a case study If you are an internet or mobile operator and have harnessed open source to decrease time to market and have used open source for the fast delivery of new services, then we would like you to contribute your expertise at this event CALL FOR PAPERS: If you would like to participate as speaker, please submit 4 sentences describing the main points of your proposed presentation to Conference Producer, Miss Mani Rai at m.kaur-rai(a)cto.int by 10th September. Please note all speakers are entitled to attend the entire forum free of charge. There is also an opportunity for speakers and delegates to take a free trip on the London Eye (UK's most iconic and popular tourist attraction). Open Source in ICT 2007 will bring together world experts on Open Source and you are warmly invited to join our speaker faculty. Please be sure to submit your proposal by 10th September. Confirmed Speakers so far include: Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Mr. Magnus Glantz, Application Specialist, IT Operations OSS, TeliaSonera Mr. Arthur Feather, Senior Manager Mobile Standards and Architecture, Cisco (subject to final confirmation) Mr. Simon Crab, Team Leader, Informal Mr. Jerry Stabile, Senior Vice President, Pingtel (subject to final confirmation) Mr. Rishab Ghosh, Senior Researcher, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology If you do not want to participate as speaker, but would like to:- KNOW why One Laptop Per Child chose Open Source CONSIDER open source initial implementation and lifetime costs HEAR FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE of how successfully open source software can work with existing applications ANALYSE what Open Source can offer that proprietary systems cannot UNDERSTAND how easy it is to localise open source software to meet the needs of non-English speaking users LEARN how mobile operators are harnessing open source to deliver superior smartphone features in inexpensive handsets ENHANCE your knowledge on optimising open source in mobile for convergence and next generation networks EXAMINE how, when and where open source might fit into VoIP deployment Save the date: 4 6 December, 2007, London . Draft agenda is available on request, please email me directly at m.kaur-rai(a)cto.int. I look forward to seeing you in London! Yours sincerely, Mani Rai Conference Producer Email: m.kaur-rai(a)cto.int Tel: 0044 20 8834 1565 Fax: 0044 870 034 5626 P.S Please note the trip on the London Eye (subject to a private or public sector organisation sponsoring the conference) will be free for all delegates and speakers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "DON'T LET SOMEONE BECOME A PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE...WHEN YOU ARE JUST AN OPTION FOR THEM....." Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games.

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FW: Needed: Web-experts for: Web-portal Development, Hosting & Training (IGAD) -COMESA/RICTSP
by Harry Hare 20 Aug '07

20 Aug '07

Dear Colleagues, This posting might be of interest to some of you. Please circulate further, and apologies if youve already seen it. Kindest Regards Harry ________________________________________ From: Jane Møller Larsen [mailto:jml@ict.danishmanagement.dk] Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 5:58 PM To: Jane Møller Larsen Subject: Needed: Web-experts for: Web-portal Development, Hosting & Training (IGAD) -COMESA/RICTSP Dear ICT experts, We are presently searching for individual web-experts to be included in a team for the following position. Please distribute this to personal contacts and networks where you believe that experts could find interest in this. Thank you in advance. Pls. note that proposed start-date is expected to be in September 2007. ____________________________________________________________________ We are presently looking for experts who have an interest in the following position: Project title: Web-portal Development, Hosting & Training (IGAD) Application deadline: As soon as possible and at the latest Thursday 30 August 2007 Contract duration: Short term Company: Danish Management A/S (http://www.danishmanagement.dk/) for the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) under COMESA/RICTSP. _______________________________________________________________ General information: Overall Objectives of the Assignment The main objective is to develop and achieve improved information access at the Intergovernmental Authority for Development org. and in the IGAD and ESA region. Specific Objectives: 1. Collect and analyse the user requirements and information needs of the stakeholders of the Regional IGAD Web Portal; 2. Design and develop a web portal; 3. Collect all information and populate the databases with the information; 4. Define information provision protocol for member states information suppliers to the web portal; 5. Train Technical staff on the web Servers including update to Web portal server software required from time to time; 6. Train Technical staff in the development and management of the Web Portal; 7. Design /provide a Content Management System(CMS) for content management; 8. Train Professional users on updating the portal using the Content Management System; 9. Train Regional Member states Technical staff in Web Portal development; 10. Train Regional Member states professional team in updating their specific information on the Portal. 11. Develop a Portal governance and Security system; 12. Define information for Intranet and develop the intranet system for IGAD; 13. Train staff in using the intranet; 14. Provide feedback and usage statistics. Requested Services The services required involve developing a new WEBPORTAL, over a period of 6 months, maintaining updating and building capacity for content uploading and maintenance, ensuring portal content integrity and security, providing feedback and usage statistics, and providing technical training of IGAD staff to maintain the portal after the termination of the contractual period. Additionally, the team of STEs will be required to provide services of setting up the WEBPORTAL servers and related IT support mechanisms to provide information to both potential and existing partners and the public at large about Intergovernmental Authority for Development. The Portal must be interactive, enabling global partners to make enquiries and requests for more information on-line. Implementation Time Frames: The development of the WEBPORTAL shall occur within a period of twelve (12) months and thereafter the staff of IGAD shall take over the responsibility of updating the Webportal which shall be on monthly basis. If completed sooner the STE will move on to the phase of Webportal enhancement, maintenance and capacity building - training. Expertise Required: Project managers, web development experts, and administrators - including STEs with experience and qualifications in web design, web programming, Microsoft Windows 2003, Microsoft Internet Information Server administration, Linux Mysql and PhP, etc. Indicate the respective roles that you/the STE will play in the team. Language: The webportal should be developed and regularly updated in both English and French languages. Eligibility (who can apply?): EU citizens and citizens from: Angola, Burundi, DR Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan AND citizens of the ACP member states: http://www.acpsec.org/en/acp_states.htm Background information: www.igad.org http://www.comesa.int http://comesa.assure.danishictmanagement.dk Please find ToR enclosed If you find the position of interest and your - or one of your proposed expert's - profile complies with the stated criteria, please contact us immediately and send us a short professional presentation of yourself and an updated CV with relevant similar experience (stating your age, nationality, languages spoken, education and exactly in what you are an expert). Send your application to: ictjobs(a)danishmanagement.dk NB: Only shortlisted candidates will receive notice. Contact person: Jane Moeller Larsen Danish Management A/S Margretheholmsvej 2 1432 Copenhagen, Denmark Phone: +45 70 200 298 Direct: +45 35 250 655 Kind regards, Jane Moller Larsen

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FW: CD celebrates 25th anniversary
by Harry Hare 20 Aug '07

20 Aug '07

_____ From: Harry Hare [mailto:harry@africanedevelopment.org] Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 8:47 PM To: 'kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke'; 'swopnet(a)dgroups.org'; 'ethinktanktz(a)yahoogroups.com' Subject: CD celebrates 25th anniversary Dear Colleagues, Interesting story, 25 year later, what appeared to be an "engineering marvel" is fighting for survival! Read on. Harry +++++++++++++++ CD celebrates 25th anniversary EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (AP) -- It was August 17, 1982, and row upon row of palm-sized plates with a rainbow sheen began rolling off an assembly line near Hanover, Germany. Are CDs burnt out after 25 years? An engineering marvel at the time, today they are instantly recognizable as Compact Discs, a product that turned 25 years old on Friday -- and whose future is increasingly in doubt in an age of iPods and digital downloads. Those first CDs contained Richard Strauss' Alpine Symphony and would sound equally sharp if played today, says Holland's Royal Philips Electronics NV, which jointly developed the CD with Sony Corp. of Japan. The recording industry thrived in the 1990s as music fans replaced their aging cassettes and vinyl LPs with compact discs, eventually making CDs the most popular album format. The CD still accounts for the majority of the music industry's recording revenues, but its sales have been in a freefall since peaking early this decade, in part due to the rise of online file-sharing, but also as consumers spend more of their leisure dollars on other entertainment purchases, such as DVDs and video games. As the music labels slash wholesale prices and experiment with extras to revive the now-aging format, it's hard to imagine there was ever a day without CDs. Yet it had been a risky technical endeavor to attempt to bring digital audio to the masses, said Pieter Kramer, the head of the optical research group at Philips' labs in the Netherlands in the 1970s. "When we started there was nothing in place," he told The Associated Press at Philips' corporate museum in Eindhoven. The proposed semiconductor chips needed for CD players were to be the most advanced ever used in a consumer product. And the lasers were still on the drawing board when the companies teamed up in 1979. In 1980, researchers published what became known as the "Red Book" containing the original CD standards, as well as specifying which patents were held by Philips and which by Sony. Philips had developed the bulk of the disc and laser technology, while Sony contributed the digital encoding that allowed for smooth, error-free playback. Philips still licenses out the Red Book and its later incarnations, notably for the CD-ROM for storing computer software and other data. The CD's design drew inspiration from vinyl records: Like the grooves on a record, CDs are engraved with a spiral of tiny pits that are scanned by a laser -- the equivalent of a record player's needle. The reflected light is encoded into millions of 0s and 1s: a digital file. Because the pits are covered with plastic and the laser's light doesn't wear them down, the CD never loses sound quality. Legends abound about how the size of the CD was chosen: Some said it matched a Dutch beer coaster; others believe a famous conductor or Sony executive wanted it just long enough for Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Kramer said the decision evolved from "long conversations around the table" about which play length made the most sense. The jump into mass production in Germany was a milestone for the CD, and by 1982 the companies announced their product was ready for market. Both began selling players that fall, though the machines only hit U.S. markets the following spring. Sony sold the first player in Japan on October 1, with the CBS label supplying Billy Joel's "52nd Street" as its first album. The CD was a massive hit. Sony sold more players, especially once its "Discman" series was introduced in 1984. But Philips benefited from CD sales, too, thanks to its ownership of Polygram, now part of Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group. The CD player helped Philips maintain its position as Europe's largest maker of consumer electronics until it was eclipsed by Nokia Corp. in the late 1990s. Licensing royalties sustained the company through bad times. "The CD was in itself an easy product to market," said Philips' current marketing chief for consumer electronics, Lucas Covers. It wasn't just the sound quality -- discs looked like jewelry in comparison to LPs. By 1986, CD players were outselling record players, and by 1988 CDs outsold records. "It was a massive turnaround for the whole market," Covers said. Now, the CD may be seeing the end of its days. CD sales have fallen sharply to 553 million sold in the United States last year, a 22 percent drop from its 2001 peak of 712 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Napster and later Kazaa and BitTorrent allowed music fans to easily share songs over the Internet, often illegally. More recently, Apple Inc. and other companies began selling legal music downloads, turning the MP3 and other digital audio formats into the medium of choice for many owners of Apple's iPods and other digital players. "The MP3 and all the little things that the boys and girls have in their pockets ... can replace it, absolutely," said Kramer, the retired engineer. CDs won't disappear overnight, but its years may be numbered. Record labels seeking to revive the format have experimented with hybrid CD-DVD combos and packages of traditional CDs with separate DVDs that carry video and multimedia offerings playable on computers. The efforts have been mixed at best, with some attempts, such as the DualDisc that debuted in 2004, not finding lasting success in the marketplace. Kramer said it has been satisfying to witness the CD's long run at the top and know he had a small hand in its creation. "You never know how long a standard will last," he said. "But it was a solid, good standard and still is." E-mail <http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/08/17/cd.anniversary.ap/index.html> to a friend E-mail to a friend

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DOMAIN NAME TASTING
by alice 17 Aug '07

17 Aug '07

Dear All: A Request for Information has been posted by the ad-hoc group formed by the GNSO Council to look at Domain Tasting. The announcement can be found at: http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-10aug07.htm <http://www.icann.org/announcements/> In particular, an easy-to-use survey of the questions in the Request For Information (RFI) is available in the BigPulse voting/polling system. This makes it quick and easy to register your answers to the RFI. This can be found at: https:// <https:///> www.bigpulse.com/872i <http://www.bigpulse.com/872i> Real-time results from the survey are also publicly available at: http://www.bigpulse.com/pollresults?code=4Rkitd2chD5rD7eyJHJi We hope that many in the community will take the time to register their views and provide any suggestions of additional sources of information to be analysed while the RFI is open - it closes 15th September. DOMAIN NAME TASTING Background info <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=e68jwbcab.0.rhwdddcab.xrsqb6bab.183&ts=S0263&p=http…> One sure sign of the growing maturity of the domain name system is the speculative market that has grown up around domains. But is this market a sign of health, the result of a loophole that needs to be closed, or somewhere in between? An Issues Report <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=e68jwbcab.0.uhwdddcab.xrsqb6bab.183&ts=S0263&p=http…> on domain tasting was produced for the San Juan ICANN meeting where it was discussed in a number of sessions - including a tutorial <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=e68jwbcab.0.whwdddcab.xrsqb6bab.183&ts=S0263&p=http…> on the issue. There is no simple solution however and the GNSO Council declined to launch a formal policy development process (PDP) into it, delaying a decision until September in order to provide time for more research to be carried out. An ad hoc group will draft a focused terms of reference for the possible PDP. A GNSO process isn't the only route however: ICANN staff pointed out that domain tasting may also be tackled through the ICANN Budget process; registry contractual changes; and the approval of new registry services. Each change would be aimed at removing the financial incentive that currently exists for companies to register and then "drop" tens of thousands of domain names every day. Key date: September: GNSO Council discussion on whether to launch domain tasting PDP

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It's official: Mugabe sorts the mail
by Alex Gakuru 17 Aug '07

17 Aug '07

[JURIST] (via africa.rights.apc.org) http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2007/08/zimbabwe-president-approves.p… Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has signed off on the controversial Interception of Communications Bill, which establishes a government communications surveillance agency and authorizes the government to intercept communications across the telephone, the Internet, and other electronic communication devices. The bill, which has been criticized by opposition lawmakers as an effort to consolidate power and crack down on dissent, will also allow the government to open conventional mail, requires communication services providers to facilitate the interception and storage of private communications at the government's request. The legislation was approved in June by both the Senate and House of Assembly. Mugabe has been criticized for his handling of the economy of Zimbabwe and his increasingly authoritarian rule. In July, Zimbabwean police reports indicated the arrest of at least 1300 shop owners and managers who refused to comply with price controls that halved the prices of all goods and services. Zimbabwe's inflation rate, which is reportedly exceeding 5000 percent, is largely attributed to Mugabe's controversial white-owned farm seizure program as previously productive farms have become barren under inexperienced new owners. In June, the International Commission of Jurists accused the Zimbabwean government of "interfering with the proper functioning of the administration of justice, the role of lawyers and their independence". In May, Zimbabwean police refused to comply with a High Court ruling requiring police officials to vacate a farm seized by police in March, and responded by ordering more police on to the property. In March, opposition leader and presidential hopeful Morgan Tsvangirai was arrested and beaten while in police custody. Police officials have routinely ignored court orders and critics have alleged that Mugabe has given tacit approval to their actions. BBC News has more. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us. http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

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Procedure for appointment?
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 17 Aug '07

17 Aug '07

I think in future it may prudent to direct questions to the source on issues such as Board Appointment. In the past, it was purely the prerogative of the President and the Minister to appoint even the MD. This has since changed and we want it to change even further to enable stakeholders to nominate potential candidates. If you carefully scrutinize the ICT Board and Management appointment, you will see our rationale. The CEO went through a vetting process by Delloite. The Minister only confirmed the outcome. We needed both the CEO and the Chairperson to be both marketers and have some knowledge of ICT to market our country as an outsource destination. The Board appointments were made in such a way to accomodate most of the stakeholders and also takes into account on such issues as Gender, diversity (age, race, religion, public/private etc). With all these variables, it is not difficult to annoy a few in the process. What needs to be done is to have a legal requirement as we have done with the Film Commission that the stakeholders nominate. But even in this case some stakeholders are not permanent entities or are not recognized by all. In my view Kicktanet is a wonderful organization but it has remained a virtual club. We need to move its agenda a notch higher to create interface between policy making and the citizenry. I have given my views on this to the consultant but we should one day have an holds barred seminar to reform this noble organization. Regards Bitange Ndemo. > I believe the board members have terms and more people will have an > opportunity to serve in future. > > The board is new and it is not necessarily that membership is on reward > basis. Its about work! We shall be definitely challenging. Thats how i see > it. > > Muthoni > > > On 8/13/07, Lizette Kraft <lfkraft(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Hi Walu, >> >> No one ever had the thought that there wasn't other talent out there, >> but >> considering she was a founder of the organisation or whatever it is >> known >> as, should have at least given it some consideration don't you think. As >> I >> said, we don't know how the board was put together, whether through >> nomination or whatever, (some of us didn't see this at all to even >> comment >> on), but besides that what other factors where there that overrode the

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Update on Kenyaś OOXML Vote
by Dorcas Muthoni 15 Aug '07

15 Aug '07

I just made contact with one of the committee members and i am told that the vote went Yes in Kenya last evening. We had a problem in that out of 12 members in the committee, 7 were from Microsoft or were Microsoft dealers/partners and were actually brought into the committe by Microsoft. I am told the vote was: 9 - Yes (Microsoft and dealers/partners, 1 university, I society) 2 - No (Kenya Airways and IBM East Africa) 1 - Abstain (Kenya Bureau of Standards and Committee Secretariat) This committee met only 5 times. Once i get the official copy of this ballot, i will post more information. The committee was not representative of the industry. Most members representing the various organisations were not experts in the subject matter from my analysis. I attended part of the meeting yesterday. Muthoni

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board members
by Rebecca Wanjiku 15 Aug '07

15 Aug '07

in case you were wondering who are the other board members, here the names The other members are: Richard Bell Catherine Adeya Peter Kimacia Kevit Desai Kiptiness from CCK. Getting a board nowadays is very difficult as you must take into account many issues. I hope we got the bast here. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us.

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I Want The Earth Plus 5 per cent
by Alex Gakuru 14 Aug '07

14 Aug '07

Want to know why money-makers aspire to be Fabian? <snip> "Fabian was excited as he once more rehearsed his speech for the crowd certain to turn up tomorrow. He had always wanted prestige and power and now his dreams were going to come true. He was a craftsman working with silver and gold, making jewelry and ornaments, but he became dissatisfied with working for a living. He needed excitement, a challenge, and now his plan was ready to begin...." This meant that for every $100 he held in deposits, it was possible to make 42% profit, most people believing he was only making 2%. The other goldsmiths were doing the same thing. They created money out of nothing at the stroke of a pen, and then charged interest on top of it.... <snip> See http://www.relfe.com/plus_5_.html [Posted by Ashok Hariharan to skunkworks mailing list http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks] ____________________________________________________________________________________ Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. http://travel.yahoo.com/

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Say NO to OOXML campaign
by Judy Okite 13 Aug '07

13 Aug '07

Dear Listers, Just to alert you on the ongoing campaign.......this product is substandard,but M$ is determined to launch it. Please do not get caught in between and make a wrong decision.... briefly scrutinize the links below and make a well defined decision. Say NO to this product,sadly M$ has a strong hold in our country,but its within your rights to demand for a worthy product.do not be fooled/coarsed or get caught in marketting gimmick. Please spread this news out and wide. Kind Regards, The campaign to stop Microsoft getting the Office format approved by ISO is on. MS's OOXML has been proved to be long, incomplete, patented,and unsuitable as an ISO standard. There is also an existing standard, ODF, as you know. The FFII has been fighting OOXML in Europe and Latin America, and FTISA has beat it in South Africa. Together with these guys, we should be able to kick OOXML out of the rest of Africa. There are ISO votes in Ghana, Nigeria, Cote-d'Ivoire, Botswana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Congo. Microsoft have, I heard, gone to Nairobi in force to try to force the vote there. What we need to do is work with the ISO national boards to understand that OOXML is really broken, and we then need to make sure those boards can't be stuffed with Microsoft puppets, as happened in the US, Italy, Azerbaijan, Romania, and elsewhere. We just want national boards to vote "NO" until all the technical problems in the format are fixed. The FFII has collected information on this campaign, see www.noooxml.org. But to start with, I'd like to invite you to join this mailing list: https://lists.ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/noooxml-africa Thanks, - Pieter ph(a)imatix.com -- Judy Ann Okite, +254-721237507,+254-734252336 P.O. BOX 2228 00100, NAIROBI,KENYA. "Even if you are on the right track, you'll still get run over if you just sit there."

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Tanzania: City Launches Own Local Internet Exchange
by Alex Gakuru 13 Aug '07

13 Aug '07

[Guys, I hope am not such a bore to stop your full enjoyment of Freedom of Expression but just for moment look over yonder. Ugandans too are moving very fast. Thanks Cece for this pointer - Alex] Tanzania: City Launches Own Local Internet Exchange Point Arusha Times (Arusha) By Valentine Marc Nkwame 11 August 2007 Arusha <snip> Arusha has just become the first non-capital urban center in East and Central Africa to have its own Internet Exchange Point, a physical infrastructure that allows different Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to connect to each other and exchange local traffic between their networks by means of mutual peering agreements. <snip> http://allafrica.com/stories/200708120056.html ____________________________________________________________________________________ Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell. http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/

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Re: [kictanet] board members - Procedure for appointment?
by John Walubengo 11 Aug '07

11 Aug '07

Fatma, All details for the ICT Board were contained in the corresponding Gazette Notice. A quick browse on the government sites, Parliament http://www.bunge.go.ke/ and Ministry of Info and Comm http://www.information.go.ke/ gave me no reference to the document. So I am compelled to tread carefully and find out if the said Gazette notice is for public consumption and if so, why it is not available in electronic form...I know I sound like the KANU days are back but hey, the environment may have changed but the laws (Secrecy Act and its cousins) are still pretty much the same... walu. --- Fatma Bashir <fbashir(a)cyberschooltech.com> wrote: > Walu > > hi, might you know what the mandate of the ICT board is? > in terms of > hierachy as well, will it be like Rwanda's RITA ? > > Fatma > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "John Walubengo" <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> > To: <fbashir(a)cyberschooltech.com> > Cc: "Kenya ICT Policy - kictanet" > <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2007 11:31 AM > Subject: Re: [kictanet] board members - Procedure for > appointment? > > > > Lizette, > > > > FE's contribution to ICT in Kenya is quite exceptional > and > > outstanding. However, when it comes to sitting on > > non-elective boards, other factors tend to override. > > > > The legislation (Gazette Notice) for the Kenya ICT > board > > and other similar boards accross the world leaves the > > search and appoint procedures at the pleasure of the > > President and his respective minister. Now, in a market > > with excessive ICT and related talent like Kenya, one > can > > only understand if some qualified members miss out > > (including me maybe? ;-) > > > > Nevertheless, what matters is if the new board can > deliver > > the anticipated benefits within reasonable timeframes. > And > > I believe the six or seven of them will not succeed > without > > the input the likes of FE et al. > > > > walu. > > > > > > > > --- Lizette Kraft <lfkraft(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > >> Congratulations to all the Board members!! > >> > >> On the other hand, It's amazing how Dr. Florence Etta > was > >> not given the > >> opportunity to be nominated and/or participate on the > >> Board!!! As one of > >> the key founders of KICTANET and the name and having > >> contributed > >> extensively to ICT as a whole in everyway!!!! Have we > >> forgotten so fast!!! > >> With no disrespect intended to anyone, but I must ask > - > >> Is this the Kenyan > >> way of doing things??? I am sure most of you will > agree > >> that at least > >> Florence should have been nominated or asked to > >> participate as a board > >> member. It was then upto her to decide if she was > >> interested to or not, and > >> of course then, the voting or whatever would have been > >> done to determine the > >> members, or so I would think. Is this what everyone > >> agreed to?? would be > >> good to know. > >> > >> Sorry but its always hard for people to be upfront, > >> truthful and bold enough > >> to ask and I think it's only fair to raise this. What > >> method > >> was used to select the board members??? Important for > >> all to be informed. > >> > >> > >> Thanks to all > >> best regards > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> On 8/10/07, Rebecca Wanjiku <rebeccawanjiku(a)yahoo.com> > >> wrote: > >> > > >> > in case you were wondering who are the other board > >> members, here the names > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > The other members are: > >> > Richard Bell > >> > Catherine Adeya > >> > Peter Kimacia > >> > Kevit Desai > >> > Kiptiness from CCK. > >> > > >> > Getting a board nowadays is very difficult as you > must > >> take into account > >> > many issues. I hope we got the bast here. > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > Tel. 254 720 318 925 > >> > > >> > blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ > >> > > >> > ------------------------------ > >> > Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. > Join > >> Yahoo!'s user > >> > > >> > > > panel<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48516/*http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_pa…>and > >> lay it on us. > >> > > >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ > >> > kictanet mailing list > >> > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > >> > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >> > > >> > This message was sent to: lfkraft(a)gmail.com > >> > Unsubscribe or change your options at > >> > > >> > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/lfkraft%40gmail.com > >> > > >> > > >> > >> > >> -- > >> Lizette Kraft > >> P.O. Box 18488, 00500 > >> Nairobi, Kenya > >> Cell: 0722-800362 > >> > _______________________________________________ > >> kictanet mailing list > >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >> > >> This message was sent to: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > >> Unsubscribe or change your options at > >> > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com > >> > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > > Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. > Join Yahoo!'s user > > panel and lay it on us. > > > http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > This message was sent to: fbashir(a)cyberschooltech.com > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/fbashir%40cyberschoolt… > > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. http://mobile.yahoo.com/go?refer=1GNXIC

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Thumbs-up ECK - Confirm your Polling Station via SMS
by Alex Gakuru 10 Aug '07

10 Aug '07

List M8s, On behalf of consumers, allow me to declare Mr. Samuel Kivuitu (i.e.ECK) ICT compliant. This morning, I composed an sms - typed only my National ID No and sent that sms to 020-4605872. Within seconds I received a reply sms that read: >From ECK ID No: XXXXXXX(I've masked my ID No) Voters Name: ALEX GAKURU Voters Card No: 005/012/1570733010 Constituency: 005-DAGORETTI Polling Station: 012-JAMHURI PRI. SCH. Status: OK On further inquiry, I found out this sms is charged at normal rate (shs 5/=) and that anyone can query/confirm their polling station from Safaricom, Celtel or Telkom CDMA phone. The service is powered by Telkom Wireless technologies. For delivering the ECK register to consumers' hands and so conveniently we are delighted with ECK's visible electoral transparency. We only hope every public body emulated ECK and offered similar services. We would be happy to do e-government business this transparently. Thank you Alex Gakuru > -- > website: http://www.billowsbpo.co.ke/ > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

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Fwd: African Telecoms Billing And Revenue Management Forum
by Mike Theuri 09 Aug '07

09 Aug '07

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: yamanjanl <yamanjanl(a)yahoo.com> Date: Aug 9, 2007 3:49 AM Subject: [Fikara] African Telecoms Billing And Revenue Management Forum To: Fikara(a)yahoogroups.com African Telecoms Billing And Revenue Management Forum Event Registration Register online or Call: Customer Services Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 7483 Email: registrations(a)iir-telecoms.com Mon 03 Sep 2007 - Fri 07 Sep 2007 Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa Building on the resounding success of IIR's 3rd Annual African Telecoms Billing and Revenue Management Forum in September 2006, IIR is delighted to announce the dates and venue for the 2007 event. Join us this September in Cape Town and benefit from an event offering 5 focused days of conference and seminar sessions addressing. The event will bring together leading operators and operators to address commercial address the specific Revenue Management and Billing challenges currently being faced by African Telecoms Operators and Service Providers. The event attracted 120 delegates from across the African continent and Gulf States last year. This forum presents an invaluable opportunity to hear real-world experiences in a series of cutting- edge case studies and workshops led by African and European Operators. The weeklong event offers two back-to-back conferences: the format is fully flexible allowing delegates to attend either the full five days to gain a complete overview of Billing and Revenue Assurance/Management strategies or individual conference days depending on their particular professional interests. Who Will Attend?The conference is specifically designed for: Decision-makers from fixed, mobile, prepaid, post paid, Internet, broadband and convergent Operators from EMEA, with responsibility for: Billing / Prepaid * Customer Care / CRM * IT/MIS/ICT/Mediation * BSS / OSS Implementation * Systems Development * Network Engineering * Finance / Accounting / Audit * Revenue Assurance and Fraud Management * Interconnect / Partner Administration« Business Strategy / Development * Pricing, Rating, Marketing and Sales Regulatory agency executives and senior government officials with oversight for the regulatory framework within the telecom industry Senior banking executives with responsibilities for managing lending and financing activities to the telecom industry Legal practitioners, external auditors, management consultants and risk management experts serving the telecom industry Key PresentationsKey topics to be addressed include: Developing A Successful Billing System Implementation Strategy: Creating A Benchmark For Implementation And Project Management Best Practice Exploiting Prepaid Recharge Mechanisms To Maximise Revenues By Boosting Both Customer Acquisition And Retention Examining How The Increased Convergence Of Telecoms With Other Industry Sectors Will Impact Key Revenue Protection Functions Like Billing, Revenue Assurance And Fraud Management Deploying A Prepaid Charging System To Effectively Deliver Prepaid Content And Next Generation Services Developing Mobile Banking Services To Generate New Revenue Streams Understanding Why It is Essential For African Operators To Move Beyond Revenue Assurance To Revenue Management To Successfully Respond To Emerging Requirements Of A Fast-Paced And Increasingly Convergent Telecoms Market Addressing The People Factor In Revenue Assurance And Billing – Finding, Retaining And Training Staff With The Appropriate Skills Setting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) To Benchmark And Quantify The Performance Of Your Revenue Assurance Strategy Developing A Successful Revenue Assurance Solution Implementation Strategy: Creating A Benchmark For Implementation Best Practice Understanding How To Structure An RA Team And Where To Position It Within The Company For Maximum Benefit Addressing The Challenges Of Managing Revenue Assurance For Prepaid Services Minimising Cost And Revenue Losses Incurred By African Operators Through Infrastructure Failure, Damage And Theft Key speakers include: Susan Burger, Group Revenue Assurance & Interconnect Manager, MTN Group Albert Salima, Billing Manager, Celtel Zambia Ehtisham Rao, Director Billing, Mobilink Ebele Eghobamien, HOD Wholesale Billing Services, Revenue Management Division, Celtel Nigeria Andreas Krebs, Senior Product Manager, Partnering & Innovation, O2 Germany Bernard Wole Ilori, Manager, Revenue Assurance and Fraud Management, Globacom Mike Nelson, Specialist, Business Analysis, Telkom SA Dennis Baguyo, Senior Billing Manager, Celtel Group Henry Whyte, General Manager/Revenue Assurance, Ghana Telecommunications Johnson Bareyei, Head Billing and Customer Management, Topcom Nigeria Syed Thameen, Revenue Assurance Manager, Celtel Uganda Elliot Mashumba, Service Risk Manager, Econet Wireless Johan de Wet, Senior Manager, Revenue Assurance and Accounting, Group Finance, Telkom SA http://www.iir-events.com/IIR-conf/Telecoms/EventView.aspx? EventID=1082&SearchResult=http%3a%2f%2fwww.iir-events.com%2fIIR-conf% 2fSearchEvents.aspx __._,_.___

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[Fwd: Key CTO Forum in Kenya to examine solutions to African rural connectivity]]
by alice 09 Aug '07

09 Aug '07

Any members interested in attending this forum? Please let me know off line. Thank you best alice -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [kictanet] Key CTO Forum in Kenya to examine solutions to African rural connectivity] Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 12:15:02 +0300 From: alice <alice(a)apc.org> Organization: Association for Progressive Communications (APC) To: alice(a)apc.org CC: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> CTO Forum in Kenya to examine solutions to African rural connectivity Africas search for real solutions that will lead to the early connection of the nearly 80% of the Continent that is still without telephone and internet access will take a giant leap forward when ministers, regulators, operating company executives and high-level officials from various development partner agencies converge in Nairobi for the Connecting Rural Communities Africa Forum 2007, and is preceded on the 20th August by a meeting of the Commonwealth Connects programme. The Forum is taking place at the Grand Regency hotel in Nairobi, Kenya from the 21st to the 24th August. This key event, organised by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) and hosted by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), will provide a forum for discussion of research findings, policy options, regulatory strategies, business models, financing and investment facilities, available technologies and public-private-people-partnerships that could enable improvement in African rural connectivity. The Conference proceedings are expected to contribute to a major study to be launched by the CTO on Africas Rural Connectivity within the context of the Commonwealth Connects programme, and recommendations from the Conference will go a long way to outline the agenda for subsequent meetings, workshops, programmes and projects in the sector. The advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs) in developing nations are facilitating socio-economic development, as well as the general progress and well-being of individuals and communities. ICT has been identified as playing a leading role in enabling countries to attain their Millennium Development Goals, such as the elimination of poverty, combating of serious disease, improving access to education and providing equal opportunities to women. This conference will discuss each of these issues and highlight the work of African governments, regulators and the private sector in providing universal access. For ICTs to be sustainable and provide widespread ubiquitous access to all citizens, it is generally considered imperative that governments, regulators and the private sector work together to provide solutions and enhance connectivity. As part of its commitment to bridging the digital divide, the CTO has produced this knowledge-sharing event, designed to bring together the giants of the ICT sector, from both the public sector, private companies, the development and academic community and civil society, especially non-governmental and community-based organisations. CTOs CEO, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, states: We are delighted to be able to assemble such a high faculty of speakers and delegates from all over Africa, and also from many other regions of the world. Participants in this Conference are those who have come to acknowledge that of all the challenges the global community faces in the ICT sector, that of connecting Africas rural populations must be the epi-centre. All who are committed to the use of ICTs to advance the development process should be interested in this fundamental challenge. We look forward to seeing and meeting with as many of Africas development and investment partners as possible. The CTO Conference will significantly contribute to the development of universal access to ICT in the African region. Based on the success of last years CTO event on Connecting Rural Communities in Abuja, Nigeria, the CTO has decided to increase the duration of this years forum to three days to incorporate a Focus day which will cover amongst other things, telemedicine and improving the accessibility of education. The Conference be preceded by a half-day workshop on the use of satellites to connect rural communities in the afternoon 21st August; a half-day meeting between the CTO and heads of Universal Service Funding agencies in Africa, on the morning of 21st August, and by another all-day meeting on 20th August of representatives of African Commonwealth countries whose Points of Contact will discuss various issues involved in the Commonwealth Connects programme, that has been mandated by Commonwealth Heads of State and Government. According to an official of one of the several companies that has agreed to sponsor the event, Connecting Rural Communities Africa is a timely opportunity for all stakeholders who are spearheading rural connectivity to network, discuss best practices for harnessing ICT to deliver socio-economic benefits, share strategies for connecting rural Africa and consider different solutions for bridging the digital divide through sustainable ICT connectivity. For more information and to register to attend, or for opportunities to support this event, contact: Toby Davies Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Tel.: +44 870 777 7697 t.davies(a)cto.int <http://mailer.eddiction.co.uk/_webscripts/emaillog.php?789c35cbcd0a80201004…> *** About the CTO - The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international development partnership between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, business and civil society organisations. It provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the specific areas of telecommunications, IT, broadcasting and the Internet. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: alice(a)apc.org Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/alice%40apc.org

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[Fwd: Support A Digital Village (Centre, School, or Kiosk) In Kenya]
by alice 09 Aug '07

09 Aug '07

Dear Friend, To assist the Government of Kenya to rapidly and successfully implement the Digital Village Project in all 210 constituencies, ICTvillage.com is coordinating a public private partnership (PPP) to take ICTs to the rural and peri-urban areas all over Kenya. If you would like to support a youth or womens group, faith-based or community-based organization, primary or secondary school to set-up and run a digital village in the rural or peri-urban areas of Kenya then click on www.ictvillage.com/dvn_dve_3a.asp to apply online on their behalf. As a digital mentor, you will assist your chosen beneficiary to participate in a Digital Village Network that adopts and transforms existing computer facilities (cybercafe, computer lab, training centre, etc.) into world-class branded digital villages. Constituency development is not reserved for politicians. All Kenyans have an obligation to assist the less fortunate in our midst. ICT initiatives like the Digital Village Project presents us with a golden opportunity to stimulate economic and social development for all Kenyans. Let us work together to fulfill this noble and innovative vision. You can change lives by supporting rural communities via digital villages. Please visit our website, www.ICTvillage.com, for more information on digital villages and how to participate. Best Regards, Anne Mutugi, General Manager. -------------------------------------------- ICTvillage.com, Idea Factory Limited, The Office Park, Riverside Drive. Tel: 254-020-444-9277 254-020-444-7655 Fax: 254-020-444-9210 PO Box 12 - 00606, Sarit Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.

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ISOC Fellowship to the IETF - seeking applicants for IETF 70 and IETF 71
by Brian Longwe 09 Aug '07

09 Aug '07

> > Dear Colleagues, > > The Internet Society has announced that it is seeking applications > for the next round of the ISOC Fellowship to the IETF program. The > program offers engineers from developing countries fellowships that > fund the cost of attending an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) > meeting. > > As you know, the IETF is the Internet's premier standards-making > body, responsible for the development of protocols used in IP-based > networks. IETF participants represent an international community of > network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers involved in > the technical operation of the Internet and the continuing evolution > of Internet architecture. > > Fellowships will be awarded through a competitive application > process. The Internet Society is currently accepting fellowship > applications for the next two IETF meetings: > > * IETF 70 being held in Vancouver, Canada on December 2-7 2007, > and > * IETF 71 being held in Philadelphia, USA on March 9-14, 2008 > > Up to five fellowships will be awarded for each IETF meeting. > > Full details on the ISOC Fellowship to the IETF, including how to > apply, are located on the ISOC website at : > > http://www.isoc.org/educpillar/fellowship > > Fellowship applications for both IETF meetings are due by 7 September > 2007. > > The Internet Society formally launched the ISOC Fellowship to the > IETF program in January 2007 after successfully piloting the program > during 2006 at IETF 66 in Montreal and IETF 67 in San Diego. Fifteen > individuals from 12 countries have participated in the program since > its inception. > > I encourage you to pass information about this program to individuals > involved in your regional operators' groups that have a keen interest > in the Internet standardisation activities of the IETF. You also may > consider being a reference for the applicant. > > If you have questions, please do not hesiate to contact Karen Rose > <rose(a)isoc.org> or Mirjam Kuehne <mir(a)isoc.org>. > > Kind Regards, > Mirjam Kuehne > ISOC >

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NOMINATE YOUR ACHIEVER TODAY
by Fiona Asonga 09 Aug '07

09 Aug '07

Dear All, The African ICT Achievers program has been launched in all the five regions, the goal is to have each region run its own leg of the Awards - handling the nominations and judging process and ultimately appointing a winner for that region in each of the categories. All the winners in the various categories from the regions will then be the finalists who will compete in the overall African ICT Achievers Awards for the coveted title as top achiever in each of the respective categories. The Winners will be announced at the African ICT Achievers Awards Banquet, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa at the end of November. To nominate a candidate (individual or organization) for the ICT Achievers Award kindly go to: http://www.forgeahead.co.za/achievers/categories.htm With the pass at which the ICT sector is developing in this country, I think there are Kenyans who stand a good chance. Regards Fiona Asonga Administrator Telecommunications Service Providers Association of Kenya (TESPOK) P.O Box 27589 - 00506 NAIROBI Tel: +254 20 245036 -----Original Message----- From: godera(a)skyweb.co.ke [mailto:godera@skyweb.co.ke] Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 5:34 PM To: tespok(a)tespok.co.ke Subject: Fwd: NOMINATE YOUR ACHIEVER TODAY Fiona, This is what I have been wanting to broadcast on kiplist to the industry. Can you please forward it, we need to see Kenyans winning. Please ensure everyone gets this so they nominate people who deserve to be recognized in Africa. ----- Forwarded message from Shirley <shirley(a)forgeahead.co.za> ----- Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2007 16:03:10 +0200 From: Shirley <shirley(a)forgeahead.co.za> Reply-To: Shirley <shirley(a)forgeahead.co.za> Subject: NOMINATE YOUR ACHIEVER TODAY To: Godera <godera(a)skyweb.co.ke> Trouble viewing this mail, please read it online NOMINATE YOUR ACHIEVER TODAY The African ICT Achievers Programme has built a strong foundation of recognition and reward for those ICT individuals and organisations who have made a difference to the ICT industry in Africa. They must have proven achievement in business excellence , innovation, entrepreneurship or through having touched the lives of others less fortunate. They must also have proven that their interaction continues to leverage ICTs to make a difference across our continent. ----- End forwarded message ----- ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.8/941 - Release Date: 8/7/2007 4:06 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.8/941 - Release Date: 8/7/2007 4:06 PM -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.

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Of journalists, and corruption�.
by Rebecca Wanjiku 08 Aug '07

08 Aug '07

Of journalists, and corruption. When a friend of mine sent a scathing SMS castigating a fellow journalist, I was offended. He had advised me to urge my colleague to go to hell. I was offended because I expected more from a lawyer I had grown to respect, I thought he had better skills to deal with it than to splash mud on everyone. He complained of bad faith and malice, demonstrated by a cartoon in the newspaper. But the core of my friends complaint was what he described as chronic corruption within journalism. He felt that the journalists who write or publish negative things are the same ones who queue for handouts. This is an old saying, has been told over generations. Even the meanest of characters, who cant even afford to buy a drink for anybody, shout themselves dead when speaking about corrupt journalists. I am not overly impartial in this, because my opinion has always been- it takes two to be corrupt. Can anyone who gives money or other favors to journalists claim to be righteous? The main question: do the journalists hold a gun to anyone demanding money? This question was underscored by the Members of Parliament who claimed the only reason for passing the media bill is because the journalists are corrupt and survive on hand outs. It was argued that it is fair to pass the controversial media bill that will force journalists to reveal sources, because journalists are corrupt. It was even said that journalists are always seen walking to parliament. How right! The question of corruption is controversial, because the journalists threaten to publish malicious details. But there are other mechanisms for redress can sue or officially complain. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Building a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.

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"Call for Participation: Trust and the Future of the Internet
by alice 08 Aug '07

08 Aug '07

From: Lucy Lynch <lynch(a)isoc.org> Date: 8 augusti 2007 20.06.17 GMT+02:00 To: isoc-members-discuss(a)elists.isoc.org Subject: [isoc-members-discuss] A Call for Subject Experts Greetings - Your help in disseminating this announce would be greatly appreciated: "Call for Participation: Trust and the Future of the Internet The Internet Society (ISOC) Board of Trustees is currently engaged in a discovery process to define a long term Major Strategic Initiative to ensure that the Internet of the future remains accessible to everyone. The Board believes that Trust is an essential component of all successful relationships and that an erosion of Trust: in individuals, networks, or computing platforms, will undermine the continued health and success of the Internet. The Board will meet in special session the first week October of 2007 for intensive study focused on the subject of trust within the context of network enabled relationships. As part of this process, the Board is hereby issuing a call for subject experts who can participate in the two day discussion. Topics of interest include: the changing nature of trust, security, privacy, control and protection of personal data, methods for establishing authenticity and providing assurance, management of threats, and dealing with unwanted traffic. Participants will be selected based on a short paper summarizing individual interests and qualifications as well as availability. The retreat will be held in Toronto, Ontario (CA) . Travel and accommodation costs will be covered by ISOC and participants should expect to arrive October 4th and depart on the 6th or 7th. Expressions of interest may be emailed to: Oct07-retreat @ elists.isoc.org and papers should not exceed three pages. Papers must received by August 24th, 2007 and the Program Committee will make their selections on or before September 7th, 2007. Subject experts will be allotted one hour for presentation on October 5th and will be included in the days round-table discussions. In order to facilitate open discussion, final presentation materials should be forwarded to ISOC no later than September 21st, 2007. We look forward to a lively and informative meeting on this important topic and encourage you to share this announcement with your communities of interest." Lucy Lynch Director of Technical Projects Internet Society (ISOC)

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ICANN Releases Draft IDN Evaluation Plans
by alice 08 Aug '07

08 Aug '07

Procedures for IDN TLD Evaluation Deployment in the Root Zone 6 August 2007 ICANN has finalized the procedures describing how IANA will manage the insertion, administration and removal of internationalized top- level domains in the root zone for the upcoming evaluation. The procedures were posted previously for public comments. That comment, as well as advice from the technical community (including RSSAC), was taken into consideration in editing the final versions. The two procedures guiding this effort are: 1. IANA Root Zone Procedures for Test IDN Deployment <http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/test-deployment-procedures-06aug07.htm> The final procedure was approved by the ICANN Board on 29 June 2007 (see http://icann.org/minutes/resolutions-29jun07.htm <http://www.icann.org/minutes/resolutions-29jun07.htm>) after some clarifications were provided in response to public comment (see http://forum.icann.org/lists/iana-idn-process/) These procedures are being implemented by IANA in preparation for the insertion of IDN evaluation TLDs. 2. Root Server Operator Procedures for Emergency Revocation of Evaluation-purpose IDN TLDs <http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/operator-emergency-procedures-06aug07.htm> The purpose of this procedure is to provide a method of quickly removing IDN TLDs from the root zone in the very unlikely event that insertion of these evaluation strings negatively impact DNS or root server operations. After consultation with the RSSAC, the procedure has been modified to focus on a communication protocol that root server operators will employ in the identification and mitigation of any problems that might arise for root server operations as a consequence of the proposed testing of IDN strings . Root server operators will monitor and identify deteriorated service potentially caused by IDNs in the root. If such a result is detected, ICANN will be notified and in turn activate the procedure. IDN Program -- looking forward: The next milestones in the IDN Program Plan requires obtaining necessary approvals to insert the eleven suggested evaluation top-level domains (the term <.test> translated into eleven languages). (See the IDN .test Evaluation Plan at http:// icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-19jun07.htm <http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-19jun07.htm>). An additional announcement will be made once the approvals have been received. It is anticipated that these evaluation TLDs will be launched in late September 2007. ------------------------------------ Updated IDN .test Evaluation Plan ICANN updates the IDN .test Evaluation Plan based on comment to the previously posted version of the plan for the insertion of evaluation IDN TLDs in the root zone 19 July 2007 Update ICANN has amended the draft plan for insertion of evaluation IDN TDs into the root zone based on comments received on the public forum established for that purpose (see, http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/) Specifically, an amended version of the proposed label for the Persian TLD, has been posted (see, http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/idn-evaluation-plan-v2.9.1.pdf [PDF, 241K]). The changes that have been made: (i) replaces the previously suggested Persian .test TLD with an alternate TLD label that more clearly reveals the Persian YEH, and (ii) changes of the reference to the name of the language from Farsi to Persian. Comments on this or other aspects of the evaluation plan can be made to idn-tld-test(a)icann.org <mailto:idn-tld-test@icann.org> and viewed at http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/. For more details please see: http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/msg00002.html and http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/msg00003.html. --------------------------------------------------- ICANN Releases Draft IDN Evaluation Plans 19 June 2007 As announced previously in the IDN program status report, in the draft IANA Root Zone Procedures for Test IDN Deployment, and the draft IDN TLD Root Server Performance / Tolerance, ICANN has developed a plan for insertion of IDN TLDs in the root zone for evaluation. The .test plan contains two separate evaluation facilities where the feasibility and usability of fully localized domain names can be evaluated and tested in a live environment. Implementation of this plan is one of the core elements in ICANN’s IDN Program. The draft .test plan is posted here for public comment <http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/idn-evaluation-plan-v2%209.pdf>. The draft contains a preliminary list of scripts for the example.test evaluation strings. Recommendations for changes or additions to this list of strings will be reviewed carefully to ensure broad public participation in the evaluations. During the public comment period, the plan will be discussed during several sessions of the ICANN meeting in San Juan (June 2007) and at the RSSAC / IETF meeting in Chicago (July 2007). Subject to these and other consultations, a final version of the plan will be provided for ICANN Board consideration at its 14 August 2007 meeting. ICANN Board approval will be sought for the plan, including approval of the insertion of the suggested evaluations strings (<.test> translated into a number of different languages), in the root zone. According to the plan the evaluation facilities will be launched in late September 2007. Comments to the draft .test plan can be submitted idn-tld-test(a)icann.org <mailto:idn-tld-test@icann.org> and viewed here http://forum.icann.org/lists/idn-tld-test/. For other questions or inquiries regarding ICANN’s IDN Program please contact Tina Dam, ICANN’s Director for the IDN Program, at tina.dam(a)icann.org <mailto:tina.dam@icann.org>. Translation of the .test plan into Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese is currently underway and will be released shortly.

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Journalists are THE Source of Corruption!
by Alex Gakuru 08 Aug '07

08 Aug '07

Welcome to despots utopia land where corruption must be legitimized by all legal means available. "Journalism is said to be a profession. But journalists are employed by media owners. The way journalists are treated is shameful. We know them and they are up there in the Press Gallery. I have never seen one driving a car. They live on handouts. That is what brings in a lot of corruption." http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143972553&catid=4 1. "is said to be a profession" depicts a resentment of despicable work 2. "But journalists are employed by media owners" according to him no professionals earnestly be employed. 3. "The way journalists are treated is shameful" Now the hero liberator comes to the rescue of mistreated journalists. 4. "We know them and they are up there in the Press Gallery." - We vs Them and we shall fix sort them out today 5. "I have never seen one driving a car." materiality concept is what is worship in the House? So when this MP see Kenyans walking, he has so little, if at at all any for them. Maybe he forgot to say "Please let us pass that other law quickly and tripple our 60 million retirement package. I need two new cars" 6."They live on handouts." Earlier had said "we know them" and now they live on handouts, so pass laws to make us richer and we feed them on our leftovers. 7."That is what brings in a lot of corruption." Thus passing this law is their noble respected legal responsibility in the fight against corruption. Why has not Guinness Book of Records awarded them with a medal recognizing their success at fighting graft? one asks. ---- Hello.. Hello.. awaken to the reality: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=25&n… Will the President endorse this Bill? Nop! I highly doubt it. Will the MP get re-elected? Maybe, if voters are not aware of this Hansard Extact. WE WANT EVERY HANSARD AVAILED ONLINE! ____________________________________________________________________________________ Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

3 3

Key CTO Forum in Kenya to examine solutions to African rural connectivity]
by alice 08 Aug '07

08 Aug '07

CTO Forum in Kenya to examine solutions to African rural connectivity Africas search for real solutions that will lead to the early connection of the nearly 80% of the Continent that is still without telephone and internet access will take a giant leap forward when ministers, regulators, operating company executives and high-level officials from various development partner agencies converge in Nairobi for the Connecting Rural Communities Africa Forum 2007, and is preceded on the 20th August by a meeting of the Commonwealth Connects programme. The Forum is taking place at the Grand Regency hotel in Nairobi, Kenya from the 21st to the 24th August. This key event, organised by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) and hosted by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), will provide a forum for discussion of research findings, policy options, regulatory strategies, business models, financing and investment facilities, available technologies and public-private-people-partnerships that could enable improvement in African rural connectivity. The Conference proceedings are expected to contribute to a major study to be launched by the CTO on Africas Rural Connectivity within the context of the Commonwealth Connects programme, and recommendations from the Conference will go a long way to outline the agenda for subsequent meetings, workshops, programmes and projects in the sector. The advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs) in developing nations are facilitating socio-economic development, as well as the general progress and well-being of individuals and communities. ICT has been identified as playing a leading role in enabling countries to attain their Millennium Development Goals, such as the elimination of poverty, combating of serious disease, improving access to education and providing equal opportunities to women. This conference will discuss each of these issues and highlight the work of African governments, regulators and the private sector in providing universal access. For ICTs to be sustainable and provide widespread ubiquitous access to all citizens, it is generally considered imperative that governments, regulators and the private sector work together to provide solutions and enhance connectivity. As part of its commitment to bridging the digital divide, the CTO has produced this knowledge-sharing event, designed to bring together the giants of the ICT sector, from both the public sector, private companies, the development and academic community and civil society, especially non-governmental and community-based organisations. CTOs CEO, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, states: We are delighted to be able to assemble such a high faculty of speakers and delegates from all over Africa, and also from many other regions of the world. Participants in this Conference are those who have come to acknowledge that of all the challenges the global community faces in the ICT sector, that of connecting Africas rural populations must be the epi-centre. All who are committed to the use of ICTs to advance the development process should be interested in this fundamental challenge. We look forward to seeing and meeting with as many of Africas development and investment partners as possible. The CTO Conference will significantly contribute to the development of universal access to ICT in the African region. Based on the success of last years CTO event on Connecting Rural Communities in Abuja, Nigeria, the CTO has decided to increase the duration of this years forum to three days to incorporate a Focus day which will cover amongst other things, telemedicine and improving the accessibility of education. The Conference be preceded by a half-day workshop on the use of satellites to connect rural communities in the afternoon 21st August; a half-day meeting between the CTO and heads of Universal Service Funding agencies in Africa, on the morning of 21st August, and by another all-day meeting on 20th August of representatives of African Commonwealth countries whose Points of Contact will discuss various issues involved in the Commonwealth Connects programme, that has been mandated by Commonwealth Heads of State and Government. According to an official of one of the several companies that has agreed to sponsor the event, Connecting Rural Communities Africa is a timely opportunity for all stakeholders who are spearheading rural connectivity to network, discuss best practices for harnessing ICT to deliver socio-economic benefits, share strategies for connecting rural Africa and consider different solutions for bridging the digital divide through sustainable ICT connectivity. For more information and to register to attend, or for opportunities to support this event, contact: Toby Davies Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Tel.: +44 870 777 7697 t.davies(a)cto.int <http://mailer.eddiction.co.uk/_webscripts/emaillog.php?789c35cbcd0a80201004…> *** About the CTO - The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international development partnership between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, business and civil society organisations. It provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the specific areas of telecommunications, IT, broadcasting and the Internet.

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Telkom's new licence, Sh69b debt and layoffs
by Mike Theuri 08 Aug '07

08 Aug '07

The Standard reports the following excerpts in part: http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143972525&catid=14 ++++++++ *Telkom Kenya plans major debt and project swaps to rid it of liabilities amounting to Sh68.8 billion as part of restructuring before privatisation. *======== The debt burden itself is astounding given the sum of US$1bn. The government's promise to hand over TKL with a clean balance sheet ought to invite offers far in excess of the said $50m that was said to have been offered by some bidders. While debt swap is a novel idea, the tax payer should not inadvertently become the party to whom the debt is swapped to, directly or indirectly. *++++++++ Mr Solomon Kitungu, Director of Reforms in the Ministry of Finance, said the Government has already factored the funding initiatives in the current budget, with Sh41 billion made available towards the process.* ======= It appears that the Kenyan taxpayer is bound to be saddled with heavy debt obligations far more than the previously thought Ksh 20bn. The government would do well to inform Kenyans at large just as it did for the potential bidders as to what is in it for them and the country were the sale of TKL to be successful considering it is our hard earned taxes that are paying for this privitization +++++++ *This in addition to Safaricom interconnection interest of Sh1.3 billion, Paris Club and other loans paid by Government amounting to Sh3.8 billion. There is also the Government debt on telephone and data lines amounting to Sh3.4 billion, new mobile license (US$55m), which requires Sh3.9 billion and liquidity and investment support of Sh3.5 billion. *======= It now appears that TKL is set to transition from a fixed wireless provider for which it was already licensed, to a fully fledged mobile provider at par with Safaricom and Celtel. Whether the complaints against TKL generated more than the providers bargained for (ie the mere payment of excise and VAT taxes vs a new mobile operator on equal operational footing) remains to be seen. Clearly TKL with its basket of licences will be a formidable provider once privatized considering it will be able to offer competitive and bundled services (wireless + wireline + internet + IPTV etc etc). The $55m mobile licence fee presumably will again be footed by the taxpayer. Is the government in effect throwing this arena wide open to any RWA operator by licencing TKL as a mobile operator? This would be a big plus for the consumer and other entrants eager to tap the market. Hopefully the Kenyan taxpayer who is likely to be bearing this $1 billion+ burden will not be short changed when it comes to the offer amount. TKL's management had reportedly asked for 5 years to run TKL, 5 years might be too long but atleast 2-3 years ought to have been fair. I believe TKL if given a chance would alleviate the debt burden to be passed on to taxpayers by leveraging its new services and restructured organization so as not to unfairly burden the Kenyan taxpayer and unduely reward foreign entities coming on board. Hopefully we will get to see consortiums that include local partners bidding for the sale. The government should be willing to reject bids that do not reflect the true value of TKL after the Ksh 69 billion debt offload. With a clean balance sheet, TKL ought to be worth in excess of the range Rothschilds once valued it at: $800m - $1.3bn. Why the Government did not seek to ask the bidders to assume part of the debt remains to be seen, though it does make the sale very attractive. Also to be seen is whether the government intends to undertake measures to ensure that the Nation's national security is not compromised as a result of the sale. Mike Theuri

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Echelon (Spy Network).
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 07 Aug '07

07 Aug '07

Guys, Big brother is watching: 1. Echelon <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECHELON> - Wikipedia Article. 2. The Echelon Project & Evidence of Anglo Leasing that even Ringera won't bear to ignore<http://kumekucha.blogspot.com/2007/03/echelon-project-and-evidence-of-anglo…> - Kumekucha Article. Kind regards, Michael. -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg. --

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[KBC Poll] Internet Users: 90.4 per cent oppose revealing sources
by Alex Gakuru 07 Aug '07

07 Aug '07

According to the ongoing KBC (http://www.kbc.co.ke/) Poll (image attached), Internet Users resoundingly object to journalists revealing their sources of information. Guess we are mostly OK with the 4th Estate continuing to broadcast and publish their goofs on their front pages, when they do-it's better than government info black-outs. Hope our Safari Park Hotel request that the ICT Bill incorporates a Blogger Protection clause is incorporated. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase. http://farechase.yahoo.com/

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Security Tips.
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 06 Aug '07

06 Aug '07

Guys, Forewarned is forearmed. I didn't want to bypass an opportunity to disseminate this information. Don't forget to check out this great page on e-mail hoaxes to boost your awareness: Urban Legends & Folklore.<http://urbanlegends.about.com/> Kind regards, Michael. -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg.

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Re: [kictanet] It's a new twist for Econet Wireless
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 06 Aug '07

06 Aug '07

Dear Mr. Theuri, Thank you for supplying more details. You raise many issues here and more importantly is the fact that you understand the difference between regulatory and policy. For smooth running of the industry, the regulator must be independent. The current Government at least wants an indepedent regulator. We must leave regulatory issues to the regulator. The Econet matter is regulatory. The Government has extricated itself from mixing regolatory and policy issues. This is simple and straight forward. Your problem is the fact that you are a party to the issues sorrounding Econet and you are not disclosing that to your audiences. At some point I am told you did not want KNFC to have access to the licence. Now you are advocating issuance of the same licence to KNFC. I deceided to engage with you in this discussion because I thought you were a sincere Kenyan interested in seeing justice. I now know that you cannot in any way see issues in this matter objectively. You will therefore excuse met from further discussion on this issue. I HAVE RESTED MY CASE. Regards Ndemo. > Dear Dr. Bitange, > > Thank you for your candid response and dialogue. I disagree that I am > in effect spilling any beans. The information being shared is in > possession of the Government, the regulator, KACC, courts in various > jurisdictions and covered in numerous publications across the world. > These are public domain sources and some of these documents have been > provided in many different courts by none other than Econet and the > regulator. In case my liberal sharing has been misunderstood, the > information I have shared revolves around the infamous litigant, > Econet, any information that touches on the Government is a result of > being willingly or unwillingly mired in the scandal and highlights the > danger of the Government crossing the line of being an impartial party > and becoming complicit by extension in the actions of the foreign > entity. > > The documents and facts speak for themselves and I believe there is a > pending matter in court against the regulator over the failure to > respond appropriately to an objection to the licence as required by > law. Such are the endless consequences that will potentially continue > to haunt the government if the right decision is not carried out. > > My humble opinion is that for the sake of integrity and faith in > future tendering and so as to attract companies that will not > disappoint, that the regulator seek to conduct proper and thorough due > diligence so that Kenyans and the GoK are not in essence defrauded or >%2 ---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world"

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Should the ICT Bill pasing follow The Media Bill...
by Alex Gakuru 05 Aug '07

05 Aug '07

On second thought, I recall the President said "Kama mtu yeyote [serikali-ni] ana kukasirisha sema..hapana ogopa! basi..." thus Bill Kagai,no-one should succumb to online intimidations and if I am wrong they should just say so. I am fully aware that some providers are afraid of "license implications" if they speak out... Now, given the secrecy, contradictions and last-minute maneuvers in Kenya's law-making processes consumers may be forced to pro-actively go to court to challenged the ICT Bill on constitutional illegality, certainly if the "storming clause" is not deleted. Other transparent legislators committed to consumers accessing affordable telecommunications even publish their Bills online(e.g. PDF bill, Section 5 Excemptions (2) "during an emergency declared by the President") http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070803-community-broadband-act-would… ____________________________________________________________________________________ Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

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Register your free offical Postal Email Address at PostKenya.com
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 04 Aug '07

04 Aug '07

Can you say: "Najivunia kuwa Mkenya?" ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: TelePosta Communications <postmaster(a)postkenya.com> Date: 04-Aug-2007 22:51 Subject: Register your free offical Postal Email Address at PostKenya.com To: kipsangb(a)gmail.com Dear Kenyan, As a proud Kenyan or a person with interest in Kenya, we are glad to announce to you that a new Email hosting PostOffice platform for Kenyans has been launched at http://www.postkenya.com Here, you can get your own FREE official email address and start to communicating officially with both local and international clients as well as get insightful business tips. Register now for free at PostKenya.com to get your own *email(a)postkenya.com*and have an official address that you can use to communicate freely. Please forward this message to friends and help get Kenyans on the web officialy. TeleP0sta Communications, PostKenya.com <http://www.postkenya.com> -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg.

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New law forces media to reveal sources
by Alex Gakuru 04 Aug '07

04 Aug '07

>From now on, would you trust Kenya media with any confidential corruption story, especially if you were in the civil service? or expect Editors to even touch let alone fearlessly publish corruption reports when they will have to name their sources. Who will now dare accuse a minister of graft? In short, "You Kenyans shut up and let us eat". Loss of business for local media houses and we revive your old shortwave radio. You will need it henceforth to tune in to BBC, VOA, etc for breaking news on Kenya? But then again, one can always publish in foreign newspapers that protect their sources and on websites. At least for the time being before another internet censorship and PCs confiscation law is passed. Don't you love Kenya? Have fun with whistle blower protection program joke... ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's on, when. http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/222

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Fellowships to Ensure Global Voices Heard at ICANN
by alice 03 Aug '07

03 Aug '07

see <http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-02aug07.htm> Fellowships to Ensure Global Voices Heard at ICANN Program builds on the successful pilot program run at San Juan meeting 2 August 2007 MARINA DEL REY, Calif.: More voices from across the globe will be heard at ICANN's 30th International Public Meeting in Los Angeles later this year thanks to the global fellowships program being launched today. "ICANN has a global mandate and it's important that we do what we can to support participation from every corner of the world. This program makes sure we have involvement from individuals from developing and least developed nations who otherwise may be unable to attend," said Theresa Swinehart, ICANN's Vice President, Global and Strategic Partnerships. "The pilot of the fellowship program at our San Juan meeting was a success and has helped us refine the program for the upcoming ICANN meeting in Los Angeles." The 33 fellows from 24 countries who played an active role at the San Juan meeting were chosen from 125 applications received -- and 65 per cent of the fellows and 68 per cent of applicants had never attended an ICANN meeting. Priority will be given to applicants who are current residents of developing and least developed nations who are interested in participating in ICANN and its supporting organizations, such as the Governmental Advisory Committee, the Country Code Names Supporting Organization, and the Generic Names Supporting Organization. The fellowship will assist in covering airfare, hotel and a stipend. Recipients will be expected to actively participate in and contribute to ICANN processes. As always, registration for ICANN's meetings is free for anyone wanting to attend. The Los Angeles meeting will be held from 29 October to 2 November 2007. "ICANN is working on major efforts with internationalized domain names and new top-level domains -- efforts that represent some of the biggest changes to the Internet since it was invented," Swinehart added. "ICANN wants as much input and global engagement as possible on issues like IDNs and top-level domains -- and the fellowship program has a key role in helping us accomplish that goal." Applications will be accepted from now until 1200 PDT (UTC -7) on Friday 24 August 2007. More information, as well as a link to the application for a fellowship, is available online at: http://www.icann.org/fellowships/ etc etc about ICANN. ____________________________________________________________

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[Fwd: AfriNIC position on the future of IP number resources]
by Michuki Mwangi 03 Aug '07

03 Aug '07

PLEASE READ - Very IMPORTANT! -------- Original Message -------- Subject: AfriNIC position on the future of IP number resources Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:13:29 +0400 From: Adiel A. Akplogan <ceo(a)afrinic.net> To: members-contact(a)afrinic.net Dear Members, After considering the situation of the IPv4 central pool exhaustion and the analysis paper published by AfriNIC staff in April 2007 [1], The AfriNIC Board approved in its last meeting an action plan for the staff to intensify its awareness campaign on the issue and advise network operators in the region to make their network infrastructure IPv6 ready as soon as possible. Resolution [#200707.01]: "Noting the imminent exhaustion of the IPv4 address central pool, the AfriNIC Board resolves that efforts to draw the public's attention to the problem and potential solutions such as IPv6 be intensified, and instructs the staff to take appropriate action in this regard" In line with this resolution, we have released the attached message to draw your attention to the situation. This direct communication will be followed by different other measures/activities to continue to promote the adoption of IPv6 in the Africa region. Among other activities, AfriNIC will have a press conference to reach out to a larger audience including the media and intensify its IPv6 training activity across the continent. We will also soon launch a specific area on our web site dedicated to IPv6, from where policy, training materials, papers and other useful information related to IPv6 will be available. Do not hesitate to contact our team, should you have any further questions or need more clarification. Sincerely, [1] http://www.afrinic.net/news/ipv4_exhaustion.htm ______________________________________________________________________ Adiel A. AKPLOGAN Tel. +230 466 66 16 Chief Executive Officer, AfriNIC Fax: +230 466 67 58 adiel(a)afrinic.net www.afrinic.net <http://www.afrinic.net/>================ See you at AfriNIC-7 - Durban, South Africa 23-28 September 2007, www.afrinic.net/meeting/afrinic-7 <http://www.afrinic.net/meeting/afrinic-7> -- Michuki Mwangi KENIC _______________________________________________ members mailing list members(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/members

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ICT & Investment
by Bill Kagai 03 Aug '07

03 Aug '07

*MEDIACORP INVESTOR CLINIC – NYALI BEACH HOTEL, MOMBASA Saturday, 1st September 2007 – 9.00am – 4.00pm* MediaCorp Limited is a Licensed Information Vendor of the Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE]. In our efforts to promote awareness and as a result of overwhelming interest from our subscribers and the investing community in Mombasa, we will be hosting the above mentioned clinic at the coastal city. The main panel will consist of the following speakers: - *Dr. Bitange Ndemo* – PS, Ministry of Information and communication who will speak on the role of ICT in harnessing online trading. - *Mr. Jimnah Mbaru* – Chairman, Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] who will speak on transforming the market from a paper to a digital market and the future vision of the NSE. - *Mr. Bob Karina* – Managing Director, Faida Securities who will speak on demystifying the bond market by taking advantage of ICT in Kenya. Other key themes of the Clinic will feature; - NSE Real Time Data Demonstration by MediaCorp - Investor Rights and Redress - Brokers, Unit Trusts and Investment Groups Exhibition - Upcoming Safaricom IPO - Facts and Figures - Presentations by Exhibitors - Plenary with Mombasa Investors *EXHIBITION* A parallel exhibition will run at the conference venue and interested players are invited to participate so as to take advantage of interacting with the Mombasa investing community. Branded booths will be available for Kshs 46,400 (VAT Inclusive). This includes free access for two to the Clinic and exhibition area. *PARTICIPATION FEE* Kshs 2,500 per person inclusive of VAT. Patrick Kahugi, the event coordinator is available on Tel. 254 20 272 8332 or Mobile 0722 374 393 to confirm your attendance. -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com --

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[Fwd: CTO and Kenya Work Together to Prepare for Post 3G Era]
by alice 02 Aug '07

02 Aug '07

Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation INFORMATION FOR THE PRESS For immediate release 2nd August 2007 CTO Telephone: +44 870 777 7697 Fax: +44 870 034 5626 E-mail: j.manuel(a)cto.int <http://mailer.eddiction.co.uk/_webscripts/emaillog.php?789c35cbcd0a80201004…> www.cto.int <http://mailer.eddiction.co.uk/_webscripts/emaillog.php?789c4b49ca4cb135b254…> CTO and Kenya Work Together to Prepare for Post 3G Era The CTO is to run a multi-stakeholder workshop on mobile technologies beyond 3G in Nairobi, Kenya from the 6th to the 10th August. The workshop is organised as part of a CTO-CCK programme to help telecom professionals in Kenya gain a thorough understanding of the opportunities future mobile network generations hold for access to mobile services and ICTs. Like most Commonwealth countries, Kenya embraced the potential of new technologies as an opportunity to extend public services and improve trade through new applications such as e-commerce and m-commerce. And with todays ever increasing data processing and the transmission capabilities of handsets and networks and their relative lower cost compared with traditional PCs, mobile telephony is proving the most likely means for the unconnected masses in developing countries, not only to experience and use the Internet on a regular basis, but to fully integrate the information economy. For this to become a nation-wide reality, these new applications require trained engineers and business managers, and also networks to migrate to more spectrum-efficient transmission systems and standards. The workshop will give telecoms professionals in Kenya a detailed understanding of both the evolution from 2G to 3G and the network elements and air interface of the original UMTS system. Furthermore, the course will be covering other broadband services such as WLAN, Wimax and MWBA, whilst also looking at LTE (Long Term Evolution) and how the latest developments in UMTS will push the technology very close to 4G requirements. In fact, the aim in the end is for participants to be able to understand and leverage the UMTS and IEEE standards. CTO is intensifying its programmes on new technologies for greater access. Earlier this year, three Kenyans from CCK were sent by CTO to a high-level workshop in Yaoundé, Cameroon on frequency planning and spectrum management for NGN. And to spur member countries interest on the potential of NGN, the CTO is holding a major conference on NGN and convergence. Organised within CTO's Programme for Development and Training (PDT) in partnership with CCK and Nokia Siemens Networks, the Nairobi workshop will last five days. As the Commonwealth capacity building programme for ICTs, the PDT is a unique corporate membership programme for sharing of industry best practices in a uniquely fast-moving and global industry. Hundreds of ICT professionals from public and private sector organisations around the world benefit from its professional development programmes each year, built around a mix of high-quality training, networking and consulting in four main areas: ICT policy development, regulation, technology and business management. For more information and to register to attend, contact: Juliet Manuel Programme Management Officer Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Tel.: +44 870 777 7697 j.manuel(a)cto.int <http://mailer.eddiction.co.uk/_webscripts/emaillog.php?789c35cbcd0a80201004…> *** About the CTO - The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is an international development partnership between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, business and civil society organisations. It provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the specific areas of telecommunications, IT, broadcasting and the Internet.Click here to unsubscribe <http://mailer.eddiction.co.uk/_webscripts/emaillog.php?789c1d8a3b0ac4300c05…>

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[Fwd: [governance] registration for Rio IGF is open]
by alice 01 Aug '07

01 Aug '07

For all those interested in internet governance issues: http://intgovforum.org/register/index.php Registration for the second meeting of the IGF is <http://intgovforum.org/register/index.php>now open. [updated 30 July 2007] The Government of Brazil will host the second IGF meeting. It will take place in Rio de Janeiro on 12 - 15 November 2007. best, Veni ____________________________________________________________ You received this message as a subscriber on the list: governance(a)lists.cpsr.org To be removed from the list, send any message to: governance-unsubscribe(a)lists.cpsr.org For all list information and functions, see: http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance

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[Fwd: [Kenic-board] IT Internship Position]
by alice 01 Aug '07

01 Aug '07

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: [Kenic-board] IT Internship Position Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 14:13:01 +0300 From: Vincent Ngundi <vincent(a)kenic.or.ke> To: KeNIC Board <kenic-board(a)kenic.or.ke> CC: KeNIC Mgmt <mgmt(a)kenic.or.ke> KENIC wishes to invite interested and qualified persons to submit applications for the above vacancy. *Position* The KENIC Internship programme aims at giving the Intern's hands-on experience on certain aspects of the working environment. The programme also provides additional human resources to the existing KENIC workforce. The KENIC Internship programme will run on a 3-month rotational basis. *Qualifications and Skills* Interested candidates should meet the following criteria: * Be an undergrauate pursuing a Bsc in Computer Science degree - on vacation(preferably going to their final year) or just cleared college * Hands-on experience in using UNIX/LINUX * N+ or Cisco Certifications will be an added advantage * Hardworking * Self-driven - can work with minimum supervision * Ladies are encouraged to apply *How to Apply* Applications should contain a cover letter detailing skills and abilities and with the subject "Application for IT Internship Position" and should be sent via email to internship(a)kenic.or.ke <mailto:internship@kenic.or.ke> on or before the 24th of August 2007. Applicants should also attach a detailed copy of their resume. Kind Regards, *Administrative Manager* *Kenya Network Information Centre* _______________________________________________ Kenic-board mailing list Kenic-board(a)ole.kenic.or.ke http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kenic-board

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Re: [kictanet] It's a new twist for Econet Wireless
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 01 Aug '07

01 Aug '07

Dear Mr. Theuri, Whereas you may be having more information than we do, it may be prudent for you to spill out the beans for the world to know. It is pointless to implicate the Government if you cannot substantiate your claims. We have gone through all these motions for the past one year and the best way forward was to remove government from any possible liability. Remember we accepted $15 million deposit for the licence fee (whether this was right or wrong it is water under the bridge). Even if we were to refund this at normal interest rates, it is a lot of money to the tax payer. One way or another, we had to make a decision since this matter is more of regulatory than policy. If indeed there is injustice to the whole matter, the courts will deny Econet from getting to set up in Kenya. Nobody has stopped KNFC from pursuing justice. One thing that I have learnt in this office is that you cannot be indicisive and hope to achieve anything. I have always used Thika road as the best analogy. In as much as the users are suffering with traffic jams, they usually do not think the same if the Government wanted to make it a six lane highway in both sides, still there will be protesters who will say pedestrians crossing will have a problem or the goat keepers at Utalii will claim lost business. Once in a situation and you want to move on, the most prudent thing you do is to make a decision (good or bad). Have a decive day. Regards Bitange Ndemo. > One cannot envy the PS for he is in a difficult situation trying to > extricate the government from a situation which would never have occurred > had those responsible (long before the tender concluded) abided by the law > and struck out the litigant based on publicly and widely available > information during the pre-qualification stage of the tender. Even though > some might disagree, two wrongs do not make a right, and history no matter > how long it takes to get there will be the judge of this government's > actions. As was the case, while the Government was fighting the litigant > in > Kenyan courts, a different arm of the Government was bizarrely engaged in > a > PR campaign on behalf of the litigant in a foreign country! Was the > litigation in Kenya a mere public relations exercise to show Kenyans that > the government tried to do something so that Kenyans could mistakenly > conclude that atleast the government 'fought tooth and nail' ? > > The government cannot claim to know it did not know what kind of 'animal' > it > was dealing with when it allowed the litigant to get past > pre-qualification > while international telecom giants with more experience, cash and > ---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world"

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Internet privacy does not really exist
by Alex Gakuru 01 Aug '07

01 Aug '07

Even you feel "stupid" at least now you know.... ------------------------------------------------- Experts in the field of Internet privacy have a consensus that Internet privacy does not really exist. Privacy advocates believe that it should exist. ISPs Consumers obtain Internet access through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). All Internet data to and from the consumer must pass through the consumer's ISP. Given this, any ISP has the capability of observing anything and everything about the consumer's (unencrypted) Internet activities; however, ISPs presumably do not do this (or at least not fully) due to legal, ethical, business, and technical considerations. ISPs do, however, collect at least some information about the consumers using their services. From a privacy standpoint, the ideal ISP would collect only as much information as it requires in order to provide Internet connectivity (IP address, billing information if applicable, etc). A common belief exists that most ISPs collect additional information, such as aggregate browsing habits or even personally-identifiable URL histories. What information an ISP collects, what it does with that information, and whether it informs its consumers, can pose significant privacy issues. Beyond usages of collected information typical of third parties, ISPs sometimes state that they will make their information available to government authorities upon request. In the US and other countries, such a request need not involve a warrant. An ISP cannot know the contents of properly-encrypted data passing between its consumers and the Internet. For encrypting web traffic, https has become the most popular and best-supported standard. Note however, that even if users encrypt the data, the ISP still knows the IP addresses of the sender and of the recipient. (However, see the IP addresses section for workarounds.) General concerns regarding internet user privacy have become a concern enough for a UN agency report to on the dangers of identity fraud. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_privacy ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545469

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ICT and Engineering Students Exhibition 2007
by Kevit Desai 31 Jul '07

31 Jul '07

Dear All, The 10th Anniversary of the annual ICT and Engineering Students' Exhibition 2007 of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) will be held on 14th -15th September 2007 in Nairobi at Sarit Centre Expo Hall. This exhibition brings together academia, industries and government to realize the vital opportunity of creating linkages and collaboration.. The event is supported by the Ministry of Information and Communications, Kenya Private Sector Alliance and the Kenya ICT Federation,Kenya Association of Manufacturers among others. This years' theme is 'ICT IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT' The objective of the Engineering Students Exhibition is to encourage students to develop their engineering skills and to give them deeper insight in technology coupled with market demand. The preparation and presentation of projects challenges them to use their theoretical knowledge and demonstrate their engineering ability. Students also network with local and international participants, and interact with senior representatives of the private sector. This being the 10th Anniversary, the exhibition will be equally large and best projects that demonstrate innovation and talent are being sort. The participants are required to place their projects in one of the following categories: i. Electronics Engineering * Electrical * Electronic ii. Information & Communication Technology (ICT) * Computer Hardware * Computer Software iii. Mobile Application I therefore wish you to encourage students in all learning Institution to register for projects and email to: <file:///\\Md\..\..\..\..\Kevit\Desktop\ieee%20dcos\IEEE%202007%20EXHIBITION \exhibition(a)centurionsystemsltd.com> exhibition(a)centurionsystemsltd.com The following link www.engineeringexhibition.com <http://www.engineeringexhibition.com/> is the web page for The Engineering Students' Exhibition.You can access the registration forms. Yours Faithfully, Chair- IEEE Kenya Section Kevit Desai Director of Engineering - Centurion Systems Ltd Chairperson IEEE - Kenya Section Governor - KEPSA Director - KEPSA Director - Innovation Africa BOA - AIESEC Member - National Strategy for University Education 2nd Fl, New Rehema Hse, Raphta Rd, Westlands -Nairobi P.O. BOX 66031 - 00800 Nrb. Tel: 0204440101 Fax: 0204440104 Mobile: 0722517067 http://www.centurionsystemsltd.com <http://www.centurionsystemsltd.com/> http://www.ieee.org <http://www.ieee.org/> http://www.engineeringexhibition.com <http://www.engineeringexhibition.com/> http://www.innovation-africa.net <http://www.innovation-africa.net/> http://www.kepsa.or.ke <http://www.kepsa.or.ke/> http://www.powerup.co.ke <http://www.powerup.co.ke/> http://www.aiesec.org <http://www.aiesec.org/>

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VoiP market dominated by big players
by Alex Gakuru 31 Jul '07

31 Jul '07

BTW/I hope this is not the duo's proactive strategy to lock out interconnection with our upcoming community WiFi telcos? We intent to populate rural areas with IP phones using Licence Free 2.4 and 5.8 GHz band courtesy of CCK. I shall reveal details at my CTO presentation here <http://www.events.cto.int/default.aspx?event=crcafrica07> [Business Daily] <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2196&Item…> "VoiP market dominated by big players" Okuttah, Mark 31-July-2007 --<snip>-- Recently, the CCK came up with the maximum amount chargeable for voice interconnection. The regulator also asks companies to interconnect with other network providers though it does not state how or how long an interested party should engage the other. Mr Nzioka Waita, the Legal Service Manager at Safaricom, said the company is negotiating with seven ISP providers on the matter and that sealing a deal depends on a number of factors, including the traffic volumes and quality of service. Some of the providers dump low quality VoIP services on consumers, so why go through them if we are able to secure the same deal with an international partner? he asked. Mr Nzioka says Safaricoms capacity cannot allow it to interconnect with all the players and was using a first come first served formula, which is usually on the basis of a nondisclosure agreement. Celtel Kenya CEO David Murray says while a number of the ISPs have shown interest in interconnecting to the companys network, most do not have independent clients and can only act as agents. <snip> ____________________________________________________________________________________Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/

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Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] It's a new twist for Econet Wireless
by Mike Theuri 31 Jul '07

31 Jul '07

David, These are good questions, and several remain to be unravelled. There are many dimensions to this issue. One party clearly has a public relations scoop over the other as certain reporters who masquerade as 'correspondent' gleefully write about one entity in a one sided manner that borders on glorification. If KNFC's arguments are accurate, it begs the question of how a minority shareholder made a decision on behalf of an entire company without the knowledge of the other shareholders so as to 'withdraw' the case. I doubt that KNFC want to pocket the difference, just the other day none other than Vice President Awori promised to deliver the licence to KNFC/EWK on Ushirika day while addressing members of the Co-operative movement. This was reported in sections of the media (note the lop sided coverage) and KNFC was quoted as stating they were prepared to go it alone (per KT and Capital FM). You are right on the mark, it is imperative to use lawyers to avoid these types of controversies or where token board members (now former) of a company are compromised and terrorize an entire movement. KNFC were brought on board by a well meaning Kenyan who was then an executive at the foreign entity, he was apparently inspired by how Empowerment programs were working in South Africa. KNFC has the capacity to raise the capital. KNFC has been derailed several times by powerful outside forces who continuously meddle in its attempts to progress. This licence is fully capable of being wholly owned by Kenyans and Kenyans alone if need be through a combination of grass root equity through the cooperative movement, private equity,debt financing and a build, operate and transfer arrangement. What KNFC needs is an advisory firm with experience preferably with transactions in South Africa's empowerment models. As to the retention of the funds, it will be interesting to see how the Government handles this debacle. As it is, if the tender rules were to have been followed to the letter the licence ought to have been cancelled over 2 years ago according to the tender rules and the Kenya Communication Regulations. ======== Page 16, Section 4.5 of the Tender document: The pre-qualified mobile operators consortia shall not be allowed to change the character of their composition by either substituting any of the pre-qualified operators' consortia with a new member or by submitting separate bids. ========== Page 90 of the 3rd mobile Tender document regarding cancellation was also appropriately applied in the case of the Second National Operator in cancelling Vtel's bid where VTel was willing to pay but its local partners were not: (iii) if the Applicant, after having notified the Commission of its acceptance of the licence, fails to pay the licence fee fully within 60 (sixty) days after such notice; http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=16405 The East African reported on November 1, 2004, the following: However, the licence was not awarded as the fee was not raised by the October 17 deadline. But neither did the Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) invite fresh tenders or award the licence to the second highest bidder as required by the Kenya Communications Act. Instead, it decided to give the Kenya National Federation of Co-operatives another 30 days – beginning October 18 – to raise its share of the amount required. Econet has already paid its share of $15 million of the licence fee. ========= Perhaps VTEL should get a similar deal no matter how unorthodox and get a second shot at the licence now that the regulator has established a precedent?? Well that remains to be seen. Mike Theuri On 7/25/07, David Kiania | Asentric Consulting Ltd <kianiadee(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > Herein lies poignant lessons for anyone looking to partner for whatever > reason. First avoid Farmers and amorphous bodies their interests are as > diverse as their membership. KNFC nees to tell us since EWK will be > settling the legal costs of the suits that they have terminated, what % > of the legal bills will they foot. Secondly can they or can't they raise > their portion of license fee which was a point of contention ab initial. > From what I gather, they are broke and are not in a position to so of > the US$ 27m license fee, Econet International has already paid $12M > being the majority shareholder can KNFC raise $15M or are they seeking > to auction their shareholding and have and pocket the surplus. Me thinks > they want to cash out and pocket something. > > Last but not least, the outcome will also be influenced by their > shareholders' agreement on liquidation and ownership transfer. Herein > lies the other lesson, during incorporation get a good lawyer, not a pal > because they will cost you nothing. From my experience get a lawyer (in > their personal capacity) with one of the big firms (K&S, HHM, etc) they > have great incorporation templates and are thorough not to mention they > know how to get things done right. > > I have a feeling that EW Kenya may carry the day, after all the govt > needs to fund the Kshs 400 billion budget deficit and are in not > position to refund the $12M already paid, it's an election year :) Watch > what happens carefully . > > Kiania D. > > > > Mike Theuri wrote: > > It's a new twist for Econet Wireless as it prepares to roll out its > > services > > Written By:Emmanuel Toili , Posted: Tue, Jul 24, 2007 > > > > It's a new twist for the third mobile service provider Econet Wireless > > International after the Kenya National Federation of Co-operatives > > limited- > > KNFC > > threatened to take a court injunction to stop the rolling out of the > > mobile > > services. > > > > Interim Chairman Stanley Muchiri said the Federation had neither > > withdrawn > > two > > court cases that prevented Econet Wireless International from > > providing the > > mobile services. > > > > The government and Econet Wireless International had last week signed a > > settlement agreement and agreed to settle the contentious issues out of > > court. > > > > KNFC who are allegedly the majority shareholders of Econet Wireless > > Consortium, > > want the Communications Commission of Kenya - CCK, to issue them a > > license > > as a > > partner. > > > > http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=43974 > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > _______________________________________________ > > skunkworks mailing list > > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com > >

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Fwd: [DigAfrica] CyberTrackers of the Kalahari take out their PDAs in Botswana
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 30 Jul '07

30 Jul '07

I thought I might want to share this with you... (KWS wanafanya nini?) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: yamanjanl <yamanjanl(a)yahoo.com> Date: 15-Jul-2007 17:58 Subject: [DigAfrica] CyberTrackers of the Kalahari take out their PDAs in Botswana To: DigAfrica(a)yahoogroups.com That indispensable electronic tool of every rising young executive, the personal digital assistant (PDA), has been matched to the traditional knowledge of the Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert to give Africa a new profession: digital wildlife tracker. The high-tech wildlife trackers have been used against poachers, in ecotourism, environmental education, research and monitoring. The free software that links up traditional knowledge to electronic data mapping has been applied around the world to social surveys, organic farming, integrated pest management and disaster relief. The new profession sprang from the work of Louis Liebenberg, a South African conservation scientist who learned tracking from bow-and- arrow hunters in Botswana. He recognized the importance of their skills and knowledge for conservation — and how little it was valued by protection authorities, partly because the Bushmen could not read or write. With former University of Cape Town computer scientist Justin Steventon, Liebenberg developed a hand-held computer and software to capture their knowledge. He called the system CyberTracker. The computer displays a palette of symbols representing more than 40 animal species, subspecies and plants. The icons also cover activities such as drinking, feeding, running, fighting, mating and sleeping. Pressing an icon records a sighting or other indications. Each screen allows the user to record increasingly detailed information. They found that one tracker might record up to 300 observations in a day. Connected to a satellite navigational system in 1996, the hand-held computer automatically recorded the details, time, date and exact location. This information was processed on a base-station computer to create maps and charts of animal movements and feeding habits. Today, all the data collection can be done on a PDA and worked on a personal computer. The free software used to turn a tracker into a digital wildlife tracker has now been downloaded over 25,000 times in more than 50 countries. When Liebenberg received a Rolex Award for Enterprise for his work with CyberTracker, the European Union funded work that enabled him to set up a non-governmental organization to develop and distribute the software as part of his effort to establish a worldwide network to monitor wildlife (http://www.cybertracker.org) Mr Liebenberg's plan was to hand over management to someone else and go back to research exclusively, but so far that remains a dream, and he now also spends time evaluating trackers for certification. The scientist's efforts had a social development goal from the start. "I set out to show that there is an alternative for the desperately downtrodden and impoverished Bushmen whose understanding of nature and its rhythms is unparalleled," he says. The illiterate trackers who carried out the first project, a detailed study of the black rhinoceros, were able to publish their findings in a respected scientific journal with the aid of Liebenberg and Steventon. Certified trackers now run into the hundreds. Liebenberg runs tracker certificate programmes in South Africa at the Thorny Bush Nature Reserve, a private reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park, and the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. Others are now also organized in the United States. 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Nairobi: 2nd Annual "Connecting Rural Communities Africa" Forum (August)/ICT Africa 2007 (October)
by Janet Feldman 29 Jul '07

29 Jul '07

2ND ANNUAL CONNECTING RURAL COMMUNITIES AFRICA FORUM 2007 21st-24th August 2007, Nairobi, Kenya This international event will bring together African government officials, senior figures from African regulatory authorities and international ICT experts who are leading the private sector connectivity drive. At this forum you have the opportunity to discuss and analyse best practices, share case studies, and debate crucial topics. If you would like to register as a delegate, please contact Marco by email: m.dekock(a)cto.int or telephone: 0044 208834 1577 More Info: 2nd Annual Connecting Rural Communities Africa Forum 2007: Bridging the digital divide through sustainable ICT connectivity Take advantage of the opportunity to attend the forum which will enhance your understanding of connecting rural Africa through ICT. If you would like to participate, please contact Marco by email: m.dekock(a)cto.int or telephone: 0044 208834 1577 The Conference In A Nutshell: Pre-conference workshop day: Tuesday 21st August 2007 Main conference: Wednesday 22nd August to Thursday 23rd August 2007 Rural Services & Applications Focus Day: Friday 24th August 2007 Grand Regency Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya Host Organisation: The Communications Commission of Kenya Website: www.cto.int This international event will bring together African government officials, senior figures from African regulatory authorities and international ICT experts who are leading the private sector connectivity drive. At this forum you have the opportunity to discuss and analyse best practices, share case studies and debate crucial topics such as: * Optimal regulation strategies to promote rural connectivity * Creating the right environment to attract foreign investment * How to best harness and utilise ICT to deliver socio-economic benefits to rural communities * Analyse current projects which seek to bridge the digital divide * The opportunity to advance rural connectivity through mobile, internet and satellite and enhance access to key services, content and applications How You Can Participate: If you would like to participate as a speaker, contact Mani by email ( m.kaur-rai(a)cto.int) to discuss speaker opportunities. Speakers receive FREE admission to the whole forum Interested in sponsoring or exhibiting? We have limited space available for solution providers, if you have services which you would like to highlight to our large delegation, please email Mani at m.kaur-rai(a)cto.int If you would like to register as a delegate, please contact Marco by email: m.dekock(a)cto.int If you would like to help us create a successful event, please email Andrea: a.hooker(a)cto.int or telephone: 0044 208834 1589 for details of becoming a media partner and receiving your press pass. - ICT AFRICA 2007 October 1-5, 2007, Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya ICT Africa is an annual continental information and communications technology conference addressing all aspects of ICT development in Africa. The conference is convened by NEPAD council in collaboration with the NEPAD Kenya secretariat. The 2007 event will be organized by Global Conferences, Cape Town, South Africa. For further information contact rjacobs(a)globalconf.co.za

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EU to Open Up Mobile Spectrum
by Alex Gakuru 29 Jul '07

29 Jul '07

[BUSINESSWEEK] <http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/jul2007/gb20070727_798976.htm…> EU to Open Up Mobile Spectrum To encourage innovation in telecommunications, radio spectrum previously reserved for GMS mobile networks may be freed up Tim Ferguson July 27, 2007 The European Commission (EC) has proposed the removal of restrictions on the radio spectrum previously used solely for GSM mobile phone networks. The proposals include the repeal of the 1987 GSM Directive which allocated the 900MHz-1800MHz spectrum to GSM services only. The move is aimed at making it easier and more lucrative for operators to develop innovative wireless technologies such as 3G, mobile data or multimedia services. European telecoms commissioner Viviane Reding said the EU needs to remove regulatory barriers and allow new tech to share the spectrum. This will be a "concrete step" towards a more "flexible market-driven approach" to spectrum management, she said. This should mean a greater choice of wireless services available to European citizens and should also expand the geographical coverage of mobile networks. Another benefit could be reduced network deployment costs for the wireless communications industry as it will remove the need to develop services on other spectrums. It has been estimated that the wireless comms industry could save up to 40 per cent in cumulative capital expenditure over five years if the proposals come to fruition. Mike Grant, head of broadband and media at consultancy Analysys told silicon.com: "This is an interesting move by the Commission. One of the reasons is that technology is now allowing use of spectrum in a way previously not possible." He added the move is "a helpful step forward". Mark Blowers, senior research analyst at the Butler Group, agreed. He said the EC is being more pragmatic: "To my mind, that's a good thing." The European Commission expects the measures to be in place by the end of the year. --- ____________________________________________________________________________________ Got a little couch potato? Check out fun summer activities for kids. http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&…

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Fwd: [ke-internetusers] ALERT! Storm Worm:Worst Virus Attack In 2 Years
by Alex Gakuru 28 Jul '07

28 Jul '07

[Last week I got quite a number of these messages and I got quite suspicious having read, 3 days earlier, how the FBI planted bugs by tricking users to compromised site.YOU MAY AVOID CLICKING FUNNY ENTICING EMAIL LINKS] [WIRED] http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2007/07/fbi_spyware FBI's Secret Spyware Tracks Down Teen Who Made Bomb Threats --Excerpts-- FBI agents trying to track the source of e-mailed bomb threats against a Washington high school last month sent the suspect a secret surveillance program designed to surreptitiously monitor him and report back to a government server, according to an FBI affidavit obtained by Wired News. The court filing offers the first public glimpse into the bureau's long-suspected spyware capability, in which the FBI adopts techniques more common to online criminals. The software was sent to the owner of an anonymous MySpace profile linked to bomb threats against Timberline High School near Seattle... ..the spyware program gathers a wide range of information, including the computer's IP address; MAC address; open ports; a list of running programs; the operating system type, version and serial number; preferred internet browser and version; the computer's registered owner and registered company name; the current logged-in user name and the last-visited URL. The CIPAV then settles into a silent "pen register" mode, in which it lurks on the target computer and monitors its internet use, logging the IP address of every computer to which the machine connects for up to 60 days. ---- [WWWhatsup NYC] http://www.informationweek.com/security/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=2012008… Storm Worm Erupts Into Worst Virus Attack In 2 Years Storm worm authors are blasting the Internet with two types of attacks, and both are aimed at building up their botnet. By Sharon Gaudin InformationWeek July 24, 2007 04:19 PM The Storm worm authors are waging a multi-pronged attack and generating the largest virus attack some researchers say they've seen in two years. "We are basically in the midst of an incredibly large attack," said Adam Swidler, a senior manager with security company Postini. "It's the most sustained attack that we've seen. There's been nine to 10 days straight days of attack at this level." Swidler said in an interview with InformationWeek that the attack started a little more than a week ago, and Postini since then has recorded 200 million spam e-mails luring users to malicious Web sites. Before this attack, an average day sees about 1 million virus-laden e-mails, according to Postini. Last Thursday, however, the company tracked 42 million Storm-related messages in that day alone. As of Tuesday afternoon, Postini researchers were predicting they would see that day between 4 million and 6 million virus e-mails -- 99% of them associated with the Storm worm. While the number of spam e-mails has dropped significantly, it's still far above normal levels, so Swidler isn't ready to say the attack is over. The viruses are not embedded in the e-mails or in attachments. The e-mails, many of them otherwise empty, contain a link to a compromised Web site where machines are infected with a generic downloader. This helps pull the computers into the malware authors' growing botnet, while also leaving them open for further infection at a later date. "This is designed to add computers to the botnet," said Swidler. "That's first and foremost their goal." But the Storm worm authors aren't contenting themselves with this one attack vector. Paul Henry, VP of technologies with Secure Computing, said in an interview that the electronic greeting card spam scam that the Storm worm authors launched early in July is stronger than ever. He noted that a friend of his has a company with 100 users and they're being hit with about 300 e-card spams every day. "Back in December, we saw a huge spike in e-card spams because of the holiday," he added. "We are at the levels we were seeing back in December right now Most security professionals thought it would show up for Independence Day and then fade immediately, but it's been escalating for the last few weeks. It's definitely a pain point." Again, the e-card spam message, which install rootkits in the infected computers, are working to build a botnet. Henry could not say if it's the same botnet as the other messages are building. "I have seen thousands of these e-mails since Independence Day. It's got to be working for them or they wouldn't keep doing it," said Henry. Just a few weeks ago, the Storm worm authors began trying to trick users with fraudulent e-mails warning unsuspecting users about virus or spyware infections. Users around the world were receiving spam messages claiming that viruses or spyware had been detected on the users' systems. It was another attempt to lure users to malicious sites where their computers could be infected. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles. Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/

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Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] It's a new twist for Econet Wireless
by Mike Theuri 27 Jul '07

27 Jul '07

Joram, Your intuition is right, there are heavily vested interests, though I believe not in the sense that Econet is coming in late but in the sense that Econet is coming in now. It is apparent that there may be multiple vested and opposing interests gunning for control of the licence, whether true or not, it can be concluded that where there is smoke the likelihood of finding a fire is high: === SPECIAL REPORT | Page 9 SUNDAY STANDARD MARCH 19 2006 No end in sight to Econet intrigues "In April last year, our officers investigating the case were told to stop with immediate effect." says a senior Kacc official. Kacc spokesman Nicholas Simani however declined to comment on the matter." ==== There is a plethora of hundreds perhaps thousands of pages of documents (some attached) on these matters available from courts in Nairobi, London, Lagos, Papua New Guinea, Botswana and Johannesburg including affidavits by the foreign entity's executives that tell a shockingly different story from the often one sided pompous story told in the media. KNFC has a valid case, Econet too had to raise money (there is evidence supporting how this was done and why Econet took their former top level executive (also after he refused to co-operate in disenfranchising KNFC) to court in Johannesburg in a bid to gag him from spilling the beans, beans which a VP of the telecom vendor at the center of the unorthodox financing arrangement feared would rile Vodafone/Safaricom, Celtel, MTN etc). Why would anyone touch KNFC with a long pole when there are vested interests intent on derailing KNFC at every turn and corner while a PR machine touts the other party as the credible and righteous party with stories of "success and triumph" in other countries citing billions of profits in Zimbabwean dollars Z$ ambigiously as touted as $ "US dollars" yet it is no secret that Zimbabwe is a nation of poor millionaires where the average price of a home starts in the billions http://www.fingaz.co.zw/fingaz/2005/February/February24/7816.shtml If you were a financier who would you work with? The hapless KNFC you read about in the press or the over "glorified" entity (minus its unknown mishaps) that you read about in the press? Even then according to the attached advertisement that was published in the Nation on April 12 2004 by KNFC's lead financier, the regulator is said to have refused to accept the replacement bid bond from KNFC and further to that KNFC's financier confirms in the ad as having raised the requisite licence fee but the regulator was not willing to issue the licence to them. The Econet PR machine that has its team of dedicated journalists in various newsrooms went to work to tout KNFC as having no funds or in the alternate of having failed to raise funds for the licence. Those in doubt do not need to look very far, the Co-operative bank is one such example of success from the co-operative sector. As always the PR machinery works overtime to paint KNFC as the impoverished villians and Econet as the righteous party with money overflowing from its pockets. Unfortunately the truth should be told, contrary to what the Kenyan media reports, Econet has not won any of its huge and highly publicized endlessly filed legal battles. Where it was not likely to win it settled. Econet Wireless Nigeria is no more, it is now Celtel and NOT because Econet sold it to Celtel but because the Nigerian shareholders choose to do so. Econet simply got a taste of its own medicine when it was bundled out of Econet Wireless Nigeria and when it seemed Econet could retain its 5% shareholding + more, it was unable to match Celtel's superior offer for the shares at stake. As Business Day in South Africa and other Nigerian media reported on and around 30 June 2006 regarding the saga (contrary to Kenyan media reports indicating the opposite). Thus there is no West African battle that Econet has won except through its disinformation campaign: ---------------- http://mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=3368 ECONET's battle for control of Nigeria's cellular network, V Mobile, has been massively undermined by a court verdict damning Econet for misleading a judge and failing to admit it was $90m short of the cash needed to buy the business. The Nigerian court will be presented with the UK verdict showing that Econet had withheld evidence and failed to raise the cash. Econet CEO Strive Masiyiwa claimed to have raised $1,5bn to buy V-Mobile entirely, but accused the Nigerians of refusing to hand over the documents to conclude the deal. The court found that was not true. When Econet sought an order to block V-Mobile's sale to Celtel, it told the court it had more than enough funds to make the payment. "That was not the true position," Judge Morison said in his ruling. "There was serious nondisclosure or misrepresentation of the true position as to Econet's access to funds." The court was "seriously misled by evidence as to Econet's access to funds," Morison said. He ended the injunction so Celtel could buy V Mobile as Econet lacked cash. Celtel CEO Marten Pieters said the ruling confirmed Celtel's purchase of V- Mobile was a professional and transparent process. ------------------ http://www.pacificmagazine.net/issue/2005/02/01/business-briefs The Papua New Guinea government has terminated the proposed sale of 51 percent of Telikom (PNG) Ltd to African telecommunications giant Econet Wireless Group. Bowing to criticism in Parliament and public outcry, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare announced the PNG Cabinet's decision and said the sale process would be looked at again this year. "Given the debate from various sectors of the community and the parliamentary resolution not to proceed with the sale under its current structure, the Cabinet has decided the most logical step is to cancel current attempts to sell this important State asset," Sir Michael said. ------------------- Anywhere Econet goes, there are problems, the modus operandi is the same, when they are exposed turn around and sue Governments and their partners for the favored value of $1bn or issue legal threats only later to settle after having succeeded in intimidating the intended victims to agree to their demands or in the event they loose, their PR machine goes to work touting their "victory" or the fact that the matter is far from over. It is a pity that the Kenyan media is far from professionally telling the truth that is already in the public domain in such enormous and overwhelming terms. On 7/25/07, Joram Mwinamo <joram.mwinamo(a)gmail.com > wrote: > > I also have a feeling there could be vested interests in Econet not coming > in as the 4th mobile operator in this country as competition will seriously > harm the mega profits being made right now. Im not saying anything but for > people who couldnt raise the money,i dont see why their case was being heard > even when econet offered to put up the capital. There is definitely more > than meets the eye here and I dont see why things go in favour of the > Cooperative that doesnt have cash.We want competition so that i can call > at 2 bob a minute > > However econet has had a few victories to similar battles in west africa > where they were clearly the underdogs,im holding my breath > > On 7/25/07, David Kiania | Asentric Consulting Ltd < kianiadee(a)gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > > > Herein lies poignant lessons for anyone looking to partner for whatever > > reason. First avoid Farmers and amorphous bodies their interests are as > > diverse as their membership. KNFC nees to tell us since EWK will be > > settling the legal costs of the suits that they have terminated, what % > > of the legal bills will they foot. Secondly can they or can't they raise > > > > their portion of license fee which was a point of contention ab initial. > > > > >From what I gather, they are broke and are not in a position to so of > > the US$ 27m license fee, Econet International has already paid $12M > > being the majority shareholder can KNFC raise $15M or are they seeking > > to auction their shareholding and have and pocket the surplus. Me thinks > > they want to cash out and pocket something. > > > > Last but not least, the outcome will also be influenced by their > > shareholders' agreement on liquidation and ownership transfer. Herein > > lies the other lesson, during incorporation get a good lawyer, not a pal > > because they will cost you nothing. From my experience get a lawyer (in > > their personal capacity) with one of the big firms (K&S, HHM, etc) they > > have great incorporation templates and are thorough not to mention they > > know how to get things done right. > > > > I have a feeling that EW Kenya may carry the day, after all the govt > > needs to fund the Kshs 400 billion budget deficit and are in not > > position to refund the $12M already paid, it's an election year :) Watch > > what happens carefully . > > > > Kiania D. > > > > > > > > Mike Theuri wrote: > > > It's a new twist for Econet Wireless as it prepares to roll out its > > > services > > > Written By:Emmanuel Toili , Posted: Tue, Jul 24, 2007 > > > > > > It's a new twist for the third mobile service provider Econet Wireless > > > > > International after the Kenya National Federation of Co-operatives > > > limited- > > > KNFC > > > threatened to take a court injunction to stop the rolling out of the > > > mobile > > > services. > > > > > > Interim Chairman Stanley Muchiri said the Federation had neither > > > withdrawn > > > two > > > court cases that prevented Econet Wireless International from > > > providing the > > > mobile services. > > > > > > The government and Econet Wireless International had last week signed > > a > > > settlement agreement and agreed to settle the contentious issues out > > of > > > court. > > > > > > KNFC who are allegedly the majority shareholders of Econet Wireless > > > Consortium, > > > want the Communications Commission of Kenya - CCK, to issue them a > > > license > > > as a > > > partner. > > > > > > http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=43974 > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > skunkworks mailing list > > > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > > > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > > > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > > skunkworks mailing list > > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com > > > > > > -- > Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,but that we are powerful > beyond measure.It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.Thereis nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel > insecure around you.As we let our own light shine, we consciously give > other people permission to do the same. > As we are liberated from our fear,our presence automatically liberates > others.

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KICTANet Institutional Assessment
by Rebecca Wanjiku 26 Jul '07

26 Jul '07

The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder network with members from the private sector, civil society, media, academia and government. It is a network of committed volunteers from organizations, networks and groups, who believe in collaborative policy advocacy activities and the sharing of resources and skills. The advocacy activities are focused on the development and use of ICT to support poverty reduction and the transformation of livelihoods. Recognizing this important role of ICT in our society, KICTANet is conducting two studies. One to assess the network as an institution (institutional assessment) to establish ways to engage the stakeholders more, how it can build on successes and incorporate other issues and methods, the other is a case study of the network , which is being conducted by Muriuki Mureithi. In this respect, the lead consultant for the institutional assessment will be conducting interviews expected to last about 30 minutes. While, Muriuki Mureithi has already sent questionnaires to a number of network members. Because KICTANet is committed to ensuring information-sharing as well as cooperative and collaborative advocacy to maximize outreach and impact, it is hoped that all members in the mailing list will actively participate in the interviews, and will attend the validation of data collected as well as dissemination workshops. The main objective of the assessment is to establish KICTANets organizational strengths and weaknesses, and to develop specific recommendations of areas that will require institutional strengthening, while the case study will assist in collection of lessons learnt in MSP. The lead consultant for the institutional assessment will be meeting with a number of the members for a one on one interview after as well as a questionnaire, which will assist in getting the findings and backing them up with required scientific explanations. The secretariat therefore kindly requests all members to assist the two consultants with the data collection phase. regards Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel.

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FW: Your Complimentary Report from Gartner
by Kagwe James 26 Jul '07

26 Jul '07

Good afternoon all. I think you will find the attached interesting reading, enjoy. Best Regards, James Kagwe ************************************************************************ ********** Alexander Forbes Financial Services (EA) Ltd 10th floor, Landmark Plaza Argwings Kodhek Road Opposite Nairobi Hospital P. O. Box 52439 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254) 20 - 2710722, 2710775, 2710779, 2710782, 2710751, 2710725 Fax: (254) 20 - 2710721 Confidentiality Warning ======================= The contents of this e-mail and any accompanying documentation are confidential and any use thereof, in what ever form, by anyone other than the addressee is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify actuaries(a)aforbes.co.ke or benefits(a)aforbes.co.ke and delete it immediately from your system.. Alexander Forbes Financial Services (EA) Limited from whom this e-mail originates accepts no responsibility for losses or damage as a result of any viruses and it is your responsibility to check attachments (if any) for viruses.

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Country Business Manager - South Africa
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 25 Jul '07

25 Jul '07

A great opportunity not to be missed! ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Robert Alai <alai.robert(a)gmail.com> Date: 15-Jul-2007 00:19 Subject: Country Business Manager - South Africa To: kaziafrica(a)googlegroups.com *Country Business Manager - South Africa* *Position available in Cape Town or Johannesburg, South Africa* Google is looking for a seasoned professional to lead Google's sales and operations within South Africa. The ideal candidate will have deep sales experience, demonstrated general management capability, and a proven ability to build a team. The country business manager is responsible for developing and executing on the overall market strategy within the country. This responsibility includes determining the appropriate channel strategy, support model, staffing requirements, target advertisers, and coordinating with functional teams to achieve desired goals. The primary focus will be on top tier client and agency opportunities, as well as regional business development. This position will report to the Regional Director. Responsibilities: - General management of South Africa operations including the development and execution of the overall country strategy. - Build a sales organization to call upon leading advertisers within South Africa. - Build a regionalized advertising sales operations capability to provide premium service to Google's top advertisers. - Build and maintain relations with key agencies and Search Engine Marketers (SEMs). - Drive revenue growth across all verticals. - Define the appropriate sales channel for all advertisers. - Build and develop partnerships that will grow the marketplace in South Africa and the Southern Africa region as a whole. - Coordinate closely with centralized sales operations to ensure the needs of the market are being met. - Contribute strategically to the growth and direction of Google products and services. - Ensure new product launches are successfully communicated to the local market. - Collaborate with other Country Business Managers to provide broad support to EMEA sales as a whole. - Provide support to the Regional Director as required. Requirements: - BA/BS or equivalent; MBA preferred. - Minimum 8+ years advertising sales and general management experience. - Proven record of strategic development of Fortune 1000 client base. - 5+ years of Internet sales. - 5+ years sales management experience in a technology related field. - Strong relationships within the advertising and technology spaces in the region. - Experience in building strategic partnerships and track record of growing a market is preferred - Fluency in English required For immediate consideration, please send a text (ASCII) or HTML version of your resume in English to jobs(a)google.com. Important: The subject field of your email must include *Country Business Manager - South Africa.*. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Life's most urgent question is: What are you doing for others? .........Martin Luther King, Jr. -------------------------------------------------------------------- --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "KAZI-AFRICA" group. Email to kaziafrica(a)googlegroups.com Subscribe , send email to kaziafrica-subscribe(a)googlegroups.com Unsubscribe, send email to kaziafrica-unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/kaziafrica?hl=en www.kazi-africa.com kazi-africa.blogspot.com biashara-africa.blogspot.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- -- "To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower...hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour..." ~ William Blakeg.

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new/please post/forward: Oxford Internet Institute (University of Oxford) Civil Society Practitioners Programme (information society)
by Wanjira, Alice Munyua 25 Jul '07

25 Jul '07

Civil Society Practitioners Programme http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/microsites/cspp/ Invitation to apply The Oxford Internet Institute (University of Oxford) invites applications from the global South to fill two places in its Civil Society Practitioners Programme. This visitor programme is intended for Civil Society Practitioners of distinction or outstanding promise who wish to visit the Institute for a period of six weeks between February and December 2008, to undertake research concerning the social impact of the Internet and related ICTs. Visitors are expected to reside in Oxford during their stay, and to participate fully in the intellectual life of the Institute. The successful applicants will receive: * A subsistence allowance of 3800 GBP (7500 USD) to cover research expenses and living costs during their stay in Oxford * A travel grant of up to 1000 GBP (2000 USD) for travel to and from the UK Applications will ideally be submitted by Civil Society Practitioners in or from the global South, active in the areas of freedom of expression, media reform, media justice, and communications and information policy in the globalized context of the Internet. You may also request to have this information emailed to you in plain text form. The deadline for completed applications to reach the OII Academic and Student Affairs Officer (by post or email: contact details below) is 26 September 2007. Please note that incomplete applications cannot be considered. Final notification of an award will occur in November 2007. Successful candidates will be expected to take up their six week residency in Oxford at any time between February and December 2008. Contact Laura Taylor Academic and Student Affairs Officer Oxford Internet Institute University of Oxford 1 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3JS United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1865 287222 Fax: +44 (0)1865 287211 Email: recruit(a)oii.ox.ac.uk This programme has been made possible by funding from the electronic media policy portfolio in the Media, Arts and Culture unit of the Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom Program of the Ford Foundation.

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BROADBAND BALONEY
by Alex Gakuru 25 Jul '07

25 Jul '07

[Congratulations Skunkworks for the ongoing visible work "Skunkworks gets African roots as techies bond" http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2110&Item…] ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: WWWhatsup <joly(a)punkcast.com> Date: Jul 25, 2007 5:21 AM Subject: [isoc-ny] BROADBAND BALONEY To: isoc-ny(a)yahoogroups.com, discuss(a)isoc-ny.org BROADBAND BALONEY [SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Robert McDowell] [Commentary] Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Robert McDowell writes that American consumers are poised to reap a windfall of benefits from a new wave of broadband deployment. But you would never know it by the rhetoric of those who would have us believe that the nation is falling behind, indeed in free fall. Looming over the horizon are heavy-handed government mandates setting arbitrary standards, speeds and build-out requirements that could favor some technologies over others, raise prices and degrade service. This would be a mistaken road to take -- although it would hardly be the first time in history that alarmists have ignored cold, hard facts in pursuit of bad policy. When it comes to broadband policy, let's put aside flawed studies and rankings, and reject the road of regulatory stagnation. In the next few years, we will witness a tremendous explosion of entrepreneurial brilliance in the broadband market, if the government doesn't micromanage. Belief in entrepreneurs and a light regulatory touch is the right broadband policy for America. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118524094434875755.html?mod=todays_us_opini… (requires subscription) * Are the numbers flawed? See http://www.freepress.net/docs/shooting_the_messenger.pdf ---------------------------------------------------------- WWWhatsup NYC http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com http://isoc-ny.org "The Internet is for Everyone!" -- Vint Cerf ____________________________________________________________________________________ Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool. http://autos.yahoo.com/carfinder/

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It's a new twist for Econet Wireless
by Mike Theuri 25 Jul '07

25 Jul '07

It's a new twist for Econet Wireless as it prepares to roll out its services Written By:Emmanuel Toili , Posted: Tue, Jul 24, 2007 It's a new twist for the third mobile service provider Econet Wireless International after the Kenya National Federation of Co-operatives limited- KNFC threatened to take a court injunction to stop the rolling out of the mobile services. Interim Chairman Stanley Muchiri said the Federation had neither withdrawn two court cases that prevented Econet Wireless International from providing the mobile services. The government and Econet Wireless International had last week signed a settlement agreement and agreed to settle the contentious issues out of court. KNFC who are allegedly the majority shareholders of Econet Wireless Consortium, want the Communications Commission of Kenya - CCK, to issue them a license as a partner. http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=43974

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kenyan techies headed to jail
by Rebecca Wanjiku 23 Jul '07

23 Jul '07

Kenyan techies headed to jail... By Rebecca Wanjiku If the new Kenya Communications Amendment bill becomes law, all Kenyan techies and computer owners with pay a fine of shs 1 million, or risk a jail term or both. Why? Section 86 of the KCA bill states that... No person shall Operate an electronic Certification system Update a repository Administer a sub-domain in the ccTLD To do the above one requires a license, or face the penalties. Michuki Mwangi, the chief executive officer of KENIC, reckons that there are many Kenyan techies who have been infringing on this rule and will face the full force of the law once its assented. In interrogating these issues, Michuki asks, what is a repository? He argues that a repository could constitute a computer hard disk, mainly because the bill has not defined what a repository is. I have a self signed certificate, I create sub-domains and so many other Kenyans do. The government will have to give 32million potential sub-domain users. Thats a whole load of licenses to issue, said Michuki. Section 87 and 88 provides that: The dot KE registry and the Digital Certificate Registry need a license Michuki reckons that .KE model is globally recognized and in deed South Africa wants to follow up but adds that the new law will open room for subdivision of the registry, provided one can pay the license. For instance in south Africa, the .CO.ZA , .AC.ZA and other domains were operated by different entities and this is the time they are trying to integrate registry operations under one registry. It has the right intentions but just needs a bit of tweaking and rewording. The bill could have captured other areas of IT like local content matters were not well addressed, said Michuki. Ends Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool.

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Police excuse angry computer user for outburst
by Alex Gakuru 23 Jul '07

23 Jul '07

Humor a cold quiet afternoon! http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid… BERLIN (Reuters) - A German man who startled his neighbors when he hurled his computer out of the window in the middle of the night, was let off for disturbing the peace by police who sympathized with his technical frustrations. Police in the northern city of Hanover said they would not press charges after responding to calls made by residents in an apartment block who were woken by a loud crash in the early hours of Saturday. Officers found the street and pavement covered in electronic parts and discovered who the culprit was. Asked what had driven him to the night-time outburst, the 51-year-old man said he had simply got annoyed with his computer. "Who hasn't felt like doing that?" said a police spokesman. While escaping any official sanction the man was made to clear up the debris. © Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games. http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gamekey=monopolyherenow

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Fwd: [ke-internetusers] CCK Preaching Wine & Drinking Water
by Alex Gakuru 23 Jul '07

23 Jul '07

--- robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2007 06:37:41 +0100 (BST) > From: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> > To: Internet user group <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net> > Subject: [ke-internetusers] CCK Preaching Wine & > Drinking Water > > Hi All, > > Here is a trick question, where is the > Communications Commission of Kenya's (CCK) web site > is hosted? > > Wrong it is not at Telkom or at their headquarters, > it seats in a foreign land, from the routing seems > like the UK. Evidence provided below. > > C:\>tracert www.cck.go.ke > > Tracing route to meru1.africaonline.co.ke > [216.251.32.98] > over a maximum of 30 hops: > > 1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.0.1 > 2 36 ms 37 ms 42 ms 212.49.74.1 > 3 37 ms 36 ms 34 ms 196.202.200.193 > 4 37 ms 37 ms 36 ms 62.24.96.131 > 5 37 ms 37 ms 38 ms 192.168.2.2 > 6 636 ms 607 ms 637 ms > t3a2-h12-0-0.uk-goo.eu.bt.net [166.49.213.137] > 7 602 ms 698 ms 612 ms > t2c1-p3-2.uk-lon2.eu.bt.net [166.49.163.21] > 8 619 ms 699 ms 638 ms > t2c2-ge6-2.uk-lon2.eu.bt.net [166.49.164.170] > 9 1188 ms 1271 ms 706 ms > t2c1-ge5-1.uk-lon1.eu.bt.net [166.49.208.242] > 10 1106 ms 1137 ms 675 ms > t2a5-ge2-1.uk-lon1.eu.bt.net [166.49.135.115] > 11 * 651 ms 648 ms > 166-49-214-130.eu.bt.net [166.49.214.130] > 12 690 ms * 721 ms 217.239.40.78 > > > > So when the regulator has no faith in the > infrastructure he is meant to regulate and monitor > how are the mortals like us supposed to have faith > in the infrastructure. > > > > Robert Yawe > KAY System Technologies Ltd > Phoenix House, 6th Floor > P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 > KEnya > > Tel: +254722511225 > > --------------------------------- > Inbox full of unwanted email? Get leading > protection and 1GB storage with All New Yahoo! Mail.> _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links. http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesearch?refer=1ONXIC _______________________________________________ ke-internetusers mailing list ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers

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eGovernment for Development
by Alex Gakuru 22 Jul '07

22 Jul '07

http://www.egov4dev.org/indonesiatender.htm eTransparency Case Study No.8 More Transparent Tendering for Infrastructure Development in Indonesia More Transparent Tendering for Infrastructure Development in Indonesia Case Study Authors Anonymous Application In 2001, the Department of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure in Indonesia introduced an online information system to support the process of tendering. Application Description The Department of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure is responsible for public infrastructure in Indonesia (particularly transport, water and housing infrastructure), with a budget of more than US$100m annually, much of which is dispersed through a system of tenders, bids and contracts. The new information system provides information about all aspects of the procurement process: · Details of projects to be tendered, including their content, duration and budget allocation. · Tendering process details including dates, value, details of the pre-qualification process and information regarding the tender winner. · Contact details for the relevant procurement officer that enable queries or inputs into the process. Armed with this information, citizens and citizen groups could then identify cases where tendering procedures have not been followed properly, or where contractors with close relations to government have received many contracts, or where infrastructural deliverables have not been constructed. Contractors themselves can also benefit from the information provided by the system. It helps them to know what to bid for. They can also use e-tendering components within the system in order to submit their bids online. However, full e-procurement is not yet possible because electronic documents are yet to be given legal status in the Indonesian courts. Thus all key documents must still be handled in the conventional manner. There are no specific technical standards or benchmarks for the transparency of tendering in Indonesia, nor is there any law regarding freedom of information. Normal government regulations apply to the actual tendering/procurement processes. Role of ICT The e-tendering system is Web-based, and made available to citizens and businesses via the Internet in Bahasa Indonesia (the national language). The system uses ASP for scripting, with My-SQL for the underlying database. Application Drivers/Purpose President Suharto ruled Indonesia from 1965 until his resignation in 1998. His rule is typically seen as autocratic and as fostering corruption. The e-tendering application was introduced as part of post-Suharto reform in Indonesia. One main focus of this reform has been good governance, including an attempt to address widespread corruption and to reduce the costs of government. Another has been more balanced regional development, which has sought to redress earlier distortions between the disadvantaged Eastern and better-developed Western parts of the country, and to devolve decision-making powers away from a small Jakarta-based clique. All elements came together in the development of the e-tendering/procurement system, which aims to improve the transparency and efficiency and costs of tendering/procurement. A key driving force for the application in practice is seen to be external pressure from international donor organisations. Stakeholders Senior officials and staff of the Department of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure are key internal stakeholders for this new system. Consultants and businesses are stakeholders since their approach to bidding has been affected. Finally, citizens and NGOs are stakeholders since they have a general interest in improvements in both the efficiency and effectiveness of government infrastructural contracting. Transparency and the Poor There has been no direct support for transparency to the poor, since the service is primarily targeted at government-to-business links. There is also little or no ICT infrastructure in most poor communities, especially outside Jakarta. Impact: Costs and Benefits Project costs are unknown. The main system benefits seem to be: a) Increased awareness about tendering processes among some citizens. There have been a few queries about tenders from members of the public and NGOs. This may have a knock-on impact to make contractors and government officials feel they are under greater scrutiny than previously. It may help to create some groundswell of demand for more freedom of information and greater transparency. b) Benefits of reduced costs for contractors who wish to participate in the bidding process. Although this has no direct transparency benefit, it may help broaden the range of contractors who participate. In general, contractors have been supportive of the system. There is a perception that, before the system's introduction, most tender winners had a close relationship with government officials, whereas perhaps 25% fewer do after system introduction. What is not clear is the extent to which this can be attributed to the e-tendering system, or to broader changes in the post-Suharto era. Other benefits are, at present, more a potential than a reality. For example, there is still confusion about the way in which evidence derived from the Web site could be used in a legal context. Thus, there are no actual cases of the system having been used to seek redress against possible wrongdoing in procurement, and so there is as yet no clear way in which this system can be used to move beyond mere reporting to actual accountability and control of the procurement process. Government officials perceive that the system thus far has had no significant impact on levels of corruption. It is still the norm that contractors would find themselves paying 20-40% of the overall tender value to members of the tender committee and, in some cases, to higher-level officials who have oversight of the committee's work. Some of this corruption can be attributed to greed, but much can be attributed to need: the need to recover money paid out to get project budgets agreed in the first place (see below), and the need to supplement low public sector wages. Breaking this cycle of need, and institutionalised processes of corruption set in place during the Suharto era, is not going to be easy. The system ought to make the tendering process easier and quicker for government officials (indeed, this benefit is identified by the Department's own evaluation). However, informal feedback from government officials is not particularly positive. Those procurement officials who have computer expertise feel that the e-tendering system is creating additional work for them, yet for no additional income. They prefer to use their computing skills and what should be their government work time to earn money undertaking unofficial outside consultancy work; they then pay a small amount to more junior government staff to do the tendering data entry for them. Procurement officials without computer expertise, despite their training, feel the e-tendering system is something they do not understand. In both cases the result coupled with general absence of a culture of transparency has meant officials have little to do with the system, getting more junior staff to actually interact with it. This has tended to undermine both the perceived value and usage of the system. Evaluation: Failure or Success? The system won first prize in 2002 in the e-government category of a competition held by the Indonesian magazine "Warta Ekonomi". A formal evaluation of the project has been conducted by the Department of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure. On the technical side, the main concerns arising from the evaluation were access difficulties, particularly caused by ICT infrastructural constraints. On the non-technical side, contractors supported the system but wanted full e-procurement to be introduced. Issues identified by independent evaluations are described above in the Impact section and below in the Challenges section. Overall, the e-tendering system at present can be given the category of partial success/partial failure overall and as largely unsuccessful so far in addressing corruption, though the Department does appear committed to trying to improve the system. One additional concern remains the fact that, by turning the spotlight on tendering, the system may be reducing the attention paid to a major source of corruption: the budgeting process. In order to get local projects agreed for funding, money passes upwards to bribe both executive and legislative officials at first provincial and then national level. That money has then somehow to be recouped at the local level, which may explain the lack of progress to date against corruption in tendering and procurement. Enablers/Critical Success Factors 1. Political support. Although this e-transparency system has met with indifference or resistance from a number of middle-level officials, it has been pushed along by support from a number of key groups senior officials in the Department of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure who needed to show support for the good governance agenda; public groups who lobby for greater transparency; and some fraction of contractors who felt their business opportunities would be enhanced by a more transparent system. 2. ICT awareness. It only needed a small cadre of staff in the Department to be aware of the potential role of ICTs in supporting transparency to help get the ball rolling on this type of e-transparency project. Constraints/Challenges 1. Lack of legal infrastructure. This e-transparency system is limited in a number of ways by legal constraints. The operation of the e-tendering system is constrained by the absence of "cyber-laws" that would recognise the legitimacy of electronic documents and electronic transactions. The transparency aspects of the system are constrained by the lack of freedom of information and transparency laws that could give legal 'teeth' to attempts to use the system to hold government officials to account. 2. Staff resistance. This arises from a variety of causes. Some officials are resentful or fearful about the potential loss of bribe income the system could entail; they tend to manipulate what data goes into the system to their own advantage. Others lack the skills to use the system and so tend to ignore it. Others still are resentful of what they see as an additional workload without any commensurate additional reward; as noted above, they pay juniors to do that work for them. 3. Lack of broader engagement/awareness. Even as it currently stands, the e-tendering system could be used by citizen groups and other NGOs to maintain pressure on government to deliver on infrastructural commitments, and to reduce corruption in the tendering process. NGOs and academic groups could also help spread awareness about the system, and disseminate information drawn from the system. As yet, though, few NGOs or academic groups are engaged or involved with the e-tendering system. Recommendations 1. Involve citizen groups. Although citizens as individuals can play a role in transparency, that role is better taken on by representative groups such as NGOs or academic organisations. Such groups should be involved in both the design and implementation of e-transparency systems if those systems are credibly to affect the accountability of government officials. 2. Don't just focus on technical skills. Lack of technical skills is still an issue for this e-transparency system, both inside and outside government. However, the 'transparency' aspects of the system are more important than that 'e' aspects, and training and change management should thus also focus on introducing more transparent procedures, systems and culture into government. 3. Don't just focus on digital ICTs. Digital ICTs only penetrate so far. To really reach out to a developing country's citizens, e-transparency systems must either a) make use of more pervasive technologies such as radio or television, and/or b) make active use of ICT-owning intermediaries who can then trickle-down information and services by non-ICT means. Further Information http://www.kimpraswil.go.id/publik/proyek/semieproc/index.asp Case Details Case Editor: Richard Heeks. Author Data Sources/Role: Web Site, Documents and Interviews; No Direct Role. Centrality of Transparency: Mixed. Type: Transaction. Audience: External. Content: Contractual. Sector: Economic Services. Outcome: Largely Unsuccessful. Region: South-East Asia. Start Date: 2001. Submission Date: December 2003. The "eGovernment for Development Information Exchange" project is coordinated by the University of Manchester's Institute for Development Policy and Management. The project is funded and managed by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation as part of the UK Department for International Development's "Building Digital Opportunities" programme. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Get the free Yahoo! toolbar and rest assured with the added security of spyware protection. http://new.toolbar.yahoo.com/toolbar/features/norton/index.php

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Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] Kenya's state-owned telecoms operator goes mobile
by Mike Theuri 22 Jul '07

22 Jul '07

Telkom is a licenced operator using fixed wireless technology. The key word here is fixed. On the same argument if the 'true mobile' operators want to obtain 3G and 3.5G frequencies the regulator has a duty to ensure that the government is not deprived of much needed revenue by holding a competitive tender or auction for the 3G frequencies which have fetched hundreds of millions of dollars in other African countries. ---------- https://www.ntra.gov.eg/english/News_NewsDetails.asp?PID=36&ID=94 Vodafone Egypt have agreed to pay LE3.34bn (US$584m) + 2.4% of total revenues as a licence fee for 3G spectrum. Vodafone Egypt recently declared an annual turnover of LE6.8bn and revealed that approximately 22% (LE1.5bn) of this will be Free Cash Flow. However, it is not as much as the third player, Etisalat, agreed to pay LE16.7bn (US$2.9bn) for a 2G/3G licence which was equivalent to 3.4% of Egypt GDP. ---------- It is indicative that at least one mobile provider has indicated that it is already using such technology, which per their original GSM license (Annex A) is not catered for. What payment if any has been received by the commission on behalf of the government for these frequencies by the mobile operator and for the issuance of a new 3G licence? I am certain that TKL has met its licence obligations and thus is a bonafide operator, secondly TKL holds a licence that allows it to provide these services nationwide in addition to its basket of licences. If the TKL's competitors want to demand that TKL pay fees for a licence (which it already has) then they should similarly be prepared to pay licence fees after competing in a tender to be able to operate 3G networks. Mike On 7/20/07, Joseph Okech <okechukwu(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > I don't think Telkom goes mobile is a problem & its never about > competition, > the problem is with the regulatory infrastructure in place to be honored, > that is if all mobile operators have to pay a mobile license, then all > have > to pay a mobile license without any exceptions. If all mobile service > providers are to pay VAT and exercise duty, then this has to be across the > board. > > rgds, > Okech > > > > On Thursday July 19 2007 21:38:48 Mike Theuri wrote: > > "Competition is healthy. If other people complain, they should know that > > Kenyans > > now have a choice," Telkom Kenya Chief Market Officer Bernard Rubia told > > Reuters > > in an interview. > > > > Rubia says it was "debatable" whether partnering with an outside > investor > > was > > necessary for Telkom to turn a profit. Job cuts that will downsize > Telkom > > to > > > > 4,000 employees from 18,000 by September are already realising savings > of > > 250 > > million shillings ($3.7 million) a month against 1.2 billion in > billings. > > "We should be given a five-year window to prove ourselves," he said, > adding > > shares should be sold to the public in the meantime. > > > > ================ > > > > http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL19935122.html > > > > Kenya's state-owned telecoms operator goes mobile > > Thu 19 Jul 2007, 13:40 GMT > > > > By C. Bryson Hull > > > > NAIROBI, July 19 (Reuters) - State-owned Telkom Kenya is making an > > aggressive > > foray into the east African country's wireless mobile and data markets, > > aiming > > for rebirth as a sleek operator before privatisation due to start later > > this > > > > year. > > > > The loss-making state company, which has a monopoly on landlines, > earlier > > this > > month rolled out the lowest mobile phone tariff in Kenya and stepped up > > advertising to bring in customers to its brand-new wireless network. > > > > That has sparked complaints from the other two mobile operators in > Kenya, > > market > > leader Safaricom and Celtel Kenya, who say the state company has an > unfair > > regulatory advantage. > > > > "Competition is healthy. If other people complain, they should know that > > Kenyans > > now have a choice," Telkom Kenya Chief Market Officer Bernard Rubia told > > Reuters > > in an interview. > > > > "And they will choose based on reliability, consistency and > affordability." > > > > Telkom may seem an unlikely choice -- customers have long complained > that > > inefficiency, corruption and monopoly control of landlines have kept > > Telkom's > > prices high and service poor, but it is now in the middle of a major > > restructuring. > > > > And Kenyans are quick to go for the best deal. It is not uncommon for > > someone to > > have multiple phone lines to take advantage of the cheapest rate or to > > avoid the > > steep expense of calling from one network to the other. > > > > On a trial run since September, the company's mobile subsidiary Telkom > > Wireless > > so far has 150,000 subscribers and is adding an average of 1,000 per > day, > > Rubia > > said. > > > > "Our target is by the end of June next year we will have hit our 1 > million > > mark," he said adding the average customers spends 800 Kenya shillings > > ($11.92) > > a month. > > > > That is dwarfed by the 6.8 million Safaricom has out of an estimated 8-9 > > million > > users in the nation of 36 million people. > > > > > > BANKING ON CDMA > > > > Telkom has rolled out a CDMA network to about 70 percent of the country > to > > compete with Safaricom and Celtel, which operate a GSM network like most > > mobile > > companies in Africa. > > > > Rubia says the choice of CDMA was to lure Kenyan customers who get > > irritated by > > congestion on the GSM networks. > > > > "One of our towers is equivalent to four of theirs in terms of > capacity," > > he > > > > said. > > > > A second benefit is to cash in on its data capabilities, which are > faster > > than > > GSM. By September, Rubia says Telkom will offer EVDO, a mobile broadband > > data > > technology. > > > > But like other Internet data providers in Kenya, they will not be able > to > > use > > the maximum capacity until the country gets a fibre optic connection to > the > > Internet backbone. > > > > Currently it gets it via expensive satellite links that limit bandwidth > and > > market growth. Rubia says he expects at least one of two projects to > give > > Kenya > > a wired link to the outside world to be ready by "the back end of next > > year." > > > > Telkom Wireless customers will be able to access EVDO via mobile > handsets > > and > > also wireless desktop phones. > > > > The latter often serve as Internet links in rural areas where there is > > little or > > no infrastructure -- and where mobile operators say there are still huge > > untapped profits in Africa. > > > > The government wants to sell a 51 percent stake in Telkom to a strategic > > partner, with an eye on an IPO that would eventually sell 30 percent to > the > > public. Proposals are due to be opened by early November. > > > > Rubia says it was "debatable" whether partnering with an outside > investor > > was > > necessary for Telkom to turn a profit. Job cuts that will downsize > Telkom > > to > > > > 4,000 employees from 18,000 by September are already realising savings > of > > 250 > > million shillings ($3.7 million) a month against 1.2 billion in > billings. > > > > "We should be given a five-year window to prove ourselves," he said, > adding > > shares should be sold to the public in the meantime. > > >

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Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] Kenya's state-owned telecoms operator goes mobile
by Mike Theuri 21 Jul '07

21 Jul '07

As much as I would want to, I cannot tell you when or how Telkom paid the license fees, what I can tell you instead is that upon meeting the requisite requirements, one can seek a license from CCK employing the use of various fixed wireless technologies, however unlike Telkom, coverage would be limited as the applicant would not be licensed as a national operator. Additionally Telkom Kenya is duty bound to pay a revenue based annual license fee to CCK for its licenses. In Kenya there are certain licenses available only through the auction process and several others available 'over the counter'. Telkom licenses are mostly 25 year licenses dated from 1999 and renewable for another 15 years after that period. The most accurate answers to your questions can be best obtained from the regulator or in the alternate the Ministry. Other key references would be the Kenya Communications Act of 1998 which set up the legal framework for the establishment of Telkom Kenya. Regards, Mike On 7/21/07, Joseph Okech <okechukwu(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Please I beg tell me when Telkom paid the license fees and how the bidding > was > done? Simply because their former MD was appointed into CCK does not give > them the right to ALL telco licenses in the country, every single license > has > to be auctioned or awarded openly with full license fees paid. > > rgds, > Okech > > > > On Saturday July 21 2007 02:45:20 Mike Theuri wrote: > > Telkom is a licenced operator using fixed wireless technology. The key > word > > here is fixed. On the same argument if the 'true mobile' operators want > to > > obtain 3G and 3.5G frequencies the regulator has a duty to ensure that > the > > government is not deprived of much needed revenue by holding a > competitive > > tender or auction for the 3G frequencies which have fetched hundreds of > > millions of dollars in other African countries. > > > > ---------- > > https://www.ntra.gov.eg/english/News_NewsDetails.asp?PID=36&ID=94 > > > > Vodafone Egypt have agreed to pay LE3.34bn (US$584m) + 2.4% of total > > revenues as a licence fee for 3G spectrum. Vodafone Egypt recently > declared > > an annual turnover of LE6.8bn and revealed that approximately 22% ( > LE1.5bn) > > of this will be Free Cash Flow. > > > > However, it is not as much as the third player, Etisalat, agreed to pay > > LE16.7bn (US$2.9bn) for a 2G/3G licence which was equivalent to 3.4% of > > Egypt GDP. > > ---------- > > > > It is indicative that at least one mobile provider has indicated that it > is > > already using such technology, which per their original GSM license > (Annex > > A) is not catered for. What payment if any has been received by the > > commission on behalf of the government for these frequencies by the > mobile > > operator and for the issuance of a new 3G licence? I am certain that TKL > > has met its licence obligations and thus is a bonafide operator, > secondly > > TKL holds a licence that allows it to provide these services nationwide > in > > addition to its basket of licences. If the TKL's competitors want to > demand > > that TKL pay fees for a licence (which it already has) then they should > > similarly be prepared to pay licence fees after competing in a tender to > be > > able to operate 3G networks. > > > > Mike > > > > On 7/20/07, Joseph Okech <okechukwu(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > I don't think Telkom goes mobile is a problem & its never about > > > competition, > > > the problem is with the regulatory infrastructure in place to be > honored, > > > that is if all mobile operators have to pay a mobile license, then all > > > have > > > to pay a mobile license without any exceptions. If all mobile service > > > providers are to pay VAT and exercise duty, then this has to be across > > > the board. > > > > > > rgds, > > > Okech > > > > > > On Thursday July 19 2007 21:38:48 Mike Theuri wrote: > > > > "Competition is healthy. If other people complain, they should know > > > > that Kenyans > > > > now have a choice," Telkom Kenya Chief Market Officer Bernard Rubia > > > > told Reuters > > > > in an interview. > > > > > > > > Rubia says it was "debatable" whether partnering with an outside > > > > > > investor > > > > > > > was > > > > necessary for Telkom to turn a profit. Job cuts that will downsize > > > > > > Telkom > > > > > > > to > > > > > > > > 4,000 employees from 18,000 by September are already realising > savings > > > > > > of > > > > > > > 250 > > > > million shillings ($3.7 million) a month against 1.2 billion in > > > > > > billings. > > > > > > > "We should be given a five-year window to prove ourselves," he said, > > > > > > adding > > > > > > > shares should be sold to the public in the meantime. > > > > > > > > ================ > > > > > > > > http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL19935122.html > > > > > > > > Kenya's state-owned telecoms operator goes mobile > > > > Thu 19 Jul 2007, 13:40 GMT > > > > > > > > By C. Bryson Hull > > > > > > > > NAIROBI, July 19 (Reuters) - State-owned Telkom Kenya is making an > > > > aggressive > > > > foray into the east African country's wireless mobile and data > markets, > > > > aiming > > > > for rebirth as a sleek operator before privatisation due to start > later > > > > this > > > > > > > > year. > > > > > > > > The loss-making state company, which has a monopoly on landlines, > > > > > > earlier > > > > > > > this > > > > month rolled out the lowest mobile phone tariff in Kenya and stepped > up > > > > advertising to bring in customers to its brand-new wireless network. > > > > > > > > That has sparked complaints from the other two mobile operators in > > > > > > Kenya, > > > > > > > market > > > > leader Safaricom and Celtel Kenya, who say the state company has an > > > > > > unfair > > > > > > > regulatory advantage. > > > > > > > > "Competition is healthy. If other people complain, they should know > > > > that Kenyans > > > > now have a choice," Telkom Kenya Chief Market Officer Bernard Rubia > > > > told Reuters > > > > in an interview. > > > > > > > > "And they will choose based on reliability, consistency and > > > > > > affordability." > > > > > > > Telkom may seem an unlikely choice -- customers have long complained > > > > > > that > > > > > > > inefficiency, corruption and monopoly control of landlines have kept > > > > Telkom's > > > > prices high and service poor, but it is now in the middle of a major > > > > restructuring. > > > > > > > > And Kenyans are quick to go for the best deal. It is not uncommon > for > > > > someone to > > > > have multiple phone lines to take advantage of the cheapest rate or > to > > > > avoid the > > > > steep expense of calling from one network to the other. > > > > > > > > On a trial run since September, the company's mobile subsidiary > Telkom > > > > Wireless > > > > so far has 150,000 subscribers and is adding an average of 1,000 per > > > > > > day, > > > > > > > Rubia > > > > said. > > > > > > > > "Our target is by the end of June next year we will have hit our 1 > > > > > > million > > > > > > > mark," he said adding the average customers spends 800 Kenya > shillings > > > > ($11.92) > > > > a month. > > > > > > > > That is dwarfed by the 6.8 million Safaricom has out of an estimated > > > > 8-9 million > > > > users in the nation of 36 million people. > > > > > > > > > > > > BANKING ON CDMA > > > > > > > > Telkom has rolled out a CDMA network to about 70 percent of the > country > > > > > > to > > > > > > > compete with Safaricom and Celtel, which operate a GSM network like > > > > most mobile > > > > companies in Africa. > > > > > > > > Rubia says the choice of CDMA was to lure Kenyan customers who get > > > > irritated by > > > > congestion on the GSM networks. > > > > > > > > "One of our towers is equivalent to four of theirs in terms of > > > > > > capacity," > > > > > > > he > > > > > > > > said. > > > > > > > > A second benefit is to cash in on its data capabilities, which are > > > > > > faster > > > > > > > than > > > > GSM. By September, Rubia says Telkom will offer EVDO, a mobile > > > > broadband data > > > > technology. > > > > > > > > But like other Internet data providers in Kenya, they will not be > able > > > > > > to > > > > > > > use > > > > the maximum capacity until the country gets a fibre optic connection > to > > > > > > the > > > > > > > Internet backbone. > > > > > > > > Currently it gets it via expensive satellite links that limit > bandwidth > > > > > > and > > > > > > > market growth. Rubia says he expects at least one of two projects to > > > > > > give > > > > > > > Kenya > > > > a wired link to the outside world to be ready by "the back end of > next > > > > year." > > > > > > > > Telkom Wireless customers will be able to access EVDO via mobile > > > > > > handsets > > > > > > > and > > > > also wireless desktop phones. > > > > > > > > The latter often serve as Internet links in rural areas where there > is > > > > little or > > > > no infrastructure -- and where mobile operators say there are still > > > > huge untapped profits in Africa. > > > > > > > > The government wants to sell a 51 percent stake in Telkom to a > > > > strategic partner, with an eye on an IPO that would eventually sell > 30 > > > > percent to > > > > > > the > > > > > > > public. Proposals are due to be opened by early November. > > > > > > > > Rubia says it was "debatable" whether partnering with an outside > > > > > > investor > > > > > > > was > > > > necessary for Telkom to turn a profit. Job cuts that will downsize > > > > > > Telkom > > > > > > > to > > > > > > > > 4,000 employees from 18,000 by September are already realising > savings > > > > > > of > > > > > > > 250 > > > > million shillings ($3.7 million) a month against 1.2 billion in > > > > > > billings. > > > > > > > "We should be given a five-year window to prove ourselves," he said, > > > > > > adding > > > > > > > shares should be sold to the public in the meantime. > > >

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: [Fwd: Safaricom intimidating media...]
by Alex Gakuru 21 Jul '07

21 Jul '07

Further Walubengo, Unlike "political" politicians who regularly complain of being mis-quoted by the media, now telcos intimidate the media, the government will "regulate" the media, consumers love the media for encouraging us that we are not alone in telcos exploitaion. Mexicans are faced by the same problem see attached "Billion Dollar Baby" story. The media respond even to a child's cry but politicians... unless there are votes at stake? The real losers of media gagging by government and corporate intimidation will be consumers. I state that add was totally and properly quoted here http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=363&Itemi… Which is why the ICT Bill must facilitate widespread Community Telcos in the WiFi range to legally reinforce and strengthen this most welcome CCK intervention. It a sure way out of the current high communication costs misery and consumer lock in that affects everybody else except these telcos. Follow the ICT Bill and note anti-media, anti-consumer, anti-expression MPs and "revenge" in December elections. They will know the tariffs pain we suffer as soon as they lose those Parliamentary allowances. ____________________________________________________________________________________Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: [Fwd: Safaricom intimidating media...]
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 21 Jul '07

21 Jul '07

Dear Mr. Theuri, Your allegations: "That foreign entity is again in the news as a mysterious deal has been worked out with the regulator and the government disregarding a court ruling" These are sereous allegations implying irregularity on our part when the facts are that it was prudent to extricate the Government out of the many legal battles by Econet that could potentially cost the Kenyan tax payer an enormous amount. There cannot be a court rulling baring the Government from making prudent decisions. In my view you are mixing issues of Econet vs KNFC and Econet vs CCK. FYI there is no matter in court yet this issue continue to hurt our image as an investment destination. What we dealt with yesterday were two cases instituted by Econet against the Government and the then Minister for Communications. If you read carefully the Times story you are referring to, it has nothing to do with the actions we took. Econet still has to contend with the shareholding issue and meet CCK conditions. Whatever the background of Econet, we must follow the law and it cannot be right that we see that law through your lenses. Have a nice day. Regards Bitange Ndemo. which one can > read about > below. > Walu, > > Actually the story came from the Media Institute and was shared on various > Kenyan > discussion groups and I was only passing it on. I'm not related to Alex > Gakuru but > its likely we may find ourselves working on the same or similar issues or > we > may > even have differing views. > > Some of these corporates have been harassing members of the media. It was > only a > year or two ago where a corporate entity was noted by a Minister for > passing > brown > envelopes in return for favorable stories or wielding influence in such a > way that a journalist > who had exposed the entity's activities was summarily dismissed by his > boss > via sms when > he was away on leave. Fortunately the journalist was vindicated when his > boss got the boot > and he was reinstated. > > That foreign entity is again in the news as a mysterious deal has been > worked out with > the regulator and the government disregarding a court ruling which one can > read about > below. It was the ---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world"

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Vodafone Greece:Death muddies Greek spy probe
by Alex Gakuru 21 Jul '07

21 Jul '07

[In case you missed it last year, below illustrates Privacy dangers underscoring the need for Legal and Privacy Protection to consumers--read everyone! Dr. Ndemo at least assure us the government is safe] "Death muddies Greek spy probe" <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4838552.stm> [BBC] By Richard Galpin BBC News, Athens A senior aide to the Greek prime minister is expected to be the next person to testify before a parliamentary committee investigating what is believed to be the worst espionage scandal in the country's history. Last month, the government admitted that the mobile phones of the prime minister, the most senior members of the cabinet and top security officials had all been tapped in 2004 - the year Athens hosted the Olympic Games. The committee in Athens has been questioning executives from two of the world's leading mobile phone companies, Vodafone and Ericsson, about the scandal. But attention is also increasingly focusing on the alleged suicide of a senior Vodafone manager just after the phone-tapping operation was discovered on the Vodafone network last year. In a serene but cramped graveyard in the western suburbs of Athens, lies the body of Costas Tsalikidis, a network manager for Vodafone Greece. He is buried with other members of his family. But his gravestone shows he died aged just 38. He was found hanged in his apartment on the morning of 9 March last year. The next day, the head of Vodafone Greece walked into the office of one of the prime minister's top aides to inform the government that its phones had been bugged for at least eight months. The official verdict was that Mr Tsalikidis had committed suicide. Suspicions In a statement issued last month, just after the story about the phone-tapping operation first broke, Vodafone categorically denied there was any connection between his death and the scandal. "Any attempt to connect these two is, to say the least, irrelevant," it said. But his family believe his death is suspicious and are calling for his body to be exhumed so a second post-mortem can be carried out by one of the world's leading forensic pathologists, Dr Michael Baden of the United States. "They believe they will find new evidence," says the family lawyer, Themis Sofos. Dr Sofos adds that other parts of the original investigation were weak. "No one went to the house of Costas, no one took photos and to see the circumstances of his death... no one took fingerprints." Official inquiry Mr Tsalikidis' family recently took matters into their own hands, filing a lawsuit against "persons unknown" for complicity in his murder or suicide. They allege that even if he was not murdered, he may have faced threats which left him with no choice but to take his own life. Meanwhile, their lawyer has been handing evidence to a prosecutor in Athens, who is now carrying out an official inquiry into the death of Mr Tsalikidis. The prosecutor is expected to announce his conclusion within the next few weeks. Family and friends of Costas Tsalikidis believe there are strong indications he was the person who first discovered that highly sophisticated software had been secretly inserted into the Vodafone network in 2004, enabling at least 100 phone lines to be constantly tapped. "The end of January or early February (2005) I think is the time Costas had access or took knowledge of the interception system and he (re)searched about its function and origin," says lawyer Themis Sofos. "He was not the kind of man to keep secret about something. He would not have co-operated with criminals or criminal acts." Text messages According to Dr Sofos, Mr Tsalikidis told his fiancee at this time that it was a "matter of life and death" that he leave his job. The lawyer also says they have looked at text messages he received on his mobile from colleagues in early February 2005, including one which apparently urges him to keep working and offers him support. But there is another theory about Costas Tsalikidis: that he was allegedly the person who actually inserted the software setting up the phone-tapping operation. "It is possible," says Themis Sofos. "I cannot exclude anything." The theory is put forward by John Brady Kiesling a former American diplomat who worked at the US embassy in Athens until resigning in 2003 over the US-led invasion of Iraq. He is convinced American intelligence agents were behind the whole bugging operation and he says it is possible they used Mr Tsalikidis to install the software. "I believe he committed suicide to protect his professional honour," says Mr Kiesling. As for why the Americans would tap the phones of the political and security elite of a country regarded as an ally, Mr Kiesling says there is a simple answer. Trust He argues American intelligence agencies would not have trusted the Greeks with the massive security operation surrounding the Athens Olympics in August 2004 set up to counter any potential terrorist threat. "They believe you cannot trust foreigners, that foreigners are incompetent and of dubious trustworthiness," he says. "You owe it to yourself if you have the capability, to have an independent ear listening to them and I think that is what this was." This might also explain why the Greek government kept silent about the scandal for almost a year from March 2005 when it was informed about it, until last month when it finally held a news conference detailing what had happened. The news conference took place shortly after a Greek newspaper had broken the story. Despite repeated requests, no-one from the government was willing to give an interview to the BBC about the scandal. The US embassy also refused to comment and the Vodafone Greece press office would only refer us to statements on its website. ---ends--- ____________________________________________________________________________________ Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool. http://autos.yahoo.com/carfinder/

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Fwd: [Fwd: Safaricom intimidating media...]
by Mike Theuri 21 Jul '07

21 Jul '07

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: The Media Institute <mediainst(a)wananchi.com> Date: Jul 18, 2007 2:12 PM Subject: [africa-oped] [Fwd: Safaricom intimidating media...] To: africa-oped(a)yahoogroups.com ---------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------- Subject: [Fwd: Safaricom intimidating media...] From: "Editor" <info(a)eastafricapress.com <info%40eastafricapress.com>> Date: Wed, July 18, 2007 7:02 pm To: kodi(a)kodibarth.com <kodi%40kodibarth.com> ---------------------------------------------------------- We thought you might want to read this... Safaricom intimidating media ahead of IPO http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?sp=81 Also: The price the Aga Khan paid to have NTV back on air http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?sp=85 What Monitor journalist Andrew Mwenda thinks about the Aga Khan and The Monitor http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?s=63 Dar newspaper infuriates government with defense expose http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?s=66 Special Report: Who owns the media in East Africa? http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?sp=88 And many more on the state of East African media and freedom of expression. ___________________ The Media Institute PO Box 46356 00100 Nairobi Kenya Tel: +254 20 253 372 Fax: +254 20 252 373 Cell: +254 720 103 693 Director: +254 722 517 540 ———————— "If I had the choice of knowing the truth or searching for the truth, I'd take the search." — Walker Percy, Writer __._,_.___ Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/message/24804;_ylc=X3oDMTM2ZnA0dm…> (1) Reply (via web post) <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJxa3FxczNwBF9TAzk…>| Start a new topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlbTd1N2llBF9TAzk…> Messages<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZ2s0YTI1BF9…>| Files<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/files;_ylc=X3oDMTJmamZvbXMwBF9TAz…>| Photos<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/photos;_ylc=X3oDMTJlMWkzb2ZjBF9TA…>| Links<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmdGQ4MTJqBF9TAz…>| Calendar<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJkYnFnZ280BF9…> Africa-oped welcomes opinions & analysis on African issues. A short essay of 400-1500 words is preferable: Africa-oped is world readable at http://www.egroups.com/group/africa-oped. Coming soon: www.africa-oped.org that will carry the "best of Africa-Oped" Share and obtain business information: http://www.aganoconsulting.com. Contribute Africa-related business articles and get paid; send your articles to: info(a)aganoconsulting.com. - [image: Yahoo! Groups]<http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJkNDhqbmMxBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzc4N…> Change settings via the Web<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJmbW1sOXRmBF9TAzk…>(Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest<africa-oped-digest@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email+Delivery:+Digest>| Switch format to Traditional<africa-oped-traditional@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change+Delivery+Format:+Traditional> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped;_ylc=X3oDMTJkcDg1NjkyBF9TAzk3MzU5…>| Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>| Unsubscribe <africa-oped-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com?subject=> Recent Activity - 1 New Members<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJmczJmdmtwBF9T…> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped;_ylc=X3oDMTJlcXJ2ZjhjBF9TAzk3MzU5…> SPONSORED LINKS - African<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjZWFiNmlrBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzEEZ…> - African american christian dating<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjMXAxNDFnBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzIEZ…> - African american christian dating single<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjaHAwNjNkBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzMEZ…> - African american christian single<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjc2pva2MwBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzQEZ…> - African safari<http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjNzV1b2pzBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzUEZ…> Yahoo! Music Check Who's Next<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jej1j0e/M=493064.10729670.11333360.8674578/D=…> Discover new bands before anyone else Y! Messenger Group get-together<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jovcf3c/M=493064.10729668.11333359.8674578/D=…> Host a free online conference on IM. Yahoo! Mail You're invited!<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12jj6vslp/M=493064.10729665.11333356.8674578/D=…> Try the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta . __,_._,___

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Re: [kictanet] Fwd: [Fwd: Safaricom intimidating media...]
by Mike Theuri 20 Jul '07

20 Jul '07

Dear Bwana Ndemo, Thank you for your and the Ministry's attention to the issue. I hope that it will be resolved soon. A free and responsible media is important to ensure that Kenyans are kept informed and aware of matters affecting the nation. Regards, Mike Theuri On 7/19/07, bitange(a)jambo.co.ke <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> wrote: > > Dear Mr. Theuri, > Thank you for your concern. The Ministry had already taken up this matter > and hopefully we shall have it sorted out. > > > Regards > > > Bitange Ndemo. > > > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > From: The Media Institute <mediainst(a)wananchi.com> > > Date: Jul 18, 2007 2:12 PM > > Subject: [africa-oped] [Fwd: Safaricom intimidating media...] > > To: africa-oped(a)yahoogroups.com > > > > > > > > ---------------------------- Original Message > ---------------------------- > > Subject: [Fwd: Safaricom intimidating media...] > > From: "Editor" <info(a)eastafricapress.com <info%40eastafricapress.com>> > > Date: Wed, July 18, 2007 7:02 pm > > To: kodi(a)kodibarth.com <kodi%40kodibarth.com> > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > > > We thought you might want to read this... > > > > Safaricom intimidating media ahead of IPO > > http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?sp=81 > > > > Also: > > > > The price the Aga Khan paid to have NTV back on air > > http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?sp=85 > > > > What Monitor journalist Andrew Mwenda thinks about the Aga Khan and The > > Monitor > > http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?s=63 > > > > Dar newspaper infuriates government with defense expose > > http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?s=66 > > > > Special Report: > > Who owns the media in East Africa? > > http://eastafricapress.net/f.php?sp=88 > > > > And many more on the state of East African media and freedom of > > expression. > > > > ___________________ > > The Media Institute > > PO Box 46356 > > 00100 Nairobi > > Kenya > > Tel: +254 20 253 372 > > Fax: +254 20 252 373 > > Cell: +254 720 103 693 > > Director: +254 722 517 540 > > ———————— > > > > "If I had the choice of knowing the truth or searching for the truth, > I'd > > take the search." — Walker Percy, Writer > > > > __._,_.___ Messages in this topic > > < > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/message/24804;_ylc=X3oDMTM2ZnA0dm… > > > > (1) Reply (via web post) > > < > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJxa3FxczNwBF9TAzk… > >| > > Start a new topic > > < > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJlbTd1N2llBF9TAzk… > > > > Messages< > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZ2s0YTI1BF9… > >| > > Files< > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/files;_ylc=X3oDMTJmamZvbXMwBF9TAz… > >| > > Photos< > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/photos;_ylc=X3oDMTJlMWkzb2ZjBF9TA… > >| > > Links< > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJmdGQ4MTJqBF9TAz… > >| > > Calendar< > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJkYnFnZ280BF9… > > > > Africa-oped welcomes opinions & analysis on African issues. A short > essay > > of > > 400-1500 words is preferable: Africa-oped is world readable at > > http://www.egroups.com/group/africa-oped. > > > > Coming soon: www.africa-oped.org that will carry the "best of > Africa-Oped" > > > > Share and obtain business information: http://www.aganoconsulting.com. > > Contribute Africa-related business articles and get paid; send your > > articles > > to: info(a)aganoconsulting.com. > > - > > [image: Yahoo! > > Groups]< > http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJkNDhqbmMxBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzc4N… > > > > Change settings via the > > Web< > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJmbW1sOXRmBF9TAzk… > >(Yahoo! > > ID required) > > Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily > > Digest<africa-oped-digest@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email+Delivery:+Digest > >| > > Switch > > format to > > Traditional< > africa-oped-traditional@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change+Delivery+Format:+Traditional > > > > Visit Your Group > > < > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped;_ylc=X3oDMTJkcDg1NjkyBF9TAzk3MzU5… > >| > > Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>| > > Unsubscribe > > <africa-oped-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com?subject=> > > Recent Activity > > > > - 1 > > New > > Members< > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJmczJmdmtwBF9T… > > > > > > Visit Your Group > > < > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africa-oped;_ylc=X3oDMTJlcXJ2ZjhjBF9TAzk3MzU5… > > > > SPONSORED LINKS > > > > - > > African< > http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjZWFiNmlrBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzEEZ… > > > > - African american christian > > dating< > http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjMXAxNDFnBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzIEZ… > > > > - African american christian dating > > single< > http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjaHAwNjNkBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzMEZ… > > > > - African american christian > > single< > http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjc2pva2MwBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzQEZ… > > > > - African > > safari< > http://groups.yahoo.com/gads;_ylc=X3oDMTJjNzV1b2pzBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BF9wAzUEZ… > > > > > > Yahoo! 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Mail Beta > > . > > > > __,_._,___ > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > > This message has been scanned for viruses and > > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > > believed to be clean. > > --------------------------------------------- > > "easy access to the world" > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > This message was sent to: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > >

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Cable Watch
by Alex Gakuru 20 Jul '07

20 Jul '07

[Business Daily] "Battle for optic fibre cable tender starts next week Written by Okuttah Mark 20-July-2007 "The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), the telecoms sector regulator that is managing the process.." "The East Africa Marine system (TEAMS) is a joint venture of the Kenya government and the government of the United Arab Emirates." "The $110 million project is owned by Kenya government has formed a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) TEAMs Limited through Telkom Kenya Limited, which has a 40 per cent stake while UEA government holds a 20 per cent stake through a telecom company known as Etisalat. The remaining 40 per cent shares have been reserved for private investors in East Africa. Standard Chartered Bank, the lead financial arranger, is working on the modalities of bringing private investors on board." "The team is composed of experts from the Ministry of Finance, the Attorney Generals Office and the Ministry of Information." <http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2028&Item…> ____________________________________________________________________________________ Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell. http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/

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NSE Real-Time Data
by Bill Kagai 20 Jul '07

20 Jul '07

Just to inform you that we are now authorised to stream NSE real-time trading data. Beta tests going on here; http://www.mediacorpafrica.com/live/ If you click on the [+] sign next to the listed stock you should get the bids/asks and settled trades on both the normal and prompt boards. -- -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete URL. www.mediacorp.co.ke --

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Kenya's state-owned telecoms operator goes mobile
by Mike Theuri 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

"Competition is healthy. If other people complain, they should know that Kenyans now have a choice," Telkom Kenya Chief Market Officer Bernard Rubia told Reuters in an interview. Rubia says it was "debatable" whether partnering with an outside investor was necessary for Telkom to turn a profit. Job cuts that will downsize Telkom to 4,000 employees from 18,000 by September are already realising savings of 250 million shillings ($3.7 million) a month against 1.2 billion in billings. "We should be given a five-year window to prove ourselves," he said, adding shares should be sold to the public in the meantime. ================ http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL19935122.html Kenya's state-owned telecoms operator goes mobile Thu 19 Jul 2007, 13:40 GMT By C. Bryson Hull NAIROBI, July 19 (Reuters) - State-owned Telkom Kenya is making an aggressive foray into the east African country's wireless mobile and data markets, aiming for rebirth as a sleek operator before privatisation due to start later this year. The loss-making state company, which has a monopoly on landlines, earlier this month rolled out the lowest mobile phone tariff in Kenya and stepped up advertising to bring in customers to its brand-new wireless network. That has sparked complaints from the other two mobile operators in Kenya, market leader Safaricom and Celtel Kenya, who say the state company has an unfair regulatory advantage. "Competition is healthy. If other people complain, they should know that Kenyans now have a choice," Telkom Kenya Chief Market Officer Bernard Rubia told Reuters in an interview. "And they will choose based on reliability, consistency and affordability." Telkom may seem an unlikely choice -- customers have long complained that inefficiency, corruption and monopoly control of landlines have kept Telkom's prices high and service poor, but it is now in the middle of a major restructuring. And Kenyans are quick to go for the best deal. It is not uncommon for someone to have multiple phone lines to take advantage of the cheapest rate or to avoid the steep expense of calling from one network to the other. On a trial run since September, the company's mobile subsidiary Telkom Wireless so far has 150,000 subscribers and is adding an average of 1,000 per day, Rubia said. "Our target is by the end of June next year we will have hit our 1 million mark," he said adding the average customers spends 800 Kenya shillings ($11.92) a month. That is dwarfed by the 6.8 million Safaricom has out of an estimated 8-9 million users in the nation of 36 million people. BANKING ON CDMA Telkom has rolled out a CDMA network to about 70 percent of the country to compete with Safaricom and Celtel, which operate a GSM network like most mobile companies in Africa. Rubia says the choice of CDMA was to lure Kenyan customers who get irritated by congestion on the GSM networks. "One of our towers is equivalent to four of theirs in terms of capacity," he said. A second benefit is to cash in on its data capabilities, which are faster than GSM. By September, Rubia says Telkom will offer EVDO, a mobile broadband data technology. But like other Internet data providers in Kenya, they will not be able to use the maximum capacity until the country gets a fibre optic connection to the Internet backbone. Currently it gets it via expensive satellite links that limit bandwidth and market growth. Rubia says he expects at least one of two projects to give Kenya a wired link to the outside world to be ready by "the back end of next year." Telkom Wireless customers will be able to access EVDO via mobile handsets and also wireless desktop phones. The latter often serve as Internet links in rural areas where there is little or no infrastructure -- and where mobile operators say there are still huge untapped profits in Africa. The government wants to sell a 51 percent stake in Telkom to a strategic partner, with an eye on an IPO that would eventually sell 30 percent to the public. Proposals are due to be opened by early November. Rubia says it was "debatable" whether partnering with an outside investor was necessary for Telkom to turn a profit. Job cuts that will downsize Telkom to 4,000 employees from 18,000 by September are already realising savings of 250 million shillings ($3.7 million) a month against 1.2 billion in billings. "We should be given a five-year window to prove ourselves," he said, adding shares should be sold to the public in the meantime.

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Useful information on your response to earthquakes
by Fatma Bashir 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

You may find this useful. <<TRIANGLE OF LIFE.doc>> ---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world"

4 3

forum today
by Rebecca Wanjiku 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

KICTANet monthly forum takes place today at the Jacaranda at 3pm please plan to attend, see you then, regards Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Luggage? GPS? Comic books? Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Search.

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prog.
by Rebecca Wanjiku 18 Jul '07

18 Jul '07

just to remind you of the meeting this thursday at 3pm, jacaranda will be discussing and collecting views on the KCA bill, to fwd just before the second reading, please plan to attend, here is the program on the issues to be discussed, KICTANet MONTHLY FORUM THURSDAY July 19th , 2007 PROGRAMME TIME ACTIVITY 3.00- 3.15pm introduction 3.15-3.45pm consumer issues- Alex Gakuru 3:45-3.50pm Q&A 3.50-4.20pm technical aspects- Michuki Mwangi 4.20-4.25pm Q&A 4.25- 4.50pm legal aspects- Nyokabi Kanyua 4.50- 5:15pm Q&A 5.15 pm Tea GUESTS LEAVE AT THEIR PLEASURE Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more.

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Fwd: [isoc-ny] NEW YORK MUST ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT IN BROADBAND
by Alex Gakuru 18 Jul '07

18 Jul '07

My motivation/FYI --- Alex Gakuru <gakuru(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 07:22:02 +0300 > From: "Alex Gakuru" <gakuru(a)gmail.com> > To: alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com > Subject: Fwd: [isoc-ny] NEW YORK MUST ENCOURAGE > INVESTMENT IN BROADBAND > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: WWWhatsup <joly(a)punkcast.com> > Date: Jul 17, 2007 10:57 PM > Subject: [isoc-ny] NEW YORK MUST ENCOURAGE > INVESTMENT IN BROADBAND > To: isoc-ny(a)yahoogroups.com, discuss(a)isoc-ny.org > > > > NEW YORK MUST ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT IN BROADBAND > [SOURCE: The Buffalo News, AUTHOR: Mitchell L. Moss, > New York University] > [Commentary] The Internet has emerged into an > essential and ubiquitous > part of life. Yet, in New York, communications > companies are still > being regulated by laws written in another era. > While other states > have adopted policies that spur investment and > expansion of their > broadband infrastructure, New York has yet to face > the future. It's > time for New York to move ahead or its economy will > lag. Albany can > help by fostering private investment in a > next-generation broadband. A > fully operational broadband network is worth > hundreds of millions of > dollars a year to the state's economy. That > translates into more jobs, > better schools, a cleaner environment through > telecommuting and > improved communications for law enforcement and > first responders. It's > time that legislators and policymakers act in > concert with > communications companies to accelerate deployment of > high-speed > broadband technology. Anything less will drive New > Yorkers from the > information highway to the service road. > http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/118524.html > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > WWWhatsup NYC > http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > http://isoc-ny.org > "The Internet is for Everyone!" -- Vint Cerf > ---------------------------------------------- > Yahoo! Groups Links > > <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/ > > <*> Your email settings: > Individual Email | Traditional > > <*> To change settings online go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isoc-ny/join > (Yahoo! ID required) > > <*> To change settings via email: > mailto:isoc-ny-digest@yahoogroups.com > mailto:isoc-ny-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com > > <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email > to: > isoc-ny-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com > > <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > -- > website: http://www.billowsbpo.co.ke/ > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links. http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesearch?refer=1ONXIC

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is stakeholder forum necessary?
by Rebecca Wanjiku 18 Jul '07

18 Jul '07

Stakeholder forum is ok, but does it work? At Safari park hotel, many stakeholders gathered to give their views. From Safaricom, Celtel to the consumer association, they all had something to say about the KCA bill. ICJ described the bill as unprecedented and the PS Bitange Ndemo assured participants that their views would be incorporated. But if the past process is anything to go by, is there any assurance that the views will be taken on board. Stakeholders wanted an expansion of the constituencies expected to be consulted, and an assurance that the views would be considered no one seemed to answer the question categorically, it was only said that the views would be compiled and forwarded. Others wanted the bill to protect them from any perceived crime because they are carriers while others wanted the bill to conform to other established principles in the commonwealth. It was a productive forum. Those with contentions about the wording of the clauses were also encouraged to help by bringing in the clauses worded in their favourable way. But is this a chance for people to meet, take the tea and lunch or is it going to bear any fruits. I guess the fruits will be manifested by the inclusion of substantial contributions from the cross section of constituencies. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Get the free Yahoo! toolbar and rest assured with the added security of spyware protection.

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Re: [kictanet] Telkom Kenya is not this cheap sign petition.........
by Mike Theuri 18 Jul '07

18 Jul '07

Kyai, If Telkom Kenya is a 'junk corporation', why is there an uproar over its new services by its competitors? What do they have to fear? How has Telkom Kenya managed to sign over 70,000 subscribers for its new fixed wireless service if it has indeed gone to the dogs ? Shouldn't sleeping dogs be left where they lie? Why wake a sleeping dog if TKL couldn't hope to compete against these titans that mint millions of dollars from Kenyans? Surely we didn't expend billions of taxpayer funds so that we could hand taxpayer owned corporations to foreign entities on silver platters, or did we? TKL did not make profits for reasons attributed to fraud, pilferage of funds, gross mismanagement and the list that could go on and on. Do you have an argument supporting or endorsing the non prosecution of these actions as well as the negation of the need to attempt to recover and return these funds to where they rightfully belong? Can we at least locate where the missing Ksh 7bn is before we rush to sell this corporation? An extra 7bn or more in TKL's balance sheet would certainly up the price that ought to be offered. ----- *Daily Nation * *Friday, March 30, 2007 * *Page 38 * *Business * Financial figures for Telkom Kenya do not add up for the year ending June 30, 2005, the Controller and Auditor General has said. More than Sh7 billion has not be accounted for, said Ms P.N. Komora in a report tabled in Parliament yesterday. According to her, the accuracy of bank balances amounting to Sh58 million could not be verified. It was also not possible to verify how overdraft balances of Sh73 million, letters of credit and bills of acceptances amounting to Sh432 million have been accounted for in the absence of adequate records and documentation.[...] -------- We know why there is no infrastructure on the ground, but could we focus on what TKL is doing currently in determining TKL's potential ? The reason there is no infrastructure on the ground is the aforementioned reasons in addition to a bloated workforce. That workforce has recently been trimmed down at considerable tax payer expense, TKL is making strides in turning around and additional tax payer funds have been provided for in the budget for this purpose. Is it too much to ask that TKL be given an opportunity given the recent progressive strides? Wouldn't TKL be more valuable if it were allowed to accumulate the gains of its new strategies and technologies? " In short, the private sector's sweat, speed and effort (and the tax payer) are required to keep the institution alive " Well said and rather accurate, indeed if these are the parties responsible for keeping TKL alive, shouldn't they have the preferential shot at gaining ownership of TKL ? Jaindi Kisero recently wrote in an editorial: -- "As it prepares for privatisation, Telkom Kenya will gobble billions of the tax payers money. Under the budget of the ministry of finance is an allocation of massive Sh 15 billion for Telkoms' tax arrears and Sh 2 billion for preparing the parastatal for privatisation." -- It is ridiculous that Ksh 17bn or US$ 255m will be pumped into TKL at tax payer expense only for foreigners (including a pariah foreign government) to walk in and buy the corporation for a song with taxpayers getting minimal shareholding in the corporation while bearing the burden of debt offloaded on them for generations to come. The belief that taxpayers will be alleviated of the misery of dragging an iron ball is a fallacy. Instead of the new foreign investors dragging the iron ball, the average Kenyan will be paying for generations to come to ensure that a foreign entity reaps a quick profit in the shortest amount of time possible at tax payer expense. It is only equitable that those condemned to dragging the iron ball have the opportunity to have something to show for their tax burden. You cited results of the past 30 years, but didn't in fairness mention what TKL is doing today. --- The national operators' new service, known as Telkom Wireless, will be launched using a CDMA 2000 platform purchased from Chinese company Huawei at a cost of US$22.6 million. The new investment is in a fibre and microwave backbone and has been rolled out across the country. --- How could a brand new national fibre and microwave backbone be worthless or junk? This is in addition to several other infrastructure investments including a $50m fiber optic cable between Nairobi and Mombasa. You may have misunderstood the point on national security. For illustrative purposes, the next time Kenya has a serious diplomatic dispute with Libya (and it has in the past), Libya, if handed TKL on a silver platter, could potentially add pressure to the situation by disabling key telecommunication services which would have an adverse impact on the nation's national security. There are several issues of national security, that cannot be simply expounded on in a concise message but which are the basis world wide for limiting foreign ownership of national telephony entities. There are many types of investors, there are long term investors who are in for the long haul. A short term investor for instance in Kenya Airways would have been very disappointed if they were looking for a quick gain at the time. TKL needs long term investors. Naturally such investors would be informed through a prospectus prior to an IPO. Anyone who jumps into an IPO without reading a prospectus is basically leaving all to chance and market hype. Nobody disputes the fact that TKL's services are far from excellent let alone satisfactory. At least that is something all can agree on. Neither is anyone against the fact that TKL needs to be privatised or turned around, we just want it done correctly, equitably and transparently, the issues at hand just to reiterate are: - TKL should be privatised using a model that allows maximum equity participation by the average Kenyan. The KQ model was cited purely to illustrate possible percentages that are equitable to all parties with a stake in the process. - TKL should be sold at price that reflects an accurate and up to date independent valuation. The government should disclose without further delay the valuation it has arrived at of TKL and how it was arrived at. This is not a private asset for sale but rather a public asset so there is no need to have this shrouded in secrecy. - Judicial action to rectify the pilferage of TKL's coffers needs to be undertaken. This might be wishful thinking considering no major prosecution of corruption cases in the country has taken place to date. - Which independent parties with the requisite expertise and experience are advising the government on this transaction? - Has the government considered a BOT arrangement ie Build - Operate - Transfer ? This would ensure that the investor gets a return on investment but ultimately TKL remains Kenyan owned in the long run ? These processes including the Safaricom IPO should not be rushed purely on the sole basis that an election is looming in the coming months. Mike PS You cited the following examples to name a few which on checking the facts turned out to mismatch the situation they were cited for : ===== Alitalia - A public notification was announced on January 2007. The buyer must acquire at least 30.1% of Alitalia, must guarantee the airline's 18,000 jobs, domestic routes, and the Italian identity of the Alitalia brand, according to the tender document published on the Treasury Web site. Italy has invited bids for at least 30.1% of Alitalia's shares, to be submitted by Jan. 29, 2007. [It is not evident that Alitalia is being sold for a song, neither is a controlling percentage being sold either, it is premature to make a comparison where a process has not concluded ] Telkom SA - Telkom is a semi-privatised, 39% state-owned company. Government sold 30 per cent of Telkom to a US-Malaysian consortium. As part of the service agreement, government required Telkom to roll out 1,9 million new phones to disadvantaged areas. In the three years since then, the price of local calls, which the poor use, has risen by 35 per cent in real terms, while international calls (used by businesses and the rich) have fallen by 40 per cent in real terms. The local call increases have led to disconnections that have almost matched the roll out of new lines. After accounting for disconnections, the reality is that there was a bigger roll out of new lines before Telkom was privatised than after. South Africa privatized it's state utility Telkom by selling a 30% stake to a consortium from the United States and Malaysia for $1.261 billion. [It is not evident that Telekom SA was sold for a song, neither is a significant percentage being sold either to single investor, in addition it underwent a successful IPO that allowed the general public a stake in the company even then the average South African did not benefit in regards to better access to services] Kenya Railways - Kenya Railways was not sold, rather it was concessioned, why don't we concession TKL if service provision and development of the infrastructure is the main objective ? Eurotunnel - Privatisation did not save Eurotunnel from going virtually bankrupt. Amtrak - Has never been privatised. Amtrak is a quasi-governmental agency; all of its preferred stock is owned by the federal government. The members of its board of directors are appointed by the President of the United States, and are subject to confirmation by the United States Senate. Some common stock is held by the private railroads that transferred their passenger service to Amtrak in 1971. Though Amtrak stock does not pay dividends and is not routinely traded, a small number of private investors have purchased Amtrak stock from its original owners. The United States obviously recognizes the national interest in the ownership of this critical service. ==== On 7/17/07, Kyai Mullei <mullei(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Mike - some good points. > > I have a few comments on the issues of national security as a reason why > Telkom shouldn't be sold for pennies. Frankly, I find the argument slightly > myopic. As you reiterated, Telkom Kenya (like most parastatals including > national banks) are technically insolvent. These are dead corporations that > depend on sutained periodic government (tax payer) bailouts to continue > providing sub standard and expensive services. > > The current situation is that (thirty years on) there is no infrastructure > on the ground to speak of. 98% of the country is not covered by our > 'national' provider. A few digital exchanges in the Nairobi and Mombasa > environs just doesn't cut it. And we all know that the only reason Telkom > Kenya has any cash to roll out any of these new services is through bank > loans the collateral of which are govt. shares in Safaricom. In short, the > private sector's sweat, speed and effort (and the tax payer) are required to > keep the institution alive. > > In my view, the faster we sell these insutitutions off, the cheaper it > will be for us in the long run. I would hope that any Kenyan investor > willing to buy Telkom Kenya shares would be doing it purely on speculation > grounds - in the hope that the liscences etc. could be sold to a serious > provider for more money in the future (In fact, this is exactly what the > foreign investors are doing). The privatization of Telkom Kenya and Kenya > Airways cannot be compared. The latter had working planes and landing rights > that could be turned profit-making. For the average Kenyan investor, Telkom > Kenya has nothing worth buying. > > > The world over, the notion that national firms - telecommunications, > aviation, etc. (relics of the 70s when economists and national > planners wrongly thought centralized economies were key for development) - > are key to national security, and therefore should belong to the public, has > been turned on its head. Just look at Alitalia, Vargas, SA Telkom, Amtrack, > Kenya Railways, Eurotunnel. All considered critical to national > security, all of which are nothing more loss-making iron balls dragged along > by the exchequers (taxpayers) in their respective countries. > > I can't see how an institution that is a consistent drain on the exchequer > would be critical to national security. Lets admit it. If sound > communication provision is critical to national security, mobile providers > have given me that - more extensively (see safaricom/celtel network > coverage) and faster (in the last 6 years) and cheaper (the wireless rates i > pay while high do not come close to the price of repeated bailouts in my > name) than the Telkom Kenya has ever been able to. > > If someone else has the money and patience to by the piece of telephony > junk in my back yard and turn it into something, please do so fast, and i'll > sell it for exactly what its worth...pennies. The longer I wait, the less my > junk will be worth. In the meantime, i'll save my money to invest in more > sound privatizations the future - perhaps the Safaricom IPO. > > Regards > > Kyai > >

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forum reminder
by Rebecca Wanjiku 17 Jul '07

17 Jul '07

just to remind you of the monthly forum reminder.. this thursday at Jacaranda at 3pm topic will be contributions on the KCA bill, Alex Gakuru, Michuki Mwangi and Nyokabi Kanyua from ICJ will be there to share with up, please plan to attend, regards Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today!

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Diasporan Investors Team Up to Buy Ghana Telecom
by Mike Theuri 17 Jul '07

17 Jul '07

It is noteworthy to see the GoK rush to sell a controlling stake in Telkom Kenya to foreigners while indigenous Ghanians battle to secure a stake in Ghana Telecom: http://allafrica.com/stories/200707161541.html Diasporan Investors Team Up to Buy GT Public Agenda (Accra) NEWS 16 July 2007 Posted to the web 16 July 2007 Accra A Ghanaian Diaspora professional group, called the Ghana Leadership Union (GLU) has announced plans to pool resources to buy a controlling stake in one of the country's biggest assets, Ghana Telecom. GLU, a non-partisan NGO with membership based in the U.S.A, U.K., the E.U., Australia and Asia, says Ghanaian professionals based aboard have been shut out of the process of participating in the investment and management of divested State Owned Enterprises for too long; hence the decision to join the race for GT. In furtherance of that, GLU has created a novel investment framework to attract financial and human capital to formally express interest in the acquisition of a controlling stake in Ghana Telecom Ltd. In a statement copied to Public Agenda, the President of GLU, Dr. Kwaku A. Danso, stated, "the founders of our nation Ghana did not use taxpayers' funds to set up State-owned enterprises (SOEs) only to be sold to foreigners, or to insiders of the government who use proxies to buy these SoE's and leave the real stakeholders with the debts. This practice must be stopped, by any means necessary". The statement said the GLU members are seasoned professionals with more than 20 years of telecommunications and information systems management and will bring investment capital in excess of US$500M to this venture. This unprecedented investment approach facilitated by the GLU will also enable the participation of accredited investors within Ghana and abroad with as little as $1,000 per unit. Asked about the investment strategy, the initiative's lead promoter in the UK, lawyer George Asomaning responded, "It is our intention to ensure that as much of the actual investment received gets channeled into the infrastructural development of Ghana Telecom, so as to position the company to deliver on its promise and to return a sizeable profit for the shareholders, the citizens of Ghana". Nifa Bankroh, the organizer of the "Lets buy Ghana Telecom" initiative stated, "If Ghanaians do not get involved in the acquisition, ownership and management of significant state owned enterprises that are being divested, the likelihood of Ghanaian nationals being able to control the factors that affect their economic future will be marginal at best, and probably negligible. Many Ghanaian businessmen and professional groups are of the opinion that conditions imposed by so-called development partners or financiers, opening Ghana's markets to so-called globalization, has not proven economically beneficial over the last three decades. Professor Mintzberg of Canada has described globalization with respect to development as "a sham". Whilst foreign investors and competition are necessary and welcome tools in Ghana, this global inequity, coupled with a comparative lack of openness and transparency has led to an unequal playing field in the world of business dealings and negotiations. The result is the massive brain drain, high accumulated debt burden, and high unemployment and underemployment in Ghana, which call for new development strategies. Commenting on the sale of state-owned enterprises and the ongoing telecoms divestiture process, Michel Bowman-Amuah, an ICT entrepreneur resident in the United States,Stated that; "there are certain strategic national assets that must be safeguarded and placed above the drive for investment capital and chief among those is our national information and communications infrastructure. There has to be more regulatory oversight into corporate takeovers, mergers or acquisitions of these strategic national assets, if we are to maintain our sovereignty and protect our security interests". Industry watchers say, Ghana's wireless phone networks are dominated by foreign- owned and controlled entities that were granted these franchises at a fraction of prevailing market rates, creating a very lopsided playing field which places the fixed network carriers at a significant competitive disadvantage. Recently, the largest operator (by subscriber base), Spacefon™ /Scancom™ was acquired in a multi-billion dollar transaction by Areeba™, another foreign concern without as much as public hearings into the process and we the general public are yet to be briefed about the details or benefits that the citizens of Ghana have realized in this sale. The above transaction has been clouded by a shareholder proxy battle between the Lebanese operators of Scancom™ and the Ghanaian founder of Spacefon™, who was allegedly forced out with political support of the previous administration. Though the matter is pending in the courts, the government administration and regulatory agency, the National Communication Agency (NCA), has been eerily silent on the matter which begs the question about what investment protections exist for indigenous investors within Ghana's corporate regulatory system. Also recently, the Government of Ghana settled a shareholder dispute with the former minority shareholder in Ghana Telecom, Telecom Malaysia, who had purchased the rights to increase their shareholding to a controlling stake, but were unceremoniously expelled when the current administration assumed power in 2001. This dispute has shaken foreign investor confidence in the long term viability of the divestiture process and its stability. Investors need to be certain that their multi million dollar investments are secure regardless of ruling regime. It must be noted that a Ghanaian-owned and controlled investor group is no different and would require that specific safeguards are in place to protect the interests of their shareholders. It is envisioned that this investment framework created by the GLU shall be reused by other industry sector professionals as other State owned enterprises are divested by the Government of Ghana in the near future. "It is our intent to safeguard the national interest by facilitating the participation of Ghanaians everywhere in the Nation-building process." Mama Brenya Twumasi, a legal scholar and interested investor with many years of stock ownership experience writing from San Antonio, Texas, warned that "our nation cannot continue to ignore the views of the people, and that in essence, governmental transparency and accountability is a must in all present and future dealings if we, as a Nation State, wish to beviewed as credible by our allies and other Sovereign States." It is the general agreement of most Ghanaians surveyed on the issue that Ghana has too many skilled, experienced and competent Ghanaian professionals, educated as part of the initial plan of Ghana's first President, who are willing and able to own and manage our strategic assets. It is therefore unconscionable to simply stand by while foreign corporate raiders are ushered in on the red carpet and given the keys to our National treasure troves.

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why amend instead of a new Act??
by Rebecca Wanjiku 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

Am sure people are expecting a convoluted reason as to why the AG decided amend KCA (98) instead of coming up with a brand new Act. Well, dont wait for a huge explanation, its simple- the AG just thought it was easier to amend instead of coming up with a new Act that may be changed or be altered by insertion of new issues including typing errors. At least that is what we were told at the stakeholders meeting. For George Kegoro, ICJ-K head, the present bill is terribly confusing for lawyers and parliamentarians. Kegoro felt that it would have been procedurally easier in terms of practice to bring a brand new statute (through an original Act). He added that the government can be accused of lack of good faith in this case because it could have been done better. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out.

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at the stakeholder workshop
by Rebecca Wanjiku 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

faced with growing criticism, the ministry of information and communication is meeting stakeholders at Safaripark hotel to get their views on the proposed bill. here are some highlights of the bill.... a general overview of what ICJ elaborated. One, as drafted the Bill seeks to converge all sectors of communication (broadcasting, telecommunications and information technologies/internet) under one regulatory body i.e. the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) and thus, purportedly, streamline the licensing procedures and management of frequency spectrum, through numerous fundamental amendments to an existing principal Act and other incidental laws. At a glance, this style of law making is clumsy, without precedent in Kenya and indeed the whole Commonwealth. It is the form of law making process that will most likely convolute issues and end up with bad law. Would it not have been tidier to come up with a new law that retains all the required provisions and repeals the existing law? Since the principal Act, the Kenya Communications Act, 1998, is merely a skeletal legislation that only establishes the CCK, provides for licensing and regulation of telecommunications services, radio communications and postal Services, it is difficult to comprehend the wisdom of using it as the building block towards a law that will incorporate all aspects of broadcasting and information technology. Again whether having a converged regulatory regime is the most ideal situation or having separate regulatory frameworks for the various communication sectors is to be preferred is a big question and one not easy to resolve without elaborate and structured consultations with all stakeholders and consumers of information i.e. the general population. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase.

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Re: [kictanet] [SPAM] [Skunkworks] Telkom Kenya is not this cheap sign petition.........
by Mike Theuri 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

Jean, I appreciate your response. I would hope that more Kenyans would participate in constructive debates over matters of national importance particularly those that affect them and future generations of Kenyans. It does not take rocket science to figuratively determine why TKL which in the past charged some of the highest tariffs in the world has not made a profit. To date no one has been prosecuted and ultimately convicted for pilfering public funds generated by this very viable corporation. TKL represents a classic example of gross mismanagement, attempts to turn around the corporation have encountered several avoidable obstacles and the status quo has remained. In contrast other publicly owned corporations such as KCB have been turned around and turned into very profitable entities without being sold to alien companies while transitioning to minimal governmental ownership and ensuring maximum equity participation by the Kenyan public. One must wonder if this cheap sale is intended to clean the slate of the years of pilferage and mismanagement while conducting a well though out public relations exercise to show that the current administration is engaged in doing something "good for the country" as opposed to doing something good for foreigners. TKL has turned around a corner and has revamped its infrastructure at great expense. Several exchanges have been upgraded and digitized and so has its domestic digital network. It has retrenched the unnecessary and redundant workers who were a drag on its ability to be profitable (again paid for by the Kenyan taxpayer). Just when TKL is on its home stretch to launching several new and revolutionary services, there is a sudden and urgent need to dispose of it to foreigners or combat it by companies that have been making millions of dollars from Kenyans (read foreign companies). Can these companies explain how they may have acquired 3G frequencies from the regulator without paying a cent when similar frequencies have been sold in other African countries for hundreds of millions of dollars? Can the Exchequer let the Kenyan public know the amount that it received from the companies that are now complaining about TKL's new services in return for this finite 3G public resource that should not be handed out for free ? When were licenses for 3G technology publicly tendered for in Kenya ? Is it a good thing for Kenya that the exchequer be deprived of much needed revenue? If TKL is not viable why are these competitors complaining? Indeed it was patriotism that was the foundation of my comments but not the single one driving factor. The government is by the people for the people. The people here happen to be Kenyan taxpayers and voters. What is unpatriotic or misguided about asking for accountability as to why a corporation that is publicly owned is being sold for pennies on the dollar ? or asking that prosecutions be undertaken for those guilty of the prior pilferage of public funds from the same corporation? There is nothing absolutely misguided about questioning why the government appears to have disregarded national security and the public's interest in attempting to sell TKL. I'm certain that if the decision to sell TKL under the current status quo to foreigners were put to a public referendum, that it would be soundly defeated. Below is an article that sums up the concerns of many Kenyans who have come to know about the illusionary effect of corporations that are Kenyan by name but foreign in all other aspects. Contrary to what many belief, Kenya's wealth is in the hands of foreigners and the attempt to sell TKL is another step in the same direction. The best that could happen would be to follow the KQ model of privitisation which some are advocating and which has ensured that the ordinary Kenyan has an opportunity to benefit, no matter how small from the millions of dollars in profits generated in profits and without forgetting to correct the harm cause by those guilty of the pilferage of public funds and revenue. The government's intentions may be noble but those in Government must not forget that they are in the government for and on behalf of Kenyans who have entrusted them with the public's wealth. Thus Kenyans must come first before foreigners, after all it is their country and their corporation that is at stake. Mike http://www.eastandard.net/archives/sunday/hm_news/news.php?articleid=18216 Kenya's wealth in foreign hands By Kamau Ngotho The bulk of Kenya's wealth is in foreign hands, according to statistics obtained exclusively by The Sunday Standard. If Kenya were a cake to be shared out, Kenyans would only lay claim to 31 per cent of the country's total wealth. The rest would go to foreigners. Agriculture, tourism and banking, which combined bring in the country's largest earnings, are in foreign hands. Last year, tea, tourism, flowers and coffee earned the country Sh140 billion, nearly half of the annual national budget. Of this money, only 31 per cent ended up in the country — as tax and real earnings to the nationals. And shareholding in the richest 20 companies that trade at the Nairobi Stock Exchange is foreign. The skewed distribution of wealth between foreigners and Kenyans puts paid to all efforts since independence to hand control of the country to its citizens. Tea growing, which earned the country Sh43.5 billion last year, is concentrated in the hands of six leading agricultural companies whose shareholding is largely foreign. Up to 78 per cent of earnings from tea went, therefore, to foreigners — leaving the balance for Kenyans. The Big Six in the tea sector are Unilever Tea Kenya, Kakuzi Ltd, Williamson Tea Company, Kapchorua Tea, Limuru Tea Company and Sasini Coffee and Tea. The British-owned Brooke Bond Group holds 43.1 million shares of the total 48.8 million shares issued in Univeler Tea Kenya. The same group owns 54 per cent of the total 3.9 million shares issued in Limuru Tea Company. In Kakuzi Ltd, foreigners have a total shareholding of 68.3 per cent of the total 19.6 million shares issued. They hold the shares through Bordure Ltd and Lintak Investment Ltd, with 35.1 and 33.2 per cent shareholding, respectively. Britain's Williamson family has a controlling majority shareholding in both Williamson Tea and Kapchorua Tea companies. In Williamson Tea, it holds 67.2per cent of the total 8.8 million shares issued through their company, Ngong Tea Holding PLC. In Kapchorua tea, they hold 40 per cent of the 3.9 million shares issued. Sasini Tea and Coffee Ltd is 87.3 per cent owned by business magnate Naushad Merali, a Kenyan. Merali's companies hold his shares in these businesses: Legend Investments Ltd (51.7 per cent), East African Batteries (18.7 per cent), Yana Towers (15.9 per cent) and Swan Estates (1.04 per cent). The reinvigorated tourism sector, which earned Sh42 billion last year, is also foreign-owned. And just as the Sh43.5 billion earnings from tea sector ended up in foreign pockets, so did the Sh42 billion that came from tourism. Tourism earnings went into three directions: Hotels, airlines, and travel/booking agents, in that order. Of Kenya's 290,000-plus tourist hotel bed spaces, foreign hoteliers own 74.3 per cent of it. Tour flights to Kenya are entirely in the hands of foreign airlines. It is all the more foreign-dominated in the traditional tourist peak periods of Easter and Christmas, when there are no scheduled flights to Kenya's tourist hub of Mombasa. During the two seasons, tourists arrive in Mombasa in chartered jets arranged by European tour operators. Foreign companies stationed in European and American capitals also entirely control hotel bookings and transfers. Where internal travel is concerned, foreigners too, dominate by owning 7 of the 11 leading local tour travel firms. At the end of the day, tourism in Kenya remains a foreigners' enclave with indigenous Kenyans left to scratch the surface on petty trades like selling curios and prostitution. After years of lobbying, last year the European Union set aside Sh250 million to economically empower indigenous Kenyans to get a fair share of the lucrative industry. Seven projects were targeted to tilt the balance in a programme called Tourism Diversification and Empowerment Project. But a spokesman at the Nairobi EU office said the money is yet to be released as project proposals submitted are still under evaluation. The only hotel chain listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange is the TPS Serena. The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development holds the company's majority shareholding through its company, TPS Holdings Limited. Horticulture, which earned Kenya Sh28.2 billion last year, is the country's third largest foreign exchange earner. It, too, is a foreigners' affair. Indigenous Kenyans mainly come in as casual labourers on the flower farms. Of the 44 certified companies dealing with horticulture products, 26 are foreign-owned. But an even bigger irony is that the leading 10 players in the industry — all foreign-owned — bag 83 per cent of the total income from the sector. Flower farming (floriculture) is the key plank in Kenya's agriculture sector. Seventy six per cent of Kenya's total flower production is concentrated in foreign-owned flowers farms around the Naivasha area. The big three are Homegrown, Sulmac and Oserian. Late last year, Kenya overtook Israel and Columbia as leading exporters of cut flowers. But you would not know that from the world's leading flower auctions in Amsterdam and London. Why? Foreign flower exporters in Kenya have registered their companies abroad — mainly in Amsterdam — and sell flowers they have grown in Kenya under a foreign label. In that case, while flowers from a local company are sold in Amsterdam as flowers from Kenya, Dutch companies growing their flowers in Naivasha sell theirs as flowers from Holland. The consequence of it is that flowers owned by Dutch companies receive preferential treatment at the auction, including exemption from the strict EU- imposed export rules. Flower auctions in Amsterdam and London account for 65 and 25 per cent of Kenya flower sales respectively. Of the approximate 60,000 tonnes of flowers exported from Kenya last year, 37,000 tonnes were sold in Amsterdam and London auctions as flowers from Holland. The statistics can make it look like the entire flower industry in Kenya is one big conspiracy against indigenous people. Foreign air charters, the only ones used in flower transport, charge the highest rates in Nairobi. Freight charges on flowers from Kenya are twice those in the capitals of Kenya's nearest competitors Israel, Columbia and Costa Rica. There are also 40 to 45 per cent higher than in Egypt and South Africa, Kenya's two biggest competitors on the continent. At $400 a day, inspection and storage charges at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport are the highest in the world. So is the freight charge of $1.85-$2.2 per stem. Flowers sold in Kenya's name are inspected stem by stem at the JKIA at the cost of 12 Euro cents a stem. Those grown in Kenya but marketed by overseas- accredited companies are only inspected in bulk. On average, it costs upwards of $1 million to set up a typical flower farm on a half acre spread , which in turn brings in a $50,000 a year. Kenya's fourth leading export earner, coffee, is equally depressing on the ownership scale. The majority of small-scale coffee growers in Kenya sell coffee raw from the farm, earning less than 10 per cent of what the finished end product earns in foreign markets and in a foreign label. Though touted as an agricultural country, the other large-scale agricultural activities in Kenya are also foreign-owned. Rea-Vipingo Plantations, which deals mainly in sisal and dairy farming is 77 per cent owned by the Robinson family of England. They hold the shares through REA Holdings PLC, Unibuckle Holdings Ltd and REA Trading Ltd. Del Monte, world famous for pineapple products, is entirely a French affair and sells its products with the label "Made-in-France". The question of who owns Kenya's wealth sticks out like a sore thumb in the banking sector. The leading two banks with a combined market share of 71.4per cent are Barclays Bank of Kenya and the Standard Chartered. They are foreign-owned. Barclays Bank plc of London owns 68 per cent stake in Barclays Bank of Kenya. Standard Bank Africa, a London outfit, in turn owns 81 per cent shareholding in Standard Chartered Bank. To avoid domination by foreign banks, Nigeria and South Africa enacted laws on percentages of shareholding a foreign bank could own. Foreign ownership is also the same cord that runs through key blue chip companies listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. At the East African Breweries, British-owned Guinness plc holds 63.5 per cent of the total equity, leaving Kenyans to scramble for the rest. Guinness shares are held in the names of Diageo Kenya Ltd and Diageo Netherlands B.V. In the Nation Media Group, the Aga Khan holds 28.2 million shares of the 35.6 million shares issued. The Aga Khan's shares are held in the names of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and Amin Nanji Juma. In Kenya Airways, Dutch company, KLM, holds 40.6 per cent equity. In Total Kenya Ltd, French companies Total Outre-mer and Elf Oil Kenya Ltd, own 77 per cent of the total shareholding, while in BAT Kenya Ltd, Molensteegh Investment BV of London, holds 68 per cent of the total shareholding. The question of who owns Kenya's wealth generated a national debate in 1968 when the National Council of Churches of Kenya published a paper entitled: "Who Owns Kenya's Industry?" In the paper, the late Anglican Bishop, the Rev Henry Okullu, regretted that five years into independence, "the compass needle had not moved in the direction of indigenous ownership of Kenya's wealth." Thirty-seven years later, the Rev Okullu would turn in his grave to note that the needle has drifted even further away. On 7/11/07, Jean-Antoine BORD <ja_bord(a)yahoo.fr > wrote: > > Hi, > > > > With due respect, I am not convinced that you asked all the good > questions. > > > > To what I have heard so far, Telekom has succeeded neither commercially > nor technically in the few past years. A significant part of its > infrastructure is considered obsolete if not out of order. I heard many > times that the service was quite poor and that one should wait several years > to get a land line. Telkom seems to have given up long ago its leadership in > Kenya to cell phone operator and successful ISP like Access Kenya, KDN, etc. > So, in a certain way, because of possible debts or potential expenses which > do not appear in the asset sheet, the valuation of Telkom might be less than > its licences. > > > > When you consider the status of Telecom national historical operators in > other countries, you should first ask the government why Telekom Kenya has > so poorly achieved in the last 5 years. > > > > When a company decide to go for an IPO (particularly when this is a > government-owned company), the non-professional investors should have a > minimum insurance that the price is fair and the company is sustainable. > Here is a second question. > > > > Another issue is the transparency of the process. In many countries, > private companies backed by Venture Capital Funds ran in parallel an IPO and > a trade sale. For instance, Kelkoo, Skype, etc, have been acquired > respectively by Yahoo and eBay instead of going public, because it was more > interesting for the existing shareholders. So, an IPO is not always the best > way (many companies experienced a crash of their stock a short time after > their IPO; investors who could sell some stock where considered as thieves). > > > > > Last but not least, the service level in Kenya is still poor and to turn > Telkom Kenya into a company leading the progress of this industry (instead > of trying to slow down the competition) would probably have a better impact > on the economy (and what you call Telkom's shareholders) than the loss > inducted by the sale of 40% at a price you consider too low. > > > > Finally, Kenyan Government has demonstrated with the Safaricom deal (and > probably many others) that it is able to defend the best interest of all > Kenyans, so that one should not consider it is guilty without an equitable > judgement. > > > > I could have developed some more arguments, concerning the role paid by > Safaricom, Celtel (which are partially owned by foreigners) and many other > foreign owned companies which create wealth in Kenya, concerning > protectionism and its consequences, etc. > > > > In conclusion, the mail written by Mike seems biased by a misplaced > patriotism and many issues have not been considered. > > > > With Kind Regards, > > > > Jean > > > ------------------------------ > > *De :* skunkworks-bounces(a)my.co.ke [mailto: skunkworks-bounces(a)my.co.ke] *De > **la part de *Dorcas Muthoni > *Envoyé :* 10 July 2007 20:21 > *À : *skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > *Objet :* [SPAM] [Skunkworks] Telkom Kenya is not this cheap sign > petition......... > > > > http://www.petitionspot.com/signature/TELKOMKENYA > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >

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Updates on ICT Bill workshop?
by John Walubengo 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

anybody willing to blog about what transpired at the above workshop? or must we wait until tomorrow for probably some biased view of the events... walu. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles. Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/

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Memorandum of Views ::attached::
by Alex Gakuru 15 Jul '07

15 Jul '07

[Following our meetings with Human Rights groups find attached views on the ICT Bill. -- AlexG] <excerpts> I hereby circulate the memorandum of views and initial draft critique in as far as the Bill as drafted threatens free expression and introduces really novel legal issues that have the potential of taking away constitutional rights. We had an urgent media stakeholders meeting on 12th July in which we discussed the Bill and were shocked by its implications. The ICT Bill comes in as the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2007 - also a rather novel way of enacting a new law completely different from the original version. This particular amendment bill is very ambitious as it even amends other laws (including some constitutional issues!). This Bill has already been tabled in Parliament for 1st reading on 4th July and is speculated to go for second reading the week of 23rd - 27th July! Clearly there is need for more time for consultation on the Bill and the issues - kindly go through the Bills and raise more issues. Please read the critique and react ASAP - from the rooftops if possible! We need all pairs of eyes reading this Bill. (The Bill is also available on www.kenyalawreports.or.ke) There is a stakeholders forum to discuss the ICT Bill on Monday 16th July 2007 at the Safari Park Hotel convene by the PS and Ministry of Information. Kindly purpose to attend and raise issues of concern. Section 149 in the 2006 (repeated in Section 134 of published Bill 2007) is anti-FOI!!!! In relation to offences is there a jurisprudential reason to treat ICT offences differently and have them outside the penal code - forgery is forgery, fraud is fraud, theft is theft even with new technology. Are e-commerce offences different? The issues of recognition of electronic evidence are proposed to be addressed in the Evidence Act by the Bill - Offences should probably be addressed in the same way by amending the Penal code not writing ICT Offences part VIA. So far we have only been able to look at the provisions that relate to the regulator (CCK) media, broadcasting, free expression and free flow of information together with the legislative drafting issues. The Bill is largely concerned with licensing and regulations and it puts all issues of information and communication under one regulator. In our view this may not achieve the objectives of the Bill as far as enabling devt of ICT in Kenya and making as an ICT hub is concerned. One of the participants, Dr. Mary Muiruri also shared that the e-transactions law should be separate as is the case in countries that we need to compete with e.g. Singapore. The ICT Bill as is will not help us attract investors, BPOs - create jobs etc yet it seriously threatens broadcasters and freedom of media and expression for the people. (See FYI separate communications on this issue - so we don't appear to be fighting ICT devt in Kenya) Regulation of broadcasting media is allowed as the frequencies are a rare public good to be shared and broadcasting media is also more pervasive than print media - TVs and radios are in our sitting rooms but be that as it may and we support the regulation as should happen in a democratic society as per international standards the punishments and penalties for any breach must be proportional and not draconian - Loss of Broadcasting License and Seizure of equipment punishments and others in the Bill are far too much especially as the legal safeguards are weak and the independence of the all powerful CCK is questionable. A quasi judicial body like CCK cannot have as wide powers as the courts of law in meting out hefty punishments prescribed by the Bill. The Bill is really intent on creating crimes - is broadcasting uncomfortable content criminal? Putting together so many varied issues in one law not only makes the law hard to read but it mixes up principles and underpinning democratic ideals and international standards. In the case of the broadcasting there maybe need to have a separate broadcasting law and an amendment of the KBC Act to make it a proper public broadcaster with an independent board and editorial independence. We still need advise on other provisions of the Bill, so please help in this. Further if you are aware of any other critiques that have been done please share them. Something we also found interesting is the change of the Bill from the Original Version of the Communications Bill and The published Bill which has various far reaching provisions that are not found in the earlier Bill raising the question - why the draconian sections were introduced especially 129, 130 and 131. It is interesting and worrying that Minister in the Bill is very powerful and busy - as busy as the regulator. The Bill as we note in the memo threatens to bring back sedition law days. <ends> ____________________________________________________________________________________ Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games. http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gamekey=monopolyherenow

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[Fwd: [DigAfrica] Telkom Kenya’s wireless service is really ‘mobile service’ for tax purposes]
by alice 15 Jul '07

15 Jul '07

Mobile companies complain that Telkom Kenya's wireless service is really `mobile service' for tax purposes The reverberations of Telkom's official launch of its wireless service last week has resurrected a growing dispute within the telecommunications industry. The war of words between telephone operators intensified this week as Celtel once again appealed for clarification on the role of the national operator, saying Telkom's recently launched wireless service is acting in direct competition with its own. "All we ask for is fair play," said David Murray, Celtel's CEO. "Telkom Wireless is a mobile service and should be treated as such." The launch of Telkom Wireless has brewed dissent amongst mobile telephone players who are protesting against what they term unfair business practice. Both Safaricom and Celtel have appealed to the industry regulator, the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), to clarify Telkom's status. The firms say the national fixed line operator is now acting like a mobile service provider and has not paid for a license to operate. "It is a clear contravention of the regulations. They have a competitive advantage over us," said Michael Joseph, Safaricom's CEO. Celtel has now asked that Telkom either pay for a license to offer wireless services or be charged taxes like other mobile operators. Currently, mobile operators are taxed 16 per cent VAT and 10 per cent excise while Telkom just pays VAT. Mobile companies say they would be able to pass on lower calling costs to consumers if the taxes were lowered. But a fierce lobbying campaign started late last year by both providers failed to induce the government to reduce or remove the excise tax in this year's budget. The mobile players hope to meet the Minister of Finance to revisit the tax issue and to ask for definitive action to be taken on Telkom's status. The industry regulator has said that Telkom is merely leveraging existing technology to launch its wireless service, which it maintains is still a `fixed' telephony product. CCK's Director-General has maintained Telkom Wireless is the natural evolution of the national operator's fixed line service and is the result of the operator upgrading its equipment. "CDMA will fuel the growth of this industry. Telkom is merely upgrading its Instafon service, which was fixed line service, to the CDMA platform, which is wireless product," said CCK's John Waweru. 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Top 10 mobile Markets in Mid-East and Africa: Kenya knocks out Tunisia
by alice 15 Jul '07

15 Jul '07

Top 10 mobile Markets in Mid-East and Africa: Kenya knocks out Tunisia Tunisia has been in and out of the ranking of the top 10 MEA markets by customer base over the past year. It was pushed out by Iraq in Q2 2006, only to be reinstated three months later as Kenya failed to register any growth as a result of mass disconnections by Celtel. Having held its tenth place in December, a resurgent Kenya has once again ousted Tunisia, which falls to 11th place in the ranking for March 2007. In so doing, Kenya also bumps Israel down to tenth, a place which we expect Tunisia to take once more in the near future - in fact it is possible that it has already has with the end of Q2 2007 just over a week ago. For Q1 2007, at least, Israel's 7.8m customers marked the barrier for entry into the top 10. Kenya was a little way ahead with 8.4m and Iraq the same distance in front of Kenya with 9.0m customers. From eighth placed Iraq up to first placed South Africa the ranking remains as it was three months ago in the review for the fourth quarter of 2006, although the relative positioning of the occupants of the places has changed. At the head of the table, Nigeria is catching South Africa, reducing a deficit of 5.4m at the end of 2006 to only 3.4m customers at the end of Q1 2007. We expect Nigeria to become the Middle East & Africa's largest market by connections before the third quarter is out, although this does not necessarily signify that the number of real mobile users is higher. In fourth place, Saudi Arabia got to within 350k customers of Algeria and may well already have taken its third place, whilst fifth placed Egypt closed the gap on both of them. Morocco's sixth place is also under threat from Iran, which cut the gap by 80% from 1.68m to just 0.33m during Q1 2007. Three months ago, Mobile World looked at the size of the mobile markets in the ten largest countries in the MEA region, since four of this list are not in the current top ten ranking by customers shown in the chart above. The most likely member of this group to claim its rightful place is Tanzania, which lay in 12th place with 6.2m customers at the end of Q1 2007 but is in fact the continent's eighth most populous country. The most likely casualty will once again be Tunisia, which is likely to have taken back tenth place from Israel in the meantime. Next to enter the top ten could be either Sudan or the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the larger country, with a population of 64.1m to Sudan's 42m, but it was Sudan which stood further ahead in the ranking by customer numbers, with a base of 5.6m to Congo's 5.1m at the end of Q1 2007. The fourth rightful member of the top 10 is Ethiopia, MEA's third largest country by population, although it will most likely be several years before this market enters the top 10, finishing Q1 2007 as it did with a customer base of 1.4m. In the long run, by implication, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq should all lose their top 10 places (in addition to the aforementioned Israel) although if penetration rates follow the European model - and there is no reason to believe they won't - the situation is unlikely to prove to be this simple. (Source: Mobile World) Balancing Act

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Fwd: ICT Bill - wish list, Day 4 of 4.
by Alex Gakuru 15 Jul '07

15 Jul '07

[For some reason mail sent to <kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke> now appears not to get through. Could others be having my problem?, change your kictanet list email address to <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke>] --- Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007 03:29:38 -0700 (PDT) > From: Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> > Subject: ICT Bill - wish list, Day 4 of 4. > To: Kictanet <kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke> > > [eICT Bill download pointer courtesy of the Freedom > of > Information Network run by International Commission > of > Jurists - Kenya Chapter -- AlexG] > > http://www.kenyalaw.org/Downloads/Bills/communications_bill_2007.PDF > > see other eBills: > http://www.kenyalaw.org/Bills/ > > eKenyaGazette: > http://www.kenyalaw.org/KenyaGazette/ > > Alex > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. > Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us. > http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7 > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/

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ICT Bill - wish list, Day 4 of 4.
by Alex Gakuru 15 Jul '07

15 Jul '07

[eICT Bill download pointer courtesy of the Freedom of Information Network run by International Commission of Jurists - Kenya Chapter -- AlexG] http://www.kenyalaw.org/Downloads/Bills/communications_bill_2007.PDF see other eBills: http://www.kenyalaw.org/Bills/ eKenyaGazette: http://www.kenyalaw.org/KenyaGazette/ Alex ____________________________________________________________________________________ Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us. http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

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Draft recommendations of the national task force on transition to digital broadcasting call for comments/input
by alice 15 Jul '07

15 Jul '07

(Apologies for cross posting) Not sure how many of you have seen/saw the public notice call for comments on the draft recommendations of the national task force on transition to digital broadcasting? see: http://www.cck.go.ke/html/publicnotices.asp?newsid=222&area=&type= the notice is calling for comments/input on the draft report on or before the 24th of July 2007 The switch to digital broadcasting systems will allow us to enjoy multiple broadcasting services, improved video and audio quality as well as greater spectrum efficiency, the notice says in part. For those interested especially media sector, please have a look and ensure that our views/comments and input are submitted. best alice

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ICT Bill - wish list, Day 4 of 4
by Alex Gakuru 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

Dear Listers and Listeners, Thank you for stating a wish or two, online or off line and your unending passion of technology, communication, and information. We are concluding this matter today to compile our Monday's presentation. Unless there is a burning wish still unsaid, permit Walu and I to compile the Wish List. Sincerely, Alex & Walubengo(shortly logging out off the Wish Listing session) ____________________________________________________________________________________ Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debate in the Yahoo! Answers Food & Drink Q&A. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545367

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ICT Bill - wish list, Day 4 of 4.
by John Walubengo 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

here's another gem from the past on the ICT bill...a summary of proceedings. KICTANET ICT BILL ANALYSIS WORKSHOP HELD ON FRIDAY, 16TH JUNE 2006 AT THE JACARANDA HOTEL walu. ...and with that I have officially ran down on ICT wishes. Probably not, one more, I finally wish that wishes were horses then we could all fly {-by the way I have never understood what the Englishman had in mind with this phrase, but i like the way it sounds ;-)} ____________________________________________________________________________________ Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. http://mobile.yahoo.com/go?refer=1GNXIC

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link to KC amendment bill
by Rebecca Wanjiku 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

here is the link to the documents and a critique follows below http://africa.rights.apc.org/index.shtml?apc=he_1&x=5077882 Communications ( Amendment ) Bill 2007 This section changes the name of the Act, introduces new definitions, ICT policy development and promulgation , governance of the sector and constitution of the regulator , fines for contravention of the act Some areas that warrant attention are - policy formulation in the ICT sector . ICT stakeholders participated in the ICT formulation process for the first time in 2006 and now have a sense of ownership to that policy. This is as should be because the government strategy is to use the private sector to drive growth . The proposed clause 5 fails to take into account the lessons learned from the policy formulation process and locks out all other stakeholders in policy formulation - governance - Minister can appoint unlimited number of the board members to the CCK board because the operative language for all appointments in clause 6 is .. at least one --- . No advantage can be demonstrated. All other regulators have an upper limit on the board members who range from 5 to 9 members. Secondly , almost all others have no government officers to avoid conflict of interest where government has shareholding in operators and in any case the regulator implements policy promulgated by the government thirdly all the board appointments are heavily tilted to the supply side and only one appointee will represent the consumer side These concerns were pointed out by KICTANET but have not taken on board Muriuki Mureithi Colleagues As you are aware the Kenya Government has at last published the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Bill 2007 . The purpose of the Bill published on May 17th , 2007 ( world telecommunications day) is to amend Kenya Communications Act 1998 . The structure of the bill as a follows; Clause 1 - 14 - change of name, new definitions, ICT policy development and promulgation , governance of the sector and constitution of the regulator , fines for contravention of the act Clause 15 - introduces part IVA on broadcasting services - regulation , licensing and revocation , and promotion of local content Clause 16 -29 - enhances penalties of the contravention of the Act, reduce the duration of notice of a grant of licence, refusal to grant or modification, exclude certain classes in the notice of grant of licence Clause 30 . introduces part VIA on information technology - legal recognition of electronic communications, electronic records and electronic transactions , offences . introduces part VIB universal service fund - establishment and operationalisation . introduces part VIC Fair competition and equal treatment - definition of dominant operator , investigation of unfair treatment clause 31 introduces miscellaneous provisions on National communications secretariat, establishment of the advisory councils ( content and universal service), action in the occurrence of an emergency, use of information by an operator, service to CCK etc clause 33 introduces two schedules . fourth schedule - operation of advisory councils - content and advisory . fifth schedule - transitional provisions and proposes to repeal other acts - Kenya broadcasting act, penal code, evidence act , part VII electronic records To understand the implication of the Bill , you need to study the Kenya Communications Act 1998 which is being repealed and the Bill itself . Once enacted the governing law will be information and Communications Act and will have far reaching implications in the sector for the next decade or so. it is therefore important for stakeholders to study the document. KICTAnet facilitated a review of the Kenya Communications Act 1998 last year using the a draft bill prepared by the Ministry of Infocom and developed a report supported by the stakeholders. This document made a number of proposals which were presented to the Permanent Secretary Dr Bitange Ndemo. Some of the proposals have been included in the Bill As this Bill awaits discussion in parliament , KICTANet wants to facilitate an informed debate on the Bill , these comments are intended to support the evolution of a law to make Kenya effective user of ICT for development .I invite you to read the Kenya Communications Act 1998, the Kenya Communications ( Amendment) Bill 2007 and the proposals by KICTANET as a resource for your comments . The Act and the Bill are available at the government printer and meanwhile we are making arrangements to scan have all documents hosted in a website for ease of access by end of Wednesday . We start the online discussion on Thursday 7th and will start with Clause 1-14 and follow the sequence . In the meantime , we welcome any comments on the structure and the process of online discussion between today and Wednesday 6th Regards Muriuki Mureithi From: Harry Hare [mailto:harry@africanedevelopment.org] Sent: 12 June 2007 12:09 To: mureithi(a)summitstrategies.co.ke Cc: 'KICTanet Committee' Subject: RE: [committee] KC amendment bill Dear MM, You know how we operate in terms of reading documents! I would propose that you pick out the contentious clauses and sections of the bill and invite debate on the same. This way you would probably generate interest. Some of these clauses were outlined in Mucherus email of last weekdefinition of broadcasting, licensing of domain names etc. My interest however is in section 89-98 of the bill is was partly *borrowed* from the UNCITRAL Model Law on eCommerce of 1998. There are significant changes in the text that the said law has undergone through the various UNCITRAL Conventions and the UNCITRAL Model Law on eSignatures of 2001. It would be interesting to benchmark that section with the available text. I notice that they have left out some sections of the 1998 model law and this could pose danger in terms of interpretation of the law if it was a quick cut and paste job. One of the notable omissions (as far im concerned) for instance is the definition of electronic signatures which is found in the model law. The draft bill does recognize electronic signatures but is silent on what they are, this could cause serious interpretation problems. In the model law, the electronic signatures are defines and goes ahead to specify the validity of electronic signatureswhat I dont understand is why the drafters left out this crucial section of the law. Kindest regards Harry Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. _______________________________________________ committee mailing list committee(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/committee Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool. _______________________________________________ committee mailing list committee(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/committee

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monthly forum on july 19th, Jacaranda
by Rebecca Wanjiku 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

the monthly forum will take place next week on thursday at jacaranda, 3pm please plan to attend and add your voice, regards Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games.

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[Fwd: [governance] the Apple iPhone rort]
by alice 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

Not sure how many of you have been following the Apple iPhone hype. This message is from the global civil society Internet governance list that is discussing the same issue re; mobile phone companies and locking consumers. Note the iPhone is only available through AT&T best alice -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [governance] the Apple iPhone rort Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:56:42 -0700 (PDT) From: David Goldstein <goldstein_david(a)yahoo.com.au> Reply-To: governance(a)lists.cpsr.org,David Goldstein <goldstein_david(a)yahoo.com.au> To: Governance Mailing List <governance(a)lists.cpsr.org> Hi all, I'd put this posting below on my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - and thought I'd post it here and see what the response was. It's based on an article in The Guardian today that makes a few more points on the new must-have iPhone. Well, must have only for those who are slaves to marketing hype. It makes points that have been made before. To have an iPhone one must agree to a contract with AT&T, previously described as one of the worst mobile phone service providers in the US. So if you want an iPhone, and you are already contracted to another company, you have to terminate that contract with the related fees that involves. Ben Scott’s article also notes “if you are on a family plan, you may have to pay a separate fee to terminate all of your family's phones.” And there’s the point that that AT&T doesn’t offer full coverage in more than a dozen states. Now, the real point the article makes I’d not thought of, and relevant to this list, is that the “practice of tying users to one provider is unique to the wireless world. Cable TV providers can't tell you what kind of TV to buy. And regular phone service will work on any phone you can find at your favorite electronics store. In the latter case, that's because there is a longstanding set of laws that guarantee consumer choice.” In the USA, at least, this is “called the ‘Carterfone’ rules, these laws make it so you can use any device you want - phone, headset, fax machine or dial-up modem - on your telephone network, so long as it doesn't harm the network.” The article then says, “But it gets worse: phone companies don't just hold the iPhone captive; they also routinely cripple features on handsets (like Wi-Fi, games, audio and video) so that you can only access their ‘preferred’ content. They also limit access to the network, despite marketing ‘unlimited access’. And they reserve the right to boot you off the network if you do almost anything they don't like.” “This kind of ‘blocking and locking’ behavior doesn't stop you from accessing the internet, but it does shape your experience and undermine the open, level playing field that consumers have come to expect online. The iPhone is simply the highest-profile example of a wireless internet market that is drifting further and further away from the free and open internet we've all come to expect. “The only solution to this problem is a political one. Decisions that legislators and regulators in Washington make now will determine what the internet looks like in the future. The US Congress is holding a hearing this week - call it the iPhone hearing - to discuss the new technology and its impact on consumer choice.” So all this, and combined with the rort of having to send your phone to Apple just so you can exchange the battery, and other lock-ins, I’d hope smart people would boycott the iPhone. Even if it’s just to somehow enable consumer choice and stop the drift away from a “free and open internet”. For the article that got me thinking about this post, see http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ben_scott/2007/07/free_the_iphone.html Cheers David --------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David @yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (home) "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery ____________________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo!7 Mail has just got even bigger and better with unlimited storage on all webmail accounts. http://au.docs.yahoo.com/mail/unlimitedstorage.html ____________________________________________________________ You received this message as a subscriber on the list: governance(a)lists.cpsr.org To be removed from the list, send any message to: governance-unsubscribe(a)lists.cpsr.org For all list information and functions, see: http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance

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Telkom’s growth is stifled by fraudsters colluding with staff
by Mike Theuri 12 Jul '07

12 Jul '07

This article appeared in 2005, but it becomes very relevant when it appears that there is a sudden and urgent rush to quietly privatize TKL by selling it to foreigners, while "restructuring and preparing" TKL for that process at taxpayers expense, a tax burden that future generations of Kenyans will still be paying with nothing to show for. The problems that TKL has are self created, they can be fixed and TKL should not be sold at such a throw away price that is hardly sufficient to cover the debt that has been and which additionally is likely to be transferred to the taxpayer. For those reading it is now 4 years to date since the secret dossiers mentioned in the article were written and no prosecution or conviction has taken place: http://www.eastandard.net/archives/sunday/hm_news/news.php?articleid=14743 Self-inflicted woes Telkom's growth is stifled by fraudsters colluding with staff as competition bites, writes Gordon Opiyo. Top officials of Telkom Kenya are involved in fleecing the cash-strapped company of billions of shillings, according to independent investigations by the Communications Commission of Kenya. According to confidential reports prepared by the regulator, Telkom Kenya failed to take advantage of the five-year local and international fixed line calls monopoly due to collusion between the employees and an international syndicate of phone companies. In the estimation of then Transport and Communications minister John Michuki, Telkom had lost over Sh120 billion in the previous seven years due to these leakages. Yet the minister failed to stop the syndicates, and appeared to have acquiesced to them or become hostage. The company now has to grapple with tough competition after the end of the exclusivity status in June, last year, with about 10,000 employees set to lose their jobs through an impending retrenchment exercise. While Telkom Managing Director John Waweru says the company has nothing to hide and is willing to co-operate with any investigators, indications are that there are still too many untouchables fleecing the parastatal. Information and Communications Permanent Secretary, Mr James Rege, plays the same refrain: "We have an open-door policy and will ensure that any official found to be involved in any improper deal takes responsibility for his or her action." Yet both officials have before them detailed reports of how the company lost the opportunity to take full control of the local and international calls market, despite having the advantage of being a monopoly. The decline was rapid, with countrywide subscriptions to Telkom Kenya's switchboard falling by 14.7 per cent to 280,000 lines in June 2004 from 328,358 the year before. And whereas international calls used to generate 80 per cent of the total revenue a decade ago, the figure has dropped to about 30 per cent. Investigation After the raid on Data Global Limited Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Kiraitu Murungi ordered the CCK to investigate the magnitude of the fraud and how it was perpetrated. The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission also requested a similar brief. According to the reports, Telkom Kenya's revenue declined because of fraudsters adopting new technologies for transmitting international calls, and its failure to change fast enough. Fraudsters, with the help of Telkom Kenya employees, managed to get into the lucrative international call market by offering cheaper calls. Among the methods identified by the regulator's investigators were Voice Over Internet Protocol and the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT). These technologies make it possible to make calls at a fraction of the cost of the traditional methods that Telkom Kenya used. Apart from the technology, Telkom entered into suspicious contracts with three companies – CDR, N-Tel and Zantel – which, according to the CCK, have the equipment to compress call traffic so that a small transmission capacity can handle more telephone lines than a normal Telkom system. The companies entered into agreements with the parastatal to terminate international calls from other countries at a much lower cost — obviously to the detriment of Telkom. For instance, a call that comes to the Telkom network from abroad is terminated at $0.2 per minute, but those that come through the other companies are terminated at $0.06 cents per minute. Worse for Telkom when the calls come to mobile phones because it loses Sh14.50 per minute. "Going by the statistics of the previous financial year (2002), where Telkom Kenya terminated over 17 million international call minutes, this amounts to a loss of over Sh178 million," says the CCK report to the Kenya Anti Corruption Authority. The CCK questions the manner in which Telkom awarded the contracts to the three companies, contravening three conditions laid down in its licence – condition 18 on fair trading, condition 25 of informing the regulator of joint ventures and condition 26 that gave it exclusivity in the provision of international calls. In other words, Telkom gave up its exclusive rights to operate international calls to the three companies through the backdoor. Although the regulator says that they have not been able to get the real owners of the companies, investigations by The Sunday Standard have established that the firms were all owned by influential members of the previous administration and a former director of Telkom. What is interesting is that although the file on the fraud investigation in Telkom has been open at the Kenya Anti Corruption Authority since 2003, no action has been taken to stop the illegal operations. Instead, most of the officers investigating the have either been transferred or recalled to the Criminal Investigation Department. In December, last year, Dr John Mutonyi, assistant director in charge of investigations told The Sunday Standard that that his men were still investigating the matter. However, when contacted for the past two weeks, Dr Mutonyi failed to respond to our calls. The CCK report to Kiraitu says: "The kind of defense Telkom Kenya is giving to agreements, which are one of the biggest contributors towards the decline in its international revenue shows that individuals from Telkom Kenya are gaining from it." In an earlier interview with The Sunday Standard, Waweru had said that the contracts were signed before his management came into office and that the new team was reviewing them. The investigations also revealed that billions of shillings were lost through illegal satellite dish operators who, according to the briefs, were supported by Telkom Kenya staff to get telephone lines fixed to the local exchanges. "We suggest that an independent investigator be sought to address the problem of decline in Telkom Kenya's revenue including the illegal international traffic termination by Data Global at Lonrho House. Telkom Kenya cannot investigate itself on this matter because they appear to be abetting culprits," concludes the report. However, two years after the secret dossiers were written, no major change action has been seen.

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Morality Policing>>Censorhip Precursor
by Alex Gakuru 12 Jul '07

12 Jul '07

"Govt plans countrywide ban on smoking in public_" says http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgindex.asp. Following "trial" Urban Councils implementation success. Do such actions require City councils to give public Notice because EasyFM spoke of several arrested yesterday at Landhies Road. These guys probably do not have the luxury of radio or TV to know of snap bylaws. What will be next? Filtering your internet to "protect" you from pornography or illegalise carrying more than 1,000/= because thugs my rob you? Fishy.... ____________________________________________________________________________________ Got a little couch potato? Check out fun summer activities for kids. http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&…

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is IGF a castrated version of ICANN???
by Rebecca Wanjiku 12 Jul '07

12 Jul '07

makes good reading??? ICANN San Juan 2007 After a crazed American federal prosecutor wreaked havoc on the Puerto Rican roads by wiping out on his motorcycle at 3am doing 105 mph, immobilizing traffic for ten hours on a major highway, I walked four miles on Thursday morning along the beach to the site of the ICANN meeting. I made it just in time to the Caribe Hilton for the internet governance workshop. Sure glad I caught this one. if (document.getElementById('MidArticleSlot')) document.write('\x3Cscript src="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/adj/reg.management.4159/itdirector;'+RegExCats+GetVCs()+'pid='+RegId+';'+RegKW+'maid='+maid+';test='+test+';pf='+RegPF+';dcove=d;sz=336x280;tile=3;ord=' + rand + '?" type="text/javascript">\x3C\/script>'); In the beginning ... uh, were the critical...uh... internet resources... ahm well... we'll get back to that at the Rio conference in November. Sort of like Adam wandering around the garden labeling things, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is still working on its reason for being here. The IGF was created out of whole cloth by the UN as a kind of internationalized counterweight to perceived excessive American influence at ICANN, and yet no one in attendance, even those who participate in the IGF, are quite sure what the IGF even does - apparently it's still defining its fundamentals. A good chunk of this mercifully short session consisted of participants half-heartedly trying to define what constitute "critical internet resources" - the protection of which they've decided is essential to their core mission, and which is topic numero uno at the upcoming Rio event. The truth is really out there, right? This session in theory was about more than the IGF, but in practice it consisted mostly of a discussion about the extent to which the IGF and ICANN serve overlapping or even contradictory purposes. There seemed to be a rather diplomatic consensus that the two institutions complement each other, but after sitting through an hour of discussion on the subject, this correspondent still has absolutely no idea what the IGF actually does - or if it even has the power to do anything at all. Is it a gripe forum, kind of like those bitter websites American trademark attorneys are always trying to shut down? Is it just a glorified networking event? Who knows? If I make it to the Rio forum, I'll be sure to let everyone know. Although this topic looked appetizing on the schedule, it's clear that the IGF has a lot of work to do if it is to be considered anything more than a highly vocal yet castrated version of ICANN. Indeed, the IGF bares an uncanny resemblance to that other impotent, internationalized and highly vocal institution, the UN General Assembly. That's not to say that it does not have value - it's just the political equivalent to a visit to the therapist's office. We all need to get stuff off our chest from time to time. Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Got a little couch potato? Check out fun summer activities for kids.

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monthly forum on july 19th
by Rebecca Wanjiku 12 Jul '07

12 Jul '07

KICTANet will be holding the monthly forum next thursday july 19th the theme will be the contribution to KCA bill, the contributions will be expected to be presented to the PS before the second reading which is expected to be between 23 and 27th july, please plan to attend and fwd your contributions, which will constitute "KICTANet version" see you then... regards Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool.

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Fw: Re: [kictanet] KENYA �S ECONOMY HELD BACK BY LACK OF ONLINE PAYMENT AUTHORISA TION SYSTEMS
by Wainaina Mungai 11 Jul '07

11 Jul '07

--- Wainaina Mungai Made in Kenya Network P. O. Box 72031 - 00200 Nairobi. Kenya. Tel: +254-20-780669 Cell: + 254-722-811171 http://www.madeinkenya.org/ > -------Original Message------- > From: Wainaina Mungai <wainaina(a)madeinkenya.org> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] KENYA S ECONOMY HELD BACK BY LACK OF ONLINE PAYMENT AUTHORISA TION SYSTEMS > Sent: 11 Jul '07 08:48 > > Dear Dr. Ndemo > > Thanks for the optimistic view and kudos to Treasury for the pilot project. The industry however still believe your Ministry has not done enough to develop a clear framework on e-money and e-commerce. For instance, the government has significant influence in several banks in which Treasury and InfoComm may drive the case for government motivated change. Preferential support for such banks that will be first-movers in setting-up the necessary systems would be justified by the benefits to Kenyans. > > So far, the banks use their fear of fraud to explain lack of action. The market for such services has grown enough to justify investment in related security solutions. Apart from security and privacy concerns, the lack of clear guidelines on e-commerce in Kenya seems to trigger cost concerns that a revamped law can address. The cheaper it is for the providers to set-up, the better it may be for the consumers in say, Mandera, to transact. As Vodafone stated, there is need to optimise the M-transactions through better policy & regulation. > > Below are some of the points that Vodafone made in their report: > > - the amount allowed to be transferred on phones is usually too small to make economic sense > - money laundering rules need to be adapted to local conditions > - providers of mobile phone financial services need to have some level of access to clearing systems > - the customer data held by mobile operators could, for example, offer an alternative to existing forms of regulation to counter money laundering > - guarantee the inter-operability of M-transactions to ensure that both providers and clients reap the benefits of synergy > - existing structure of retail banking regulation and financial supervision could impose high fixed costs and significant compliance problems > > We believe your Ministry can make it much easier for the private sector to innovate. > > --- > Wainaina Mungai > > > > -------Original Message------- > > From: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > > Subject: Re: [kictanet] KENYA S ECONOMY HELD BACK BY LACK OF ONLINE PAYMENT AUTHORISA TION SYSTEMS > > Sent: 11 Jul '07 06:47 > > > > Dear Lucy/Alice, > > Treasury is piloting electronic payment system in three Ministries. It is > > not the Government that should tell Banks and other investors to develop a > > payment gateway. The Government is fulfilling its role by by providing > > the policy and regulatory environment. This is the very reason why you > > should paticipate in Monday's meeting at Safari Park. > > > > Safaricom is doing a great job trail blazing in e-momey. In one of the > > conferences this year I asked Bankers to embrace technology before it is > > too late for them. Perharps when they wake up they will all be > > Mpesharing. > > > > Regards > > > > > > Bitange Ndemo. > > > > > > > > > > > Alice, > > > > > > The ICT community is ready with the technology for payment gateways, but I > > > dont see any movement on the Kenya Banking Law that needs to be revised to > > > enable this to become a reality. > > > > > > Perhaps Bw. Ndemo can have a word with his counter-part in finace so they > > > get ontop of this issue. I would hate for TEAMS/eSSAY/Flag etc to become > > > realities and find us as a country not ready to take full advantage, who > > > knows perhaps the East African Integration will happen at about the same > > > time, and we need to be ready to take advantage of a new 120+ million > > > customers(and a whole lot more if Rwanda joins). > > > > > > So its just not the tourism industry that has a stake in this, we do too, > > > question is how to get organized into a lobby group to make this a > > > reality. > > > > > > LK > > > > > > > > > > > >> KENYAS ECONOMY HELD BACK BY LACK OF ONLINE PAYMENT AUTHORISATION > > >> SYSTEMS > > >> _____________________________________________________________________ > > >> > > >> The Kenyan Government is putting its country forward as a place that is > > >> open for business. It is moving to privatise both Telkom Kenya and > > >> divest itself of Safaricom. It has moved with considerable speed to put > > >> in place its own fibre project TEAMS. But parts of the private sector > > >> are having difficulty keeping up with the idea of Kenya having an open, > > >> modern economy. > > >> > > >> Although there are a couple of new entrants in the countrys banking > > >> sector, it is largely dominated by international banks whose managements > > >> defer to head office on innovation. This is going to cause the country a > > >> problem if it wants to continue to remain competitive. It needs to be > > >> able to offer its visitors the ability to pay for flights, hotels and > > >> safaris online. If you book a Kenyan hotel, you still cannot pay online > > >> for the booking. > > >> > > >> Sadly things have only moved on a little since Kenya Airways launched > > >> its very successful online payment system using a South African bank. > > >> Although many banks can issue credit cards, only a limited number can > > >> authorise transactions and they have not shown any interest in setting > > >> up the back-end payment authorisation systems required for onl > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > > This message has been scanned for viruses and > > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > > believed to be clean. > > --------------------------------------------- > > "easy access to the world" > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > This message was sent to: wainaina(a)madeinkenya.org > > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/wainaina%40madeinkenya… > > >

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Of monkeys and loaded guns
by Rebecca Wanjiku 11 Jul '07

11 Jul '07

The last one week has been preoccupied with talk of the media bill (Media Council bill) and the implications it has on the media. i will therefore not dwell on the details about monkeys and loaded guns because the slogan-loaded tirades were traded in public. Beyond the media bill, there is the KCA (98) amendment bill which went through first reading last week. But what are we hearing? Its all about the media and cross ownership. The grievances the media has and how the government wants to regulate or gag it. What about other aspects of ICT? Is the media council bill wholly wrong? How comes the KCA is not receiving as much attention as it should? Is there anything good in KCA that can be preserved or worked on? What about the voice of ICT stakeholders who may have a divergent opinion. The media prides itself as the agenda setter and gate keeper in the society; they say that whatever is written or aired is the wish of the people, that thats all that you want to read. But is it the case? The next stop for the media is the high court, challenging the government on the bill. They have consulted a law firm to file the suit. But is the KCA all about media? What is your take? Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ --------------------------------- Building a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.

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KENYA’S ECONOMY HELD BACK BY LACK OF ONLINE PAYMENT AUTHORISATION SYSTEMS
by alice 11 Jul '07

11 Jul '07

KENYA’S ECONOMY HELD BACK BY LACK OF ONLINE PAYMENT AUTHORISATION SYSTEMS _____________________________________________________________________ The Kenyan Government is putting its country forward as a place that is open for business. It is moving to privatise both Telkom Kenya and divest itself of Safaricom. It has moved with considerable speed to put in place its own fibre project TEAMS. But parts of the private sector are having difficulty keeping up with the idea of Kenya having an open, modern economy. Although there are a couple of new entrants in the country’s banking sector, it is largely dominated by international banks whose managements defer to head office on innovation. This is going to cause the country a problem if it wants to continue to remain competitive. It needs to be able to offer its visitors the ability to pay for flights, hotels and safaris online. If you book a Kenyan hotel, you still cannot pay online for the booking. Sadly things have only moved on a little since Kenya Airways launched its very successful online payment system using a South African bank. Although many banks can issue credit cards, only a limited number can authorise transactions and they have not shown any interest in setting up the “back-end” payment authorisation systems required for online transactions. Speaking at last week’s e-tourism conference in Mombasa, Kenya’s Tourist Trust Fund CEO Dr Dan Kagagi said that the industry and Government were lobbying the banking sector to allow online payments. Whereas once the credit card companies were the obstacle, the point of “no change” has moved to being the banks. According to Kagagi: "Already a number of credit card companies are willing to work with us to ensure that online payments become a reality." Tourism and Wildlife Assistant minister, Raphael Muriungi, speaking at the same conference urged the industry to utilise online technologies:"We are all learning of the rapid and unprecedented changes that ICT is creating in global tourism and have realised if all players fail to embrace the web and new technologies then we stand to lose our ability to communicate and do business in a changing market," he said. Perhaps his comments should have been directed at the banking sector that are now proving to be the obstacle to change. The banks fear fraud but this seems a rather lame excuse as in the first instance most of the potential buyers will be tourists coming from developed countries where fraud rates are considerably lower. Close to 70 per cent of travellers regard the Internet as their primary and in many cases only source of information on tourism. About 100 million travellers now use the web to book holidays and travel thus making it vital for Kenyan tourism to be visible on the Internet. Kenya undoubtedly competes with South Africa for visitors, particularly in the wildlife safari sector, and there is no difficulty booking and paying online for a wide range of products in South Africa. Despite being repositories of citizens’ money, the banks have been remarkably slow to react to the signs that there is an emergent middle class. It is projected that by June 2007 there will be around 100,000 credit card users. It sounds small but it is considerably more than in many other African countries. In addition, there are more than 1 million debit cards that can only be used if the card holder has cash in his or her own account. Surely the latter can provide a fairly low-risk way of introducing online payment for Kenyan citizens. When TEAMS and the other international fibre connections arrive at Mombasa, the price of international bandwidth will go down. This should be one of the building blocks for creating new services and applications that users can begin to start to use. Another building block must surely be the ability to authorise online transactions and Kenya’s banking sector needs to wake up to the changes that are happening in the country. However, this is not purely a Kenyan problem as there are other countries on the continent like Ghana where a similar lack of online payment authorisation is holding back the development of local global businesses. ____________________________________________________________________ From Balancing Act

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Re: [kictanet] [africa-oped] Telkom Kenya is not this cheap sign petitin......... http://www.petitionspot.com/signature/TELKOMKENYA
by Mike Theuri 10 Jul '07

10 Jul '07

TKL is being sold for pennies on the dollar, unfortunately this is a phenomenon that keeps repeating itself over and over again with telecom licencing in Kenya. Investors in several other Africa countries pay hundreds of millions of dollars to secure licences but in Kenya it appears to be ok to sell a 15 year term licence for $50m and 6-7 years down the road the companies are making annual profits in the hundreds of millions that major western corporations would envy. In this particular case, TKL is being sold with its basket of licences which alone should cost hundreds of millions of dollars more, its exclusivity as a existing and the only current nationwide provider should also factor in. Interestingly enough the paltry valuation of TKL at $205m is a slap in the face and an affront to taxpayers who have a stake in TKL by virtue of it being a government owned entity, not forgetting the TKL owned infrastructure that is already in place. Not factored into the equation seems to be the undersea cable which TKL has a key stake in. The sale of TKL to foreigners should not take place as a matter of key national security and interest. Countries such as Canada and the US have well established laws that state that their telecom companies should not be foreign controlled because they understand the implications this has on their sovereignty and interests. In 1999 in part : 24 September 1999 Africa Confidential Vol 40, No, 19 "If the politicians prevail on CCK over the cellular licence, more questions will be raised about the sell-off of the state's land-based telephone network, Telkom Kenya. Continuing delays in its sale due to political interference have lost the government over $300 mn. in revenues, according to industry sources. Kenya's telecommunications sector was valued at some $1.2 billion in 1997 by Rothschilds, the government's then financial advisors on the privatisation, but would be unlikely to fetch much more than $800 mn." ----- Original Message ----- From: Robert Alai Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 4:35 PM Subject: [africa-oped] Telkom Kenya is not this cheap sign petitin......... http://www.petitionspot.com/signature/TELKOMKENYA Dear Members The Kenyan government is in the process of looking for an investor to buy off 40% of Telkom Kenya shares. The current bidders which they say is the highest is giving 5.6Billion Kenya Shillings. This is an amount which we, stakeholders in the IT sector in Kenya feel is less than the amount the corporation can fetch when privatised. This makes us think that the best way the Kenyan government can sell the corporation at the right price is by listing it in NSE. It would be good for the strategic National interest for Telkom Kenya to remain in the hands of Kenyans and only around 8% shares be sold to a foreign investor or a maximum of 10%. Why should we be selling all our state corporations to foreigners. We cannot allow this and must stand up to this. Telkom Kenya is a very vital corporation which must either remain in the hand of Kenyans or be sold to individual of corporate Kenyan investors but not what is currently happening. Why is the government not ready to list telkom Kenya in the bourse? What is the rush to sell to an outsider. We must never allow this. Please click the following link and sign the petition. We must never allow Telkom Kenya to be owned that much by foreigners. 40% is just too much. Please sign the petition http://www.petitionspot.com/signature/TELKOMKENYA . Please dont let your country down. We must never allow Telkom Kenya to go that far at that less amount. Its just too cheap. Robert Alai Onyango IT Stakeholder Kenya On 7/8/07, yamanjanl < yamanjanl(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > BT EMERGES FRONTRUNNER IN RACE TO BUY TELKOM KENYA, ACCORDING TO GOVT > OFFICIAL > > A consortium that includes British Telecoms and Libyan investors has > emerged as the only strong contender to acquire a strategic 40 per > cent shareholding in Telkom Kenya. People close to the matter told > the Business Daily that senior officials from BT and Libyan investors > on Friday met top Treasury and Ministry of Communication officials to > work out the deal's finer details. Treasury estimates the stake to be > worth Sh5.6 billion —meaning that Telkom Kenya is now valued at Sh14 > billion. > > The British firm is said to have tabled a number of proposals, > including a strong financial bid as commitment to finance the > turnaround of Telkom Kenya, in the meeting that ended at 11.30 pm. > Such a high level leak means that the Government is doing its best to > talk up the price that will be paid for Telkom Kenya. > > "The consortium led by BT is the team to beat. They have a credible > technical group and have the finances," an official, who attended the > meeting, said. It is the second time that the Government is trying to > sell a significant portion of its stake in Telkom Kenya, the first > attempt having flopped after bidders placed financial bids that they > ultimately could not back up with real money. > > The Government had this time around included a condition that > required bidders to have an annual revenue of $200 million (Sh14 > billion), more than 500,000 voice subscribers and demonstrated > experience in the deployment of broadband to avoid similar flops. > > In recent months, Libyan firms, loaded with petrodollars, have been > clinching lucrative deals in Kenya mainly on the infrastructure front > including the upgrade of Kenya Petroleum Refineries. This has > cemented close trade ties between Kenya and Libya that was recently > pushed by President Kibaki's official visit to Tripoli. > > The Government intends to sell its 40 per cent stake to a strategic > investor who is expected to come on board before the end of the year. > Analysts say that BT has been desperate to get a foothold in the > lucrative Eastern African market through an acquisition, a pointer > that the Telkom deal would turn their dream true. > > Already, BT is well represented in the rest of the continent with its > regional headquarters in South Africa to the Southern part of the > continent. For the North African market, it has the Libyan office and > the Nigerian office to serve the West African market. > > "Safaricom has shown there is money to be made in this part of the > world and everyone is now looking at getting a share of the market," > James Rege, chairman, Capital Real Time, a telecommunication > consulting firm. > > Safaricom broke its earlier record to emerge as the most profitable > firm in the East Africa posting Sh17.7 billion in profits, an > increase of 39 per cent recorded a year earlier. > > With Telkom already in the wireless voice market through their new > service offering dubbed Telkom Wireless, which is set to be > officially launched this Thursday, this could be big opportunity for > BT to take a stab at a growing market. > > Rege, a former permanent secretary in the information ministry, said > BT looked the most credible firm to clinch the deal should it come > through. This is not the first time the British telecommunications > giant has made a bid at Telkom Kenya. Six years ago it indicated its > interest in acquiring the state firm but it was disqualified during > the preliminaries. > > Other firms that are in the race to buy the stake include Indian > mobile service providers Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communication, Tata > Holdings and Vtel communication, who had won the licence to become > the country's Second National Operator but were disqualified after > failing to raise the required license fee. > > American telecommunication giant AT&T pulled out of the race after > the Government failed to buy into its demand where it indicated it > would only buy a stake in the state firm if they were given a 51 per > cent stake. This, they noted, was the only way they could get a free > hand to turnaround the loss-making company. > > South Africa-based Econet is also making a second attempt to enter > the Kenyan telecommunications industry having won a licence for the > third mobile phone operator that is subject of litigation. The recent > attempt has seen potential bidders demand that the Government > increases the 26 per cent stake it had initially planned to sell for > them to consider the offer. But this has since changed as the stake > to be bought by the strategic partners has been increased to 40 per > cent and the government holding will stand at 49 per cent. > > The remaining 11 per cent will be reserved to be sold to the public > through the Nairobi Stock Exchange. Telkom is currently deemed to be > unable to pass the Capital Market Authority (CMA) listing test. CMA > regulations require that any firm keen on listing at the NSE must > have posted profits for at least three in the five years to the > listing. > > But Telkom Kenya has been making losses for years, weighed down by > huge staffing levels and growing competition from the wireless voice > market. > Figures sent to the potential investors show that Telkom financial > performance has been declining over the last four years. > > Its turnover has been declining at an annual rate of 10.5 per cent > over the last three years as competitors eat into its market share to > settle at Sh16.3 billion in 2006 from Sh20.9 billion in 2003. > > The firm notes that it expects to make a loss of Sh1.18 billion, > which is a reduction from last year's figure of Sh2.7 billion. > While the special shares reserved for the public will be held in > trust by the Government, dividend payouts from Telkom Kenya will > stream straight into the State coffers. > > According to Dr Bitange Ndemo, permanent secretary Ministry of > Information, the revision had been informed by the need to go around > the State Corporation Act in a move that was aimed at making the deal > more suitable to strategic investors. > > Had the strategic investor held a minority holding at 26 per cent and > the Government holding a 64 per cent stake, Telkom Kenya would not > run as a private company, but under the Act which guides the > operation of parastatals. > > At the moment the government is racing to clean Telkom debt ridden > balance sheet as it prepares to bring the strategic partner on board > as well as strike a better deal in the sale of the 40 per cent stake. > The Government has already committed Sh26 billion to fix the pension > and tax arrears with pensions taking Sh10 billion and the remaining > Sh16 billion being taken by Kenya Revenue Authority. To keep the > state firm afloat, the firm is set to complete a massive staff layoff > that will reduce its work force to 3, 200 members down from 17, 000 > by the end of August. > > According to Permanent Secretary Bitange Ndemo, BT have also > expressed interest in investing in the TEAMS fibre project. > (SOURCE: Telegeography) > > > -- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Life's most urgent question is: What are you doing for others? .........Martin Luther King, Jr. -------------------------------------------------------------------- [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Post message: kenyaclub(a)yahoogroups.com Subscribe: kenyaclub-subscribe(a)yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: kenyaclub-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com List owner: kenyaclub-owner(a)yahoogroups.com Yahoo! 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