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Citizens Pathway scenarios for Kenya for 2013
by Alice Munyua 01 Nov '12

01 Nov '12

Possible 2013 scenarios for Kenya an analysis by Citizen Pathway group. best Alice *From:* Citizen Solutions <citizensolution(a)gmail.com <mailto:citizensolution@gmail.com>> *To:* *Sent:* Tuesday, 30 October 2012, 12:07 *Subject:* Citizens Pathway scenarios for Kenya Citizens Pathway Group: We trust you are all well and making efforts to stay positive during this time. The Citizens Pathway core group has thought through the current situation in the country and tried to see how things could turn out over the next few months and beyond. The result is a paper in two parts (attached): * Part I: An assessment of Kenya in 2012, given the experience of 2008; and * Part II: A set of scenarios describing how the country could go over the next few months and beyond. As Citizens Pathway, we believe the transformative scenario (#4) is possible, so please pay particular attention to it, especially the action points. As usual, please feel free to circulate widely. We are particularly keen to hear from you and others. Incidentally, in case you haven't yet seen it, there is a must-see movie entitled "Nairobi Half Life" which should help you and I appreciate the challenges many Kenyans live with, day-in, day-out. Please let's make sure we elect leaders who will truly uplift the people of this country -- help your family, friends and networks understand this. Kind regards, Citizens Pathway

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Interesting case on Intermediary liabilities
by Paul Kimumwe 01 Nov '12

01 Nov '12

This might be of interest to the ongoing discussions on intermediary liabilities. Google loses Australia 'gangland' defamation lawsuit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20153309 -Paul ________________________________ From: kictanet [kictanet-bounces+paul=article19.org(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke] on behalf of Michael Bullut [main(a)kipsang.com] Sent: 30 October 2012 20:55 To: Paul Kimumwe Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Who Controls the Internet? @ Kivuva & McTimm - I appreciate the correction... :-) Sent on the run, Please excuse errors & ommissions! On Oct 22, 2012 8:48 PM, "McTim" <dogwallah(a)gmail.com<mailto:dogwallah@gmail.com>> wrote: On Sun, Oct 21, 2012 at 11:39 AM, Michael Bullut <main(a)kipsang.com<mailto:main@kipsang.com>> wrote: @McTim: I beg to differ on your first point. Ten out of thirteen of the Internet's root servers reside within the United States. yes, and several of these orgs are US gov bodies (NASA and the U.S. Army). As Kivuva mentioned, Anycast let's root-ops run servers in multiple locations, including 2 at KIXP. If there's a global issue & some countries differ with it on it's stand / viewpoint, what would the U.S. from blocking traffic to those countries' websites? Well, first of all, the US gov CANNOT change the rootzone file. They can give final approval to changes as per the existing agreement. What they actually do is check to see that processes have been followed, they DO NOT edit the rootzone file itself, nor can they. Second, what is in the rootzone DOES NOT determine traffic flows to individual websites. The rootzone is a list of TLDs and associated name server addresses for those TLDs. In other words, the US CANNOT block traffic to/from websites, you have been misled I am afraid. -- Cheers, McTim "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route indicates how we get there." Jon Postel

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A Billion Reasons to Believe in Africa: A Rethink
by Gilda Odera 01 Nov '12

01 Nov '12

Sorry for cross-posting but this is an interesting read........... A good read and hopefully a wakeup call. 24 - 31 October 2012 A Billion Reasons to Believe in Africa: A Rethink - ADVERTISEMENT - Graphics courtesy “There are a billion reasons to believe in Africa,” states Coca-Cola’s new commercial that attempts to capture the spirit of “new” Africa. Africa-optimism has in the recent past gained massive hype. Ernst & Young in its May report on Africa’s attractiveness for foreign direct investment (FDI) states that "…There is a new story emerging about Africa; a story of growth, progress, potential and profitability.” According to the African Developmental Bank, "Africa has started to see an economic resurgence" as a result of stronger demand for its commodities from emerging economies such as Brazil, China, India, and South Africa. With the continent’s middle class clocking 313 million people, the region’s consumer spending has increased. McKinsey Global Institute projects that consumer spending in Africa will reach $1.4 trillion in 2020, from about $860 million in 2008. Over 616 million people out of the 1 billion people that reside in Africa have a cellular phone. The average African drinks about 8 liters of beer per year compared to about 70 liters on average per year for Americans. While the continent is bequeathed with flowery endearments, it must guard against falling prey to the “feel good” trap and ask fundamental questions. For example, how are the endearments changing the lot of Africa's ordinary citizen? How is Africa changing for the better? Is the renewed interest in Africa by emerging and developed economies out to improve the continent's socio-economic wellbeing? While Africa ought to embrace the old and new suitors trooping to the continent, this must be done with caution and on a win-win basis. What happened in Malawi ought to make Africans rethink their celebration. As long as Malawi followed donor dictates and allowed multinational companies to control its agricultural sector, the country was hailed as Africa’s success story on food security. Once Malawi fell out with donors and multinational companies, the country’s food security was crippled. This begs the question: who was driving Malawi’s food security? Between Malawians and merchants of patented and re-engineered seeds and fertilizer manufacturers, who was benefitting most from the ‘success story’? Was this a Malawi success story or a multinational company success story? As global optimism in Africa is hyped, Africa’s land is being grabbed by ‘investors.’ Investors from China and Europe are busy buying land in Kenya and putting up 'Chinese only' and 'European only' real estate. As elegant edifices mushroom in Nairobi and its environs, where is the revenue accrued heading? Won’t we wake up one day and find ourselves legally landless and at the mercy of the so called ‘investors’?What will happen twenty years from now when our children find themselves landless? Isn't this a prescription for a revolution and civil war? Saudi Arabian investors have reportedly paid $100 million for an Ethiopian farm. Uganda has sold 2 million acres to Egypt. Kenya is leasing out 40,000 acres to Qatar. China owns vast tracts of land in Zimbabwe and Algeria. Madagascar was in the process of leasing out 1 million acres to South Korea. Millions of Africans are dying from starvation as African governments lease and sell millions of acres of land to feed populations in China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Qatar among others. Africa is busy working on internet connectivity. In fact, growth in Africa’s Internet and Broadband sector has accelerated. By December 31 2011, Africa had 139,875,242 internet users and 37,739,380 people who had subscribed to Facebook. As we consume this service, do we ever question who is controlling the internet? What would happen if the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which basically holds the keys for any person or business hoping to turn up in search results on the Internet, gave a blackout to the continent? As more computers are dumped into the continent, who is the ultimate beneficiary? Africa, a continent that carries 25% of the world’s diseases is dependent on multinational ‘investors’ for medical supplies. It imports around 70% of its pharmaceutical needs from abroad. Two thirds of global value of pharmaceutical products are produced in 5 countries; USA, Japan, France, Germany and UK. In the banking sector, more than half of countries in Africa have a banking market with either a dominant or a significant share of foreign-owned financial institutions.The continent spends more money servicing its debt, in other words, paying interest to outsiders, than it spends on infrastructural development. On the natural resources front, none of the natural resources Africa is blessed with is under African control. While African countries like Nigeria, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Libya, and Equatorial Guinea among others possess oil in abundance, they don't have the capacity to discover oil; drill for the oil; refine the oil; transport the oil to the destination where it would be refined; repair existing refineries or have the vessel to transport the oil back to Africa for consumption. Africa should not celebrate the “...billion reasons to believe in Africa” craze while the continent is owned stock and barrel by other people. We cannot talk of a thriving economy when we are mere consumers and passive. Before we celebrate Coke’s penetration to most parts of Africa, we ought to ask why we are dying of preventable and treatable diseases; why essential medicines cannot be accessed in African households; why we don't benefit from our rich natural resources; why we are not in control of our economies; why we are food insecure in spite of a good climate; why it is easier to fly to other continents but not our own; why intra-Africa exchange of goods and services is low and why there is no African homegrown brand that the world can celebrate. By Dr. Mary Kinyanjui Institute of Development Studies, University of Nairobi Email: marykinyanjui(a)yahoo.com WRITE TO THE EDITOR We are always glad to hear from you and our team takes the contents of the letters we receive seriously in order to ensure that the magazine is beneficial to you. Do not hesitate to write to us and make our services better. You can do this through editor(a)africanexecutive.com. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Subscribe to The African Executive magazine now to start your business relationship with us. Send a subscription request mail to subscribe(a)africanexecutive.com to subscribe now! Advertise With US Advertse with us to support what we do and to increase your reach. To find out more about the advertisement opportunities you could have from us, get in touch through editor(a)africanexecutive.com OUR CONTACTS The African Executive - P.O. Box 135-00100 G.P.O. Nairobi KENYA Phone: 254202731497 - Cel: 254733823062 - Fax: 254202723258 - Email: editor(a)africanexecutive.com - Website: www.africanexecutive.com -- YWLI forum creates space for young women to empower each other by sharing of information. The opinions expressed in this forum do not necessarily reflect the view of YWLI but that of the sender. Share more on our website by logging in on www.ywli.org and register as a network member. -- YWLI forum creates space for young women to empower each other by sharing of information. The opinions expressed in this forum do not necessarily reflect the view of YWLI but that of the sender. Share more on our website by logging in on www.ywli.org and register as a network member. -- Pesika Muhwaya Odera 0721723944

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Consultancy services required to assess the Rwanda Internet Exchange point
by Alice Munyua 31 Oct '12

31 Oct '12

Dear listers, The attached call for consultancy services to assess Rwanda's IXP might be of interest. Best Alie

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Chevening Scholarships now open: Apply
by Alice Munyua 31 Oct '12

31 Oct '12

http://ukinkenya.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/working-with-kenya/chevening-page Chevening Scholarships are the UK government’s global scholarships programme. These scholarships support study at UK universities – mostly one-year Masters’ degrees – for students with demonstrable potential to become future leaders, decision-makers and opinion formers. Best Alice

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Who Controls the Internet?
by waudo siganga 30 Oct '12

30 Oct '12

Interesting article in Today's UK Guardian Newspaper. Ahead of a [1]Google+ Hangout on the [2]battle for the internet, Jemima Kiss looks at how tech giants are fighting for supremacy Have you ever noticed that wherever you are in the world, every telephone keypad looks the same? Or wondered why satellites don't crash into each other? Or why you dial 64 to reach New Zealand, but 65 for Singapore? These are some of the mundane but essential logistical achievements of the [3]International Telecommunication Union, a specialist UN agency that dates back to 1865. Yet as it gears up for its first global conference in 14 years, the ITU has found itself under unprecedented attack. The first assailant is the powerful US technology lobby. Companies, including Google, are claiming that new ITU proposals would mean [4]internet companies paying hefty fees to local telecoms companies, reigniting historic tensions between US internet giants and incumbent telecoms firms across the world. But that's not the only battle that will be played out this December when the ITU's 193 member states gather in Dubai. Russia and China have been explicit in their goal of taking control of the internet away from the US, while developing countries feel the western technology hegemony is limiting their economic opportunities. With the world's internet population predicted to reach 3.4 billion by 2016, there is everything to play for. [5]http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/oct/17/who-rules-internet References 1. https://plus.google.com/events/ccctkbj9ldslvsm392t6mae48ac 2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/series/battle-for-the-internet 3. http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itu.int%2Fen%2FPages%2Fdefault… 4. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/internet 5. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/oct/17/who-rules-internet

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Interesting work on Ghana
by Warigia Bowman 30 Oct '12

30 Oct '12

Dear Kictanet list, Please assist my friend Scott. He is doing some great work on the ICT Policy sector in Kenya. Warigia -- Dr. Warigia Bowman Assistant Professor Clinton School of Public Service University of Arkansas wbowman(a)clintonschool.uasys.edu http://democratizingegypt.blogspot.com ------------------------------------------------- View my research on my SSRN Author page: http://ssrn.com/author=1479660 --------------------------------------------------

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Royal Academy of Engineering - "Severe lack of engineering capacity hinders development in Sub Saharan Africa"
by Chip Sharp (chsharp) 30 Oct '12

30 Oct '12

The UK's Royal Academy of Engineering in collaboration with the Africa-UK Engineering for Development Partnership has issued a report entitled: "Engineers for Africa - Identifying engineering capacity needs in Sub-Saharan Africa" http://www.raeng.org.uk/news/releases/shownews.htm?NewsID=800 This might not be news to people on this list, but I thought it might be of interest. Chip

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Inaugural DEMO Africa 2012 sets a precedent in bringing startup and innovation ecosystem actors together
by Gideon 30 Oct '12

30 Oct '12

This is a good start , such innovations getting good attention will trigger more creativity. Gideon Rop DotConnectAfrica On Tue, Oct 30, 2012 at 12:00 PM, <kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke>wrote: > Send kictanet mailing list submissions to > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > You can reach the person managing the list at > kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Inaugural DEMO Africa 2012 sets a precedent in bringing > startup and innovation ecosystem actors together (Brian Munyao > Longwe) > 2. Baku IGF interest in remote participation? (Ory Okolloh) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:30:54 +0300 > From: Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> > To: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: [kictanet] Inaugural DEMO Africa 2012 sets a precedent in > bringing startup and innovation ecosystem actors together > Message-ID: > < > CAHSdPfbLJ7owbY1f2XvptE4OzUK9tTUUadDzENSSFLgSnTRDxA(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" > > 2012 DEMO Africa winners: mPawa, Flowgear, Qabila, Sasa Africa, Maliyo > Games inaugural DEMO Lions Dennis Mbuvi > October 27, 2012 0 Comments and 0 > Reactions< > http://www.cio.co.ke/news/main-stories/2012-demo-africa-winners-mpawa,-flow… > > > [image: DEMO Africa Lions] > The first ever DEMO Africa Lions with DEMO Africa organisers. The five > startups are headed to Silicon Valley.&nbsp;&nbsp; > > Five startups drawn from across Africa have made it to the inaugural group > of DEMO Africa Lions. This comes after two days of more than 42 pitches at > the event held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC). DEMO > is an annual event now held in five continents where startups apply to > launch new products and solutions. The five startups will be heading to > Silicon Valley where they will receive mentorship and exposure to potential > investors. > > mPawa is based in Accra, Ghana and co-founded by Maxwell Kofi Efrem Donkor, > Anthony Agyekum-Mensah, Nancy Neizer and Shadrack Boadu. The startup seeks > to solve Africa?s jobless problem by focussing on the informal sector, > which is the biggest employer in Africa. mPawa lists informal jobs such as > carpenter?s on a portal where those who need such skills can find people to > carry out their tasks. Maxwell says mPawa has already matched 2,000 job > seekers in the previous 3 months, has raised $90,000 is looking to raise > $100,000. (http://mpawa.com/https://twitter.com/mpawa_africa ) > > Flowgear, from Gauteng, South Africa was among the few startups targeted > squarely at the Enterprise. Co-founded by Daniel Chilcott and JJ Milner, > the startup is looking to exploit a $2.79 billion opportunity (Gartner, > 2011) in the Cloud integration sector . Chilcott says the startup provides > cloud management tools for firms allowing them to interconnect the > different cloud solutions they have deployed, such Salesforce and > SharePoint. Flowgear provides a codeless dashboard which allows a fast > deployment. Drawings can also be imported from Visio and implemented in > Flowgear. The SnapLogic competitor says its has received $ 200,000 funding > to date. (http://flowgear.nethttps://twitter.com/flowgear ) > > Qabila is a multimedia content crowdsourcing platform based in Cairo, Egypt > and co-founded by Mahmoud Elshafie, Perihan AbouZeid, Mostafa Saeed, Amar > Abu Shady and Ahmad Fatehlab. Perihan says that Qabila came about as a > platform to provide better content than what was been shown on Egyptian TV. > The platform was founded almost around the Egyptian Arab spring and rose in > popularity with the spring with their content being featured in Al Jazeera. > Qabila currently has 20,000 contributors and current clients include the > World Bank, UNESCO and UNDP. The startup has funded itself to date and is > looking for an additional $250,000 in funding. > (http://qabila.tv https://twitter.com/QabilaTv ) > > Sasa Africa is an ecommerce platform connecting offline craftsperson to > online consumers. Through the use of a mobile phone, craftspeople upload > their products through SMS and MMS. Consumers then find the various crafts > on sasaafrica.com. After a product is bought and paid for, a crafts person > then receives a text message. They then have 48 hours to take the product > to a mobile money kiosk where they are also able to collect their payments. > The startup currently retails jewellery. > > Sasa Africa has so far been in testing and plans to launch in the coming > week. Based in Nairobi, Kenya and founded by Ella Peinovich, Catherine > Mahugu and Gwendolyn Floyd, the startup predicts to have 600 retailers by > end year and 3500 products. Sasa Africa has raised $125,000 through grants > and prizes and is looking at raising $500,000. SasaAfrica target is 84 > percent of women in Sub Saharan Africa which it says work in the informal > sector hoping to serve 100,000 artisans by 2015. (http://sasaafrica.com > http://twitter.com/SasaAfrica ) > > Maliyo Games was the only gaming entrant in DEMO Africa. Based in Lagos, > Nigeria, Oluseye Soyode-Johnson says that Africans are in need of locally > relevant multimedia content. This he says is evident from the multi-million > dollar film and song industry in Nigeria. He therefore believes that a > casual gaming platform providing African themed games on mobile and PC has > lots of potential. Amongst such games is the ?mosquito smasher? game where > players thump mosquitos across various levels, each with its own theme. A > social impact aspect in the game is a multi choice quiz on mosquitos and > malaria in between each level. Maliyo games says the casual gaming industry > is worth $20 billion. The startup is seeking $300,000 in funding. ( > http://www.maliyo.com/ https://twitter.com/maliyogames ) > > > > [image: logo] > *Brian Munyao Longwe* > | Mobile: 254715964281 > http://mashilingi.blogspot.com > <http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> > Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> > <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> > <http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> > LinkedIn<http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> > Contact me: [image: Skype] blongwe > Want a signature like mine? > < > http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.… > > > Click > here.< > http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.… > > >

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Baku IGF interest in remote participation?
by Ory Okolloh 29 Oct '12

29 Oct '12

Hi listers, Any interest in help set up a remote participation hub for the upcoming Baku IGF similar to the ones here<http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/remote-participation/list-of-remote-hubs-2012>? If so, ping me off list. Cheers, Ory

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Inaugural DEMO Africa 2012 sets a precedent in bringing startup and innovation ecosystem actors together
by Brian Munyao Longwe 29 Oct '12

29 Oct '12

2012 DEMO Africa winners: mPawa, Flowgear, Qabila, Sasa Africa, Maliyo Games inaugural DEMO Lions Dennis Mbuvi October 27, 2012 0 Comments and 0 Reactions<http://www.cio.co.ke/news/main-stories/2012-demo-africa-winners-mpawa,-flow…> [image: DEMO Africa Lions] The first ever DEMO Africa Lions with DEMO Africa organisers. The five startups are headed to Silicon Valley.&nbsp;&nbsp; Five startups drawn from across Africa have made it to the inaugural group of DEMO Africa Lions. This comes after two days of more than 42 pitches at the event held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC). DEMO is an annual event now held in five continents where startups apply to launch new products and solutions. The five startups will be heading to Silicon Valley where they will receive mentorship and exposure to potential investors. mPawa is based in Accra, Ghana and co-founded by Maxwell Kofi Efrem Donkor, Anthony Agyekum-Mensah, Nancy Neizer and Shadrack Boadu. The startup seeks to solve Africa’s jobless problem by focussing on the informal sector, which is the biggest employer in Africa. mPawa lists informal jobs such as carpenter’s on a portal where those who need such skills can find people to carry out their tasks. Maxwell says mPawa has already matched 2,000 job seekers in the previous 3 months, has raised $90,000 is looking to raise $100,000. (http://mpawa.com/https://twitter.com/mpawa_africa ) Flowgear, from Gauteng, South Africa was among the few startups targeted squarely at the Enterprise. Co-founded by Daniel Chilcott and JJ Milner, the startup is looking to exploit a $2.79 billion opportunity (Gartner, 2011) in the Cloud integration sector . Chilcott says the startup provides cloud management tools for firms allowing them to interconnect the different cloud solutions they have deployed, such Salesforce and SharePoint. Flowgear provides a codeless dashboard which allows a fast deployment. Drawings can also be imported from Visio and implemented in Flowgear. The SnapLogic competitor says its has received $ 200,000 funding to date. (http://flowgear.nethttps://twitter.com/flowgear ) Qabila is a multimedia content crowdsourcing platform based in Cairo, Egypt and co-founded by Mahmoud Elshafie, Perihan AbouZeid, Mostafa Saeed, Amar Abu Shady and Ahmad Fatehlab. Perihan says that Qabila came about as a platform to provide better content than what was been shown on Egyptian TV. The platform was founded almost around the Egyptian Arab spring and rose in popularity with the spring with their content being featured in Al Jazeera. Qabila currently has 20,000 contributors and current clients include the World Bank, UNESCO and UNDP. The startup has funded itself to date and is looking for an additional $250,000 in funding. (http://qabila.tv https://twitter.com/QabilaTv ) Sasa Africa is an ecommerce platform connecting offline craftsperson to online consumers. Through the use of a mobile phone, craftspeople upload their products through SMS and MMS. Consumers then find the various crafts on sasaafrica.com. After a product is bought and paid for, a crafts person then receives a text message. They then have 48 hours to take the product to a mobile money kiosk where they are also able to collect their payments. The startup currently retails jewellery. Sasa Africa has so far been in testing and plans to launch in the coming week. Based in Nairobi, Kenya and founded by Ella Peinovich, Catherine Mahugu and Gwendolyn Floyd, the startup predicts to have 600 retailers by end year and 3500 products. Sasa Africa has raised $125,000 through grants and prizes and is looking at raising $500,000. SasaAfrica target is 84 percent of women in Sub Saharan Africa which it says work in the informal sector hoping to serve 100,000 artisans by 2015. (http://sasaafrica.com http://twitter.com/SasaAfrica ) Maliyo Games was the only gaming entrant in DEMO Africa. Based in Lagos, Nigeria, Oluseye Soyode-Johnson says that Africans are in need of locally relevant multimedia content. This he says is evident from the multi-million dollar film and song industry in Nigeria. He therefore believes that a casual gaming platform providing African themed games on mobile and PC has lots of potential. Amongst such games is the “mosquito smasher” game where players thump mosquitos across various levels, each with its own theme. A social impact aspect in the game is a multi choice quiz on mosquitos and malaria in between each level. Maliyo games says the casual gaming industry is worth $20 billion. The startup is seeking $300,000 in funding. ( http://www.maliyo.com/ https://twitter.com/maliyogames ) [image: logo] *Brian Munyao Longwe* | Mobile: 254715964281 http://mashilingi.blogspot.com <http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> <http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> LinkedIn<http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> Contact me: [image: Skype] blongwe Want a signature like mine? <http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.…> Click here.<http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.…>

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Holding Companies and Their Directors to Account: An Open Data Solution
by Muchiri Nyaggah 29 Oct '12

29 Oct '12

Hi Listers. Some on this list may find this to be of interest. You can register for the event here http://opencorporates.eventbrite.com/ It is organized by the Nairobi Chapter of HacksHackers. * Holding Companies and Their Directors to Account: An Open Data Solution * * Date: Tuesday, 30th October 2012 Venue: 88mph Time: 1800hrs - 2000hrs Highly interconnected global companies have exploded in complexity and power, and increasingly affect our lives for good and bad. Yet in tandem with this growth, corporate governance has weakened. The opacity and complexity of this corporate world is a key enabler of corruption, tax avoidance and organised crime. Until now painstaking manual investigation has been required to track even the most basic facts about a company, such as whether it exists, and who owns it. Chris Taggart of OpenCorporates.com <http://opencorporates.com/>believes it’s time to change that. Chris is building an open access database with basic information on every corporate entity in the world which can then be remixed and combined with other data, such as government contracts. Chris Taggart will offer a hands-on session on some ways to use powerful data-driven tools and open access databases to mine company information from across the world. Chris will show how highly interconnected global companies have exploded in complexity and power, while corporate governance has weakened. The opacity and complexity of this corporate world is a key enabler of corruption, tax avoidance and organised crime. Chris will demonstrate how you can use even basic company information to remix and combine your data with other information, such as government contracts or regulatory filings, to gain new insights. We invite all those with an interest in issues of corruption and transparency to a hands-on practical session to learn about Chris’s techniques and how you can put them to work for you. PART 1: Why Open Up Corporate Data? Corporate transparency challenges globally and in Africa (Chris Taggart) PART 2: How to Open Up Corporate Data Demo - What you can do with OpenCorporates database (Chris Taggart) Q&A/Hands-on advice Interested? Please register online for the event ( http://opencorporates.eventbrite.com/) ** * -- Kind regards, Muchiri Nyaggah | PRINCIPAL PARTNER @muchiri Cell: +254 722 506400 Skype: mrmuchiri

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Taking exams online
by robert yawe 29 Oct '12

29 Oct '12

How do you stop online students cheating? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19661899 Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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Kenya Diaspora Alliance Seeks Out Partners for e-Vote/m-Voting
by Shem Ochuodho 28 Oct '12

28 Oct '12

Hello, The Kenya Diaspora Alliance (KDA) is seeking out credible technology solution partners and sponsors to roll out an e-voting (secure online and mobile-based) for the Diaspora in the upcoming general elections. It is estimated that there are 3 million Kenyan Diaspora scattered all over the world, remitting into the economy together among them about US$ 1 billion every year (actually US$ 1.8 billion in 2010, being the major single highest forex earner - about 3 times to tourism, and reportedly higher than either overseas development aid or FDI). The pro-Diaspora new constitution has several pluses, including dual citizenship and a right to vote for Diaspora. Vision 2030 too (despite misgivings by some) recognizes Diaspora as an important pillar. KDA (http://kenyadiasporaalliance.org/) is a Federation of over 20 of some of the larger and better known Diaspora organizations worldwide, including Kenyans for Change (K4C), Kenya Community Abroad (KCA), Kenyans in Nigeria (KINs), Kenyans in Dubai (KUDIMA), New Vision Kenya (NVK-Mageuzi), Kenyans in UK/China, etc. It is estimated that among them all, KDA affiliate organizations have a nominal membership of about 250,000 members. KDA believes the only way for Diaspora to participate meaningfully in the coming elections is through secure, credible electronic voting. Through one of its technical committees, it is exploring two-pronged solutions: i) a secure online registration (and later voting) platform - see the prototype 'sign-up' site at https://www.kenyansabroadvote.com/, with a superior site under development for actual registration should IEBC/GoK agree to partner on this, and ii) a secure mobile-text based (m-apps) solution, akin to m-Pesa to facilitate m-voting for Diaspora. It is noted that even if IEBC chooses not to use the solution, it shall still be used to 'sign up' the large numbers of Diaspora out there/here. Interested potential partners to further jointly develop and promote these two products are invited to contact at the earliest Madam Mkawasi Mcharo or Bw Robinson Gichuhi, both copied above. In the same vein, KDA through the Diaspora Investment Club is seeking out and promoting Diaspora investments. The Investment Club, despite being only 1 year old is already working on a Federation of Diaspora SACCO's, Diaspora Pensions Scheme/Savings Plan, leveraging Diaspora to promote sport and culture, among other running projects. The Club is seeking out a qualified firm/partner to develop a secure, dynamic, interactive and content-rich web portal to promote Diaspora investments and savings. If interested, please contact via private mail Madam Rose Mwarania or Bw Ben Osano, both also above copied. Thanks for spreading the message, and regards, Shem Co-Convenor, KDA Shem J. Ochuodho, MSc (Eng), PhD, LLD (Hon) Senior Advisor Ministry of Telecom & Postal Services Republic of South Sudan (RSS), Juba Author: Dawn of a Rainbow (2012) Commonwealth Telecom Organization (CTO/RSS) 2010 African Internaut Award Recipient Cell: +211-977-232025/+211-955-021-040 Skype: shem.ochuodho

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UK's New e-Gov Platform GOV.UK
by Muchiri Nyaggah 28 Oct '12

28 Oct '12

Hi Listers. The UK's Government Digital Service launched GOV.UK a new online destination to replace all the disparate departmental sites designed to deliver public services. https://www.gov.uk/ I hope this is the general direction in which HudumKenya.go.ke is headed. Kind regards, Muchiri Nyaggah | PRINCIPAL PARTNER @muchiri Cell: +254 722 506400 Skype: mrmuchiri

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Fwd: Kenya elected as the new Chair of the CTO for 2012-13
by Alice Munyua 26 Oct '12

26 Oct '12

<http://www.cto.int/Portals/0/email%20file/emailblasts/USF_SouthAfrica/20110…> About Us <http://www.cto.int/Default.aspx?tabid=54> | Events <http://www.cto.int/Default.aspx?tabid=88> | Contact Us <mailto:programmes@cto.int> * * *Kenya elected as the new Chair of the CTO for 2012-13* *Port Louis, Mauritius -26 October 2012* - At the 52nd Council meeting held on 25th October in Mauritius, Kenya was elected as the new Chairperson of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation <https://www.regonline.co.uk/manager/email/WWW.CTO.INT> for 2012-13. Also elected were Nigeria as the First Vice Chairperson and Trinidad and Tobago as the Second Vice Chairperson. Telkom South Africa and the Telecommunications Regulatory Board of Cameroon were elected to the CTO’s Executive Committee representing the Industry Partners and the Development Partners of the CTO respectively. This meeting also marked an important occasion when the Council adopted the proposed amendments to the CTO Constitution and Rules of Procedure. Based on the outcomes of a wide ranging consultation, the amendments modify the governance structure of the CTO to facilitate the delivery of its mandate. The new Constitution and the Rules of Procedure improve the stakeholders’ participation in governance, takes into account commercial exigencies and provides for greater degree of transparency. The Council meeting was preceded by the 10th Annual CTO Forum, which was opened by H.E. Mr. Rajkeswur Purryag, GCSK, GOSK, President of the Republic of Mauritius. The Forum brought together policy makers, regulators and industry representatives from both Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth countries, to explore how mobile broadband can be utilized more effectively, efficiently and securely for development. In the margins of the Forum, on 24th October, the joint project by the International Telecommunications Union and the CTO to implement Child Online Protection in six African countries was launched at a meeting attended by senior policy makers and regulatory heads, led by Hon. Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum, Minister of Information and Communication Technology of Mauritius, where the delegates finalized the implementation plan. A workshop on “IPv6 for Managers”, conducted by AFRINIC together with the ICT Authority on 24th October, informed high level decision makers of the challenges and opportunities of the migration from IPv4 to IPv6. The CTO Council meeting and the Forum were hosted by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies and the ICT Authority of Mauritius, with generous sponsorship from Diamond Sponsor Mauritius Telecom/Orange, as well as many other local and international sponsors. About CTO The CTO is the oldest and largest Commonwealth organisation engaged in multilateral collaboration in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). It uses its experience and expertise to support members in integrating ICTs to deliver effective development interventions that enrich, empower, equalise and emancipate people within the Commonwealth and beyond. For more information, please contact: Srini Srinivasan Senior Communications Officer s.srinivasan(a)cto.int <mailto:s.srinivasan@cto.int> +44 20 8600 3812 This email communication was sent by: Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation 64-66 Glenthorne Road London, W6 0LR To unsubscribe, click here <https://www.regonline.co.uk/t/u.aspx?e=9&p=266547&a=Lq3hSW508TeROnl231+1ZA==>. View our Privacy Policy <https://www.regonline.co.uk/Privacy.aspx>

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How your taxpayers Money is spent..
by Areba Collins [ ＠BrainiacKE ® ] 26 Oct '12

26 Oct '12

All pun intended, Web Design Par excellence. -- *“The twentieth century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy”*

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Proverbs of Abagusii of Kenya: Meaning & Application
by Matunda Nyanchama 26 Oct '12

26 Oct '12

Friends, For those interested in knowledge preservation (especially indigenous knowledge) here are some publications of interest. (NB: There are many that see Africa as the last frontier of undocumented knowledge, tales, stories, etc that would feed much of the knowledge society of the future, especially in entertainment: story lines, etc.). Please share with your friends: Proverbs of Abagusii of Kenya: Meaning and Application by Christopher Okemwa. ISBN 978-1-926906-27-0, $20.00 Like most cultural groups, the oral tradition of Abagusii People of Kenya is expressed in, among others, proverbs. These capture lessons and meaning, modulated by time and context as they are passed down generations. Like riddles and metaphors, proverbs express the wisdom of a culture and find apt application in many situations. Christopher Okemwa’s work documents some of the proverbs of Abagusii, their meaning, the context in which they are used and applications thereof. In this book proverbs are documented in the original form accompanied by English translations in addition to lessons they offer. Embedded in this collection are cultural aspects such beliefs and norms which touch on many aspects of Abagusii society. These aspects include relationships among people, communal life, gender matters, economic issues and many more. Learning Entrepreneurship Through Indigenous Knowledge by Henry Bwisa and Fred Nafukho; ISBN: 978-1-926906-19-5, $20.00. In this work, the authors extract knowledge from a sampling of proverbs and sayings, and ingeniously apply this to entrepreneurship. They innovatively employ educative storytelling to concretize the application of the knowledge to business. The stories used are easy to follow given they are drawn from ordinary lives. They are stories that most readers are likely to relate to, given that these stories are drawn from familiar environments and in familiar settings. The work demonstrates the richness of indigenous information and its relevance to today’s marketplace. This work will be useful to those that would like to extend the scope of their entrepreneurial information while drawing inspiration from traditional heritage. There is something in this book for students, teachers, businesspeople and researchers in the subject of entrepreneurship. This work provides a glimpse into the indigenous knowledge base and should inspire similar future works demonstrating relevance of indigenous heritage to other aspects of modern life. Vyama: Institutions of Hope: Ordinary People’s Market Coordination and Society Organisation Alternative by Mary Njeri Kinyanjui - ISBN: 9781926906249, $20.00 This book makes the case for informal sector institutions in development theory. Through practical examples and interviews conducted in Kenya, the author captures how ordinary people organize themselves to meet daily economic and development challenges. The author traces how ordinary people (wananchi) use non-mainstream mechanisms in the form vyama (social groups) to enable individual, group and community development. The book offers insights into the evolution of vyama (institutions of hope) and the role these institutions continue to play in realizing economic growth: wealth creation and distribution; investments, social protection; and general community development. The work shows how, despite historical disruptions, modernization and neo-liberal policies, ordinary people creatively borrow from tradition. In the process, they use collective mechanisms for resource mobilization, investment, risk-sharing and shared gains for the common good. The author offers pointers into the future and how the chama concept can become mainstream in a people’s economic development. Philosophical Escapadesby Lwandle Wilson Magadhla.- ISBN 978-1926906126 Throughout his life Lwandhle Wilson Magadhla was a keen observer of life’s happenings around him. As he went around his work in the police force, as detective and investigator, he recorded many interesting observations. In his own words, many of these happened as epiphanies. On many occasions they came to him even as he was in the middle of a task, driving on the road, in conversation with friends or while asleep. He kept a permanent notebook by bedside and in his pocket. They always proved handy. As he told it himself, many a time he had to stop driving, and park on the roadside to record an observation lest it “evaporates” off his mind. In this work you will find insights that are unlike many and also similar to many others as relates to life’s happenings. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama(a)aganoconsulting.com Agano Consulting Inc.; www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda; Skype: okiambe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be prepared for ICT security failures & know how to respond when they happen! Call: +1-888-587-1150 or info(a)aganoconsulting.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.

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Re: [kictanet] M2M and Konza city
by Anthony Kiarie 25 Oct '12

25 Oct '12

Actually, the infrastructure does not have to be fibre, wireline. What would be useful is to see what is happening in the industry and as much as possible adhere to the standards that will allow for a horizontal growth. This needs to be in the blue print - overall konza blue print. There are many use cases for smart cities smart homes etc and whilst we should tailor make our solutions we should keep in mind that we ought to be able to allow for inter working and reuse of infrastructure. The tragic issue would be develop a bespoke smart city/ smart home infrastructure that does not allow for any flexibility. ETSI is currently working on standardisation and in fact have released the first issue of M2M. These are the guys who gave us GSM which is by far the most pervasive wireless standards. Hopefully, their work will gain as much traction in the M2M space. So far so good, at least going by the vendors in the different industries. On Oct 25, 2012 4:05 PM, "Dewalt Uys" <Dewalt(a)xon.co.za> wrote: > Smart cities.... > > In my view the correct foundation for Konza City is complete fibre > infrastructure supported by a data centre for hosting services. Sure the > banks will not hand over their data to the data centre but voice and email > services can be hosted. > > > Best regards, > Dewalt Uys > General Manager - East Africa > www.xon.co.za > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: kictanet [mailto:kictanet-bounces+dewalt= > xon.co.za(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > Sent: 25 October 2012 02:25 PM > To: Dewalt Uys > Subject: kictanet Digest, Vol 65, Issue 125 > > Send kictanet mailing list submissions to > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > You can reach the person managing the list at > kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than > "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Smart cities and M2M in Konza (Anthony Kiarie) > 2. Proverbs of Abagusii of Kenya: Meaning & Application > (Matunda Nyanchama) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2012 03:07:07 -0700 > From: Anthony Kiarie <kiarietony(a)gmail.com> > To: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > Cc: "kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: [kictanet] Smart cities and M2M in Konza > Message-ID: > < > CAM0MEYwL+8AOK9grrevy_zhCFCwmaq9OAQtK8hzyHSKdqtvdiw(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Hi listers/Ndemo > I am attending a workshop in France on M2M (Machine 2 Machine). I think > Konza City would do well if we could get the infrastructure right from the > word go and have the city/ homes/ commercial property ready for it. It > would be a showcase for the region what M2M can do for us. >

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Re: [kictanet] kictanet Digest, Vol 65, Issue 125
by Dewalt Uys 25 Oct '12

25 Oct '12

Smart cities.... In my view the correct foundation for Konza City is complete fibre infrastructure supported by a data centre for hosting services. Sure the banks will not hand over their data to the data centre but voice and email services can be hosted. Best regards, Dewalt Uys General Manager - East Africa www.xon.co.za -----Original Message----- From: kictanet [mailto:kictanet-bounces+dewalt=xon.co.za@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Sent: 25 October 2012 02:25 PM To: Dewalt Uys Subject: kictanet Digest, Vol 65, Issue 125 Send kictanet mailing list submissions to kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke You can reach the person managing the list at kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Smart cities and M2M in Konza (Anthony Kiarie) 2. Proverbs of Abagusii of Kenya: Meaning & Application (Matunda Nyanchama) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2012 03:07:07 -0700 From: Anthony Kiarie <kiarietony(a)gmail.com> To: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke Cc: "kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: [kictanet] Smart cities and M2M in Konza Message-ID: <CAM0MEYwL+8AOK9grrevy_zhCFCwmaq9OAQtK8hzyHSKdqtvdiw(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi listers/Ndemo I am attending a workshop in France on M2M (Machine 2 Machine). I think Konza City would do well if we could get the infrastructure right from the word go and have the city/ homes/ commercial property ready for it. It would be a showcase for the region what M2M can do for us.

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Smart cities and M2M in Konza
by Anthony Kiarie 25 Oct '12

25 Oct '12

Hi listers/Ndemo I am attending a workshop in France on M2M (Machine 2 Machine). I think Konza City would do well if we could get the infrastructure right from the word go and have the city/ homes/ commercial property ready for it. It would be a showcase for the region what M2M can do for us.

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Removal from the list
by Brian Munyao Longwe 25 Oct '12

25 Oct '12

Hi, Did anyone else receive over 15 attempts to unsubscribe them from the list today or was it just me? LOL, Brian [image: logo] *Brian Munyao Longwe* | Mobile: 254715964281 http://mashilingi.blogspot.com <http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> <http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> LinkedIn<http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> Contact me: [image: Skype] blongwe Want a signature like mine? <http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.…> Click here.<http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.…>

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The "ICANN Africa Strategy" Is Not the Same as the 'African Agenda'
by Gideon 25 Oct '12

25 Oct '12

The "ICANN Africa Strategy" Is Not the Same as the 'African Agenda'<http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121024_icann_africa_strategy_is_not_the_sam…> http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121024_icann_africa_strategy_is_not_the_sam… The ICANN-45 International meeting of the ICANN Global Community in Toronto, Canada provided an opportunity for the unveiling of the initial draft of the ICANN Africa Strategy, an episode that will always be remembered as a landmark moment which signaled the official commencement of ICANN's new approach to Africa. Indeed, a new chapter has started regarding how ICANN will relate henceforth to Africa. The ICANN Africa Strategy will increase Africa's visibility in ICANN, and in turn, also project ICANN's visibility in Africa. Its implementation should lead to the mainstreaming of the principal issues of concern to Africa in ICANN's discourse. *It is therefore important that the ICANN Africa Strategy is not misrepresented in terms of its overall goals, and the type of strategic impact it is supposed to engender in the short to medium term*. However, just a few days after ICANN's meeting in Toronto, the Africa Strategy is now being spun by some pundits and self-styled Africa watchers into what it is not, thereby creating some general misconceptions. I believe that such mischaracterizations of the ICANN Africa Strategy could create widespread confusion and actually precipitate its failure. Such a ridiculous fiasco resulting as an unintended consequence must be avoided at all cost. *It is therefore necessary at this early stage to set the records straight about what the ICANN Africa Strategy is not.* *1. The "ICANN Africa Strategy" is different from the "African Agenda"* The Africa Agenda *is a failed tactic that was employed by a group of so-called 'African Internet Experts'* to impose their agenda on ICANN using the political and diplomatic machinery of the African Union Commission, whilst exploiting the auspices of the African Ministerial Round-Table that met in Dakar, Senegal in October 2011 during ICANN-42. *It was essentially the work of chicanery that failed. Twelve (12-points) were outlined as an 'African Agenda' that had presumably received the blessings of an African Ministerial Round-Table and submitted to ICANN leaders in Dakar; with the hope that ICANN would approve the imperious demands that were contained in the 'African Agenda' as a fait accompli.* One of the most impossible demands contained in the African Agenda was for ICANN to give special treatment to the African Union, and reserve the .Africa (DotAfrica) name and its representations in any other language in the List of Top-Level Domain names; with the added proviso that the African Union would then delegate the .Africa gTLD to a structure that it hoped to identify and select. It was a very ridiculous demand, against the backdrop that the Top-Level Names in the Reserved List (for example, AfriNIC, www, http, etc.) were already specified in the approved version of the new gTLD Applicant's Guidebook, and any extra-ordinary proposition to include .Africa in the List, would have required an amendment to the new gTLD Applicant's Guidebook. *The inchoate plan was therefore defeated in Dakar, and with it, the African Agenda.* In ICANN's official response to the AUC and the African Ministerial Round-Table that came in March 2012, it was recommended to the AUC to use both GAC Early Warning Advice and Community Objection to influence the outcome of the .Africa new gTLD application process. ICANN's response therefore made it clear that the only route to the delegation of .Africa gTLD was through the new gTLD program and not *through the imperious imposition of an African Agenda.* It must be emphasized that the Africa Agenda was not consensus-driven, lacked multi-stakeholder input and was never approved by ICANN. *The Africa Agenda actually failed at Dakar.* *2. The "ICANN African Strategy" is not related to the new gTLD Program* *The ICANN African Strategy has nothing to do with the .Africa new gTLD.*The objectives of the ICANN new gTLD program are quite clear as a global, fairly structured, rule-based, policy-driven, transparent and competitive process under which new gTLDs will emerge, with a view to expanding the Internet. *The Africa Strategy on the other hand is simply a strategic planning process with multi-stakeholder inputs that is expected to guide ICANN's engagement with Africa during the implementation period of the ICANN Strategic Plan from July 2013 to June 2016.* Therefore, any viewpoint that contrives to indicate that the ICANN African Strategy is somehow connected to .Africa gTLD or to ICANN's new gTLD program is completely fallacious, and should be debunked as incorrect and misleading. As a matter of fact, during the comments collection process, the draft Assessment report assembled by the ASWG had contained a reference to .Africa new gTLD, based on some submission that was made by a respondent, but this was seen as irrelevant, out-of-context and removed. *3. An AUC-endorsed DotAfrica Application has nothing to with the Africa Strategy* A recent blog posting<http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121023_africa_at_icann_continent_on_the_mov…>written by Andrew Mack, a self-styled Africa watcher, had tried to suggest that the DotAfrica application somehow has something to do with the ICANN Africa Strategy. In his article he stated inter alia: *"You could also see it in the tremendous enthusiasm for the AUC-endorsed dotAfrica (.africa) application, which has become a real a (sic) focal point of an emerging "African Agenda"*. Again, this is a very wrong assertion which is very misleading. *Andrew Mack's confusion is rather palpable, by mixing-up the new ICANN Africa Strategy with the previously failed African Agenda.* The point has already been made that the "African Agenda" aimed to take the DotAfrica new gTLD outside the oversight of ICANN's new gTLD program under an opaque plan that would have enabled the African Union Commission (with the 'guidance' of its Task Force on DotAfrica) to separately delegate the .Africa gTLD to a structure that it had identified and selected based on a flawed 'special treatment process'. Andrew Mack's recent posting was therefore *in grave error by assuming that the AUC-endorsed dotAfrica (.africa) application has become the focal point of an emerging "Africa Agenda".* The African Agenda was generally seen as an illegitimate, stage-managed scheme which never received any approval from ICANN. The AUC had wanted to enjoy certain special legislative protections under the African agenda, but this was denied by ICANN. Finally, *it is important to clarify that the AUC is not part of the ICANN Africa Strategy.* In truth, the AUC had tried to endorse a DotAfrica (.Africa) Community TLD application for the African Community, but the appointed applicant — UniForum did *not submit any application on behalf of the African Community, and did not even acknowledge any 'African Community' in its application for .Africa.* Therefore *the notion of an AUC-endorsed DotAfrica application remains nebulous and ill-defined.* Following the revelation that the .Africa application by UniForum did not truthfully adhere to the terms of the purported AUC-endorsement that it had received; to wit, that of applying on behalf of the African Community, *Mr. Neil Duncan Dundas had made an open admission on the AfrICANN Forum that he expects the AU, the African Internet Communi*ty and ICANN to hold UniForum accountable for its misleading application. Therefore, until full accountability at the time of final reckoning, it is a rather fantastic notion for Andrew Mack or anybody for that matter to even remotely suggest that an *AUC-endorsed dotAfrica (.africa) application, is becoming the focal point of an emerging "African Agenda".* ** Gideon, DotConnectAfrica On Wed, Oct 24, 2012 at 12:00 PM, <kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke>wrote: > Send kictanet mailing list submissions to > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > You can reach the person managing the list at > kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Africa at ICANN - Continent on the Move (Alice Munyua) > 2. Toronto: DCA's Contribution to ICANN Africa Strategy and the > Multi-Stakeholder Model (Gideon) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2012 21:36:03 +0300 > From: Alice Munyua <alice(a)apc.org> > To: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: [kictanet] Africa at ICANN - Continent on the Move > Message-ID: <5086E393.6050003(a)apc.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; Format="flowed" > > Africa at ICANN - Continent on the Move > < > http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121023_africa_at_icann_continent_on_the_mov… > > > > http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121023_africa_at_icann_continent_on_the_mov… > > > < > http://www.circleid.com/posts/20121023_africa_at_icann_continent_on_the_mov… > > > > By *Andrew Mack* <http://www.circleid.com/members/4199/> > > There was one obvious take-away from this week's ICANN meetings in > Toronto, and for once it was less about policy and more about geography. > Simply put, Africa is really --- finally --- coming together at ICANN, > with a new energy, new unity and lots of new participation from African > participants. And from top to bottom, the ICANN community seems to be > taking notice. > > The evidence was everywhere... You could see it in the large number of > African participants from all over the continent, and in active African > engagement in the GAC. You could see it in the statements from the ICANN > CEO, Board Chair and constituency leaders who came to the release of the > new Africa strategy and praised both the strategy and the strategy > process --- inclusive, fast-moving and importantly, driven by African > stakeholders at ICANN, not imposed from above. You could also see it in > the tremendous enthusiasm for the AUC-endorsed dotAfrica (.africa) > application, which has become a real a focal point of an emerging > "African Agenda". > > Of course, the hard work is yet to be done. > > All sides need to follow through to turn the strategy into real impact, > to make sure that ongoing outreach becomes a reality, not just happy > talk. We need to make sure the .Africa application --- which has support > from more than 40 countries (and counting) isn't slowed down by the new > batching process or any other noise. Nobody in the end was in favor of > digital archery, but the system did have one thing right --- a > preference for geographic, community and IDN names. Prioritizing Latin > American and African applications makes sense given the history of > "outreach", the small number of applications from these regions and the > reality of the internet's growth. We believe a new "draw" system without > a focus on underserved regions would send the wrong signal to the > international internet community. It wouldn't do justice to the good > work already initiated with support from the CEO, and in the end, it > would be bad for ICANN. > > As a long time Africa watcher at ICANN, I saw much to celebrate in > Toronto. And I'd like to especially compliment new CEO Fadi Chehad? for > creating the space for (and what seems like genuine interest in) the > needs of the continent that has been underserved for so long. But while > words are important, we're just getting started. Africa is showing that > it is serious about playing a real, sustained role at ICANN. Hopefully, > ICANN is serious as well. > > *By Andrew Mack <http://www.circleid.com/members/4199/>, Principal at > AMGlobal Consulting* > > >

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Knowledge economy! Can we hack it?
by robert yawe 25 Oct '12

25 Oct '12

Hi, I had the opportunity to listen to a panel discussion at the ongoing AITEC expo at the Oshwal Center about smart cities but this sounded very hollow especially after reading the following articles about the state of our education. 1. http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Varsities+churning+out+half+baked+graduates+/-… 2. http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Graduates+lose+out+as+employers+opt+for+lower+… 3. http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Councillors+graduate+ahead+of+polls/-… The third one is the most critical as this refers to those who shall be the county representatives come the new dispensation, as you and I will definitely not be standing for any elective posts as we find them too below our station in life, how will they be able to appreciate technology and who shall advice them if the Universities are churning out unbaked (half cooked ugali is not ugali) graduates. Rome was not built in a day and Kenya will not become a knowledge economy because we have set aside land for a technology city. Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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please provide feedback on Internet, Governance & ICANN Ecosystem Maps
by Alice Munyua 24 Oct '12

24 Oct '12

ICANN is requesting feedback and inputs on Internet Governance & ICANN Ecosystem Maps they are currently developing. Please visit (http://icann.xplane.com/questionaire/internet_governance) and provide feedback best Alice

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