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Bob Collymore; Yet to arrive
by robert yawe 07 Mar '11

07 Mar '11

Hi Listers, I had a chance to catch my namesake Robert Collymore's on the bench interview rerun with Jeff Koinange and it was quite enlightening especially from how he answered the questions. For some reason Jeff was too mellow seems like he had been given a script which was unfortunate, his interview of one Kaguta Museveni was more punchy. As I listened to the interview it became clear that Bob has still not arrived in Kenya, he is here physically but his heart must have been lost in transit, airlines keep doing it with peoples luggage, he needs a chance to arrive. I would suggest that first someone takes him across to Njuguna's preferably after Mututho, best would be if it was with a non-safaricom supplier or staff member as he needs an orientation in Kenyanism. After this he needs to visit Kiamaiko and also watch a soccer match at Dandora or Kibera stadiums then he will be better placed to comment on the Kenyan. He might even be allowed to get aware with using terms like Kubafu and peculiar to describe us. Unlike MJ, Bob has come to occupy the sit at the top of an existing ivory tower that Micheal built, from where the view can be very deceiving and his lieutenants are likely to insulate him from what is happening on the ground. If he genuinely wants to sort our the rote within Safaricom and move the organisation into the future then he must descend from the ivory tower and order his heart back via express courier otherwise his stay shall be short and uneventful. You cannot appreciate the bigger picture if you have no contact with the sectoral one, the pixels make the picture. Just my take from the answers he gave to the soft questions that where rolled towards him. Regards Bob akaribishwe kimtaa Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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Re: [kictanet] Bob Collymore; Yet to arrive
by Betty Mwangi 05 Mar '11

05 Mar '11

Thanks Emmanuel - kindly send me your contact details so we can investigate this further - we do appreciate your feedback and are keen to ensure resolution. Rgds Sent from my iPad On Mar 5, 2011, at 6:00 AM, "Emmanuel Khisa" <oloo.khisa(a)googlemail.com> wrote: > Not to beat down a man who is "already down", I submit that the problem with Mpesa airtime has been a problem for more than one month on and off and the problem is much bigger than last Sunday's update. It is crucial for Safaricom to be honest with itself, and seek to once and for all fix this problem. Its not just affecting them, its affecting multiple other industries... > > My take. > > On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 9:36 PM, Betty Mwangi <bmwangi1(a)safaricom.co.ke> wrote: > Thanks for this information Njeri - please can you send me the details of the outlets that failed to serve you so that we can take immediate action. Further we would like to assure you that M-KESHO is operational and if you experience any problems please do not hesitate to contact me. > > Regarding Mr Ouma's e mail below it is true that following the network upgrade last weekend there was a fault with M-PESA airtime top up for self and this has also been resolved. Please send me your contact details so that we can look into your specific issue if the problem is persisting. > > We apologize for the inconvenience. > > Best rgds > > Betty Mwangi - Thuo > > > Sent from my iPad > > On Mar 4, 2011, at 6:39 PM, "Njeri" <njeri.rionge(a)igniteconsulting.co.ke> wrote: > >> I wanted to load 40k last week and was only able to do so by going to three outlets, then sending it was another issue, not to mention some told me mkesho is now mkesho kutwa. :-) >> >> Sent from my iPhone. >> >> Njeri >> >> www.njeri-rionge.com >> >> On Mar 4, 2011, at 18:22, Michael Bullut <michael.bullut(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> The MPesa service is currently down... I tried depositing some funds an hour ago at two agents in Westlands and they told me the system is unavailable... >>> >>> On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 3:03 PM, Michael Ouma <benomnta(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >>> If this was facebook, I would said "like this" comment. >>> >>> I can't top up my credit via mpesa neither can I top up another number via the same mpesa since last week. >>> >>> Michael Ouma >>> Journalist >>> Kenya >>> Tel:+254-725-537823 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> "Do not go where the path may lead, but go instead where there is no path and leave a trail," - Ralph Waldo Emerson >>> >>> >>> From: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> >>> To: benomnta(a)yahoo.com >>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> >>> Sent: Fri, March 4, 2011 8:36:30 AM >>> Subject: [kictanet] Bob Collymore; Yet to arrive >>> >>> Hi Listers, >>> >>> I had a chance to catch my namesake Robert Collymore's on the bench interview rerun with Jeff Koinange and it was quite enlightening especially from how he answered the questions. >>> >>> For some reason Jeff was too mellow seems like he had been given a script which was unfortunate, his interview of one Kaguta Museveni was more punchy. >>> >>> As I listened to the interview it became clear that Bob has still not arrived in Kenya, he is here physically but his heart must have been lost in transit, airlines keep doing it with peoples luggage, he needs a chance to arrive. >>> >>> I would suggest that first someone takes him across to Njuguna's preferably after Mututho, best would be if it was with a non-safaricom supplier or staff member as he needs an orientation in Kenyanism. After this he needs to visit Kiamaiko and also watch a soccer match at Dandora or Kibera stadiums then he will be better placed to comment on the Kenyan. He might even be allowed to get aware with using terms like Kubafu and peculiar to describe us. >>> >>> Unlike MJ, Bob has come to occupy the sit at the top of an existing ivory tower that Micheal built, from where the view can be very deceiving and his lieutenants are likely to insulate him from what is happening on the ground. >>> >>> If he genuinely wants to sort our the rote within Safaricom and move the organisation into the future then he must descend from the ivory tower and order his heart back via express courier otherwise his stay shall be short and uneventful. You cannot appreciate the bigger picture if you have no contact with the sectoral one, the pixels make the picture. >>> >>> Just my take from the answers he gave to the soft questions that where rolled towards him. >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Bob akaribishwe kimtaa >>> >>> >>> Robert Yawe >>> KAY System Technologies Ltd >>> Phoenix House, 6th Floor >>> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 >>> Kenya >>> >>> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> kictanet mailing list >>> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >>> >>> This message was sent to: michael.bullut(a)gmail.com >>> Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/michael.bullut%40gmail… >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Warm regards, >>> >>> Michael Bullut. >>> >>> --- >>> >>> Cell: +254 723 393 114. >>> Google Talk: michael.bullut >>> Twitter: @Kipsang >>> Blog: http://kipsang.wordpress.com/ >>> Email: michael.bullut(a)gmail.com >>> >>> --- >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> kictanet mailing list >>> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >>> >>> This message was sent to: njeri.rionge(a)igniteconsulting.co.ke >>> Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/njeri.rionge%40ignitec… >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> This message was sent to: bmwangi1(a)safaricom.co.ke >> Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bmwangi1%40safaricom.c… > Note: > All emails sent from Safaricom Limited are subject to Safaricom’s Email Terms & Conditions. Please click here to read the policy. > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: oloo.khisa(a)gmail.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/oloo.khisa%40gmail.com > > > > > -- > Oloo Khisa > P.O. Box 24324-00100 > Nairobi > 0721321086/0734321086 > http://ke.linkedin.com/in/olookhisa > ##################################################################################### NOTE: All emails sent from Safaricom Limited are subject to Safaricom�s Email Terms & Conditions. Please click here to read the policy. #####################################################################################

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Apply now for ICANN's Leadership Positions: Introducing the Nominating Committee (NomCom)
by Alice Munyua 05 Mar '11

05 Mar '11

Dear all, (apologies for cross posting) Please see below an announcement below from ICANN's nominating committee. They are seeking to fill leadership positions with people with skills and interest in multi stakeholder policy development as well as internet governance in general. For example, the At Large Committee (ALAC) would be a very interesting entry point for people interested in a broad range of issues, ccNSO (Country Code Names Supporting Organization) works mainly on (country code top level domains) ccTLDs, while the gNSO focuses on policy development for generic names. Would be great if we could get more of us involved! best Alice ------------------- Apply now for ICANN's Leadership Positions: Introducing the Nominating Committee (NomCom) The NomCom is an independent committee that, over a three-year cycle, is responsible for the selection and appointment of half of the voting members of ICANN's Board of Directors as well as members of ICANN's policy making Supporting Organizations and Advisory Councils. The 2011 NomCom is currently seeking volunteers willing to join ICANN's leadership and help shape the future of the Internet. The application process for the following positions is now open: * At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) (3 seats, Africa; Asia/Australia/Pacific; and Latin America/Caribbean Islands regions) * Generic Names Supporting Organization Council (GNSO) (2 seats) * Country Code Names Support Organization Council (ccNSO) (1 seat) * Board of Directors (2 seats) Information about the qualifications and experience required for these positions is available on the NomCom website http://nomcom.icann.org/positions-2011.htm Self-nominations are welcome, or you can suggest a candidate -- if you know someone who could help lead development of policy for the Domain Name System, then the NomCom wants to hear from you! Visit the NomCom website http://nomcom.icann.org/ for details of how to apply http://nomcom.icann.org/apply or how to recommend an expert http://nomcom.icann.org/suggest/ for a position. NomCom Chair, Adam Peake <ajp(a)glocom.ac.jp> would be pleased to answer any questions a potential candidates may have. Closing date for applications 4 April 2011. END --

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Fwd: Jobs in Mobiles and Finance / Mobiles and Agriculture with GSMA in London
by Alice Munyua 04 Mar '11

04 Mar '11

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Jobs in Mobiles and Finance / Mobiles and Agriculture with GSMA in London Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 15:52:17 +0000 From: Richard Heeks <richard.heeks(a)manchester.ac.uk> To: Richard Heeks <richard.heeks(a)manchester.ac.uk> Job 1: Mobile Money for the Unbanked Programme Coordinator Department Development Fund Location London Salary Competitive Assesment Interview/psychometric Reporting to Programme Director Deadline: 10th of March *Description* The MMU Coordinator role is primarily a role supporting the members of the MMU team, as well as the various activities and programmes that the MMU team runs. On top of this the chosen candidate will be expected to contribute ideas for impactful mobile money industry events and workshops with the rest of the MMU team and then will be responsible for transforming these ideas into successful working sessions. This person will be responsible for creating and issuing the agenda (with input from the MMU team), preparing materials in advance, arranging logistics, communicating with members and driving attendance to the each session and also work with the Knowledge Manager to ensure that appropriate content is effectively disseminated to the wider MM community post the event. The MMU Coordinator will also be responsible for gathering appropriate feedback and carrying out analysis on the data collected from our stakeholders to ensure that we are effectively meeting their needs, having the right impact and also suggesting ways to improve our Programme activities so that we continue to raise the bar. There are currently two main events each year, which the MMU Coordinator will be expected to attend (currently planned for Singapore, June 2011), and then approximately three regional events each year (across Asia, LatAm and Africa -- Coordinator attendance TBC). They will also be responsible for customer relationship management for the MMU Programme, ensuring a database of our contacts is maintained and managed. They will also be the first line of contact for queries from existing members or enquiries from potential members of the MMU Programme. The MMU Coordinator will support the Programme Manager to complete programme management tasks such as status reporting, financial planning, etc., including tollgate reporting to our sponsors at the Gates Foundation. They will also be responsible for supplier contracting and managing the invoice payments process with the Finance teams, to ensure all suppliers are contracted and managed appropriately. They will also be responsible for supporting the team during peak periods, either for administration support (e.g. booking meetings, travel, etc.) or more ad hoc tasks (to be agreed with the Coordinator and the Programme Manager). The MMU Coordinator will also be responsible for ensuring that MMU is appropriately represented in wider Mobile Money events, through ensuring good coordination with their opposite number from the wider MM theme. The MMU Coordinator will be an integral part of the MMU team and will be exposed not only to the operational side of the Programme but also on helping to shape our activities and strategy, e.g. they will be expected to contribute ideas for how we can continue to increase our impact on the mobile money industry. They will work closely with the Programme Manager to ensure that the strategy and operational plans are regularly reviewed and any modifications are effectively communicated to the wider Development Fund and beyond as appropriate. The MMU Coordinator will also be given their own MMU project to complete, which will require research (this may be a primary research such as an interview for the MMU Newsletter with a key player in the industry, or secondary research based on existing published materials). The scope of this will be agreed with the Programme Manager, based on the programme's needs as well as the Coordinator's own interests and aspirations. They will have significant exposure to the key players in the mobile money industry and will be expected to have a keen interest in learning about the role of mobile communications to bank the unbanked, and growing their own network in this space. The MMU Coordinator will report to the Programme Manager. *Context* GSMA -- Mobile Money for the Unbanked Programme (MMU) The MMU Programme is sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of the Programme is to provide mobile money services to 20 million new unbanked people who are living on sub $2 per day by 2012. Furthermore, MMU will strive for mobile money to 1) be considered mainstream business for mobile operators, 2) be extensively available to those who have been previously unbanked, and 3) extend the reach and reduce the costs for formal financial services such as savings, insurance and credit. The Programme will achieve its aims by working closely with key industry bodies (regulatory bodies and financial institutions) as well as a number of mobile network operators (GSMA members) who have the opportunity to make the biggest impact within the mobile money space. MMU will also work to raise advocacy for mobile money more broadly within the industry, by ensuring that key industry developments, learnings and best practice are appropriately packaged and shared. MMU will convene the industry in a series of Working Groups and Sub-Groups, in order to better understand and resolve key issues facing mobile money. It will also provide grant funding to mobile money projects, in order to foster innovation and accelerate deployments, and the MMU team will work closely with these projects to ensure their success. The right candidate will join a young, dynamic, high performing team (currently 5 people strong, from financial services, telecommunications and strategy consulting backgrounds). There will be extensive travel opportunities, particularly within developing markets across Asia, Latin America and Africa. *Criteria* GSMA - The Person The role requires an individual who is a well organized team player, with a desire to learn about mobile money and play a role in supporting the development of this industry through our Programme. Specifically: - Drive and proactivity - demonstrates a "can do" attitude, and eager to identify and suggest ways of improving existing processes - Previous experience of working on a large Programme and knowledge of programme management practices - Very conscientious -- sets high personal standards and shows excellent attention to detail - Highly professional -- comfortable interacting with internal and external stakeholders, including C-level executives - Demonstrates a will to learn about the industry (by active participation in team meetings, with questions or insight about MMU industry) - Good knowledge of MS Office (Excel, Word and Powerpoint) - Basic analytical skills - Able to quickly grasp new concepts and ideas - Willingness to travel on an international basis - Excellent cultural awareness and a desire to work with teams around the world - language skills highly desirable Click here to complete an application form for this position https://infocentre.gsm.org/cgi-bin/jb_job_apply.cgi?jb_job_id=dev-lon-210&j… Fund <https://infocentre.gsm.org/cgi-bin/jb_job_apply.cgi?jb_job_id=dev-lon-210&j…> Job 2: mAgri Coordinator *Role Details* __ Role Title: mAgri Coordinator *Reporting to: mAgri Director* Company: GSMA Development Fund ** * Location: London* ** *About the GSMA Development Fund* ** The GSMA Development Fund exists to accelerate economic, social and environmental development through the use of mobile technology. We believe that providing tangible, accessible mobile services to people in developing countries is invaluable to society and can help improve people's lives. The Development Fund leverages the industry expertise of the GSMA and its members, as well as the development expertise of international agencies and non-profit organisations to accelerate mobile services in six areas: Mobile Agriculture, Mobile Money for the Unbanked, Green Power for Mobile, mWomen, Mobile Health and Mobile Learning.Together with our partners, we incubate and replicate new mobile services in communities where they can make a positive difference. We believe that "doing good, is good business" and that with more than 3 billion users, 'base of the pyramid' markets are the future for mobile growth and innovation. The mobile industry is therefore uniquely positioned to deliver economic and social value to these markets. In order to drive developments in this area the Development Fund's role is to catalyse innovation, drive market scaling and increase knowledge networking to achieve the following objectives: ·Increase the number of effective, scalable and replicable development initiatives using mobile technology in emerging markets. ·Implement these initiatives in a scalable and sustainable fashion, bringing socio-economic benefits to individuals and communities. ·Increase awareness among governments and the development community of how GSM voice and data networks act as an agent of development and can be used to bridge the digital divide. http://www.gsmworld.com/developmentfund/index.shtml ** *Programme Description * ** ** GSMA -- Mobile Agriculture (mAgri) The GSMA Development Fund's Mobile Agriculture (mAgri) initiative has been established to catalyse the deployment of mobile solutions to serve the agriculture sector. To date, focus has been to engage with mobile operators and their partners to accelerate the availability of agriculture information based services through mobile to farmers (mFarmer services). In partnerships with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, the mAgri programme has supported and piloted two projects in Africa and India. We are due to launch a second phase of mAgri programme -- mFarmer sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of the mFarmer programme is to work with mobile network operators and partners to support the launch of quality agricultural VAS that will be accessed by over 2 million smallholder farmers. The programme aims to provide a sustainable way for farmers to obtain critical life-enhancing agricultural information that can help them improve their farm productivity and income. The mFarmer programme will achieve its aims by working closely with mobile network operators (GSMA members) and other public and private sector agriculture organisations who are implementing agricultural VAS. Through an open application process, the mFarmer programme will award challenge funds, technical assistance and an electronic content database to selected mFarmer projects, in order to foster innovation and accelerate deployments. The mAgri team will work closely on the ground with these projects to ensure their success. The mAgri team will also work to raise advocacy for mobile agriculture more broadly within the industry, by ensuring that key industry developments, learnings and best practices are appropriately packaged and shared; and convene the industry in order to better understand and resolve key issues facing mobile agriculture initiatives. The right candidate will join a newly forming, young, dynamic, high performing team. There will be travel opportunities, particularly within Sub-Saharan Africa. *Role Description* ** ** The role will encompass: ·*Programme management support*(40%) - the mAgri Coordinator will work with the mAgri team to create a robust programme management structure to support the new programme and will be actively involved in tasks such as status reporting and financial reporting. They will be responsible for supplier contracting and managing the invoice payments process with the Finance teams, to ensure all suppliers are contracted and managed appropriately. They will support the grant management co-ordination and work closely with the grant management partner and applicants. They will also be responsible for customer relationship management for the mAgri Programme, ensuring a database of our contacts is maintained and managed. They will be the first line of contact for queries from existing members or enquiries from potential members of the mAgri Programme. They will also be responsible for supporting the team during peak periods, either for administration support (e.g. booking meetings, travel, etc.) or more ad hoc tasks (to be agreed with the Coordinator and the Programme Director). ·*Marketing support (20%) *- The mAgri Coordinator will work closely with the mAgri team and marketing team to raise the profile of the mAgri programme. They will be responsible for co-ordinating marketing plans, establishing and maintaining the presence of the mAgri programme on-line, studying industry trends, and co-ordinating knowledge management with the wider team. The mAgri Coordinator will be an integral part of the mAgri team and will be exposed not only to the operational side of the Programme but also on helping to shape our activities and strategy, and they will be expected to contribute ideas for how we can continue to increase our impact on the mAgri industry. They will work closely with the Programme Director to ensure that the strategy and operational plans are regularly reviewed and any modifications are effectively communicated to the wider Development Fund and beyond as appropriate. ·*Events and workshop co-ordination*(20%) - The mAgri Coordinator will work with the mAgri team to create successful knowledge transfer sessions (for example, working groups, webinars, workshops). This person will be responsible for all logistical planning and execution including issuing the agenda (with input from the mAgri team), preparing materials in advance, arranging logistics, communicating with members and driving attendance to the each session and also work with the mAgri team to ensure that appropriate content is effectively disseminated to the wider mAgri community pre, during and post the event. The mAgri Coordinator will also be responsible for gathering appropriate feedback and carrying out analysis on the data collected from our stakeholders to ensure that we are effectively meeting their needs, having the right impact and also suggesting ways to improve our Programme activities so that we continue to raise the bar. The person will have significant exposure to the key players in the mobile agriculture industry and will be expected to have a keen interest in learning about the role of mobile communications to serve the agriculture sector, and growing their own network in this space. The mAgri co-ordinator will also spend 20% of their time supporting the GSMA Development Fund more widely and helping to co-ordinate GSMA Development Fund cross-programme activities, as directed by the Managing Director of the Development Fund. *GSMA Package* ** ** Salary band £28-£35k, subject to experience Bonus up to 10% of salary The GSMA is able to provide suitably motivated candidates with a first class working environment, access to all of the key decision makers in a one of the planets largest and most progressive industry's and the content to keep a curious mind engaged. Many of our alumni have now taken key roles in the development of the industry. How to apply Name: Clare Kibbey Contact form or email: jobs(a)gsm.org Application deadline: Fri, 25/03/2011 Job 3: mAgri Manager *Role Details* Role Title: mAgri Manager Reporting to: mAgri Director Company: GSMA Development Fund Location: Sub-Saharan Africa (location tbd) *About the GSMA Development Fund* The GSMA Development Fund exists to accelerate economic, social and environmental development through the use of mobile technology. We believe that providing tangible, accessible mobile services to people in developing countries is invaluable to society and can help improve people's lives. The Development Fund leverages the industry expertise of the GSMA and its members, as well as the development expertise of international agencies and non-profit organisations to accelerate mobile services in six areas: Mobile Agriculture, Mobile Money for the Unbanked, Green Power for Mobile, mWomen, Mobile Health and Mobile Learning. Together with our partners, we incubate and replicate new mobile services in communities where they can make a positive difference. We believe that "doing good, is good business" and that with more than 3 billion users, 'base of the pyramid' markets are the future for mobile growth and innovation. The mobile industry is therefore uniquely positioned to deliver economic and social value to these markets. In order to drive developments in this area the Development Fund's role is to catalyse innovation, drive market scaling and increase knowledge networking to achieve the following objectives: ? Increase the number of effective, scalable and replicable development initiatives using mobile technology in emerging markets. ? Implement these initiatives in a scalable and sustainable fashion, bringing socioeconomic benefits to individuals and communities. ? Increase awareness among governments and the development community of how GSM voice and data networks act as an agent of development and can be used to bridge the digital divide. http://www.gsmworld.com/developmentfund/index.shtml *GSMA -- Mobile Agriculture (mAgri)* The GSMA Development Fund's Mobile Agriculture (mAgri) initiative has been established to catalyse the deployment of mobile solutions to serve the agriculture sector. To date, focus has been to engage with mobile operators and their partners to accelerate the availability of agriculture information based services through mobile to farmers (mFarmer services). In partnerships with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, the mAgri programme has supported and piloted two projects in Africa and India. We are due to launch a second phase of mAgri programme -- mFarmer sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of the mFarmer programme is to work with mobile network operators and partners to support the launch of quality agricultural VAS that will be accessed by over 2 million smallholder farmers. The programme aims to provide a sustainable way for farmers to obtain critical life-enhancing agricultural information that can help them improve their farm productivity and income. The mFarmer programme will achieve its aims by working closely with mobile network operators (GSMA members) and other public and private sector agriculture organisations who are implementing agricultural VAS. Through an open application process, the mFarmer programme will award challenge funds, technical assistance and an electronic content database to selected mFarmer projects, in order to foster innovation and accelerate deployments. The mAgri team will work closely on the ground with these projects to ensure their success. The mAgri team will also work to raise advocacy for mobile agriculture more broadly within the industry, by ensuring that key industry developments, learnings and best practices are appropriately packaged and shared; and convene the industry in order to better understand and resolve key issues facing mobile agriculture initiatives. Th right candidate will join a newly forming, young, dynamic, high performing team. *Programme Description* The GSMA Development Fund is seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to work as a manager across multiple mFarmer projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. The role will encompass: ? Technical Assistance (70%) -- work directly with potential grantees to develop grant applications (which will include operational and business plans for the mFarmer projects) that can be presented to the Fund Panel. Support operators which have received funding from the mFarmer Fund and work onsite as a consultant/technical advisor to develop and implement their service strategy, robust business and operational plans, share lessons learned in other markets, and troubleshoot key challenges. Ensure the agricultural service is designed and implemented to provide a high-quality of service and impact to farmers; and can be scaleable and sustainable. Provide IT/systems assistance for the integration of an electronic content database. Develop and manage key stakeholders relationships critical for the programme's success, including mobile phone operators, value added service providers, agriculture institutes and donor agencies. Understand and develop new business models and partnerships. ? Best practice and knowledge sharing (15%) -- Help define the overall GSMA mAgri advocacy strategy. Extract key learnings and analytics from each mFarmer project deployment and raise advocacy for mobile agricultural services more broadly within the industry, by ensuring that key industry developments, learnings and best practices are appropriately packaged and shared. This could be in the form of writing case studies and online reports and conducting knowledge sharing sessions via working groups, webinars and workshops (in collaboration with the other mAgri team members). ? Programme and project monitoring (15%) -- Define project plans, milestones and success measures; prepare timely and comprehensive analysis of progress against metrics and milestones. Prepare progress and financial reports, as required. Manage third party monitoring and evaluation services. Liaise with a third party grant management organisation to contract grants and ensure contractual obligations are met. *Role Description* - Consultancy and business development experience - Outstanding general and project management skills - Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills - Proven track record of achievement under a range of challenging situations (ideally in multiple countries, especially developing countries) - Experienced or passionate in agriculture development and the role of mobile technology - Experience of the mobile telecoms sector and development sector is desirable - Experience of designing or implementing new IT systems is desirable - Excellent relationship management and cultural awareness skills, able to work equally well in a CEO boardroom or a local village - Driven, proactive and conscientious professional - Excellent analytical skills - Willingness to travel on an international basis How to apply Name: Clare Kibbey Contact form or email: jobs(a)gsm.org Application deadline: Fri, 25/03/2011

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2011 Anita Borg Change Agent Awards Nominations Open
by Dorcas Muthoni 04 Mar '11

04 Mar '11

2011 Anita Borg Change Agent Awards Nominations Open *Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology Honors Individuals **Advancing Women’s Participation in the Creation and Use of Technology Worldwide* *PALO ALTO, Calif. — February 22, 2011, —* The *Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology <http://www.anitaborg.org/>* announced today it has opened the *Call for Nominations<http://anitaborg.org/initiatives/awards/change-agent-awards/> * for the *Anita Borg Change Agent Awards<http://anitaborg.org/initiatives/awards/change-agent-awards/> *. The Change Agent Awards celebrate the accomplishments of technical women from, and who work in, developing countries. These awards are designed to recognize up-and-coming leaders that impact or advance women’s participation in technology. Three individual awards will be given to women in computing that demonstrate leadership within their communities, expand opportunities and influence the careers of girls and women in technology, and demonstrate impact on advancing women’s participation in technology. Each winner will receive up to $5,000 in travel reimbursement to attend the *Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing <http://www.gracehopper.org/>*. Past winners have come from Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, Haiti, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. The Change Agent Awards are sponsored by Google. *The awards will be presented on November 11, 2011 at the Grace Hopper Celebration in Portland, Oregon. Nominations will be accepted until May 2, 2011 at **http://anitaborg.org/initiatives/awards/change-agent-awards**/.* *About the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (ABI)* The Anita Borg Institute provides resources and programs to help industry, academia, and government recruit, retain, and develop women leaders in high-tech fields, resulting in higher levels of technological innovation. ABI programs serve high-tech women by creating a community and providing tools to help them develop their careers. ABI is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 charitable organization. ABI Partners include: Google, Microsoft, HP, CA, Cisco, First Republic Bank, IBM, Intel, Intuit, Lockheed Martin, National Science Foundation, National Security Agency, NetApp, SAP, Symantec, Thomson Reuters, Wilson Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, Motorola Foundation, Yahoo, Amazon, Facebook, and Raytheon. For more information, visit * www.anitaborg.org*. *Media Contact:** **Jerri Barrett** **650-857-6095** **jerrib(a)anitaborg.org*

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Cybercafes dieing? Not soon
by james ratemo 04 Mar '11

04 Mar '11

I totally agree that cyber cafes may not die any soon in the peri urban centres and rural areas. Despite the mobile Internet guys still need additional services that can only be available in digital villages/cyber cafes. An example is the SoftKenya Digital Village in Kenya which I and my friends recently initiated...people want to do research, primt, scan, laminate docs, apply for KRA pin online and others simply come to be helped to join facebook and open email accounts....there is still enormous potential in this field. The catch phrase is value adding, variety and innovation. And the fibre optic cables should be extended further deep into towns On Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 9:35 PM, <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> wrote: > Robert, > You are right. Cyber Cafes may die in Nairobi CBD area but in low income > neighbourhoods and rural centers they are still relevant. Go to Korogocho > and see what Altawon is doing. At Mukuru Kwa Njenga the Cyber Cafe there > provides more than what we traditionally knew cyber cafes for. If our > definition of Cyber Cafe is the same, then some digital villages in > Kangundo, Malindi, Kioge, Tsiekuru etc are basically Cyber Cafes. > > The value proposition for such centers is increasingly becoming viable > with such new concepts as impact outsourcing (those who may be interested > to see model impact outsourcing centers can check with me next month). A > bit of field visit would enhance our discussion in this list. > > > Regards > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > > > > > Hi, > > > > I disagree with your assertion that cybercafes are closing down if > > anything they > > are mushrooming and in more seats that before, in the building where our > > offices > > are we used to have a single cyber on the 2nd floor in the past 12 months > > 2 have > > opened on the ground floor replacing a bookshop and a pharmacy each with > > over 30 > > stations. > > > > The availability of mobile on the phone is actually a plus for the cyber > > business as it creates a more aware market who end up spending more time > > and > > money as they need to download staff, print, cd burn etc. > > > > Unless you have an iPad the experience of browsing on your phone is still > > not as > > good as on a large 17" screen. > > > > Finally, many of thus opening cybers today have a better understanding of > > the > > business than the me too crowd that used to run them before. Any cyber > > cafe > > that does not charge automatically for printing is doomed to close soon. > > > > As more knowledgeable investors come into the cyber cafe business expect > > to see > > more of them coming up and with the right tools for monitoring and > > generating > > revenue such as protocol based billing. I visited a cyber in Rongai > where > > billing was bandwidth based as they where using a Safaricom 3G > connection. > > > > Regards > > Robert Yawe > > KAY System Technologies Ltd > > Phoenix House, 6th Floor > > P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 > > Kenya > > > > > > Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696 > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Edith Adera <eadera(a)idrc.or.ke> > > To: robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk > > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > > Sent: Wed, 2 March, 2011 19:12:16 > > Subject: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes? > > > > > > Listers > > > > Just back from Ghana where I was impressed to see that cybercafes are > > still > > alive (e.g. BusyInternet)...as my experience in Kenya is that it's hard > to > > find > > a functional cybercafe within easy reach with cutting edge services and > > programs (PDF etc)....most are closing down with Internet available on > the > > mobile (with aggressive competition). So outside the office set-up and > > with > > minimal home connections...one has almost no options for innovation. > > > > Is it a good thing that cybers are dying in Kenya and broadband is yet to > > reach homes? what needs to be done differently to inform our efforts on > > digital > > villages etc? > > > > Edith > > > > ________________ > > Edith Ofwona Adera > > Senior Program Specialist > > ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program > > International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le > > développement international > > Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa > > Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera > > eadera(a)idrc.or.ke | www.idrc.ca| www.crdi.ca > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > > 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" > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: jratemo(a)gmail.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jratemo%40gmail.com > -- James Ratemo ICT reporter, The Standard Newspaper, P.O Box 49990-00100, Nairobi Cell Phone: 0724960649 OR 0731960649 Other Emaili-jratemo(a)standardmedia.co.ke or jratemo(a)gmail.com Website:www.ictcradle.com. Twitter accounts: kenyacurrent and jratemo Skype account:ratemoj Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? No one.

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Re: [kictanet] KCSE Performance
by Jotham Kilimo Mwale 03 Mar '11

03 Mar '11

Hi Akich, I found the list you are asking for from The Standard online home page. I have attached the document. Regards, Jotham --- On Thu, 3/4/10, Akich Kwach <kwach(a)archway-productions.com> wrote: From: Akich Kwach <kwach(a)archway-productions.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] KCSE Performance To: jokilimo(a)yahoo.com Cc: "alewela" <alewela(a)ict.go.ke>, "ke users" <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net>, "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Thursday, March 4, 2010, 1:01 AM _filtered #yiv689680575 { font-family:Wingdings;} _filtered #yiv689680575 { font-family:Cambria Math;} _filtered #yiv689680575 { font-family:Calibri;} _filtered #yiv689680575 {margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt;} #yiv689680575 P.MsoNormal { MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;FONT-FAMILY:"serif";FONT-SIZE:12pt;} #yiv689680575 LI.MsoNormal { MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;FONT-FAMILY:"serif";FONT-SIZE:12pt;} #yiv689680575 DIV.MsoNormal { MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;FONT-FAMILY:"serif";FONT-SIZE:12pt;} #yiv689680575 A:link { COLOR:blue;TEXT-DECORATION:underline;} #yiv689680575 SPAN.MsoHyperlink { COLOR:blue;TEXT-DECORATION:underline;} #yiv689680575 A:visited { COLOR:purple;TEXT-DECORATION:underline;} #yiv689680575 SPAN.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { COLOR:purple;TEXT-DECORATION:underline;} #yiv689680575 SPAN.EmailStyle17 { FONT-FAMILY:"sans-serif";COLOR:#1f497d;} #yiv689680575 .MsoChpDefault { FONT-SIZE:10pt;} #yiv689680575 DIV.Section1 { } #yiv689680575 OL { MARGIN-BOTTOM:0in;} #yiv689680575 UL { MARGIN-BOTTOM:0in;} Many thanks Barnabas for sharing this valuable information. Would you be having the list of top 100 candidates national and provincial categories with names of schools in which the candidates sat for their KCSE exams? If you do, kindly share it. The way the list is published in the media only gives incomplete information. Would you imagine if they announced the names of the winners during the Olympic Games and then they only play the national anthem without mentioning the countries they represent, (in our case the Index numbers represent schools). In the case of Olympic games, one has to go through the catalogue and find out which country is represented by such a flag; similarly, in the case of KCSE relults, those few who knows index numbers for various schools. I am of the view citizens should never be denied information they deserve. All in all your Ministry (MoE) and the KNEC has made good progress by incorporating ICT tools while releasing results. This has greatly saved parents and candidates the costs of running to schools, (some of them miles away) for their results. May God bless this nation to keep moving in the right direction at competitive speed. Akich Kwach ----- Original Message ----- From: Barnabas K. Sang To: kwach(a)archway-productions.com Cc: alewela ; ke users ; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 9:26 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] KCSE Performance Thought would be of interest to you. Kind regards B. K. Sang _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: kwach(a)archway-productions.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kwach%40archway-produc… -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: jokilimo(a)yahoo.com Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jokilimo%40yahoo.com

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ICT RELATED - Wikileaks.ch -- Viewing cable 07NAIROBI4246, KENYA - DOING BUSINESS THE CHINESE WAY
by S.Murigi Muraya 02 Mar '11

02 Mar '11

Nothing new to most of us but interesting dossier all the same.. http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2007/10/07NAIROBI4246.html Viewing cable 07NAIROBI4246, KENYA - DOING BUSINESS THE CHINESE WAY Reference ID: 07NAIROBI4246 Created: 2007-10-30 08:08 Released: 2011-03-01 21:09 Classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Origin: Embassy Nairobi UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 004246 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE PASS USTR - BILL JACKSON STATE FOR AF/E, AF/EPS AND EB/CIP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ECPS EFIN KCOR CH KE SUBJECT: KENYA - DOING BUSINESS THE CHINESE WAY REF: NAIROBI 4202 NAIROBI 00004246 001.2 OF 002 Sensitive-but-unclassified. This cable is not for release outside USG channels. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Chinese firms selling into Kenya's information and communications technologies (ICT) sector are throwing a lot of money around, according to industry contacts. Indeed, Chinese influence may be so great that it is distorting important investment decisions in the country. Putting aside corruption, Chinese ICT vendors are difficult to beat on price and quality, and therefore often win government procurement tenders. However, companies that buy Chinese equipment often find that they end up paying the piper later due to poor after-sales service. End summary. ¶2. (U) In the course of gathering information for reftel report on developments in Kenya's information and communications technology (ICT) sector, interesting anecdotes emerged about the way Chinese firms do business in Kenya. ---------------------------- China "Re-Colonizing Africa" ---------------------------- ¶3. (SBU) "The Chinese are re-colonizing Africa for natural resources," according to Michael Joseph, the Amcit CEO of Safaricom, Kenya's largest and most successful mobile phone company, speaking to U.S. Mission staff on October 18. Joseph diverged from his brief on Kenyan efforts to build FONN, a new terrestrial national fiber optic network (reftel), to say the project is an example of how "the Chinese are driving the ICT agenda in Kenya." FONN, he said, was poorly planned - consciously so, in his view, so that Chinese companies could get fatter contracts. As noted reftel, FONN will extend all the way to the borders of Kenya's neighbors, which means it will traverse vast tracts of virtually empty land in Kenya's northern and western reaches. Two Chinese firms and one French firm have been awarded contracts to construct the network. According to Joseph: "We don't need fiber to Garissa (in sparsely populated Northeast Province), we need it in Nyeri" (a bustling market town just north of Nairobi). --------------------------------------------- ---- Chinese Stuff: Good and Cheap, But Service Stinks --------------------------------------------- ---- ¶4. (SBU) Joseph went on to describe the use by Chinese ICT vendors of concessional credits from the Chinese government to lock up contracts - nothing new there. Echoing the views of many industry contacts, he said the quality of the ICT equipment provided by companies like Huawai and ZTE is pretty good, and their prices are low. But he used a monosyllabic expletive beginning with "S" to describe after-sales service. When there are equipment problems later, he said, the Chinese run for the door, and matters are made worse by the language barrier. Safaricom purchased equipment last year from Huawei, but the deal was too good to be true. Huawei effectively reneged and only delivered half the equipment promised in the contract. Joseph went to China personally, eventually got the Huawai CEO to admit that the company had lied, and then forced it to cancel the contract. ---------------------------------------- Chinese Buying Politicians and Influence ---------------------------------------- ¶5. (SBU) More insidious, said Joseph, is that "the Chinese" (by this we believe he meant Chinese firms, not the government) are "funding the political agenda" of Kenyan politicians and ministers. When he returned from China after cancelling the Huawei contract, he was summoned to the office of Mutahi Kagwe, the Minister of Information and Communication, and told the cancellation put all Chinese foreign assistance to Kenya at risk. He also received phone calls from different ministers with no responsibility for ICT who insisted that he reconsider the cancellation. One was the Minister of Immigration, who hinted that Joseph, a foreigner, might have work permit problems if he cancelled the contract. He held his ground. Joseph said that whenever he meets with a Chinese firm, "within 20 minutes" he receives calls from various Kenyan ministers or members of parliament lobbying on behalf of the company. ¶6. (SBU) Another likely manifestation of the undue influence and NAIROBI 00004246 002.2 OF 002 unfair play by the Chinese, said Joseph, was the recent Phase II expansion of the CDMA fixed wireless service being rolled out by Kenya's monopoly fixed line phone company, Telkom Kenya (see reftel). Because of Telkom Kenya's state-owned status, the project by law should have been put out for public tender. But instead, the Kenyan government quietly and unilaterally awarded the contract to Huawei, the Chinese company that did Phase I. Separately in August, the CEO of one of the country's largest internet service providers confirmed the details of the deal, which he said raised eyebrows throughout the industry. --------------------------------------------- ---- Telkom Kenya Looking for Non-Chinese Tech Partner --------------------------------------------- ---- ¶7. (SBU) Asked about China's influence in the ICT sector on October 18, the more restrained CEO of Telkom Kenya, Sammy Kirui, insisted that the Chinese "can't throw their weight around too much." He echoed Joseph's assessment that Chinese equipment is decent quality and low price. But like Joseph, he complained that "you pay down the line" in terms of poor after-sales service. As a state-owned entity, he said, Telkom has to follow government procurement procedures, and "the Chinese always do well on government tenders." After Telkom is privatized (reftel), however, it will have more flexibility to procure equipment on the basis of factors beyond price, such as network compatibility. The company already counts Huawei as a "strategic technical partner", but has issued an expression of interest for a second such partner. Huawei rival ZTE, also a Chinese company, is pressing hard, but Kirui insists that the company's second strategic tech partner must be non-Chinese. ------------------------------------------ Finding Ways Around the Chinese Juggernaut ------------------------------------------ ¶8. (SBU) More emphatic is the Permanent Secretary of Information and Communications, Dr. Bitange Ndemo. Ndemo, a talented former U.S.-resident business executive, has repeatedly lamented the inability of U.S. firms to win Kenyan government tenders. A strong proponent of U.S. technology, he is resorting to creative ways to circumvent a tender process which he sees as handcuffing the country by virtually guaranteeing that it is forced to buy low-cost Chinese equipment, without heed to other important factors, such as after-sales service and network compatibility. Ndemo recently signed a memorandum of agreement for a public-private partnership with a Saudi firm that for the most part sells and services U.S.-made equipment. The deal calls for the construction of at least one $30 million data center that will complement the roll-out of the national fiber network. By structuring the relationship in this way, Ndemo believes he can legally buy the equipment and technology most appropriate for Kenya, without having to pander only to the lowest price seller. ¶9. (SBU) More generally, Ndemo regularly expresses concern about the influence of China in the ICT sector. Without providing details, he has told Econ/C many times that he and other senior technocrats are under constant pressure from their own ministers and the country's senior political leadership to buy Chinese. ------- Comment ------- ¶10. (SBU) The views and anecdotes conveyed by people like Joseph and Ndemo put a bit flesh on the bones of the oft-repeated (but seldom proven) contention that Chinese companies play dirty. Most disturbing in this case is the idea that Chinese influence is so great that it's actually distorting critical investment decisions in Kenya's all-important ICT sector. For further investigation is the role of the Chinese government. We wonder if it simply turns a blind eye to the dirty work of Chinese firms, or if it actively contributes to the problem. Ranneberger ...

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Obama administration joins critics of U.S. nonprofit group that oversees Internet
by alice＠apc.org 01 Mar '11

01 Mar '11

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/28/AR201102280… Obama administration joins critics of U.S. nonprofit group that oversees Internet By Ian Shapira Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, February 28, 2011; 10:39 PM The California nonprofit organization that operates the Internet's levers has always been a target for such global heavies as Russia and China that prefer the United Nations to be in charge of the Web. But these days, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is fending off attacks from a seemingly unlikely source: the Obama administration. Concerned about the growing movement to cede oversight to the U.N., the U.S. government, which helped create ICANN in 1998, has been reprimanding the nonprofit group to give foreign nations more say over the Web's operations. The battle has come at a sensitive time for ICANN, which this month is meeting with foreign governments as it pulls off the biggest expansion ever of Web suffixes - including .gay, .muslim and .nazi. Also this fall, the nonprofit organization is seeking to hold on to its federal contract to oversee the Web's master database of addresses - a sweeping power that governments fear could be used to shut down foreign domains that the United States finds unsavory. "There's a deeper question of how the world is reacting to a small company - even a nonprofit - completely in charge of a key part of the Internet. Is that acceptable? There's no 100 percent comfortable solution here," said Steve Crocker, ICANN's vice chairman, who lives in Bethesda and is the chief executive of Shinkuro, a technology company. With some Middle East countries shutting down the Internet within their borders to curb uprisings, the question of who runs the Web is increasingly figuring into global foreign policy debates. Some fear that governments such as those of Libya or Iran could more easily crush rebellions if they gained more control over the Internet's inner workings. ICANN quietly wields vast influence over the Web, a power unfamiliar to many Americans and elected officials. Based in an off-campus University of South California building, the company has more than 100 employees and is led by a chief executive and a board of directors comprised of private sector executives and technology experts. ICANN's core function: Decide which Web addresses get seen on the Internet. ad_icon In Washington, ICANN remains somewhat mysterious to elected officials, according to Nao Matsukata, a senior policy adviser to the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse, a grass-roots organization in Washington. Matsukata's main problem, he said, is trying to explain what ICANN is to people on Capitol Hill. His group has met with more than 50 members of Congress. "Sometimes, when we're in meetings on the Hill, they're just nodding their heads," said Matsukata, a former trade official in the George W. Bush administration. "Very few people understand where all these decisions are coming from, and that this is something that impacts us every day of our lives. Someone is determining what is allowed, what is not allowed, and someone is profiting from these things." The tiny nonprofit group can be especially provocative for a trade press that covers its every move, and for a rival U.N. agency, the International Telecommunications Union. When the ITU, a 145-year-old agency of nearly 200 nations and territories, held its annual meeting in October in Mexico, a Syrian emissary representing Arab states raged against ICANN as if it were an enemy nation. "Do not surrender to the ICANN!" Nabil Kisrawi yelled during one of the conference's sessions, according to a story in the Register, an online publication on Internet governance. "There is even a representative of the ICANN in this room!" Kisrawi said. (Kisrawi recently died.) Other nations have been mobilizing against ICANN. China, which monitors dissident activity on the Web, has been leading a campaign among dozens of developing nations to lobby the U.N. for oversight over ICANN, according to former and current ICANN officials. And a coalition of former Soviet states led by a Russian minister has been pushing the U.N. to obtain veto power over ICANN. Some countries also worry that the new wave of Web suffixes might be too controversial and that others might require companies to spend vast sums to protect their online brands and trademarks. (Who gets .merck? The U.S. drug company? Or the German drug company with the same name?) Chris Disspain, chairman of an ICANN internal group and an executive who oversees Australian domain names, said the prospect of governments running the Web would be calamitous. "China, Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia and number of others have said in meetings they believe ICANN shouldn't be in existence, or be replaced by some U.N. body," he said. "Frankly, that would be a disaster." Some countries fear that the United States has, at the very least, the appearance of too much power by owning the contract to run the master database of Web addresses. "One concern is that if the U.S. decides Syria is behaving badly, then they could make all Web sites using Syria's country code domain - .sy - point to freedom of expression sites, for example," said Avri Doria, an ICANN group chairman. "Countries say, 'How can we subject ourselves to that?'" Crocker, the ICANN board's vice chairman, said the chances of the United States tinkering with the master Web database are "nil." ICANN can only request changes in the master database; the U.S. government reviews those decisions, then the Dulles-based company VeriSign executes the change. The Commerce Department, however, worries that other countries might soon lobby en masse for the U.N. to take over instead. Commerce officials prefer a nimble private-sector organization to run the Web's addressing system, but the government doesn't believe ICANN is listening enough to the international community. Some ICANN officials worry that, if tensions continue with the Commerce Department, the nonprofit organization might lose its contract to run the Web's master database. That contract, which the Commerce Department last gave to ICANN in a no-bid process, comes up for renewal in the fall. Commerce officials have yet to decide whether they will ask for other organizations to compete for it. In mid-February at a technology conference in Colorado, Lawrence Strickling, an assistant secretary in the Commerce Department, put ICANN on notice, declaring it "must act" by June on a set of accountability guidelines made by him and international leaders who will continue to "monitor" it. Strickling warned about the "forces at play" lobbying for the U.N. to run the Web. ad_icon Strickling said he met privately in December with ICANN board members in Colombia, where he urged ICANN to be more transparent and open to recommendations from foreign nations. "It's not out of hostility . . . but I am trying to nudge ICANN to be its best," Strickling said in an interview. "It's important that this model have buy-in from other governments in order to support the global growth of the Internet." ICANN scored one minor victory in February. Its advisory body of foreign nations rejected the Obama administration's proposal that would have required ICANN to make it easier for nations to object to controversial new Web suffixes such as .gay or .xxx. The United States proposed that any country within ICANN's advisory council should be able to recommend eliminating any new domain name. If no other country objected to that nation's veto recommendation, then ICANN's board would have to follow suit. ICANN, however, wants those challenges to go before three experts guiding the International Chamber of Commerce. But ICANN's advisory body of foreign countries recently decided that any nation's objection will be considered as non-binding advice to ICANN's board. Commerce Department officials worry that if foreign governments feel they have no role in the process, they will start ignoring ICANN, blocking Web sites and splitting up the Internet so that only certain domains can be accessed, depending on the country. Critics of the Commerce Department say the agency is bending too much to other nations' preferences. "The U.S. government was pushing hard to give any country the power to object and have that right be decisive," said Milton Mueller, a Syracuse University professor who has chaired and participated in several groups that developed ICANN policies that would be overridden by the U.S. intervention. "We think they were playing a geopolitical game of placating governments."

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Database manager needed
by Sean Moroney 01 Mar '11

01 Mar '11

Dear Listers, A UK company wants to employ or contract an experienced database researcher/manager, Nairobi-based. Could be full or part-time. Please could anyone who is interested in the position please send me their CV. Asante, Sean Moroney Chairman AITEC Africa seanm(a)aitecafrica.com UK Tel: +44(0)1480-880774 UK Mobile: +44(0)7973-499224 Skype: <mailto:seanmoroneyseanm@aitecafrica.com> seanmoroney seanm(a)aitecafrica.com <http://www.aitecafrica.comfollow/> www.aitecafrica.com Follow us on twitter: <http://twitter.com/aitecafrica> http://twitter.com/aitecafrica UPCOMING AITEC AFRICA EVENTS: <http://www.aitecafrica.com/event/view/67> lAITEC Banking & Mobile Money COMESA, Nairobi, 2-3 March 2011 <http://www.aitecafrica.com/event/view/65> lAfrican Outsourcing Summit, Nairobi, 4-5 May 2011 <http://www.aitecafrica.com/event/view/68> lAITEC Banking & Mobile Money West Africa, Accra, 8-9 June 2011 <http://www.aitecafrica.com/event/view/71> lBroadcast & Film Africa, Nairobi, 6-7 July 2011 <http://www.aitecafrica.com/event/view/72> lAITEC East Africa ICT Summit, Nairobi, 26-27 October 2011 <http://www.aitecafrica.com/event/view/73> lAITEC Mozambique ICT Congress, Maputo, 12-13 October 2011 <http://www.aitecafrica.com/event/view/74> lAfriHealth, Nairobi, 16-17 November 2011

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Obama administration joins critics of U.S. nonprofit group that oversees Internet
by alice＠apc.org 01 Mar '11

01 Mar '11

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/28/AR201102280… Obama administration joins critics of U.S. nonprofit group that oversees Internet By Ian Shapira Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, February 28, 2011; 10:39 PM The California nonprofit organization that operates the Internet's levers has always been a target for such global heavies as Russia and China that prefer the United Nations to be in charge of the Web. But these days, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is fending off attacks from a seemingly unlikely source: the Obama administration. Concerned about the growing movement to cede oversight to the U.N., the U.S. government, which helped create ICANN in 1998, has been reprimanding the nonprofit group to give foreign nations more say over the Web's operations. The battle has come at a sensitive time for ICANN, which this month is meeting with foreign governments as it pulls off the biggest expansion ever of Web suffixes - including .gay, .muslim and .nazi. Also this fall, the nonprofit organization is seeking to hold on to its federal contract to oversee the Web's master database of addresses - a sweeping power that governments fear could be used to shut down foreign domains that the United States finds unsavory. "There's a deeper question of how the world is reacting to a small company - even a nonprofit - completely in charge of a key part of the Internet. Is that acceptable? There's no 100 percent comfortable solution here," said Steve Crocker, ICANN's vice chairman, who lives in Bethesda and is the chief executive of Shinkuro, a technology company. With some Middle East countries shutting down the Internet within their borders to curb uprisings, the question of who runs the Web is increasingly figuring into global foreign policy debates. Some fear that governments such as those of Libya or Iran could more easily crush rebellions if they gained more control over the Internet's inner workings. ICANN quietly wields vast influence over the Web, a power unfamiliar to many Americans and elected officials. Based in an off-campus University of South California building, the company has more than 100 employees and is led by a chief executive and a board of directors comprised of private sector executives and technology experts. ICANN's core function: Decide which Web addresses get seen on the Internet. ad_icon In Washington, ICANN remains somewhat mysterious to elected officials, according to Nao Matsukata, a senior policy adviser to the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse, a grass-roots organization in Washington. Matsukata's main problem, he said, is trying to explain what ICANN is to people on Capitol Hill. His group has met with more than 50 members of Congress. "Sometimes, when we're in meetings on the Hill, they're just nodding their heads," said Matsukata, a former trade official in the George W. Bush administration. "Very few people understand where all these decisions are coming from, and that this is something that impacts us every day of our lives. Someone is determining what is allowed, what is not allowed, and someone is profiting from these things." The tiny nonprofit group can be especially provocative for a trade press that covers its every move, and for a rival U.N. agency, the International Telecommunications Union. When the ITU, a 145-year-old agency of nearly 200 nations and territories, held its annual meeting in October in Mexico, a Syrian emissary representing Arab states raged against ICANN as if it were an enemy nation. "Do not surrender to the ICANN!" Nabil Kisrawi yelled during one of the conference's sessions, according to a story in the Register, an online publication on Internet governance. "There is even a representative of the ICANN in this room!" Kisrawi said. (Kisrawi recently died.) Other nations have been mobilizing against ICANN. China, which monitors dissident activity on the Web, has been leading a campaign among dozens of developing nations to lobby the U.N. for oversight over ICANN, according to former and current ICANN officials. And a coalition of former Soviet states led by a Russian minister has been pushing the U.N. to obtain veto power over ICANN. Some countries also worry that the new wave of Web suffixes might be too controversial and that others might require companies to spend vast sums to protect their online brands and trademarks. (Who gets .merck? The U.S. drug company? Or the German drug company with the same name?)

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Local versus International
by robert yawe 01 Mar '11

01 Mar '11

Where should we be placing our emphasis in relation to link reliability and access speed, on the local or international circuit? Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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CCK - courier (UPS) double charging?
by Francis Hook 01 Mar '11

01 Mar '11

If a courier, UPS, charges for import documentation costs in addition to shipping costs, at the source, should their local office also raise charges for an IDF? I find this a rather extortionate way of doing business and wondering if CCK has a role to play or if it can intervene? Or perhaps my understanding of the 'documentation' costs is wanting? Any advice appreciated. -- Francis Hook +254 733 504561

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Posta; a sleeping giant
by Matunda Nyanchama 01 Mar '11

01 Mar '11

Robert, A few years ago I emceed the launch of PostaPay in the Diaspora; we were all excited and remarked how we would reclaim "our lunch" being eaten by others like Western Union, MoneyGram, etc. Years later we would learn of mismanagement and accusations of embezzlement from gains from this business line! We were astounded; and Western Union, MoneyGram and co continue to eat our lunch! Postal corporations world over are remaking themselves in the face of falling volumes of paper-based items - letters, ads, company reports, bills, statements, etc. Electronic Bill Payment and Presentment (EBPP) offers huge opportunities; this PCK is aware of; I am hoping they can take it up, especially with the growth of ICT infrastructure and smartening of mobile devices! Add mobile money, combine with payment platforms such as M-pesa and you are home clean, and relevant for the times. Agency Banking is another not fully exploited area that PCK could capitalize on; I cannot imagine another corporation with a larger branch network than PCK. But as the Kiswahili saying goes "ukiona vyalea, vimeundwa", nothing comes without clear planning, strategy, leadership, execution. Jumapili njema. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama(a)aganoconsulting.com Agano Consulting Inc.; www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda; Skype: okiambe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be prepared to face ICT Security failures & know how to respond when they happen! Call: +1-888-587-1150 or info(a)aganoconsulting.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk I have a workstation…" - Anonymous ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ________________________________ From: "kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke" <kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> To: mnyanchama(a)aganoconsulting.com Sent: Sun, February 27, 2011 4:00:00 AM Subject: kictanet Digest, Vol 45, Issue 165 Send kictanet mailing list submissions to kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://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. Posta; a sleeping giant (robert yawe) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:35:44 +0000 (GMT) From: robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> To: Kictanet Mail list <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: [kictanet] Posta; a sleeping giant Message-ID: <622799.66783.qm(a)web27805.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hi, Finally seems that I am not the only one who believes that Postal Corporation has many more years in it, the IBM Corps are coming in to provide free consultancy services. As we were busy relegating Postal to the annals of technology other have made the move to take the plunge to revive the sleeping giant. http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000029740&cid=456& There is more to posta than just snail mail. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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DAY 10: The Name "The Independent Communications Commission of Kenya"
by Catherine Adeya 28 Feb '11

28 Feb '11

Dear Listers, Today is the final day on the discussions on the Independent Communications Commission of Kenya Bill 2010. I think it would be worthwhile to revisit a concern Mr Wangusi raised on the first day.He was concerned that in the new Constitution -- specifically in Chapter 15, Clause 248 (1&2) which establishes Commissions in this country -- the ICCK name does not appear to be among those listed. So is this title in contravention of the Constitution and should we suggest another name like “Communications Regulatory Authority of Kenya” or something like that. We would appreciate your thoughts. Best Wishes, Nyaki

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Is there a govt. media policy?
by Wamuyu Gatheru 28 Feb '11

28 Feb '11

CNN is this week showing a documentary on the treatment of Kenya's mentally ill. Its being shown on the World's Untold Stories series and clips also being shown on various other CNN programmes. CNN journalist David Mackenzie and his crew are shown on 'Best of Backstory' locked in Ward 7 of Mathari Hospital by the hospital's administrator. They had govt permission to film but apparently things changed when they filmed a dead body lying next to one of the patients. David and his team call all sorts of high offices and in the end a call from the Prime Minister sets them free. Does govt have a media policy that public workers are educated on? This David saga is a really poor show for Kenya on top of the unfortunate public health story. Wamuyu -- Soko ID Co. Ltd Tel: +254 (0)721 468699 http://www.soko-id.co.ke/ Soko ID is an innovative company that supports public organisations and promotes the Kenyan heritage on the internet.

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Uganda: Telecoms Regulator Puts Breaks On Tariff Cuts
by alice＠apc.org 27 Feb '11

27 Feb '11

Uganda: Telecoms Regulator Puts Breaks On Tariff Cuts Mobile phone users may no longer enjoy dramatic call tariff cuts as the sector regulator, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), issues new guidelines. The new Retail Tariff Guidelines for Voice Telephony Services that could become effective March 15 shall empower UCC to establish minimum rates below which players will not be allowed to offer services, even under promotions. The guidelines are intended to curb anti-competitive practices, encourage new investments (including new players), enhance tariff transparency and protect consumers. "A service provider shall not price a service in a manner that is intended to deliberately lessen the level of competition in the market," says the draft guidelines, signed by Godfrey Mutabazi, UCC's Executive Director. Under the guidelines, the regulator will also require players to notify it five days before offering any new call tariffs and to limit promotions to not more than ninety (90) days, and only once every 12 months. UCC circulated the draft guidelines last week to key industry players, asking them to respond before Feb. 18. A stakeholder meeting in the last week of February will discuss them. The guidelines come in the wake of aggressive promotional tariff cuts in the mobile phone market that have led to dramatic increase in telephone usage and subscription on one hand, and deterioration in service quality, due to network congestion and reduced capital investments. The guidelines may be bad news for mobile phone users but UCC's Communications and Consumer Affairs Manager, Fred Otunnu, says they were "triggered by concern about the consumers of the telecom services and the future of the industry". "The reduction in call rates has not been in tandem with the quality of service; this has been compromised," Otunnu said. Otunnu added that while reduced rates were good for consumers in the short-term, as they made services more affordable, current pricing trends in the retail voice market distort the spending habits of low income users who (unknowingly) end up spending disproportionate amounts of their income on communication, to the detriment of other essential needs. He added that UCC, as the regulator, had to ensure that service providers remained profitable, for investments to continue. The new guidelines target aggressive companies like Warid Telecom that have shaken up the sector with unprecedented tariff cuts and highly popular promotions like Pakalast, Kawa, Pepeya and Berako. Under Pakalast, subscribers load airtime worth Shs 1,500 and call for 24 hours Warid-to-Warid. When it was introduced, the product increased Warid network users from 700,000 to 1,000,000 per day and its subscribers grew to two million. It also dramatically raised the company's market presence, putting it at par with older players like MTN, UTL and Zain (now Airtel). To avoid losing customers, competitors adopted similar tactics, dropping the Ugandan market to its lowest call rates since the entry of mobile telephony. Warid has led tariff cuts in the market since September when it cut rates to Shs 5 per second, and then to Shs 3, forcing MTN, UTL and Airtel to adopt similar cuts. In its latest promotion - Kawa - the company has further dropped Warid-to-Warid call rates to Ushs 1 for 4 seconds, enabling subscribers to talk for 30 minutes at Shs 500. By last week, reactions of Telecom companies ranged from cautious to positive. Warid's Chief Executive Officer, Madur Taneja, said "all the issues raised in the guidelines are pertinent and will be most important in shaping the future of the telecom industry." MTN Chief Executive Officer, Themba Khumalo, told the media at the height of the price war last year that "price reduction will benefit the end-users, but it must be done without losing value and when the operators can afford it." "Regulators have to manage the situation before it goes out of control," Khumalo said. Khumalo told Reuters at the time that with five major companies, Uganda's telecom industry was small and overcrowded. However, Taneja disagrees. Taneja told The Independent that with a 32 percent penetration, the telecom industry needs more players. UCC's Otunnu is of Taneja's view, but he says price competition must be guided. Low access to telephones means the players are suffering low business volumes yet some of them have been investing massively. In 2009 for example, MTN borrowed US$100 million from local commercial banks, to be repaid based on the company's revenues from service sales, key of which is sale of airtime. Industry sources say that with the Shs 3 per second, 180 per minute tariff, the telecoms earnings boom has ended. With interconnection fees at Shs 131 (72 percent of the total call cost) and VAT accounting for 30%, companies say they have been making losses, especially on cross-network calls. MTN financial data shows its average revenue per user (ARPU) declines to US$6 for the quarter ended Dec 2010, compared with an average of US$8 and US$10 for 2008 and 2007 respectively. As revenue from voice - the industry's traditional cash cow - decelerated, competition has shifted to the data market with investments in 3G broadband networks and data. UCC estimates the industry's annual revenues will grow by 25 to 30 percent over the next five years, propelled by expansion of data services. UCC is not the first to come up with similar guidelines. Kenya gazetted the Fair Competition and Equality of Treatment Regulations 2009 and the Kenya Communications Tariffs Regulations 2009 to curb abuse of competition by market leaders. UCC has also been enforcing the Fair Competition Regulation as well as the Tariff and Accounting Regulation 2005, which are currently undergoing revision. source The Independent

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Posta; a sleeping giant
by robert yawe 26 Feb '11

26 Feb '11

Hi, Finally seems that I am not the only one who believes that Postal Corporation has many more years in it, the IBM Corps are coming in to provide free consultancy services. As we were busy relegating Postal to the annals of technology other have made the move to take the plunge to revive the sleeping giant. http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000029740&cid=456& There is more to posta than just snail mail. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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VSAT need information
by warigia bowman 25 Feb '11

25 Feb '11

Dear technical people, esp michuki, mctim, and Jean given that Egypt, and now Libya have cut off Internet access, would it be possible to invest in VSATs in order to get some limited internet access via sattelite? Obviously, this will not help egyptian sites, but may allow access to sites based in the US? Please advise. Rigia -- Dr. Warigia Bowman Visiting Assistant Professor American University in Cairo Global Affairs and Public Policy (office)(202)2615-4346 (cell) (201)05590948 warigia(a)aucegypt.edu

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Ongoing IGF Consultations in Geneva
by Joe Kiragu 25 Feb '11

25 Feb '11

Dear Listers, In addition to McTim's Comments on the extension on IGF mandate, I would like to inform you that Kenya is hosting the 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Nairobi latter this year. The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information and Communication, Dr. Bitange Ndemo constituted a National Organising Committee chaired by Ms. Alice Munyua last year. Members of this committee are drawn from the Ministry of Information and Communication, the Communication Commission of Kenya (Secretariat), Kenya Network Information Centre, Telecommunication Service Providers of Kenya, Kenya ICT Board, among others. Members of the National Organising committee led by the Chair to the National Organising Committee are currently attending an IGF consultations meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting is hosted by the United Nations IGF secretariat. Important to note is that the Chair of the Kenya IGF organizing committee , Ms. Alice Munyua has been appointed by the UN Secretary General to chair the ongoing IGF consultations in Geneva, Switzerland. We congratulate her for her appointment. More information available at the IGF website http://www.intgovforum.org Warm Regards, ...................... Joe Kiragu Ag. Chief Executive Officer Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) "Where the internet begins in Kenya" kiragu(a)kenic.or.ke > All, > > Our own Alice M is chairing todays meetings > > http://nubes.lscube.org/live?lid=27 > > -- > Cheers, > > McTim > "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A > route indicates how we get there." Jon Postel > > > > > On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 4:01 PM, waudo siganga <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com> > wrote: >> Dear Colleagues - for those following the IGF, information is that the >> UN >> General Assembly has renewed the mandate for another 5 years starting >> tomorrow. The 2011 activities will kick off with open consultations in >> Geneva Feb 23-24. You will also remember that Kenya has proposed to host >> the >> 6th IGF meeting at the end of September. >> >> Kind Regards, >> Waudo >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> This message was sent to: dogwallah(a)gmail.com >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/dogwallah%40gmail.com >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: kiragu(a)kenic.or.ke > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kiragu%40kenic.or.ke > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by KeNIC MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > > Kenya Network Information Center (KENIC) > > -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by KeNIC MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. Kenya Network Information Center (KENIC)

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Day 7: SECTION 14: STAFF TO THE COMMISSION
by Catherine Adeya 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

Dear Kictanet List Members, Muriuki, Walu, Matunda, GG, Barrack, Vitalis, Kerubo.....thank you for your contributions these last two days. I believe others are gearing up for this last week of discussions. Day 5 and 6 have had very similar summaries and as such I do not want to be repetitive. Therefore, I will keep this short. Today we begin the discussion on: SECTION 14: STAFF TO THE COMMISSION. 14(1)(a) The Commission shall appoint a Director-General. 14 (2) Shall appoint staff by ensuring equal opportunity employment practices and represents cross-section of population in Kenya Question: Your thoughts on this? Would you like to see more clarity on gender issues, people with disabilities etc. please clarify and elaborate. I look forward to reading your contributions. Best, Nyaki

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Day 9: SECTION 21: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS and SECTION 22: LEGALITY OF ACTS
by Catherine Adeya 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

Dear Listers, Only two more days to go; so please feel free to respond to any issues from Day 1-9 under the correct headers. Yesterday, we discussed the dissolution of CCK; transfer of staff; and transfer of rights, liabilities and obligations. Kerubo said it should be clear that CCK will be dissolved only when the ICCK Act is passed. Therefore, she suggests a revision to the meaning of 'effective date' in part one to read: "effective date" means the date that this Act shall be passed, which date shall be determined by the Cabinet Secretary by Gazette notice. Stanely Murage on the other hand suggested that Section 20 should have terms like "assets, and probably treaties, etc " as some may not be covered under the usual rights. Today we discuss: SECTION 21: LEGAL PROCEEDINGS SECTION 22: LEGALITY OF ACTS - In essence any legal matters before CCK would be dealt with by ICCK. Question: Any issues with this? Best Wishes, Nyaki

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IGF Mandate Renewed
by waudo siganga 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

Dear Colleagues - for those following the IGF, information is that the UN General Assembly has renewed the mandate for another 5 years starting tomorrow. The 2011 activities will kick off with open consultations in Geneva Feb 23-24. You will also remember that Kenya has proposed to host the 6th IGF meeting at the end of September. Kind Regards, Waudo

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Project Management and ITIL Foundation Training
by Mr. Lawi 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

Hello good people, Some time in January there was a thread about PM training and many people expressed interest in signing up for a certification course. I also promised to get back to the group on the said PM training schedule for the year. The company is called Prometrics Associates Kenya. Below is the forwarded introduction letter the company sent to me: RE: PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ITIL FOUNDATION TRAINING We write to introduce our training and consulting firm Procept Associates with presence in Canada, Nigeria and now Kenya. Procept has formally entered the East African market this year looking to elevate the regions training and consulting experience. Procept is recognized as a market leader in its core capability areas within its geographies of operation. We have previously delivered courses in Kenya (under local partnership arrangements) to delegates from K-Rep Bank and Sofgen, and in Nigeria to delegates from Central Bank of Kenya. Procept is running a 3-day Project Management Essentials course from March 7-9, and ITIL Foundation V3 course, from March 14-16, 2011. The course brochures for these two courses as well as the Instructor Biography are attached. To promote this first public offering in Nairobi, Procept is offering one free space for every 3 fully paid candidates from your organization - this excludes exam fees. Kindly complete the attached Registration Form, and forward via email to Ms Jane Njeru at info(a)proceptkenya.com or call her on +254 722 958 637 for further enquiries. Yours truly, Sola Oduko Website www.procept.com Premier Training and Strategic Consulting in PM, BA, IT Service Management and Business Continuity Management Encl: Course Brochures, Registration Forms and Biography of Instructor.

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Safaricom – A Modest Proposal (Was Re: Price Control in the Telecom Market in Kenya?)
by McTim 23 Feb '11

23 Feb '11

All, Steve Song is, as usual, on point in this article: http://manypossibilities.net/2011/02/safaricom-a-modest-proposal/ Whiteafrican has just blogged about it as well. http://whiteafrican.com/2011/02/21/phone-and-internet-mesh-for-african-vill… I have been on the Village Telco dev list for a while, if anyone is interested, ping me offlist. -- 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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