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Re: [kictanet] Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers'
by Marilyn M. Kamuru 13 Jun '08

13 Jun '08

I would like to echo Marwanga's comments especially as regards government as a consumer of entrepreneurial services/products. I am particularly interested in government as a client of local entrepreneurs especially domestic BPO companies. Dr. Ndemo we really need a champion for entrepreneurs especially in the domestic BPO sector. There is urgent need for more action on the government front. As entrepreneurs we are not looking for hand outs, we need both an enabling environment as well as availability of local government work. Many of us in the domestic BPO sector have been trying to get ministries and govt. departments to outsource work e.g: back office processing, digitization, archiving or data storage (Sheria House couldn't use help?) and at every turn they create impediments to outsourcing these functions from confidentiality, to legal impediments (real and perceived). Many of these services are either not adequately performed in-house or not even performed at all. There have been few if any true local outsourcing opportunities available with the government. Sometimes, such as with the recent immigration registration tender the scope of work is so large that it becomes in essence an international opportunity, when in reality much of the ongoing work e.g. digitization or data conversion would be better suited to local companies. It would be helpful to know if, within the Goverment, there is an internal policy or preference for ongoing outsourcing BPO opportunities? And in addition providing guidance on what laws/regulations allow and prohibit govt. ministries/department to outsource. If not, perhaps this is something that Ministries would find helpful (not sure which office it would emanate from) since then Ministries would have some additional comfort that their decision to outsource BPO functions is not contrary to law and is consistent with the government's overall strategy in areas such as eGovernment as well as support of entrepreneurship. We really need the government to lead the way by opening itself up to the benefits of outsourcing utilizing local companies thereby sustaining entrepreneurship. Thanks, Marilyn

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Re: [kictanet] Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless'Knowl edge Worke rs'
by wainaina.mungai＠gmail.com 13 Jun '08

13 Jun '08

Great analogy Doc, I believe we have a quick-wins operational answer (ICT Board) to the strategy question (Master Plan). The thread by Fatma also reminds us of the need to work with what we have to "get it done"...or as Prof. Nyong'o would put it, chew as we walk up the stairs ;-) Wainaina - original message - Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless'Knowl edge Workers' From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com> Date: 12/06/2008 14:26 Bw Wainana,   I remember something like 'failing to plan, is planning to fail'. That does not mean there are no 'quick-wins' which can be implemented even as the plan is being drawn. As my software technology professor/teacher used to say: 'don't do it right the first time, but do it'. But of course he pre-supposed that if it was a large-scale software being developed, a prior 'plan' even to 'do it first time' had been drawn.   Rgrds, Shem --- On Thu, 6/12/08, wainaina.mungai(a)gmail.com <wainaina.mungai(a)gmail.com> wrote: From: wainaina.mungai(a)gmail.com <wainaina.mungai(a)gmail.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] {Disarmed} Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless'Knowl edge Workers' To: shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com Cc: kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke Date: Thursday, June 12, 2008, 3:56 AM Shem, can we have an over-arching coordinated approach to implementation without first taking a break to Master Plan? Could we change things mid-way implementation instead of going back to the planning stage again? Kenya has been planning and analysing for so long that many of us just want to see action. Paul, why wouldn't the ICT Board act as a coordination centre or a central reference point for ICT projects in Kenya? As you market ICTs, let all ICT projects (by Civil society, Private sector, government, PPP etc) be documented, easily accessed and referenced so that we encourage partnerships or complementary projects. I believe this would allow us to focus on Action/Implementation and let "The Kenyan Approach" be a learning-by-doing model. For instance, www.BungeSMS.com would be happy to find more partners from a central projects database of ICT/mgovernment projects. We are talking to a few and would be glad to complement others with a similar vision. All this can be done - in practice - rather than as per a generic umbrella plan. Regards Wainaina - original message - Subject: Re: [kictanet] {Disarmed} Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless'Knowledge Workers' From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com> Date: 11/06/2008 21:33 Hi Paul, &nbsp; Please don't repeat the same mistake that was made with Vision 2030. From experience, involve 'people' (otherwise called 'stakeholders') from day 1. When Rwanda's first plan (NICI I: 2000-2005) was drawn, that mistake was made. NICI II (2006-2010) was prepared differently. Rather than assemble a few experts and prepare a draft, work with the stakeholders to develop the draft. You can still have a few experts to 'guide' or 'inform' the process, but for heaven's sake please let the process be stakeholder-owned from day one. &nbsp; As for the 'marketing' element, my understanding was that the person concerned did not mean to imply that it is not important - but that it should not be the core function. &nbsp; Best rgrds, Shem __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Change of Contacts
by Harry Hare 13 Jun '08

13 Jun '08

Dear All, Please take note that we (African eDevelopment Resource Centre) have moved offices to eDevelopment House, 604 Limuru Road, near the Belgian Embassy. Our new numbers are +254 (020) 3741646/7. Kindest Regards Harry African eDevelopment Resource Centre eDevelopment House 604 Limuru Road, Old Muthaiga PO Box 49475 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Cel +254 725 650044 Land +254 20 3741646/7 <http://www.africanedevelopment.org> www.africanedevelopment.org June/July 2008 Training Opportunities VSAT Feild Eng. 18-20 June Supply Chain Management 24-27 June Fibre Optic Technician 1-4 July Knowledge Management 8-11July Space is limited Book Now! P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

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Re: [kictanet] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers'
by Shem Ochuodho 12 Jun '08

12 Jun '08

Joseph,   Apologies for a late acknowledgement of your mail.   Well put. I guess the greatest desire for people like Nyong'o, Juma, etc, is to see those dear things they espouse done - not necessarily by them, but done nonetheless. Let's hope that some of the actions being floated in these spaces will some day (sooner or later) see the light of day.   Best rgrds, Shem --- On Tue, 6/10/08, joseph ngome <ngomejp(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: From: joseph ngome <ngomejp(a)yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Re: Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers' To: "New Vision List" <newvisionkenya(a)yahoogroups.com>, kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke, kaziafrika(a)googlegroups.com Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2008, 7:10 AM Dear Dr. Ochuodho,   I have read your stuff on the ICT titled: " Where is the Voice of the Kenyan ICT Professional?"and found it more informative and enriching. It really shows our shortcomings as a country in the modern society. In a nutshell, it exposes alot in our bedrooms.   One thing that I must appreciate is the reaction from the PS  Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Bitange Ndemo.To me, his action by bothering to respond to  stakeholders' sentiments indicates that somebody may be caring in one way or another.   I would like to remind you of a story I was told that I am still not sure whether it is real or not. That Prof. Peter Anyang Nyongo crafted a vision for one of the Asian countries (either Malasia of Indonesia) and he is so much averred personality in that country such that one of the streets in that country's city is named after him.   However, as we are launching  our vision for 2030 Prof.Nyongo, who is special in some countries is a backbencher in his home country. So the biblical say that a messiah is never recognised in his home, village, country etc  is true?.   That is exactly the fate of Prof. Calestous Juma, Dr David Otuoma, Eng. John Kamau and Dr. Shem Ochuodho, The list is endless!       Best Regards,     Joseph         JOSEPH P. NGOME Coordinator, Health & Environment Media Network (HEMNet) P.O BOX 1896-40100 Kisumu, KENYA. Telephone-254-57-2023007 Cell phone-254-733-902-531, 254-710-143-948. Email: ngomejp(a)yahoo.co.uk --- On Sun, 8/6/08, Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com> wrote: From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers' To: "New Vision List" <newvisionkenya(a)yahoogroups.com>, kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Date: Sunday, 8 June, 2008, 9:33 AM Lucy,   That's precisely the problem: we are not distinguishing 'Professionals' from 'Stakeholders'. We are all 'Medical Stakeholders', but we are certainly not all 'Medical Professionals'. ... I am reactivating my Kictanet account, just in case.   Bw PS, glad to see you active online. But we need not be defensive on this. I am up to date with the sites you mention. I think our main problem at present is neither a policy nor strategy; they may require updating, but those you/the Govt already has. What is needed most urgently is a comprehensive implementation plan/blueprint/master plan. There are a whole lot of good projects being implemented, but they appear haphazard. They are not part of a 'bigger whole'. A senior official of one of the major ICT associations who might for whatever reason prefers anonymity contends: 'we are busy marketing ICT''.   It would be unfortunate to sweep some of these issues under the carpet.   Back to my original posting: I think there are fundamental issues raised, that would be nice to address (just to mention a few):-   1. Has Vision 2030 been sufficiently debated by Kenyans for it to be launched? 2. Was 51% sale of Telkom Kenya justified under the circumstances? 3. Does Kenya consider its unique 'human capital' a competitive advantage, and if so, are we considering developing a 'Human Capacity Development & Utilization Plan'? 4. Are we working towards 'Professionalizing' ICT?   Best rgrds, Shem  --- On Sat, 6/7/08, Lucy Kimani <LKIMANI(a)YAHOO.COM> wrote: From: Lucy Kimani <LKIMANI(a)YAHOO.COM> Subject: Re: [shemochuodhoforparliament2007] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers' To: shemochuodhoforparliament2007(a)yahoogroups.com, "New Vision List" <newvisionkenya(a)yahoogroups.com> Date: Saturday, June 7, 2008, 11:28 AM Shem,   The ICT community is very active and far from being "voiceless" I was sure I had seen your contribution on kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists. kictanet. or.ke http://lists. kictanet. or.ke/mailman/ listinfo/ kictanet if not, I suggest you get onto the list because thats where all the ICT Professionals/ Stakeholders discuss everything ICT Sample discussion,, ,, ------------ --------- ------- Original Message ------------ --------- ------- Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fibre Optic From:    bitange@jambo. co.ke Date:    Wed, November 28, 2007 9:28 am Cc:      "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists. kictanet. or.ke> ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -------- Dear Yawe, I am sorry for assuming that you were aware of the National Optic Fibre Broadband network that is being built by Sagem, Huaweii and ZTE.  The project will be finished by August next year.  The Digital Village project will benefit from this network that is to link all District HQs.  The netwotk shall be run by the operators and hopefully take control of it if they see a business case in it.  Otherwise this was basically the Government wide area network.  We are now hoping that operators would come up with the last mile solutions. Phase two of our plans is to partner with the private sector to build data centers and disaster recovery centers.  This will ensure cheaper local hosting capability.  The biggest challenge is going to be local content. On the Government side, by June next year we should have tons of content online.  We need to pass the Freedom of Information Bill for the public to benefit from most of GoK data. We shall still need the international Fibre optic for research to both ends, that is, the rest of the world and our own research.  We cannot develop on a cocoon. I hope I have responded to your questions.  If you are not satisfied, please let me know. Asante sana. Bitange Ndemo. Shem, you have a lot of catching up to do my friend, so here are some good starting point:   http://www.informat ion.go.ke/   For Kenya's National Policy please see: http://www.informat ion.go.ke/ docs/ICT% 20Policy. pdf   Hey we even have a strategy: http://www.informat ion.go.ke/ docs/Kenya% 20ICT%20Strategy .pdf   Actually, there were a couple of ICT bills already tabled last year, and what was in fact missing was the Ministry of Finance to complete the picture by amending the "Banking" Act which is way out dated and doesnt recognize electronic transactions hence the lack of a "Payment" Gateway -- Great opportunity for anyone ready to go as soon as they amend the Banking Act!  So I dont understand why the Accountant Bill when the Banking act is the one that needs immediate attention!  Until there is E-Commerce in full swing in Kenya, Kenyans will still look at the internet as a luxury and not a necessity limiting the subscriber base to just a few while it should be for everybody!   There is also the Kenya ICT Board actively involved in selling Kenya as the next Call Center/BPO Outsourcing Centre   http://www.ict. go.ke/inner. php?cat=news Also, David Otwuoma is now in Kenya and actively involved in the ICT arena Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho@ yahoo.com> wrote: An edited version of the article below appeared in today's edition of the Standard.   Rgrds, Shem   ------ Where is the Voice of the Kenyan ICT Professional? -----   WHERE IS THE VOICE OF THE KENYAN ICT PROFESSIONAL? I am a worried man; worried for my country! That the world has become a global village is no longer a myth; it is a reality. The once alluded to ‘knowledge economy’ is at last here with us. It is not any wonder that Google is today one of the world’s most sought after company; neither is it that in Kenya, the ‘communications’ sector is one of the fastest growing, even in the midst of a global recession. That information and communications technology (ICT) will from henceforth drive world economies is already abundantly clear. Kenya – and Africa, generally - is not being left behind either. Yet I am very concerned with the conspicuous muteness of the Kenyan ICT expert. I was delighted to read that the Finance Minister, himself a Professional Accountant, was presenting before Parliament an “Accountants’ Bill”. Lucky them! But who will stand up for the ‘Informaticians’ ? That the Government of Kenya has identified the Knowledge Economy and ICTs in particular as a pillar for our strategic socio-economic growth could not be more evident than it is in the Draft Vision 2030. ICT has been identified therein as one of the six priority focus sectors for Kenya’s transition to mid-income status. Yet without a clear strategy to develop, harness and utilize the ICT human capital, this prioritization remains a mere fallacy. If nobody in Government is going to stick their necks out for the profession, then where are the professionals themselves? Is it any wonder that this is perhaps the only profession where anyone and everyone can be ‘an expert’ overnight? In a local Internet discussion group recently someone queried whether it was possible for anyone to be ‘a professional accountant’ without being ‘qualified’. The discussion emerged from an earlier posting calling upon ‘a qualified, professional accountant’. The query was understandably raised by a Medical Practitioner, coming from a profession where one cannot be ‘an expert’ without being ‘qualified and professional’ . Why is it that in ICT, one can be an expert without being ‘qualified’? And what constitutes qualification? If this is the sector to drive our future and competitiveness, is it not time we did something about it? That Safaricom, only an eight-year old company, has become the most profitable company in East Africa should not surprise anyone. The sale of Government’s shares in the company is now behind us, the controversies with it notwithstanding. But then again why did the Government have to do it? And for me, Mobitelea wasn’t even the greatest problem with the IPO. There was an equally, if not more fundamental concern. As the Americans would say, ‘why fix it if it ain’t broken?’. I happen to be a firm believer in competition, liberalization and commercialization – only cautiously so for privatization. Privatization in the telecom sector in Africa has not presented a glossy picture. One only needs to look at the cases of the botched initial privatization of incumbents in Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana and the Gambia – just to mention a few. Yet during the Safaricom IPO saga, I only heard the voices of the politicians. Where were the voices of the professionals? As if that was not enough, we one day wake up in 2008 to learn that a whooping 51% (controlling majority) of Telkom Kenya has been sold! And an estimated 18,000-strong workforce has been reduced to 3,000. Why did we have to do this? If it was to raise capital, why do we read in the papers that Treasury is still being asked to plough more resources into Telkom? Often, one reason given for staff retrenchment is better reward for those who remain behind. One would have thought that by reducing the workforce from 18,000 to 3,000, at the very least those who survive would get a minimum of a 200% pay increase. We are now told the Union had to struggle just to get a 20% increment. Did we first analyze the likely impacts of some of these actions, and mitigate sufficiently against them? What an innovative way to stem unemployment and reduce poverty! If the Americans or Chinese owned anything close to 51% stake in France Telecom, I would not be half as worried. Some countries love their subjects – not so much Kenya. Yet if there is anything Kenya beats most other African countries, it is her enviable human capital. It is not surprising that our own Prof. Calestous Juma is today a pillar for Science & Technology Policy in the developing world. Neither was I surprised while in the US mid last year that one Prof. Wilson Endege was reputed to ‘have cracked the DNA code’, whatever that means! And while on a visit to Brussels as part of a Parliamentary Committee touring nuclear reactor plants, at one stage the tour was suspended to allow a UN Inspector – one David Otwoma (based in Vienna, Austria) to inspect the facility! Equally, one would have been forgiven for marvelling on realization that once when a major national microwave backbone system broke down, and after several experts from some developed countries had failed to fix it, one Engr. John Kamau was brought in from the US to fix it. Similarly, it is not unusual to work into Doha Airport, Qatar, and find that the string of a dozen or so ‘black’ people serving on the check-in counters for a leading global airline (not KQ, in this case) are all Kenyan! The list is endless. In spite of this competitive advantage, I am stunned that we do not have a Human Capacity Development Plan. Human capital should be considered Kenya’s gold and oil, since we do not have either! Some African countries long recognized the importance of human capital, and have fairly comprehensive national human capacity development plans. One even has a whole, unique Ministry of Capacity Building. Unless we can nurture, harness and harvest to the best abilities of all our professionals and actors in the knowledge economy – accountants, doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, informaticians, agriculturalists, economists, interpreters, etc – our competitiveness is doomed. Microsoft calls it ‘Unlimited Potential’: we must ask ourselves to what extent are we using and getting the most out of our ‘knowledge workers’? From experiences from other emerging economies, they alone can be the propeller for Kenya’s accession to mid-income economy status. However, to give credit where it is due, am delighted that Kenya which since independence has ridden like a rudderless ship, is at last launching a ‘National Vision – Vision 2030’.  Vision, more than anything else, spells out the virtues we espouse, and points to the horizon where we would want to be in the years to come. If you asked me, I would rate the Vision evenly with the Constitution; some may even argue that it is more important than the Constitution. I now gather we are about to launch the Vision – yet I don’t believe Kenyans have adequately debated it. A Vision needs to be owned by the people. Walking along the down-streets of some of the smaller Rwandan towns, it is not unusual to see a small kiosk labelled ‘Vision 2020’. What it means is that the Vision is engraved in the hearts and souls of the people. Why are we rushing to launch a Vision that Kenyans do not own? In the hope that I would find at least something going right with the ‘king sector’, I picked a newspaper the other day, and noticed an advert for a major Government ICT/automation project. I enquired with a friend whose company I thought quite fitted the bill if they had applied. What struck me most – and still bothers me a lot – was his stark reply: ‘I no longer bid for government tenders. From day one, it is already known who the tender is meant for.’ That worries me a lot – especially for the sector in whose our future and the future of our children will so heavily depend. For a moment I asked: ‘you mean as a society we have decayed so much?’. When ‘professionals’ lose so much faith in a system, then something is terribly wrong! Yet like almost everywhere else, the single most major consumer of ICT services and products is Government. How then do we expect our nascent ICT companies and professionals to thrive – and drive the sector that we expect to deliver us to Jerusalem? I must say that there are a few interesting and laudable things that the Government is doing on the ICT scene. However, they are few and far between. Besides, even in those, the voice of the ICT professional is drowned. Pray, tell me! When did the rain start beating the ICT profession? Dr Shem Ochuodho, Advisor on ICT Private Sector Development, Ethiopia, and Former Member of Parliament   --- end article --- Visit Your Group Yahoo! Finance It's Now Personal Guides, news, advice & more. Real Food Group Share recipes, restaurant ratings and favorite meals. 10 Day Club on Yahoo! Groups Share the benefits of a high fiber diet. . __,_._,___ Sent from Yahoo! Mail. A Smarter Email --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ YOU ARE IN KAZI AFRIKA GROUP UNSUBSCRIBE: kaziafrika-unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com www.kaziafrika.com www.wananchiforums.com MPESA (for Adverts): 0726 034 530 FOR A VERY PEACEFUL KENYA -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers'
by Shem Ochuodho 12 Jun '08

12 Jun '08

  Sorry for cross-posts. --- On Sun, 6/8/08, Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com> wrote: From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers' To: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Sunday, June 8, 2008, 5:04 AM Lucy,   That's precisely the problem: we are not distinguishing 'Professionals' from 'Stakeholders'. We are all 'Medical Stakeholders', but we are certainly not all 'Medical Professionals'. ... I am reactivating my Kictanet account, just in case.   Bw PS, glad to see you active online. But we need not be defensive on this. I am up to date with the sites you mention. I think our main problem at present is neither a policy nor strategy; they may require updating, but those you/the Govt already has. What is needed most urgently is a comprehensive implementation plan/blueprint/master plan. There are a whole lot of good projects being implemented, but they appear haphazard. They are not part of a 'coherent bigger whole'. A senior official of one of the major ICT associations who might for whatever reason prefer anonymity contends: 'we are busy marketing ICT''.   It would be unfortunate to sweep some of these issues under the carpet.   Back to my original posting: I think there are fundamental issues raised, that would be nice to address (just to mention a few):-   1. Has Vision 2030 been sufficiently debated by Kenyans for it to be launched? 2. Was 51% sale of Telkom Kenya justified under the circumstances? 3. Does Kenya consider its unique 'human capital' a competitive advantage, and if so, are we considering developing a 'Human Capacity Development & Utilization Plan'? 4. Are we working towards 'Professionalizing' ICT?   Best rgrds,Shem  --- On Sat, 6/7/08, Lucy Kimani <LKIMANI(a)YAHOO.COM> wrote: From: Lucy Kimani <LKIMANI(a)YAHOO.COM> Subject: [NewVisionKenya] Re: [shemochuodhoforparliament2007] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers' To: shemochuodhoforparliament2007(a)yahoogroups.com, "New Vision List" <newvisionkenya(a)yahoogroups.com> Date: Saturday, June 7, 2008, 11:28 AM Shem,   The ICT community is very active and far from being "voiceless" I was sure I had seen your contribution on kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists. kictanet. or.ke http://lists. kictanet. or.ke/mailman/ listinfo/ kictanet if not, I suggest you get onto the list because thats where all the ICT Professionals/ Stakeholders discuss everything ICT Sample discussion,, ,, ------------ --------- ------- Original Message ------------ --------- ------- Subject: Re: [kictanet] Fibre Optic From:    bitange@jambo. co.ke Date:    Wed, November 28, 2007 9:28 am Cc:      "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists. kictanet. or.ke> ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -------- Dear Yawe, I am sorry for assuming that you were aware of the National Optic Fibre Broadband network that is being built by Sagem, Huaweii and ZTE.  The project will be finished by August next year.  The Digital Village project will benefit from this network that is to link all District HQs.  The netwotk shall be run by the operators and hopefully take control of it if they see a business case in it.  Otherwise this was basically the Government wide area network.  We are now hoping that operators would come up with the last mile solutions. Phase two of our plans is to partner with the private sector to build data centers and disaster recovery centers.  This will ensure cheaper local hosting capability.  The biggest challenge is going to be local content. On the Government side, by June next year we should have tons of content online.  We need to pass the Freedom of Information Bill for the public to benefit from most of GoK data. We shall still need the international Fibre optic for research to both ends, that is, the rest of the world and our own research.  We cannot develop on a cocoon. I hope I have responded to your questions.  If you are not satisfied, please let me know. Asante sana. Bitange Ndemo. Shem, you have a lot of catching up to do my friend, so here are some good starting point:   http://www.informat ion.go.ke/   For Kenya's National Policy please see: http://www.informat ion.go.ke/ docs/ICT% 20Policy. pdf   Hey we even have a strategy: http://www.informat ion.go.ke/ docs/Kenya% 20ICT%20Strategy .pdf   Actually, there were a couple of ICT bills already tabled last year, and what was in fact missing was the Ministry of Finance to complete the picture by amending the "Banking" Act which is way out dated and doesnt recognize electronic transactions hence the lack of a "Payment" Gateway -- Great opportunity for anyone ready to go as soon as they amend the Banking Act!  So I dont understand why the Accountant Bill when the Banking act is the one that needs immediate attention!  Until there is E-Commerce in full swing in Kenya, Kenyans will still look at the internet as a luxury and not a necessity limiting the subscriber base to just a few while it should be for everybody!   There is also the Kenya ICT Board actively involved in selling Kenya as the next Call Center/BPO Outsourcing Centre   http://www.ict. go.ke/inner. php?cat=news Also, David Otwuoma is now in Kenya and actively involved in the ICT arena Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho@ yahoo.com> wrote: An edited version of the article below appeared in today's edition of the Standard.   Rgrds, Shem   ------ Where is the Voice of the Kenyan ICT Professional? -----   WHERE IS THE VOICE OF THE KENYAN ICT PROFESSIONAL? I am a worried man; worried for my country! That the world has become a global village is no longer a myth; it is a reality. The once alluded to ‘knowledge economy’ is at last here with us. It is not any wonder that Google is today one of the world’s most sought after company; neither is it that in Kenya, the ‘communications’ sector is one of the fastest growing, even in the midst of a global recession. That information and communications technology (ICT) will from henceforth drive world economies is already abundantly clear. Kenya – and Africa, generally - is not being left behind either. Yet I am very concerned with the conspicuous muteness of the Kenyan ICT expert. I was delighted to read that the Finance Minister, himself a Professional Accountant, was presenting before Parliament an “Accountants’ Bill”. Lucky them! But who will stand up for the ‘Informaticians’ ? That the Government of Kenya has identified the Knowledge Economy and ICTs in particular as a pillar for our strategic socio-economic growth could not be more evident than it is in the Draft Vision 2030. ICT has been identified therein as one of the six priority focus sectors for Kenya’s transition to mid-income status. Yet without a clear strategy to develop, harness and utilize the ICT human capital, this prioritization remains a mere fallacy. If nobody in Government is going to stick their necks out for the profession, then where are the professionals themselves? Is it any wonder that this is perhaps the only profession where anyone and everyone can be ‘an expert’ overnight? In a local Internet discussion group recently someone queried whether it was possible for anyone to be ‘a professional accountant’ without being ‘qualified’. The discussion emerged from an earlier posting calling upon ‘a qualified, professional accountant’. The query was understandably raised by a Medical Practitioner, coming from a profession where one cannot be ‘an expert’ without being ‘qualified and professional’ . Why is it that in ICT, one can be an expert without being ‘qualified’? And what constitutes qualification? If this is the sector to drive our future and competitiveness, is it not time we did something about it? That Safaricom, only an eight-year old company, has become the most profitable company in East Africa should not surprise anyone. The sale of Government’s shares in the company is now behind us, the controversies with it notwithstanding. But then again why did the Government have to do it? And for me, Mobitelea wasn’t even the greatest problem with the IPO. There was an equally, if not more fundamental concern. As the Americans would say, ‘why fix it if it ain’t broken?’. I happen to be a firm believer in competition, liberalization and commercialization – only cautiously so for privatization. Privatization in the telecom sector in Africa has not presented a glossy picture. One only needs to look at the cases of the botched initial privatization of incumbents in Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana and the Gambia – just to mention a few. Yet during the Safaricom IPO saga, I only heard the voices of the politicians. Where were the voices of the professionals? As if that was not enough, we one day wake up in 2008 to learn that a whooping 51% (controlling majority) of Telkom Kenya has been sold! And an estimated 18,000-strong workforce has been reduced to 3,000. Why did we have to do this? If it was to raise capital, why do we read in the papers that Treasury is still being asked to plough more resources into Telkom? Often, one reason given for staff retrenchment is better reward for those who remain behind. One would have thought that by reducing the workforce from 18,000 to 3,000, at the very least those who survive would get a minimum of a 200% pay increase. We are now told the Union had to struggle just to get a 20% increment. Did we first analyze the likely impacts of some of these actions, and mitigate sufficiently against them? What an innovative way to stem unemployment and reduce poverty! If the Americans or Chinese owned anything close to 51% stake in France Telecom, I would not be half as worried. Some countries love their subjects – not so much Kenya. Yet if there is anything Kenya beats most other African countries, it is her enviable human capital. It is not surprising that our own Prof. Calestous Juma is today a pillar for Science & Technology Policy in the developing world. Neither was I surprised while in the US mid last year that one Prof. Wilson Endege was reputed to ‘have cracked the DNA code’, whatever that means! And while on a visit to Brussels as part of a Parliamentary Committee touring nuclear reactor plants, at one stage the tour was suspended to allow a UN Inspector – one David Otwoma (based in Vienna, Austria) to inspect the facility! Equally, one would have been forgiven for marvelling on realization that once when a major national microwave backbone system broke down, and after several experts from some developed countries had failed to fix it, one Engr. John Kamau was brought in from the US to fix it. Similarly, it is not unusual to work into Doha Airport, Qatar, and find that the string of a dozen or so ‘black’ people serving on the check-in counters for a leading global airline (not KQ, in this case) are all Kenyan! The list is endless. In spite of this competitive advantage, I am stunned that we do not have a Human Capacity Development Plan. Human capital should be considered Kenya’s gold and oil, since we do not have either! Some African countries long recognized the importance of human capital, and have fairly comprehensive national human capacity development plans. One even has a whole, unique Ministry of Capacity Building. Unless we can nurture, harness and harvest to the best abilities of all our professionals and actors in the knowledge economy – accountants, doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, informaticians, agriculturalists, economists, interpreters, etc – our competitiveness is doomed. Microsoft calls it ‘Unlimited Potential’: we must ask ourselves to what extent are we using and getting the most out of our ‘knowledge workers’? From experiences from other emerging economies, they alone can be the propeller for Kenya’s accession to mid-income economy status. However, to give credit where it is due, am delighted that Kenya which since independence has ridden like a rudderless ship, is at last launching a ‘National Vision – Vision 2030’.  Vision, more than anything else, spells out the virtues we espouse, and points to the horizon where we would want to be in the years to come. If you asked me, I would rate the Vision evenly with the Constitution; some may even argue that it is more important than the Constitution. I now gather we are about to launch the Vision – yet I don’t believe Kenyans have adequately debated it. A Vision needs to be owned by the people. Walking along the down-streets of some of the smaller Rwandan towns, it is not unusual to see a small kiosk labelled ‘Vision 2020’. What it means is that the Vision is engraved in the hearts and souls of the people. Why are we rushing to launch a Vision that Kenyans do not own? In the hope that I would find at least something going right with the ‘king sector’, I picked a newspaper the other day, and noticed an advert for a major Government ICT/automation project. I enquired with a friend whose company I thought quite fitted the bill if they had applied. What struck me most – and still bothers me a lot – was his stark reply: ‘I no longer bid for government tenders. From day one, it is already known who the tender is meant for.’ That worries me a lot – especially for the sector in whose our future and the future of our children will so heavily depend. For a moment I asked: ‘you mean as a society we have decayed so much?’. When ‘professionals’ lose so much faith in a system, then something is terribly wrong! Yet like almost everywhere else, the single most major consumer of ICT services and products is Government. How then do we expect our nascent ICT companies and professionals to thrive – and drive the sector that we expect to deliver us to Jerusalem? I must say that there are a few interesting and laudable things that the Government is doing on the ICT scene. However, they are few and far between. Besides, even in those, the voice of the ICT professional is drowned. Pray, tell me! When did the rain start beating the ICT profession? Dr Shem Ochuodho, Advisor on ICT Private Sector Development, Ethiopia, and Former Member of Parliament   --- end article --- Visit Your Group Yahoo! News Kevin Sites Get coverage of world crises. Special K Group on Yahoo! Groups Join the challenge and lose weight. Best of Y! Groups Check it out and nominate your group to be featured. . __,_._,___

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Re: [kictanet] {Disarmed} Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless'Knowl edge Workers'
by wainaina.mungai＠gmail.com 12 Jun '08

12 Jun '08

Shem, can we have an over-arching coordinated approach to implementation without first taking a break to Master Plan? Could we change things mid-way implementation instead of going back to the planning stage again? Kenya has been planning and analysing for so long that many of us just want to see action. Paul, why wouldn't the ICT Board act as a coordination centre or a central reference point for ICT projects in Kenya? As you market ICTs, let all ICT projects (by Civil society, Private sector, government, PPP etc) be documented, easily accessed and referenced so that we encourage partnerships or complementary projects. I believe this would allow us to focus on Action/Implementation and let "The Kenyan Approach" be a learning-by-doing model. For instance, www.BungeSMS.com would be happy to find more partners from a central projects database of ICT/mgovernment projects. We are talking to a few and would be glad to complement others with a similar vision. All this can be done - in practice - rather than as per a generic umbrella plan. Regards Wainaina - original message - Subject: Re: [kictanet] {Disarmed} Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless'Knowledge Workers' From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com> Date: 11/06/2008 21:33 Hi Paul,   Please don't repeat the same mistake that was made with Vision 2030. From experience, involve 'people' (otherwise called 'stakeholders') from day 1. When Rwanda's first plan (NICI I: 2000-2005) was drawn, that mistake was made. NICI II (2006-2010) was prepared differently. Rather than assemble a few experts and prepare a draft, work with the stakeholders to develop the draft. You can still have a few experts to 'guide' or 'inform' the process, but for heaven's sake please let the process be stakeholder-owned from day one.   As for the 'marketing' element, my understanding was that the person concerned did not mean to imply that it is not important - but that it should not be the core function.   Best rgrds, Shem --- On Wed, 6/11/08, Paul Kukubo <pkukubo(a)ict.go.ke> wrote: From: Paul Kukubo <pkukubo(a)ict.go.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] {Disarmed} Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless'Knowledge Workers' To: shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com Cc: "New Vision List" <newvisionkenya(a)yahoogroups.com>, "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2008, 12:37 PM Shem The ICT board will very soon subjecting the draft strategic plan to stakeholder review. This might be one intervention point and your direct participation as a key player in the ICT space will be highly appreciated. ICT as a sector and as an enabler of other sector. One comment you did make in an ealier post is worth revisiting. The issue of marketing ICTs. (You did indicate that you were quoting someone). The board sees marketing of ICTs as one very important activity. This debate we are having here is being widened through the ICT board's Public Panels and Open Forums. Soon we will be going country wide listening to people as they express what they understand about ICT and exposing them to ICT opportunities. There are different audiences/markets for our programs. The most interesting task for us has been how to spread ICTs to the mass market and still retain our relevance among hardcore ICT stakeholders (those like yourself whose counsel we seek). Most Kenyans are not yet part of this debate. This is the divide our programs seek to bridge. Paul Kukubo Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Celtel Kenya -----Original Message----- From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:49:49 To:pkukubo@ict.go.ke Cc:New Vision List <newvisionkenya(a)yahoogroups.com>,KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] {Disarmed} Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers' Bw PS,   Once again allow me to say it is commendable to see you being 'responsive' online.   On ICT development, I don't think what we are complaining of is 'inaction'; No. There are lots of good 'projects' happening. Our/My concern is that they are not coherent, or rather there is no overarching 'comprehensive' or 'integrated' plan portraying the 'bigger picture' than individual projects or initiatives do. Examples of African countries with such comprehensive Masterplans include Rwanda, Tunisia and Mozambique. If we have (such) a master plan, I am not aware, and I would be more than delighted to see it. Otherwise, good strategies like that for the BPO's, the E-Govt Strategy, etc, should only be sub-components of the 'Masterplan'.   As for lacking entrepreneurs, am not sure I entirely agree, either. Once again allow me to contend that Kenya has got some of the most 'enterprising' human resources. What they lack are opportunities and an enabling environment. I know some strides have been made, but we still have a long way to go. Just for instance, Tanzania gives up to 15% advantage to local firms when they bid for Govt projects (or so am told). Unless Kenyan rules have changed, I don't think such a provision exists. But that's just one area for improving the environment. There are several others, some specific to ICT, others of a more general nature. Developing a 'Masterplan' would create an opportunity for sufficient engagement with diverse 'Stakeholders' (including 'Professionals' and 'Entrepreneurs') that would unearth more comprehensively areas of improvement that the ICT private sector requires to fly.   Finally, I don't think Govt can run away from building, creating and utilizing capacity. Of course it doesn't do it alone; it does it in collaboration with other players. But it is incumbent, as a starting point, upon Govt to come up with a comprehensive 'Human Capacity Development and Utilization Plan'. And rumour has it one could be in the offing; if that is true, that would be great. If the rumour is not true, then something needs to be done about it.   My 2 cents worth.   Warmest rgrds, Shem _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: wainaina(a)madeinkenya.org Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/wainaina%40madeinkenya…

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KENIC waives IPv6 annual fees
by Rebecca Wanjiku 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

KENIC waives IPv6 annual fees http://www.computerworld.co.ke/articles/2008/06/10/kenic-waives-ipv6-annual… Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Kenya's new registry system
by wesley kiriinya 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

I got this from yesterday's Daily Nation on the web. Please read: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&am… I appreciate the problems this is trying to solve. My issues are: 1. Security and confidentiallity: Hackers LOVE these sort of systems. Personal Information of about 35 million Kenyans will be sitting on a server somewhere. And the public being able to access their information remotely. Some Pentagon computers (U.S Pentagon) have been hacked, and it's claimed it was done from China. There is also a country in Asia whose IT systems were crippled from an attack coz it's said they took down a statue that had a significant meaning for another country. This system needs the attention of National Security which I assume has a bunch of IT gurus. 2. Consultations: I'm not sure whether the wider ICT community has been consulted on this. If not then I'm worried that the gvmnt would take up such a project without at least letting as many Kenyans as possible know since it's their biometric and other personal information that might be stored in the system. From what I have read the decision seems to have already been made. 3. Integration with other systems: I've read that KEBS is reconstituting TCs (Technical Committees) and I think one of the TCs deals with exchange of information between systems. I'm guessing that at some point in the future this system might be intergrated with e.g. financial institutions. Will it integrate with already existing infrastructure and what happens when IT infrastructure changes? If this base/foundation has not been set up then how will the system stand. It's not difficult to see various IT conflicts that may arise in the years to come. Kenya should take its time to create standards (and use them!) which will determine what is accepted/rejected. For anyone who develops software on a medium to large scale you know the value of a proper architecture and design before actually programming the system ( and programming is usually less than 20% of total software development time). BTW: If you mix point 1 and 3 above then issues become even more comlplex. I think this is an interesting project and I'm not saying the particular system from that consortium has problems. I think there should be a proper document with technical details about this, and it should be released to the public for scrutiny. The document should details everything about the system and how it aims to solves the problems it's claiming to solve. Is there a country with this sort of system? If this newspaper article is all the public info available then one can't answer the question because one doesn't know exactly what the system will do and how it will do it.

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Schools adopt social business model to push IT
by Rebecca Wanjiku 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

Schools adopt social business model to push IT   http://www.computerworld.co.ke/articles/2008/06/09/schools-adopt-social-bus… Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Strathmore student wins Kenya Facebook challenge
by Rebecca Wanjiku 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

Strathmore student wins Kenya Facebook challenge   http://www.computerworld.co.ke/articles/2008/06/09/strathmore-student-wins-… Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Another lost side-mirror
by John Walubengo 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

Yesterday evening (6.30pm) i parked just outside the Hilton and lost my second side mirror within the year. Fine, i didnt tip the security guard but it was because he wasnt in site... Anyway, just wondering, with all this 'Butterfly' cameras and now 'HOTSPOTS' hovering above the City, why cant the Police take advantage of them and beef up security? I dont think we need to wait for the year 2030 or another multi-billion donor funded project for this to happen. I suspect there is still a HUGE disconnect between regular (r-)Government and electronic (e-)Government. May you have a safer evening tonite. walu.

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Re: [kictanet] KEBS Reconstituting IT Standards TCs (a resend)
by Gakuru , Alex 10 Jun '08

10 Jun '08

If you plan to get invloved, treat this message as a remonder to submit your documents directly to Kenya Bureau of Standards, as instructed. Commitee Application deadline nears. If you have already acted on it, please ignore this message. Regards, Alex PS:Attachments as per previous email On 5/28/08, Gakuru , Alex <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Your attention is drawn to below > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Gakuru , Alex <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> > Date: Thu, May 22, 2008 at 2:19 PM > Subject: KEBS Reconstituting IT Standards TCs > To: "skunkworks(a)my.co.ke" <skunkworks(a)my.co.ke>, ke-users < > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net>, kictanet <kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke> > > > /FYI > > [Some of cc'd mailing lists do not accept attachments thus their > subscribers may have to wait until their moderators permit the > bounce.--AlexG] > > --forwarded message-- > > Kenya Bureau of Standards is forming new TCs and reconstituting some that > are already in existence in the area of Information Technology and is > seeking membership from the Industry. The names of the TCs are the ones in > bold in the attached file labeled "scopes". (There is one TC on "Learning > Technologies" which I believe Ms Monicah Okoth will be contacting you to get > membership as well). > > Attached is a self explanatory letter which I have decided not to address > to specific persons but made it general so that you may distribute it to all > those interested as I may not be in a position to identify all the > interested parties. > > Kindly distribute it as soon as you get it since I would like us to observe > the set deadline for those interested to have filled and returned a *DULY > SIGNED FORM* either by email, fax, normal mail or any other convenient > method to us for processing. > > Kindly observe this deadline. > > Regards, > > > > *Mwatha Z I (Mr.)* > > *Kenya* *Bureau of Standards* > > *KEBS Centre, Kapiti Road, off Mombasa Road, Behind Bellevue Cinema* > > *P.O. Box 54974 — 00200 Nairobi, Kenya* > > *ISDN: +254 (0)20 6948270* > > *Tel: +254 (0)20 605490, 6948000, (0)722 202137* > > *Fax:+254 (0)20 609660, 604031* > > *Other E-Mail: info(a)kebs.org* > > *__________________________________________________________ ** > **"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." > - Eleanor Roosevelt* > > > > >

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DRAFT FINAL REPORT - E-WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECT IN KENYA
by Evelyne Majale 10 Jun '08

10 Jun '08

Dear all Also please find attached the draft final report of the E-waste management project in Kenya. Evelyne

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MANAGEMENT OF ELECTRONIC WASTE IN KENYA - DISSEMINATION WORKSHOP
by Evelyne Majale 10 Jun '08

10 Jun '08

Hi all This is to remind you about the Dissemination workshop - Management of Electronic Waste that will take place tomorrow 11/06/2008 at Jacaranda Hotel. The venue is Palm Room Time: 8.30 a.m. - 2.00 p.m. Please find attached the programme and presentations. Thanking you in advance. Evelyne

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Power outage - impact on packet flow
by Michuki Mwangi 10 Jun '08

10 Jun '08

Hi all, Am curious to know if there was anyone who evaluated the impact on the flow of packets (voice/data) during the 5hour national power outage that happened recently. Some information on where we need to improve or be more prepared on would be useful to some. Regards, Michuki.

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Re: [kictanet] Another lost side mirror
by tyrus＠icsit.jkuat.ac.ke 10 Jun '08

10 Jun '08

Pole sana Walu. I think it goes beyond just asking the cops to take advantage of this technology since I also strongly believe that a good fraction of crime can be curbed this way. How about a Government initiative to have technology infiltrate the most basic offices and arms of the Government? I mean, in as much as we might be debating on ICT for development, there's is a huge gap between having ideas floated about and no implementation. Tyrus Muya Kamau. Systems Administrator, eLearning Jomo Kenyatta University of Agri & Techology Kenya, Cell Phone: +254-721292936. Mail:tyrus@icsit.jkuat.ac.ke [DISCLAIMER] This message may contain confidential information and must not be copied, disclosed or used by anybody other than the intended recipient. If you have received this message in error, please notify us by e-mail (noreply(a)jkuat.ac.ke) and then delete the e-mail and any copies of it. E-mail may be susceptible to data corruption, interception and unauthorised amendment, and no liability is accepted for any such corruption, interception or amendment, or the consequences thereof. No liability or responsibility is accepted for viruses - it is your responsibility to scan

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Forget Credit Cards...Use MPesa to shop online
by Bill Kagai 10 Jun '08

10 Jun '08

Sirs/Madams, A local software company [g360 Ltd] has developed an interesting piece of software which is able to complete online transactions. The process is simple. When money is sent via Mpesa, the sender receives a confirmation which details the sender's number, amount and receipt number. The software captures this information and stores it in a back-end database. The 'buyer' after sending the funds via Mpesa is then asked to key in the receipt number and his/her cell phone and submit the details. The software then compares the details and if they match it authorises the transaction. The developers of this software have put a demo page at http://www.mobilepay.i360microsystems.com and have identified Kictanet as a good niche that can preview the beta software and give comments before it is launched to the public. We are interested in comments on the *'online shopping process'* and *'legal implications'* for such transactions. PS1. This software conducts transactions using Mpesa but is not endorsed by Safaricom and neither do we act as Mpesa Agents. PS2. If you wish to receive a detailed presentation on how the software works, please email your request to per-erick(a)i360microsystems.com Thanks and looking forward to your valuable comments. -- Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Nairobi Stock Exchange Authorised Information Vendor Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue P. O. Box 20311 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel. 254 20 272 8332 Fax. Rendered Obsolete S - 1°17'13.8" E - 36°48'22.7" www.mediacorp.co.ke ---

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Barcamp 21 June 2008
by Riyaz Bachani 09 Jun '08

09 Jun '08

Saturday June 21st 2008 680 Hotel 9am - 5pm More details + Sign up here ( for the barcamp T-Shirt! ) More coverage here. A barcamp has nothing to do with Beer :) Head over to the wiki and signup. It's free so that everyone, especially students can attend, but we are still looking for sponsors to cover the costs of putting it together.

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The Quarterly Colour Series of Poetry: Call Out
by Al Kags 09 Jun '08

09 Jun '08

*his is a call out to all poets around the word: Submissions are invited for the 7th ebook of the Quarterly Colour Series of Poetry.* * Orange Peals 'a sense of the light-hearted' *is the seventh ebook after Gray Spots, Blue Smudges, Red Streaks, Green Piece, Brown Steps and Indigo Smoothies. So far we have thought about life, enjoyed happiness, been political & seduced. This edition aims to ideally cause poetry readers around the world to burst into peals of laughter - or at least make them smile. You are invited to submit your work(s) for this seventh edition of the *Quarterly Color Series of Poetry* (QCS). Submissions must be made in a word document (.doc) and sent to poetry(a)alkags.com not later than *25th June 2008*. Acceptance and selection of works to be published is entirely at the discretion of Al Kags and the Al Kags Trust. * *The Quarterly Colour Series of poetry is a series of poetry ebooks that is published online every three months by the Al Kags Trust and distributed virally from one person to many via email, web sites, blogs and other electronic media. So far, the latest tallies of the reported number of people that the book has been forwarded to is *286,000* in over *seventy *countries. We cannot track the book beyond that and we believe that hundreds of thousands more may have been touched by the poetry. The series is meant to be a platform that allows poets, who want to be read, to speak to people's souls around the world - freely & without inhibitions. The rights to the published poetry remains with the poet forever. By submitting however, the poet gives the reader the right to share, republish, recite - indeed spread it around the world at will - so long as the reader quotes the source. To download all of the poetry e-books feel free to go to * http://alkags.com/?page_id=106*.

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[Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Google Launches Maps for Kenya]]
by alice 08 Jun '08

08 Jun '08

Dear all Check out Google Kenya maps The new maps can be seen here <http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=nairobi,+Kenya&ie=UTF8&ll=… <http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=nairobi,+Kenya&ie=UTF8&ll=…>> or you browse directly from http://maps.google.com . You can also experiment with the Satellite view and more .. best alice

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[Fwd: 9th Quarterly Luncheon With ... Professor Ali A. Mazrui] Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations (KARA)
by alice 06 Jun '08

06 Jun '08

Dear Member, Partner and/or Friend, As arrangements for our 8^th Quarterly Luncheon with Mr. Michael Joseph, CEO, Safaricom Limited (www.safaricom.co.ke <http://www.safaricom.co.ke>) on 17^th June 2008 at Nairobi Serena Hotel gets into top gear, we are pleased to make the announcement here below – to allow you block your diary in advance. Michael, running East Africa’s most respected and profitable company, will be speaking on _Post-Safaricom IPO: What Future for the Competitive Telecommunications Industry?_ The platinum sponsor for KARA’s popular event is Safaricom Limited. We appreciate those of you who have already confirmed participation as individuals and as corporate tables. Limited spaces are available. Please make your booking early to avoid disappointment. The 9^th session of the KARA Quarterly Luncheon will be held on Thursday, _17^th July 2008_ from 12.00 pm – 2.30 pm at a venue to be advised. We will be hosting Professor Ali A. Mazrui, a distinguished scholar based at the State University of New York at Binghamton. He is also the Chancellor of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology among a long list of prestigious positions. Get to speed with his colourful profile at *www.alimazrui.com <http://www.alimazrui.com/>* He will be speaking on “*_Barack Obama: Brain Drain or Brain Gain?”_* Please block your diary in advance. Interested event sponsors are encouraged to contact us. More details will be relayed within /The KARA Weekly Newsletter/. We look forward to your continued cooperation, support and encouragement for – /“Together, We Will”/! Best wishes, Stephen Stephen Mutoro **_Chief Executive Officer _***_ _*The Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations (KARA) Natu Court, Suite E-39, Ngong Rd/Ring Rd Kilimani Junction P.O Box 1411-00100 GPO NAIROBI, Kenya Tel. 254-020-3874331, 3873828, Telkom Wireless +254-020-2341515 Cellphones: +254725983445; +254733779585 E-mail: info(a)kara.or.ke <mailto:info@kara.or.ke> or kara(a)accesskenya.co.ke <mailto:kara@accesskenya.co.ke> Website: www.kara.or.ke <http://www.kara.or.ke/> KARA - "/Together, We Will"/ ............................................ I Support "Amani Mitaani" - (Peace Within Neighbourhoods) Campaign.

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Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] www.kenyaipos.co.ke & Data Privacy
by John Walubengo 06 Jun '08

06 Jun '08

Oh my! I finally see it...I actually got to ran through a few randomly selected records/applicants and their allocated Safaricom shares! Agreed, the site should be shut down asap - at least b4 we get to confirm how much M*B*T**** owns! Now i see why u call yourselves skunks... walu. > -----Original Message----- > From: skunkworks-bounces(a)my.co.ke > [mailto:skunkworks-bounces@my.co.ke] > On Behalf Of Joseph Okech > Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 11:01 AM > To: skunkworks(a)my.co.ke; jwalu(a)yahoo.com > Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] www.kenyaipos.co.ke & Data > Privacy > > Walu, > > The website should only give you this information when it > is entered on > a form, not changing the url - so a developer should always > ensure that > when you change the url, your request is denied - very > simple php > security issue. > > ./Ok3ch > > On Friday 06 June 2008 10:52:51 am John Walubengo wrote: > > plse educate me. i dont seem to see the hullaballoo > nor the alleged Client Share Applications (ama u guys hacked in?) > from what i gather on the website, it expects u to > enter your CDS account number and your ID for the above to be > shown...which to me is the standard approach to accessing data online - i.e. get at least two fields to make up your login credentials. > > > > It happens when you buy goods online, It is happening > with regard to your electricity bills (KP&L), it is happening > with the Min of Education and their Examination results, and it is > going to be happening with many more services as they get > online... > > > > or is there something I am missing? > > > > walu. > > > > --- On Fri, 6/6/08, Kyai Mullei > <mullei(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > From: Kyai Mullei <mullei(a)gmail.com> > > > Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] www.kenyaipos.co.ke > & Data Privacy > > > To: skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > > > Date: Friday, June 6, 2008, 11:10 AM Perhaps > alert citi? > > > > > > On Fri, Jun 6, 2008 at 10:02 AM, Andrew Wafula > > > > > > <awafula(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > > My this is bad. > > > > > > > > I can see almost anyone's application > from that > > > > > > site. There is ZERO data > > > > > > > privacy. Anyone can get your info. This is > terrible > > > > > > and unacceptable. > > > > > > > The site should be shut down! Who knows who > already > > > > > > has out > > > > > > > information!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > > > > > > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > A > > > > > > > > On Fri, Jun 6, 2008 at 9:37 AM, Richard > Bosire > > > > > > <richard.bosire(a)gmail.com> > > > > > > > wrote: > > > >> should i be seeing this > > > > > > > https://www.kenyaipos.co.ke/eipo/investors_search/_print.php?app=xxx > > > xxxx > > > > > > >> > _______________________________________________ > > > >> skunkworks mailing list > > > >> skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > > > >> > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > > > >> Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com > Beta Blog > > > >> http://blog.my.co.ke > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Andrew Wafula Wapakala > > > > Web: www.wertsoft.com > > > > MSN: a_wafula(a)hotmail.com > > > > jaxtr:http://www.jaxtr.com/thewert > > > > MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/awafula > > > > Blog: http://thewert.blogspot.com/ > > > > > > > > > >===================================================================== > > >==== > > >= > > > > > > > If you have made mistakes...there is always > another > > > > > > chance for you... you > > > > > > > may have a fresh start any moment you > choose, for this > > > > > > thing we call > > > > > > > 'failure' is not the falling down, > but the > > > > > > staying down. - Mary Pickford > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > skunkworks mailing list > > > > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > > > > > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > > > > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com Beta > Blog > > > >http://blog.my.co.ke > > > > >_______________________________________________ > > > > > > skunkworks mailing list > > > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > > > > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > > > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com Beta Blog > > > http://blog.my.co.ke > > > > _______________________________________________ > > skunkworks mailing list > > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com Beta Blog > http://blog.my.co.ke > > > > > _______________________________________________ > skunkworks mailing list > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com > Beta Blog http://blog.my.co.ke > > > > > _______________________________________________ > skunkworks mailing list > skunkworks(a)my.co.ke > http://ole.kenic.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > Blog http://skunkworks-ke.blogspot.com > Beta Blog http://blog.my.co.ke

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Re: [kictanet] KenBlogs...
by Michael Kipsang Bullut 05 Jun '08

05 Jun '08

Neither have I configured my system nor sent it a second time by mistake. KenBlogs is an idea I had when talking to my best friend on a Sunday afternoon. I'm passionate about blogging & I thought it'd be good to bring Kenyan bloggers together under an online community. ---"The computer programmer...is a creator of universes for which he alone is the lawgiver...No playwright, no stage director, no emperor, however powerful, has ever exercised such absolute authority to arrange a stage or a field of battle and to command such unswervingly dutiful actors or troops."Joseph Weizenbaum,Computer Power & Human Reason.--- --- On Mon 06/02, Odhiambo Washington < odhiambo(a)gmail.com > wrote:From: Odhiambo Washington [mailto: odhiambo(a)gmail.com]To: kipsangb(a)excite.com Cc: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.keDate: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 13:05:59 +0300Subject: Re: [kictanet] KenBlogs...On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 11:38 AM, Michael Kipsang Bullut wrote:> Greetings,>> I hope this reaches you in the best of health & highest of spirits. I'd like> to introduce all to a mailing list I created for Kenyan Bloggers: KenBlogs> (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ken-blogs/) I firmly believe this is a> field which can be developed into a leading division in the Information> Technology industry. I'm an amateur blogger & my blog is called The 411...> (http://kipsang.wordpress.com/) Check it out & feel free to leave a> comment... My dream is to create a large virtual community that can be felt> both locally & globally. Looking forward to all of you joining!>> Kind regards,>> Michael.>Hello Michael,Have you configured your system to send this mail every month oryou've sent it a second time by mistake?-- Best regards,Odhiambo WASHINGTON,Nairobi,KE+254733744121/+254722743223_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _"Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!" --from a /. post _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com The most personalized portal on the Web!

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KENIC IPv6 Workshop - Letter of Information
by Vincent Ngundi 05 Jun '08

05 Jun '08

The depletion of IPv4 addresses possibly in the next 3 years will mean that more hosts cannot be connected to the Internet and this will hinder the growth of the Internet, now seen as the economic driving force of the 21st century. A solution to this is the deployment of IPv6, the Next Generation Internet (NGI), which is the new IP protocol and which provides for a much larger number of IP addresses besides enhancing Internet security and easing network management. In line with KENIC’s mandate of promoting ICT’s and building local ICT capacity, KENIC, in partnership with the Africa Network Information Centre (AfriNIC), the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), the Kenya ICT Board (KICTB) and the Telecommunication Service Providers Association of Kenya (TESPOK), has organised an IPv6 Hands- on workshop to be held between the 17th and 20th of June 2008 at the Sarova Panafric Hotel in Nairobi. The purpose of the workshop is to train at least 200 local ICT professionals on among other things; · The allocation, assignment and management of Internet Protocol (IP) Number resources · IPv4 to IPv6 co-existence and transition mechanisms and · The deployment and management of the Next Generation Internet, that is IPv6 networks. To register for the workshop, kindly fill the online workshop registration form available on our website, www.kenic.or.ke, and submit the Kshs. 10,000.00 workshop fees (per participant) to our offices either by cash or company cheque (in favour of KENIC) on or before the 12th of June 2008. Requests for invoices should be sent to training(a)kenic.or.ke. You can find out more about the workshop by visiting the IPv6 workshop page on our website, www.kenic.or.ke. We hope that your organisation will utilise this opportunity and develop capacity in both IPv6 deployment and the management of IP resources. Kind Regards, ----------- Vincent Ngundi Administrative Manager KENIC - The Kenya Network Information Center http://www.kenic.or.ke vincent(a)kenic.or.ke [T] +254 20 4450057/8 [C] +254 20 2398036 [M] +254 733 790073 [F] +254 20 4450087 "dot KE for Every Name in Kenya!"

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Re: [kictanet] Entrepreneurship!! -ICT4D belated comments.
by John Walubengo 05 Jun '08

05 Jun '08

Thanx Magana for your belated but welcomed comments. I feel obliged to share them on the list otherwise some members will imagine i cooked the comments when they see them reflected in the final report... walu. --- On Thu, 6/5/08, Owino Magana <magana(a)e-kazi.com> wrote: > From: Owino Magana <magana(a)e-kazi.com> > Subject: Entrepreneurship!! > To: "jwalu" <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> > Date: Thursday, June 5, 2008, 10:03 AM > Hi Walu, > > Sorry for submitting my thoughts after your deadline. As I > mentioned yesterday, my I was travelling the bundus and the > GPRS on my handheld device walked out on me!! Perhaps > another case for fibre and wireless options for the last > mile. > > My thoughts: > > The issue of low ICT uptake/resistance in the public > service (mentionned by Dr. Ndemo) and perhaps applicable to > initiatives such as the digital villages programme can be > addressed in part through the Mike Eldon proposed: > > 1. Sensitization of public service leadership > > 2. Alignment of ICT strategy to organizational strategy > > 3. Training of target users in various ICT applications > > However, I see a strong case for traveling the extra mile > to the province > > of entrepreneurship and providing: > > A) empowerment of target groups via practical business > management skills focusing entrepreneurship > > (job and wealth creation, incubation) Indeed, there may be > a case for educational reform to enable fusion of the same > into our primary, secondary school and tertiary learning > curricula. > > B) training on project management: how to translate > strategy into results through structured implementation. > Again, this needs to be emphasised in our educational > system. > > All is not lost, even now, as the skills are practical and > can be taught with reasonable effectiveness to those > already employed. > > Bottom line: there will be no uptake without incentive. > Money making Self employment options > > provide such. This is more so if the people are empowered > to make the things they plan (hence their dream) come true! > > Sustainability (much loved by civil society and others) is, > in my view, an entrepreneurial not technology, issue. > > > > Shalom > > O-M > > Owino Magana > Strategy Implementation Advisor > E-Kazi Africa, www.e-kazi.com > P O Box 10307 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya > > CDMA Tel: +254 2014 520 > GSM Cell1: +254 722 861 349 > GSM Cell2: +254 736 861 349 > GSM Kigali: +250 032 944 11 > > Skype: owino.magana

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