- KICTANet - KICTANet

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…

2 1

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/

2 1

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.

1 0

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/

1 0

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/

1 0

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.

5 6

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* > > > > >

1 0

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

1 0

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

1 0

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.

1 0