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MOBILE PHONES REVOLUTIONIZE AFRICAN BANKING
by alice 28 May '07

28 May '07

From Balancing Act MOBILE PHONES REVOLUTIONIZE AFRICAN BANKING Mobile phone banking is expanding across the region from South Africa to Kenya and is putting the poor directly in control of their own finances like never before. In Africa, traditional banking is not a viable option for many of the poor and those living in rural areas. High fees, low education and literacy, as well as long distances between banking facilities get in the way of simple transactions. According to the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), an estimated 80 percent of those living in the United Nations-designated least developed countries (LDCs) are unbanked. However, technologies like mobile phone banking are contributing to overcoming these constraints. Only 1 billion of the world`s 6.5 billion people have bank accounts, according to CGAP, yet about 3 billion have mobile phones. CGAP figures these new technologies will open the door to more than 2 billion people worldwide who currently do not have access to banking services. Thanks to a $26 million partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launched in February, CGAP hopes to discover how to best use technology to deliver banking services to the poor around the world and "make it possible for people anywhere, anytime, to have access to all kinds of financial services," says Elizabeth Littlefield, chief executive officer of CGAP. "Poor people are very willing to use mobile phones as a basis for moving money around. In places like the Congo, mobile phones are used to transfer money around the country, circumventing the banking system as well as the more traditional money transfer," she said. According to Gautam Ivatury, a microfinance specialist and manager of the CGAP technology program, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone, there are an estimated 3 million mobile phones yet only 20,000 bank accounts, indicating a huge potential for mobile banking. The bottleneck in delivering microfinance services such as savings accounts, money transfers, and loans to the poor has been the cost of "making tiny little transactions" in sometimes rural areas using traditional banking practices. Yet mobile phones and other technology can cut the cost of such transactions and make widespread microfinance economically feasible. (SOURCE: AGOP)

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Internet for shillings 1,500/= per month!
by Alex Gakuru 26 May '07

26 May '07

PHILADELPHIA WIRELESS INTERNET PROJECT ADVANCES [SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Jon Hurdle] Philadelphia has finished testing its wireless Internet project, setting the stage for America's biggest citywide Wi-Fi network that will also offer access to low-income households, officials said on Thursday. The city government this week approved results from a 15-square-mile test zone where people can access the Internet for $21.95 a month or $9.95 if they qualify for low-income assistance. Access is free in parks and other outdoor spaces, and for people participating in community programs such as employment training or housing assistance. By the end of this year, Philadelphia will have wireless Internet access throughout its 135 square miles. http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN2436904820070524 COALITION PUSHES FOR US BROADBAND PLAN [SOURCE: InfoWorld, AUTHOR: Grant Gross] Fifty-four organizations, including Amazon, Google, and TiVO, have called on the U.S. government to create a national broadband policy, saying there's no plan now in place focused on providing affordable access for all residents. The Open Internet Coalition, in a letter to Congress sent Thursday, said the U.S. government needs to adopt new measures to ensure universal affordable access to broadband, net neutrality and increased competition in the broadband market. The letter is the first step in a concerted effort coalition members will make to push broadband legislation in Congress, members said. Last month, some of the coalition's members called for open access requirements in upcoming spectrum auctions at the Federal Communications Commission. Increased access to the Internet is vital to U.S. economic growth, said the letter to Congress. "Now is the time to give this goal the urgency it deserves," the letter said. "As broadband networks become more and more integral to our economic and social life, we are reaching a tipping point where legislation is no longer simply welcome -- it is imperative." Not everyone agrees with the coalition's goals, particularly its call for Network Neutrality or open access on broadband networks. Large broadband providers like Verizon and AT&T have opposed efforts to pass a net neutrality law that would prohibit providers from blocking or slowing Web content from competitors. Such a law, the companies say, would limit their business plans and would discourage them from building fast new networks. http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/05/24/Coalition-pushes-for-US-broadband… [WWWhatsup NYC] --------------------------------- Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links.

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Re: [kictanet] Holding our Leaders Accountable
by jamesrege＠africaonline.co.ke 26 May '07

26 May '07

Dear e-colleagues, As I said last week, our invitees indicated a willingness to come but they found varied reasons not show up. We must find a way to bring them closer. As they need to maximize the use of their time and also to avoid public embarrassment, we need to perhaps do an off-line dialogue first with them to find out how they want their bread battered. and I therefore agree with Kanja's idea. Can we beat our drum louder than the Kigali's one? Jim Rege Washington, D.C Original Message: ----------------- From: Kanja Waruru kanjawaruru(a)yahoo.com Date: Mon, 21 May 2007 02:30:39 -0700 (PDT) To: jamesrege(a)africaonline.co.ke Subject: Re: [kictanet] Holding our Leaders Accountable Judy, My concept was we use a more friendly approach and remove the pressure from the candidates, its scaring to be interviewed by ICT professionals under camera on a subject you are not confident about. So my 'chai' approach was we call them for a friendly ICT update over a cup of tea with the main objective being to bring them up to speed and more confident on this complex subject. Once they are en-lighted, they will use ICT on their campaign trails countrywide My worry is that if nobody takes the time now to bring them up to speed on ICT issues we may have a heavy price to pay later on. Cheers. Kanja --- Judy Okite <judyokite(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Kanja, > > This 'chai' concept......how much accountability are > we talking about? > a one-on-one based conversation? > how does it benefit the Nation? at the end of the > day....how does your > 'scream' come out? "He told me so?" > Or probably we could do it,but the 'Githongo' way! > > Kind Regards, > > On 5/17/07, Kanja Waruru <kanjawaruru(a)yahoo.com> > wrote: > > > > Dear All, > > Let me comment on this debate. > > > > Its obvious that the main reason why our 'guests' > > didn't show up was that the subject matter was to > > sophisticated and nobody wanted to expose their > > ignorance in front of the cameras. > > > > My suggestion is we should invite them back not > for a > > press debate, and no cameras, but for chai and a > > friendly chat that would bring them upto speed on > ICT > > issues. > > Regards. > > Kanja. > > > > > > --- Alex Gakuru <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > > I encourage us not tire in seeking ways to > involve > > > legislators in ICT but we > > > are not afraid to critise them if and whenever > they > > > fail us terribly. > > > Aspirants you embarrassed consumers? > > > > > > Inexcusable are unapologetic absence in the > digital > > > age where the politicans > > > usually show off fancy communication gadgets.... > > > considering the effort > > > everyone put in, and most appreciated Eng. > Rege's > > > preparations input > > > contribution and his early arrival. > > > > > > ...and these politicians are always so harsh at > > > criticizing others yet when > > > they are called to state their vision they all > > > chicken out. They deserve a > > > thorough thrashing for the embarrassment they > caused > > > to the country and the > > > tuned in world which now has a better > understanding > > > of the political > > > protagonists qualities. > > > > > > But interesting questions were being asked in > your > > > view of your absence > > > yesterday:- > > > > > > 1. Do political leaders thrive better amidst > > > information-deprived rural > > > people? > > > 2. How much of their CDF funds went to ICT > projects? > > > 3. Has it been over-assumed that rural means > poor or > > > "stupid"? > > > 4. Do ICT disinterested MPs hope to fit well in > Hon. > > > Kaparo's ICT-compliant > > > parliament? > > > 5. What and how else could the network deliver > these > > > politicians into the > > > ICT world? > > > > > > It was wonderful Kanja transformed local content > > > challenges into an > > > opportunity. "Everyday, the media, is always > busy > > > destroying old content > > > because of storage problems...." (ask the media > > > houses to for the content > > > and start a "K-Tube"? ;-) > > > > > > Thank you Edith for sharing community wireless > > > access point built using > > > ordinary tins. I am intersted in .... > > > > > > Thanks to KICTANET, KENIC, KDN, MEDIA OWNERS and > > > notable patient press who > > > chose to stay on despite politicians failing to > turn > > > up. Cover more stor > > > > > > October 2004 draft ICT Policy decried absence of > > > high level ICT leadership > > > but fortunately the last year gazetted policy > speaks > > > of protecting this > > > (new-found) leadership. In view of this, I am > > > obliged to thank President > > > Kibaki for assuming high level ICT leadership > the > > > successive ICT directives > > > in 2006 ( e.g. fibre, digitisation... ) > > > > > > So, I give credit where it is due? > > > > > > Alex Gakuru > > > > > > On 5/17/07, Lucy Kimani <lkimani(a)comnews.co.ke> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > All, > > > > > > > > I am just venting on the dismal performance of > our > > > aspiring presidential > > > > candidates, I have noticed a trend where those > in > > > leadershipship positions > > > > let alone those aspiring for the same confirm > > > their attendance to a > > > > certain function and then not show up or best > case > > > scenario show up 2-3 > > > > hours late. I keep asking myself why do we as > > > Kenyans accept this > > > > behavior, and I am at a loss! > > > > > > > > Actually, my pesa nane is that we as the > citizens > > > need to start demanding > > > > accountability in that when one says they will > > > attend a function then they > > > > should keep to their word, after all why are > > > electing people whose word > > > > doesnt count for much? Additionally, most of > us > > > also have busy work lives > > > > > > > > and the fact that we were willing to stop what > we > > > were doing to sit down > > > > to hear what these aspiring candidates have to > say > > > about ICT is a > > > > testament to how important we feel ICT to be > to > > > the country. > > > > > > > > I am one for making strong statements, and a > one > > > page ad expressing our > > > > displeasure and questioning why the candidates > are > > > scared of facing a > > > > serious group of citizens wanting to know > where > > > each of them stands in ICT > > > > would be in order! I am sure if it was one of > > > those meetings where fans > > > > are shouting at the top of their voices, and > no > > > one is asking any serious > > > > questions they probably would show up, we need > to > > > start demanding more > > > > from our politicians! > > > > > > > > Just my thoughts! > > > > > > > > LK > > > > > > > > > > > > ----------------------------------------- > > > > This email was sent using Communicatons > Solutions > > > LTD WebMail. > > > > " " > > > > http://www.accesskenya.com/ > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > kictanet mailing list > > > > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > > > > > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > === message truncated ===> _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kanjawaruru%40yahoo.com ____________________________________________________________________________ ________Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games. http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gamekey=monopolyherenow _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jamesrege%40africaonline.co.k e -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web.com - Microsoft® Exchange solutions from a leading provider - http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange

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ISOC launches Call for PIR Board Member Nominations]
by alice 25 May '07

25 May '07

A good place to shape the DNS space the way it should be ;) http://www.isoc.org/isoc/media/releases/070511.shtml <http://www.isoc.org/isoc/media/releases/070511.shtml> ISOC launches Call for PIR Board Member Nominations The Internet Society (ISOC) seeks a maximum of three highly qualified individuals to serve on the Board of Directors of the Public Interest Registry (PIR) for the period 2008-2010. PIR's business is managing an international registry of .org domain names. The Board meets in person 3-4 times per year. The time commitment is approximately 14-18 full days per year plus additional phone calls and e-mail. Qualifications sought include: * Demonstrated business acumen with significant entrepreneurial, non-commercial and/or marketing skills; * understanding and engagement in the retail domain name space; * known contributor to the ICANN processes; * financial literacy; * expertise in the application of Internet technologies to support non-commercial organizations; and * experience with the operation and policies of TLD registries. * Global diversity in candidates is desired. Please forward a statement of interest and qualifications, three references, and a curriculum vitae highlighting relevant experience, expertise, and contact information to: *Lynn St. Amour, President and CEO, Internet Society * Email: pir-nomcomm(a)isoc.org <mailto:pir-nomcomm@isoc.org>. Please submit materials in attached documents (pdf, .doc, .txt) For full consideration, please apply by June 11th, 2007. Applications will be evaluated as they are received. -- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Franck Martin franck.martin(a)gmail.com <mailto:franck.martin@gmail.com> "Toute connaissance est une réponse à une question" G. Bachelard _______________________________________________ ALAC mailing list ALAC(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac_atlarge-lists.icann.org At-Large Official Site: http://www.alac.icann.org ALAC Independent: http://www.icannalac.org

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African Satellite & Wireless Broadband Conference & VoIP Forum]
by alice 25 May '07

25 May '07

African Satellite & Wireless Broadband Conference & VoIP Forum Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, 11-13 June 2007 "Broadband bridges across Africa: First and last mile solutions" SPEAKERS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY LEADERS: Keynote: Efficient bandwidth delivery mechanisms Peter Gbedemah, MD, Gateway Communications, UK Keynote: Next Generation Networks: Selecting the right migration path Renato Goodfellow, Solutions Manager, ME & Africa, BT Global Solutions, UK Keynote: Creating wireless communities Paul Munnery, CEO, Wireless Digital Cities, UK Optimising satellite services in the region's approaching new fibre era Joe Luel, Market Development, SkyVision Global Networks, UK Fiber optic vs. satellite-based connectivity: Do they compete or do they complete? Avihu Bergman, Executive VP Sales & Marketing, Gilat Satcom, Israel DVBS2: Its role in trunking Malcolm Brew, Director, Bushnet, Uganda Developing wireless skills Gary Chalmers, CEO Africa, Torque-IT, South Africa Rural Wireless: The role of WiMAX, WiFi, CDMA and hybrid technologies Badru Ntege, Director, Big Dish, Uganda VoIP survival strategies for telcos, ISPs and cyber cafes Russell Southwood, CEO, Balancing Act, UK Build vs. buy: VoIP solutions for Africa Colin Blou, Director, Reseller Group, Deltathree, USA Providing a VoIP service over a WiMAX network Yves Desmet, Senior Vice-President, Worldwide Sales, Verso, Belgium Maximising international VoIP services Mawuli Tse, Director for International Sales - Africa, iBasis, Ghana MASTERCLASSES Wireless Security Strategies - Maiendra Moodley, Security Advisor, South African Reserve Bank Building Wireless Communities - Paul Munnery, CEO, Wireless Digital Cities, UK TRAINING WORKSHOPS An introduction to VoIP for corporate users - Sunday Folayan, MD, Skannet, Nigeria VoIP: Survival Strategies for telcos, ISPs and cyber-cafes - Russell Southwood, CEO, Balancing Act, UK To request full details, email info(a)aitecafrica.com or log on to www.aitecafrica.com

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Fwd: Re: Holding our Leaders Accountable
by Alex Gakuru 24 May '07

24 May '07

Excusing, not explaining, their failure to embrace ICTs considering that we are coming from crying foul from "lack of high level leadership" does not help any one of us much. [at least Hon. Raila sent a note] Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai said entered politics upon realising how much these political leaders determine our fate. Leaders Absence Projections: 2007 No available >> looking for votes 2008 No available >> Homecoming and thanking rural voters 2009 No available >> Very Busy "studying diverse aspects of ICTs" 2010 No available >> Reviewing [possibly fault] all "previous" ICT projects 2011 No available >> Countrywide campaign alliances, strategies formulation 2012 No available >> Election Year! Looking for votes that matter...you know ...re-start sequence To fix a stalled car, one mechanic may choose a spray job and take snaps shots of the nice looking repainted chassis, while the other starts by dismantling , re-assembling, overhauling, and then fine tunings the spark plugs fox max efficiency. ICTs drives industry, no excuse stand. Perhaps we invite Hon. Kamotho to further share his below vision? ["Kenya's legislators have surprisingly added their voice in support of the transformation to electronic governance in their operations, both within parliament and in at the constituency level."http://allafrica.com/stories/200704250544.html] Odhiambo WASHINGTON <wash(a)wananchi.com> wrote: Date: Thu, 24 May 2007 14:07:05 +0300 From: Odhiambo WASHINGTON <wash(a)wananchi.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Holding our Leaders Accountable To: Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru(a)yahoo.com> * On 24/05/07 13:42 +0300, Judy Okite wrote: | Chelimo, | | The future is ICT and ICT is the future....its not something that you pray | it goes away........Is it too difficult to be humble/open minded to say 'Am | not all that knowledgeable,in this arena,but I would be more confortable | with a discussion,since we are both going to be learning from each | other,than an interview!!' | In the next 7 months,one of these guys is gonig to be the President of | Kenya....so as the ICT sector, what are we looking at in the next 5 years,if | they do not want to mention it or as U said its not of importance? >From where I sit, I've always thought that politicians don't run the country, but rather the advisors (the bureaucrats). The bureaucrats work on the policy papers, and the implementation! Let's look at it this way: Whenever the country's CEO reshuffles the cabinet, does s/he take into consideration any qualifications the ministers posses, as to put them in charge of some ministry? The answer is NO. It's all political expediency. It's with this in mind that I still support Chelimo. Politicians will only go for something that will yield political mileage - aka votes. I do take cognizance of the fact that the buck stops with the CEO, but I also believe, as a matter of fact, that whatever speeches I hear from CEO or his horde of lieutenants are normally not from their minds but those of the bureaucrats. I recently heard that Kenya, Malaysia and S.Korea were economic age-mates at some point. What I did not hear are the finer details of what was being used in the comparison, and even if there was any that I missed, I seriously doubt it would boil down to ICT. It would be "general economy". I may be losing course, but I still believe that it is not the country's CEO who sits down to lay down the fine details of the ingredients that will make the economy grow, if not jump. There must be a different way of approaching this, which is different than calling the aspirants of that office to a "small" (sic!) debate on ICT:-) I am tempted to ask Dr. Ndemo about the levels at which such decisions as facilitating ICT growth are made in govt., and at what juncture. Is the president the chief decision maker or just the person whose "goodwill" makes things move? Did we invite H.E. The President for the debate as well, given he's one of the aspirants? Did he confirm attendance? I'd yell at the top of my voice if he did, and failed to turn up, because I know it is possible, within the next 6 months, for him to put in place policies towards growing the ICT field, which we can then use to gauge the performance of future leaders. cheers - wash +----------------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ Odhiambo Washington . WANANCHI ONLINE LTD (Nairobi, KE) | wash () WANANCHI ! com . 1ere Etage, Loita Hse, Loita St., | GSM: (+254) 722 743 223 . # 10286, 00100 NAIROBI | GSM: (+254) 733 744 121 . (+254) 020 313 985 - 9 | +---------------------------------+------------------------------------------+ "Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!" --from a /. post _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/alex.gakuru%40yahoo.com Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool.http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48518/*http://autos.yahoo.com/carfinder/;_y… hot CTA = Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Please unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/alex.gakuru%40yahoo.com

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Day 5 - Statistics on Affordability - CCK Internet Study Report
by John Walubengo 24 May '07

24 May '07

Day 5- Statistics on Affordability. I acknowledge an interesting thread filtering in on Trust relationships b/w IGOs/ISPs...feel free to continue contributing on that as well as on today's theme on affordability (multi-tasking encouraged by internet technologies ...) and just to pick up from Kai's projection of KDN fiber hitting Bungoma in early August 2007. This would be quite a welcome and timely development, but at what cost to the consumer? To what extend will the (internet) services be affordable to the rural/average communities? Affordability is a subjective term gven that what is considered cheap by the Bill Gates of this world is probably not so for the average Kenyan on the street. In trying to get an objective measurement for affordability, the Report pegged it on the national average incomes. In other words, if the monthly average income in Kenya is around 100USD and if the average monthly cost for internet access is also around 100USD then obviously the average Kenyan will not bother with accessing the Internet - it just becomes way beyond their means or too expensive or not affordable. The report indicated that access through the more convenient Internet Dial-up/Desktop services costed over 200% the average incomes (too expensive), while the same access through mobile phones was costing just 8% of the average incomes (quite affordable). What needs to be done in order to make Internet Services more afforable to Kenyans? 1 day deliberation on this one. walu.

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[Fwd: Fwd: [KABUNGE] Fwd: Re: [Fwd: presidential aspirants' debate on ICT enabled Kenyan Economy]
by alice 24 May '07

24 May '07

From Shem Ochuodho -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Fwd: [KABUNGE] Fwd: Re: [Fwd: [kictanet] presidential aspirants' debate on ICT enabled Kenyan Economy Date: Thu, 24 May 2007 09:57:06 +0200 From: Shem Ochuodho <shem.ochuodho(a)rita.rw> Reply-To: KIPlist <kiplist-cl(a)lyris.idrc.ca> To: KIPlist <kiplist-cl(a)lyris.idrc.ca> --- the forwarded message follows --- --- Submitted by: Dr. Shem Ochuodho - CEO - RITA -RWANDA <shem.ochuodho(a)rita.rw> 2007-05-24 04:03:08 EDT4 (Please reply to original submitter for private communication) --- You are currently subscribed to kiplist-cl as: [alice(a)apc.org] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-kiplist-cl-100946B(a)lyris.idrc.ca

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Govt Operations To Go online
by Bill Kagai 24 May '07

24 May '07

24-May-2007: Transparency is finally beckoning for land and court registries – two of the most difficult institutions to do business with in Kenya – following the signing of a $135 million (Sh9 billion) World Bank loan to build an information super highway that will put all government operations online. http://bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1170&Itemid=4… -- -- With Kind Regards, Bildad Kagai MD - MediaCorp Limited Suite B2, Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue P. O. Box 20311-00200 Tel. 254 20 272 8332 URL. www.mediacorp.co.ke --

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Kenya wins UN award
by Alex Gakuru 24 May '07

24 May '07

[Hypothetically, supposing the government become more efficient than the private sector, what would happen?] Kenya wins UN award By Susan Anyangu Kenya has won the 2007 United Nations Public Service award for introducing performance contracts. The award is divided in three categories and Kenya scooped the top honours in the first category of "improving transparency, accountability and responsiveness in the public sector". Minister for Public Service, Mr Moses Akaranga, announced the award during a luncheon in Nairobi on Wednesday. Said he: "The performance contracting process was subjected to competition with other management systems from the rest of the world and we managed to win." Kenya came top of category one, beating Singapore, India, Austria, Chile, Azerbaijan and Australia. Four years ago the Government embarked on implementing broad Public Service reforms, which were geared at improving efficiency and transparency. The reforms focused on various aspects, including performance contracting in the Civil Service, computerisation and implementation of the Public Officer Ethics Act 2003. The Head of Public Service, Mr Francis Muthaura, said the success of performance contracts has been evident and the Government is still keen on its resolve to transform the public service. To this regard, the Government will soon extend the process to other public agencies and Government institutions that are not on performance contract. <http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143968999> --------------------------------- You snooze, you lose. Get messages ASAP with AutoCheck in the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.

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