- KICTANet - KICTANet

Taming and reining in Cyberspace
by Alice Munyua 10 Oct '11

10 Oct '11

Interesting article on legislating the internet...... Best Alice http://nationaljournal.com/magazine/taming-and-reining-in-cyberspace-201109… Taming and Reining in Cyberspace Now 20 years old, the Web is losing its Wild West freedom. Government power in cyberspace is big and growing. by Josh Smith <http://nationaljournal.com/reporters/bio/110> Updated: September 23, 2011 | 10:58 a.m. September 15, 2011 | 5:00 p.m. <http://cdn-media.nationaljournal.com/?controllerName=image&action=get&id=11…> DLILLC/Corbis On Aug. 6, 1991, the World Wide Web went global. British physicist Tim Berners-Lee posted the first hyperlink to an online discussion group and began the Internet's transformation from an elite tool to a public platform. Since then, the Web has spawned dreams of a cyber-realm where government censors are powerless, people are free, and national boundaries are meaningless. "Governments of the Industrial World," wrote Grateful Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow in 1996, "you weary giants of flesh and steel, I come from Cyberspace, the new home of Mind. On behalf of the future, I ask you of the past to leave us alone. You are not welcome among us. You have no sovereignty where we gather." Twenty years after the Web's debut, governments around the world are trying to put the genie back in the bottle. The Internet has indeed revolutionized politics and government, but it has hardly transcended laws and regulations. From blocking online poker to tracking the cyberfootprints of suspected terrorists, governments are exer-cising more power over---and through---the Internet than ever before. "In the early days of the Web, a decade or so ago, it was taken for granted that freedom of expression online would inexorably evolve and progress," noted a recent report from the OpenNet Initiative, a coalition promoting Internet freedom. "It was assumed that governments that did not uphold the fundamental human right to speak and write freely would be powerless.... By now, though, those dreams have been dashed." China's government demonstrated years ago that it could restrict access to the Web and stifle online political criticism. But Western governments are becoming more intrusive too, often motivated by popular goals: fighting child pornography; tracking criminals and terrorists; preventing cyberattacks and fighting cyberwars; and helping political opposition groups in countries such as Libya and Iran evade government repression. "Now that the Internet is an integral part of most people's lives, it would be contradictory to exclude governments," President Nicolas Sarkozy of France told a global conference of technology leaders this spring. "Nobody should forget that these governments are the only legitimate representatives of the will of the people in our democracies. To forget this is to risk democratic chaos and hence anarchy." "Governments are the only legitimate representatives of the people.... To forget this is to risk democratic chaos." ---President Nicolas Sarkozy of France Earlier this year, France gave police the authority to shut down suspected child-pornography websites without a warrant, a move that civil libertarians fear could legitimize more-expansive censorship. But France is hardly alone. The governments of Tunisia and Turkey, among others, have proposed Internet filters to block pornography that could also end up restricting access to legitimate websites. The leaders of Iran, already one of the world's harshest online censors, are transitioning to a state-controlled "national Internet" that allows no access to the World Wide Web. Washington has been ramping up its policing as well. The proposed Protect IP Act moving through Congress would give law-enforcement agencies more tools to go after pirated content online. Critics say that the bill could limit free speech by allowing officials to block websites without giving their owners a chance to defend themselves against charges of illegal activity. Another bill would require Internet service providers to keep their customers' browsing histories for a full year. It aims at helping police track down child pornographers, but opponents say that the government could mine the information for almost any purpose. The dilemmas came home to America in a big way in August when San Francisco transit officials shutdown cell-phone service in some subway stations to head off planned protests in their train stations. The move drew rebukes from civil libertarians and sparked a fight with the hacker group Anonymous. Angry over the shutdown, Anonymous hacked into a transit-authority website, exposing the personal data of people unrelated to the agency and even posting nude pictures of a transit official. Both sides' actions make it hard to say who was in the right, highlighting the tension between government protection and government intrusion. The widening governmental grasp worries civil libertarians and longtime champions of Internet freedom. "The world's governments are increasing their regulatory attention to the Internet to address a range of concerns," said Leslie Harris, president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, an advocacy group working to keep an "open, innovative, and free" Internet. "In the process, some are forgetting---or are consciously seeking to repeal or limit---the policy choices that allowed the Internet to develop into such a powerful platform for economic activity, democratic participation, and human development." The first half of 2011 saw unprecedented action from the highest levels of government and international organizations. In May, the White House composed its first-ever International Strategy for Cyberspace, designed to coordinate Internet efforts among federal agencies. Also in May, the Group of Eight leading industrial nations convened a gathering of tech leaders in Paris and released a communiqué calling for tighter regulation of the Internet. On June 29, the international Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development issued a set of principles that called, in part, for ISPs and other intermediaries to monitor more online content. And in July, the Defense Department released its first plan for cyberspace, declaring the Internet a domain for war. The goal of the Obama administration's International Strategy for Cyberspace seems benign and even bland: to keep the Internet "open, interoperable, secure, and reliable." The document links policies ranging from cybersecurity to Internet freedom and identifies "norms of responsible behavior" for governments around the world. "The world must collectively recognize the challenges posed by malevolent actors' entry into cyberspace, and update and strengthen our national and international policies accordingly," the strategy document concludes. "The future of an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable cyberspace depends on nations recognizing and safeguarding that which should endure while confronting those who would destabilize or undermine our increasingly networked world." Even with the best of intentions, however, the United States and other democracies face a paradox: In their efforts to preserve an Internet that is both open and secure, governments often undermine access by overregulating. "States no longer fear pariah status by openly declaring their intent to regulate and control cyberspace," concluded the OpenNet Initiative's report. "The convenient rubric of terrorism, child pornography, and cybersecurity has contributed to a growing expectation that states should enforce order in cyberspace." FOREIGN POLICY BY OTHER MEANS Antigovernment protesters filled Cairo's Tahrir Square in mostly peaceful demonstrations for days last winter, and by Feb. 2, the area was a teeming mass of humanity. Then, on that particular Wednesday, things changed. Thousands of supporters of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stormed into the square, swinging clubs and whips. The clash created a bizarre spectacle as protesters organized through social media and cell phones faced thugs riding on camels and horses in a street brawl broadcast around the world on cable television and the Internet. Pundits cast the almost medieval images from Tahrir Square as proof of the power of social media against an authoritarian regimes. "There's no question that the ability of young activists in Egypt or Tunisia to organize themselves was dependent on not sitting in a coffee shop or hotel somewhere, but using the Internet and having access to each other online," said Michael Posner, assistant secretary of State for democracy, human rights, and labor, in an interview with /National Journal./ "So the potential is great, but precisely because it is great and it's so empowering, there's also greater risk." That fact is not lost on governments. The United States is spending millions of dollars to develop anticensorship apps, build shadow communications systems, and train activists overseas how to beat Big Brother. "Some are ... consciously seeking to repeal" the freedom that allowed the Internet to develop. ---Leslie Harris, Center for Democracy and Technology Not surprisingly, autocratic regimes have fought back with their own measures. The State Department's 2010 Human Rights Report cited the dramatic growth of communications technology as one of the most significant trends in human rights. But researchers also found that "more than 40 governments are now using a combination of regulatory restrictions, technical controls on access to the Internet, and technologies designed to repress speech and infringe on the personal privacy of those who use these rapidly evolving technologies." The growing threat of Internet censorship, ranging from China's sophisticated firewalls to outright attacks on activists tracked down through their online trails, is prompting calls for more-concerted freedom initiatives. "The open Internet as it exists today did not come about by accident," warned the Center for Democracy and Technology in a recent report. "Today's Internet is possible because of very specific choices made in technology, policy, and law that encourage innovation and preserve the openness of the platform." In many ways, the United States is active on both sides of the argument. On one hand, the Defense Department and the CIA are pouring billions of dollars into cyberwarfare and cyberespionage; the Homeland Security Department is beefing up cybertracking to head off potential terrorist attacks; and members of Congress are aiming to increase regulation of online privacy, intellectual property, and cybercrime. All of these efforts work to expand government's power. On the other hand, the State Department is actively helping dissident groups in countries such as Libya to evade their government's Internet barriers. Those efforts have the potential to expand democracy. "This is a new foreign-policy imperative," Christopher Painter, who became the State Department's first cyberpolicy coordinator, said in an interview with /National Journal./ "The decisions we make over the next year or two will define how the Internet looks for years." After years of approaching Internet issues as a cluster of separate technical problems, Painter said, governments and private-sector groups are recognizing that cybersecurity, privacy, copyright protections, and free speech are all connected. "All these topics are mutually dependent," Painter said. "You can't make policy without understanding that." JUST DON'T HELP TOO MUCH In December 2010, an officer with the sheriff's regional electronics and computer investigations in Hamilton County, Ind., contacted 52-year-old Michael Bohannon online. Bohannon shared 41 files of suspected child pornography with the officer, and investigators ultimately uncovered more than 13,000 images and 6,000 videos of child pornography on the Cincinnati man's home computer. Even more disturbing, police realized that Bohannon had been convicted five years earlier of possessing child pornography and had served 40 months in prison. It's a story repeated almost every day in crime blotters around the world, along with reports of international child-porn rings, and it's why the public supports law enforcement's authority to track suspected predators with whatever tools are available. Who wouldn't want to do everything possible to stop the sexual exploitation of children? That's exactly what Reps. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., argued at a House hearing in July. The pair was championing their Protecting Children from Internet Pornographers Act, which would require ISPs to collect and retain user data for at least a year. Opponents, including Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., warned that the bill could open a Pandora's box of government intrusion---from warrantless snooping on innocent people to mining all kinds of personal information. "This is not about child porn. It never has been and never will be," Issa said during committee debate. "This is a convenient way for law enforcement to get what they couldn't get in the Patriot Act." Not surprisingly, many big corporate players on the Web are uneasy about government intervention in cyberspace. Google's Chairman, Eric Schmidt, fretted at the "e-G-8" meeting in Paris this May that governments might be getting ahead of themselves. "Technology will move faster than governments, so don't legislate before you understand the consequences," Schmidt warned the audience of political and technology industry leaders. While few Internet users in Western countries face outright censorship, government officials are stepping up efforts to prevent cybercrime, protect privacy, and crack down on copyright infringement. Germany and Canada, among others countries, have also used hate-speech laws to go after Internet service providers that knowingly host illegal content. The Internet has great potential to empower democratic movements, "but ... there's also greater risk." ---Michael Posner As early as 2000, a French court ordered Yahoo to block French users from an online auction site offering Nazi memorabilia. This June, ISPs in Australia took matters into their own hands and restricted access to a list of 500 websites, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which advocates Internet freedom. "While some filtering at a private level can be a good thing, such as keeping kids from accessing undesirable content online, government-level filtering does more harm than good," said Jillian York, the foundation's director for international freedom of expression. "What happens when the filters go after politically sensitive content? Will anyone object then?" Over the past year, cyberspace experienced a surge in government interference, restrictions on the flow of information, and disputes over how Internet traffic is exchanged, noted Larry Strickling, assistant secretary of Commerce for communications and information, speaking at a Georgetown University Law Center event in July. "All of these events only strengthen my view that now is truly a time for all to get involved who are concerned about maintaining a vibrant and growing Internet and who want to preserve established global Internet institutions," he said. In the United States, power struggles over the Internet are under way on many fronts. Various proposals making their way through Congress would enact sweeping changes to laws governing cybersecurity, online privacy, and protection of intellectual property. Each fight, regardless of the specifics, has the potential to change the balance of control between the government, the communications industry, and private individuals. The Global Online Freedom Act, reintroduced in April after languishing since 2006, would require technology companies to receive permission from U.S. officials before complying with restrictive foreign governments. Critics of the legislation---notably, businesses that do business with such governments---charge that it is autocratic of the United States to try to control what other governments want them to do. Reps. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and Joe Barton, R-Texas, have proposed a measure that would require websites and online services to abide by strict privacy rules for children under 12. Among other things, the bill would prohibit Web companies from tracking a child's online browsing. But some civil-liberties activists say the bill would actually reduce privacy because Internet companies would need to collect even personal information to determine if a user is a child. Government efforts to protect against hacking present some of the greatest challenges to Internet freedom, analysts say. Legislation proposed by the top members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee <http://topics.nationaljournal.com/Senate+Homeland+Security+Committee/> would give the federal government the authority to enforce cybersecurity and would push the private sector to establish "best practices" against hackers. When civil-rights groups complained that the measure would give the executive branch too much power in the event of a major cyberattack, the bill's sponsors added language that explicitly bars the president from using any kind of "kill switch" to shut down the Internet. Some policymakers, including former Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, have proposed measures to beef up security by making it easier to track and identify people online. But cyberlibertarians oppose any such steps. "A 'reengineered,' more secure Internet is likely a very different Internet than the open and innovative network we know today," warned George Mason University researchers Jerry Brito and Tate Watkins in a recent paper. "It might be an Internet on which information flows are much more easily controlled by government and in which anonymity is impossible, posing a threat to free speech. A capability to track and attribute malicious activities could just as easily be employed to track and control any other type of activity." BIG BUSINESS VERSUS BIG BROTHER Perhaps the most heavily lobbied open-Internet battle in the United States centers on network-neutrality regulations designed to reduce anticompetitive behavior over broadband networks. The rules, which the Federal Communications Commission approved in December, prohibit Internet service providers from blocking or slowing access to certain websites. For supporters, usually on the liberal side of the political fence, net-neutrality regulations are vital to ensuring that corporations don't restrict Internet access. Without restrictions, they say, ISPs could charge Yahoo for the opportunity to have its search site load faster than Google's, or could block start-ups from entering the market. Conservative critics decry the rules as tantamount to a government takeover of the Internet. Even before the regulations took effect, they were challenged in court, and the House voted to overturn them. The brawl highlights a vexing subtext of the online-freedom debate: Who is best suited to protect the free use of the Internet? The Net's traditional champions leaned libertarian, worrying primarily about government control. But giant corporations essentially dominate the Internet today, and many of them have access to vast amounts of personal data. Facebook alone boasts more than 750 million active users (if Facebook was a country, it would be the third-most populous in the world), and Google recently became the first website to attract 1 billion visits a month. Like Washington, the cyberindustry seems to straddle both sides of the argument over Internet freedom. "People tell me, 'On the one hand, it's great you played such a big role in the Arab Spring, but it's also kind of scary because you enable all this sharing and collect information on people,' " Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, told the e-G-8 assembly. "It's hard to have one without the other.... You can't isolate some things you like about the Internet and control other things that you don't." Many in the business community and in civil-society organizations are hoping that self-regulation will stave off government mandates. The Global Network Initiative, a coalition of human-rights groups and industry giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo, was established in 2008 to develop guidelines for operating within authoritarian countries. The idea, not always embraced during the heat of competition, is that Western companies shouldn't provide the tools for political repression. Meanwhile, though, the communications and tech sectors face mounting calls in democratic countries for government intervention to fight cyberattacks, data breaches, invasive marketing, child pornography, and hate speech. Art Brodsky of Public Knowledge, a nonprofit advocacy group for citizen rights in cyberspace, said that some degree of government control is inevitable. "As long as there are people sitting at the keyboards, governments will have a role to play," he said. "People still live in the real world, and in the real world, governments are still in charge." IS INTERNET ACCESS A HUMAN RIGHT? Rafal Rohozinski is riding the Internet freedom wave. As a top executive of Psiphon, a Web proxy service based in Canada that allows people around the world to circumvent Internet firewalls and avoid censorship, Rohozinski was among the first to receive some of the $15 million in grants from the State Department to support Internet freedom in 2008. Now, the company is one of several that contract with the Broadcasting Board of Governors, an independent government agency, to help international users access U.S. government news content. Since then, the department has handed out $35 million in similar grants for anticensorship technology, software, and activist training. But that's just the beginning. Inspired by the Arab Spring uprisings, Congress included an extra $20 million in its most recent continuing budget resolution for the State Department's Internet freedom programs, as well as $10 million for the Broadcasting Board of Governors' circumvention contractors. The parallel growth of government control and government spending to block censorship is no coincidence. "We are experiencing a tectonic shift," Rohozinski says. "As more and more people come online, it becomes more political. It used to be just for geeks. Now we're moving way beyond that." At the heart of that change, he says, is the growing number of young people online and the explosion of Internet use outside the United States. "The epicenter of cyberspace is shifting," he said. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton highlighted the growing stakes in a landmark speech on Internet freedom earlier this year. "The Internet has become the public space of the 21st century---the world's town square, classroom, marketplace, coffeehouse, and nightclub," she said. "We need to have a serious conversation about the principles that will guide us. What rules exist and should not exist, and why? What behaviors should be encouraged or discouraged, and how?" The problem, Clinton's senior adviser Alec Ross has said, is that no international norms govern access to the Internet. In June, United Nations special rapporteur Frank La Rue concluded that access is a human right and should be protected as such. "Given that the Internet has become an indispensable tool for realizing a range of human rights, combating inequality, and accelerating development and human progress," La Rue wrote in a report in May to the U.N.'s Human Rights Council, "ensuring universal access to the Internet should be a priority for all states." These declarations from the United States and the United Nations have heartened civil-rights advocates and the information-technology industry alike, in part because they concede that the technology itself doesn't guarantee immunity from repression. As Google's Eric Schmidt remarked at a Santa Barbara, Calif., conference in May, "If you're willing to shoot enough people and to kill enough people, you can beat the Internet."

1 0

Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint
by Catherine Adeya 10 Oct '11

10 Oct '11

As a part-time editor...you are wrong. What we are suggesting is doable. We just have to pay for it. The person who said cost-cutting is one of the reasons for the poor quality maybe on to something. I totally disagree...you have used '"throwing the baby with the bath water" wrongly in this case!!!!! ________________________________ From: Agosta Liko <agostal(a)gmail.com> To: Catherine Adeya <elizaslider(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 10:54 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint Lets just say writing articles ... is like writing software. If you are writing alot of code you are going to make mistakes ... If you write one article a month, you are less likely to make mistakes than if you are expected to write 30 just like ... if you are writing alot of code, there are going to be mistakes ... What we are doing with this grammer thread is "throwing out the baby with the bathwater" :) Ps: When served a plate of rice in Kenya and you see one maggot - what do you do ? Throw out the plate or remove the maggot silently and engage If there are any typos ... pole sana :) On Mon, Oct 10, 2011 at 10:16 AM, Catherine Adeya <elizaslider(a)yahoo.com> wrote: I think there is a wrong impression that a Journalism graduate is best suited to edit a paper. You may be better off with an English major graduate, Linguistics graduate and Information Sciences (Publishing Major) graduate. The IS course at MU had a renowned editing course in the '80s with the late Jonathan Kariara. I do not know how they are doing now. I remember him teaching an editing class and emphasizing the importance of good grammar, good English and simplicity especially when communicating to the wider market. I remember "Class, it is easier to say "walk" rather than "perambulate" even though they mean the same thing. He gave an example of certain words that you must be extremely careful about when editing...they are words that you must counter-check and DO NOT AT ANY COST rely on your computer (the class already had experience in this). > > >Let me give you an example of one of those words and forgive me as I have no intention to be vulgar. Two years ago I was in Dar and I was reading their top local paper. The heading in one of the lead stories was 'President opens a Pubic library'......I can't remember whether it was a library or what but you know the word I am referring to. I actually drew the attention of someone I knew to this major error and she promised to get in touch with the editor. My point is such words on a spell-checker will be correct, it requires as well trained eye to still sweep over the document and pick words like this. Even in the the Kenyan case we lack this seriously yet the qualified people are there. I am glad this topic has come up because sometimes I just put the paper aside as I am horrified at the level of grammar and editorial mistakes. The same happens with the news that is scrolled during News broadcasts....and while I am at that... some of the Opinion questions are SO ABSURD and even worse they are grammatically wrong...wrong...wrong.... > > >Enough said.... > > >Nyaki > > > > >________________________________ > From: Victor Bwire <victor(a)article19.org> >To: elizaslider(a)yahoo.com > >Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> >Sent: Tuesday, October 4, 2011 11:29 PM > >Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint > >Infact it is the ICT use that is the cause of the problem- given the little ICT literacy by some of our newsrooms- most of our sub editors learn computer by on job-rarely able to master command of the computer functions- including grammer, spell checks-it will continue happening > > > >Previously, we used to print hard copies of the articles for editing manually with red pens- thus very few mistakes- but now > >Many of journalism courses do not include introduction to computer lessons- so how will the graduates know how to use them > > > >Who regulates journalism training or draws the course or approves the same in the country anyway- if you even happen to see some course outlines offered in some of the colleges and universities offering journalism including Government ones- you will feel sorry > > > > > >________________________________ >From: kictanet-bounces+victor=article19.org(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [kictanet-bounces+victor=article19.org(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke] on behalf of james ratemo [jratemo(a)gmail.com] >Sent: 04 October 2011 21:16 >To: Victor Bwire > >Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > >Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint > >Bwana PS what are you insinuating? We open our newsrooms fro the so called English majors? Some of them are in the newsrooms already...maybe they are sleeping on the job...my opinion > > >On Tue, Oct 4, 2011 at 11:11 PM, <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke<mailto:bitange@jambo.co.ke>> wrote: >All of today's newspapers had several grammatical errors. At this time and age of ICT, is it not too embarrasing to have such errors? We have thousands of English majors without jobs. It is time for media to be thorough in what they do by utilizing our many graduates without jobs. As a Kenyan I get embarrased to see such errors. > >Ndemo. > > > > >Sent from my BlackBerry® > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga(a)hotmail.com<mailto:ggithaiga@hotmail.com>> >Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke<mailto:jambo.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke> >Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2011 13:32:57 > >To: <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke<mailto:bitange@jambo.co.ke>> >Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke<mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>> >Subject: [kictanet] GSMA: Calls will remain high between African countries > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke<mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> > >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke > >The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > >KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke<mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jratemo%40gmail.com > > >The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > >KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > > >-- >James Ratemo >Online Sub-editor/ICT reporter >Nation Media Group, >P.O Box 49010-00100, >Nairobi >Cell Phone: 0724960649 OR 0731960649 >Email: jratemo(a)ke.nationmedia.com<mailto:Emaili-jratemo@standardmedia.co.ke> or ratemoj(a)hotmail.com<mailto:jamrats2001@yahoo.com> >Website:www.jratemo.wordpress.com<http://www.ictcradle.com/>. >Twitter accounts: http://twitter.com/kenyacurrent or http://twitter.com/jamesratemo >Skype account:ratemoj >My facebook account: http://www.facebook.com/Rats.the.menace > >Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? No one. > > > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/elizaslider%40yahoo.com > > >The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > >KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > > >_______________________________________________ >kictanet mailing list >kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/agostal%40gmail.com > >The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > >KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >

1 1

Fw: Re: SEMINAR ON IMPORTANCE OF SECURITY STANDARDS IN A GLOBALISED ECONOMY
by Esther Wanjau 10 Oct '11

10 Oct '11

Dear All, As you maybe aware, the ISO/IEC JTC1/SC27, Information Technology - Security Techniques Working Group Meetings started today 10th October, 2011 and was officially opened by the PS, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Bitange Ndemo. On the last day of this conference there will be a Seminar on "Importance of Security Standards in a Globalised Economy" which is targetted at the local community for capacity building on the standsrds development process. This seminar will start at 1.30 p.m. I would encourage you to find time to attend this very important and informative seminar. Attached please find more information and a registration form which should be filled (in case you have not yet) and returned to the contacts provided. Esther --- On Tue, 10/4/11, Esther Wanjau <esther_wanjau(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > From: Esther Wanjau <esther_wanjau(a)yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: SEMINAR ON IMPORTANCE OF SECURITY STANDARDS IN A GLOBALISED ECONOMY > To: "Barrack Otieno" <otieno.barrack(a)gmail.com> > Cc: "Ke Internet Users" <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net>, "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Date: Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 4:13 AM > Dear > All, > > Attached please find an information brochure and > registration form for the above seminar to be held on 14th > October, 2011 > at KICC. Please fill the form and return it by 9th > October 2011. > > Esther > > >

1 0

Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint
by luke mulunda 10 Oct '11

10 Oct '11

Marsh, My brain must have been infested with cobwebs. Anyhow, that's what we are talking about: where are the guys (like you) to follow through and clean up the mess before it gets to the press? And it's not just the daily newspapers, Weeklies, and even monthy publications. I have been reading a book authored and published locally and you can see the concern. WWW.SMARTBIZAFRICA.COM Africa's No.1 Online Business Magazine ...For Investors, Entrepreneurs, Managers, Marketers, CEOs, IT Experts, HR & Finance Managers and Students.... Plus Stocks and Business News and Career Guidance<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.smartbizafrica.com/"></a> ________________________________ From: Macharia Gaitho <mgaitho(a)ke.nationmedia.com> To: luke mulunda <lmulunda(a)yahoo.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 1:19 PM Subject: RE: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint Luke, the Ugandan leader was ‘Amin’, not ‘Amini’. I would suppose the unnamed ‘he’ was killed at dawn, not ‘down’. Kindest regards From:kictanet-bounces+mgaitho=nation.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+mgaitho=nation.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of luke mulunda Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 10:37 AM To: Macharia Gaitho Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint Hi all, I would personally blame it on cost-cutting. We have journalism and English experts in newsrooms, but they have too much on their hands to spot the most obvious and embarrassing mistakes in our publications. Mistakes can be costly. Remember during Amini's time in Uganda, the dictator had criticised a female MP, and so the paper splashed the following morning "Amini rapes MP" when he meant "RAPS". I hear, he was killed at down as he brushed his teeth in his house. LUKE M WWW.SMARTBIZAFRICA.COM Africa's No.1 Online Business Magazine ...For Investors, Entrepreneurs, Managers, Marketers, CEOs, IT Experts, HR & Finance Managers and Students.... Plus Stocks and Business News and Career Guidance<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.smartbizafrica.com/"></a> ________________________________ From:Catherine Adeya <elizaslider(a)yahoo.com> To: luke <lmulunda(a)yahoo.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 10:18 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint James, The PS has a point and I am not disputing yours either but I would simply respond to your email below that generalizations is what has got us where we are. Specificity can help more..... Nyaki ________________________________ From:james ratemo <jratemo(a)gmail.com> To: elizaslider(a)yahoo.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Tuesday, October 4, 2011 11:16 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint Bwana PS what are you insinuating? We open our newsrooms fro the so called English majors? Some of them are in the newsrooms already...maybe they are sleeping on the job...my opinion On Tue, Oct 4, 2011 at 11:11 PM, <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> wrote: All of today's newspapers had several grammatical errors. At this time and age of ICT, is it not too embarrasing to have such errors? We have thousands of English majors without jobs. It is time for media to be thorough in what they do by utilizing our many graduates without jobs. As a Kenyan I get embarrased to see such errors. Ndemo. Sent from my BlackBerry® -----Original Message----- From: Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga(a)hotmail.com> Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2011 13:32:57 To: <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: [kictanet] GSMA: Calls will remain high between African countries _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jratemo%40gmail.com The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. -- James Ratemo Online Sub-editor/ICT reporter Nation Media Group, P.O Box 49010-00100, Nairobi Cell Phone: 0724960649 OR 0731960649 Email: jratemo(a)ke.nationmedia.com or ratemoj(a)hotmail.com Website:www.jratemo.wordpress.com. Twitter accounts: http://twitter.com/kenyacurrent or http://twitter.com/jamesratemo Skype account:ratemoj My facebook account: http://www.facebook.com/Rats.the.menace Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? No one. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/elizaslider%40yahoo.com The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/lmulunda%40yahoo.com The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. DISCLAIMER: The information contained in or accompanying this e-mail is intended for the use of the stated recipient only. It may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information. No confidentiality or privilege is waived or lost by any mistransmission. If you receive this message in error, please immediately delete it and all copies of it from your system, destroy any hard copies of it and notify the sender. You must not, directly or indirectly, use, disclose, distribute, print, or copy any part of this message if you are not the intended recipient. Any views or opinions presented herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Nation Media Group. To get all breaking news alerts send the word BREAK to 6667 or visit http://mobile.nation.co.ke to read news on your mobile phone.

2 1

Italy wiretap law - will it be this way once NSIS are allowed to "listen in" on us?
by Odhiambo Washington 07 Oct '11

07 Oct '11

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15192757 -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I can't hear you -- I'm using the scrambler. Please consider the environment before printing this email.

2 1

Re: [kictanet] IGF - congratulations
by meshack emakunat 07 Oct '11

07 Oct '11

The igf in nairobi had the best representation of women in governance in africa. Congrats to the steering committee

1 0

Call for papers - Financial inclusion and ICTs international conference on 5th and 6th April 2012 in Nairobi
by Mwololo Tim 07 Oct '11

07 Oct '11

Dear all, Africa Mobile Money Research (AMMREC) is organizing a conference on financial inclusion and ICTs from 5th to 6th April 2012 in Nairobi. Details can be found in: http://conferences.uonbi.ac.ke/index.php/ammrec/ammrec-2012/schedConf/cfp. The best papers will be published in special issues of two peer reviewed International journals: the International Journal of Computing and ICT Research (IJCIR); and the African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development (AJSTID). Both journals will have special issues on financial inclusion and ICTs in 2012. The deadline for submission of abstracts is 31 October. Kindly advertise in your other networks and submit an abstract, if you can. Apologies for double posting. Regards Tim Waema

1 0

THE KENYA DIASPORA CONFERENCE: WASHINGTON D.C. USA OCTOBER 7-9 2011
by Matunda Nyanchama 07 Oct '11

07 Oct '11

Attached is information about the above. Any suggestions on salient issues I should raise in the session I am moderating, namely: Entrepreneurship, ICT and other Innovations: Business Process Outsourcing Hope to connect with all those from the list that are attending. Regards ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama(a)aganoconsulting.com Agano Consulting Inc.; www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda; Skype: okiambe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be prepared to face ICT Security failures & know how to respond when they happen! Call: +1-888-587-1150 or info(a)aganoconsulting.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk I have a workstation…" - Anonymous ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.

2 2

Fwd: Regional Information Communications Technology Manager job in Nairobi
by Vanessa Malila [ICS RPG] 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

Vanessa Malila PhD Student Institute of Communications Studies University of Leeds ________________________________ ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Alice T. Liu <alice.t.liu(a)gmail.com<mailto:alice.t.liu@gmail.com>> Date: Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 7:35 PM Subject: Regional Information Communications Technology Manager job in Nairobi To: Alice Liu <alice.t.liu(a)gmail.com<mailto:alice.t.liu@gmail.com>> Hello ICT4D peeps - sending this out to a few lists. The position is for a senior regional ICT Advisor based out of Nairobi with Danya International to support several bi-lateral projects. Danya has at least 2 big ICT roles in USAID Feed the Future (FTF) projects starting up (Ethiopia and Tanzania). This could be a really exciting role! USAID is looking for someone really great so please pass along as you see fit. Kenyan or African nationals are preferred but they are also accepting ex-pat applications. The description is attached in Word as well as copied and pasted here. I'm just the messenger; the contact info is included below. -alice Regional Information Communications Technology Manager Danya International REPORT TO: Regional Director LOCATION: Nairobi, Kenya SUMMARY SCOPE OF WORK: The Regional Information Communications Technology Manager will provide technical leadership and implementation oversight for all of Danya’s evidenced based information communications technology (ICT) initiatives in the region. The position will be responsible for providing technical assistance to USG agencies, USG partners, and national government partners, designing and leading high impact ICT strategies and implementations. RESPONSIBILITIES: Leadership • Provide strategic leadership and vision for the organization’s ICT program • Responsible for leading the ICT technical approach across multiple projects • Represent Danya before stakeholders and oversee implementation of activities throughout the Africa region • Contribute to annual work planning • Establish and maintain a productive relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, NGOs and community groups for smooth implementation • Work collaboratively with other project team members to ensure necessary program planning, development, resource availability and management activities function smoothly and efficiently Management • Work collaboratively with project staff and US-based headquarters staff to assure proper financial projections, reporting, spending and compliance with project terms and conditions. • Contribute to ensure projects meets set targets • Promote and support the dissemination of best practices among the project teams • Contribute to timely, accurate and appropriate reporting of program activities and results to the donor, including progress reports, and annual reports KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: • Computer science degree with post-graduate level training preferred • A minimum of 8+ years of senior level experience in designing and implementing ICT programs for social development programs • Significant experience in design and development of technology solutions to increase international development project impact • Project work experience with open source technology • Familiarity with the design of mobile phone applications • Demonstrated experience leading large ICT initiatives funded by international donor organizations, preferably funded by USAID or other USG agencies • Experience developing successful, replicable and sustainable projects • Expertise in research to practice – identifying best practices and adapting them to program realities • A team player accustomed to building team capacity, delegating working teams, and developing communities of learning among host country partners and counterparts • Excellent interpersonal, writing, and oral presentation skills • Strong change management, results oriented and decision making skills • Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform • Fluency in English • Ability to travel nationally and internationally CONTACT: Aaron Sundsmo Africa Regional Director Danya International, Inc. Eden Square Business Center | 7th Floor, Chiromo Road P.O. Box 856-00606 | Westlands, Nairobi | Kenya Phone: +254-20-367-3246 | Fax: +254-20-367-3232 Email: asundsmo(a)danya.com<mailto:asundsmo@danya.com> www.danya.com<http://www.danya.com/>

1 0

Fw: SOUVENIR E-MAIL FROM CJ (Was Hongera Nd. Duncan Okello, Heko Bw. CJ!)
by Shem Ochuodho 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

Friends, Here below is my Souvenir E-Mail from the Head of the Judiciary (perhaps the most important arm of government especially at the moment) as we go through a land-mark transition. Souvenir because it is the very first time I am receiving an EMAIL communication from a Head of the 3 arms of government (GoK). It is my second most treasured e-communications; the first being the Letter from then Head of Public Service, Prof. Philip Mbithi to all PS's, DG Intelligence (then Special Branch), Heads of State Corporations, etc cautioning them against connecting to Internet (read ARCC & UNEP) without the express clearance from his office. The third one was a reply from the then CEO of one of Kenya's top-most media houses when ARCC wrote to interest them in Internet and e-Mail. Your guess is as good as mine! We've come a long way - but still have much longer to go. Hongera once more Your Lordship! Shem Shem J. Ochuodho, MSc (Eng), PhD, LLD (Hon) Senior Advisor Ministry of Telecom & Postal Services Republic of South Sudan (RSS), Juba Commonwealth Telecom Organization (CTO/RSS) 2010 African Internaut Award Recipient Kenya Community Abroad (KCA) 2007 Excellence Award Winner AfricaOnline 2005 Industry Pioneer Award Recipient Father of Internet in Kenya (Computer Society of Kenya - CSK 2000) Cell: +211-977-232025/+249-955-021-040/+254-725-016679 Skype: shem.ochuodho ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Dr Willy Mutunga To: Shem Ochuodho Sent: Thursday, 6 October 2011, 10:23 Subject: Re: Hongera Nd. Duncan Okello, Heko Bw. CJ! Aluta Continua, ndugu! Dr. Willy Mutunga, SC Chief Justice/President, Supreme Court of Kenya "Law does not exist in a vacuum." "The arc of history is long,but it bends towards justice." (Martin Luther King) "People are trapped in history,and history is trapped in them." (James Baldwin,Notes of Native Son) "It is better to die on yourfeet than to live on your knees." (Emiliano Zapata, Mexican revolutionaryand reformer[1877-1919]. From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com> To: "third-force(a)yahoogroups.com" <third-force(a)yahoogroups.com>; G-47 Kenya <g47-kenya(a)yahoogroups.com>; NVK-Mageuzi Members List <nvk-mageuzi(a)yahoogroups.com> Cc: NYSA <nysa1(a)googlegroups.com>; ProgressiveMinds <ProgressiveMinds(a)yahoogroups.com>; Madaraka Party <madaraka-kenya(a)yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thursday, October 6, 2011 8:16 AM Subject: Hongera Nd. Duncan Okello, Heko Bw. CJ! Just seen in yester's papers ..... The Chief Justice picks Duncan Okello, Formerly CEO Society for International Development (SID - East Africa) to head the new office of 'Chief of Staff'. Couldn't have gotten a more appropriate person! Right vibes here coming from the CJ's corner. Alamin Kimathi, ........ and now Duncan Okello. I remember about 3 years ago when NVK-Mageuzi was scouting for a suitable person to spearhead development of its Roadmap, Duncan’s kept propping up! The preliminary thoughts he offered, even if only in terms of interrogations went a long way to inform and guide the Roadmap – which has to date greatly also influenced the thinking behind, formation and launch of the Diaspora Alliance and the G-47/Third Force. Hongera Nd. Duncan. Pongezi Bw. CJ. Aluta continua. Shem

1 0

Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint
by Ory Okolloh 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

Well, when our own teachers are failing at spelling, one wonders... http://www.elimuportal.net/ (*still* zero response on fixing the typos) On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 1:53 PM, <kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke>wrote: > Send kictanet mailing list submissions to > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > You can reach the person managing the list at > kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Declining English grammar in our Newsprint > (bitange(a)jambo.co.ke) > 2. Re: Declining English grammar in our Newsprint > (Kipkemoi arap Kirui) > 3. Re: Declining English grammar in our Newsprint > (godera(a)skyweb.co.ke) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2011 14:29:26 +0300 (EAT) > From: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > To: "Kipkemoi arap Kirui" <arapkirui(a)gmail.com> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint > Message-ID: > <940e9182a5435b6d3c0f8a969cc816bf.squirrel(a)mail.jambo.co.ke> > Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1 > > Kipkemoi arap Kirui, > In system theory there is feedback and evaluation which informs subsequent > inputs. When the output does not meet the expectations, you either change > the quality of inputs or revise the processing system. We need some work > on our 8-4-4 system. > > > > Ndemo. > > > > > Andrea, > > > > I guess it is a more serious problem. That of poor foundation and > > commercialization of our undergraduate programs. Every backstreet > building > > in most towns now houses some university or affiliate college or program. > > How can all these mushrooming universities and campuses access competent > > faculty to take our young people through this crucial stage of their > > lives? How can they access library and other resources? Can we really > > blame these Kenyans? > > > > I want to ask the Professors and Lecturers here and elsewhere to search > > their souls and ask themselves whether what is going on in Kenyan > > universities is sustainable. A large number of our graduating students > > cannot process simple tasks nor can they engage in intellectual > > discussions in their 'professional' areas. This week I saw a candidate to > > the IEBC with a PhD (due respect to her) who barely processed simple > > questions asked by the Ekuru Aukot Panel. > > > > Let us go back to our universities and 'campuses' and try to understand > > what really goes on there. Let us check whether in fact in some of these > > institutions any education is at all taking place. > > > > Kipkemoi arap Kirui > > > > Sent from my iPad > > > > On Oct 5, 2011, at 7:24, info(a)alyhussein.com wrote: > > > >> Andrea > >> > >> Blaming tools like the PC and mobile phones for bad grammar and spelling > >> is a bit like blaming the gun for killings - they will happen with or > >> without the gun. > >> > >> Attitudes, the willingness to learn and continuously improve ourselves > >> is what matters. > >> > >> Ali Hussein - Sent from my BlackBerry?? > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt(a)ratio-magazine.com> > >> Sender: kictanet-bounces+info=alyhussein.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.keDate: > >> Tue, 4 Oct 2011 23:58:30 > >> To: <info(a)alyhussein.com> > >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> kictanet mailing list > >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >> > >> Unsubscribe or change your options at > >> > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com > >> > >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform > >> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > >> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > >> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and > >> development. > >> > >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > >> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > >> bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect > >> privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > >> _______________________________________________ > >> kictanet mailing list > >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > >> > >> Unsubscribe or change your options at > >> > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/arapkirui%40gmail.com > >> > >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform > >> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > >> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > >> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and > >> development. > >> > >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > >> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > >> bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect > >> privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke > > > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform > > for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and > > development. > > > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > bandwidth, > > share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do > > not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > ---------------------------------------------- > > This message has been scanned for viruses and > > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > > believed to be clean. > > --------------------------------------------- > > "easy access to the world" > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2011 14:40:32 +0300 > From: Kipkemoi arap Kirui <arapkirui(a)gmail.com> > To: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint > Message-ID: > <CAGc6DJXic2OAE6cL1MfE0V+Q1Zo-nxhNWg7M6365O1TuJ41SJw(a)mail.gmail.com > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Omogambi Ndemo, > > Yours is a call to action. Can we diagnose, evaluate and act? > > arap Kirui > > On 5 October 2011 14:29, <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> wrote: > > > Kipkemoi arap Kirui, > > In system theory there is feedback and evaluation which informs > subsequent > > inputs. When the output does not meet the expectations, you either > change > > the quality of inputs or revise the processing system. We need some work > > on our 8-4-4 system. > > > > > > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > > > > Andrea, > > > > > > I guess it is a more serious problem. That of poor foundation and > > > commercialization of our undergraduate programs. Every backstreet > > building > > > in most towns now houses some university or affiliate college or > program. > > > How can all these mushrooming universities and campuses access > competent > > > faculty to take our young people through this crucial stage of their > > > lives? How can they access library and other resources? Can we really > > > blame these Kenyans? > > > > > > I want to ask the Professors and Lecturers here and elsewhere to search > > > their souls and ask themselves whether what is going on in Kenyan > > > universities is sustainable. A large number of our graduating students > > > cannot process simple tasks nor can they engage in intellectual > > > discussions in their 'professional' areas. This week I saw a candidate > to > > > the IEBC with a PhD (due respect to her) who barely processed simple > > > questions asked by the Ekuru Aukot Panel. > > > > > > Let us go back to our universities and 'campuses' and try to understand > > > what really goes on there. Let us check whether in fact in some of > these > > > institutions any education is at all taking place. > > > > > > Kipkemoi arap Kirui > > > > > > Sent from my iPad > > > > > > On Oct 5, 2011, at 7:24, info(a)alyhussein.com wrote: > > > > > >> Andrea > > >> > > >> Blaming tools like the PC and mobile phones for bad grammar and > spelling > > >> is a bit like blaming the gun for killings - they will happen with or > > >> without the gun. > > >> > > >> Attitudes, the willingness to learn and continuously improve ourselves > > >> is what matters. > > >> > > >> Ali Hussein - Sent from my BlackBerry? > > >> > > >> -----Original Message----- > > >> From: Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt(a)ratio-magazine.com> > > >> Sender: kictanet-bounces+info=alyhussein.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.keDate > : > > >> Tue, 4 Oct 2011 23:58:30 > > >> To: <info(a)alyhussein.com> > > >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > > >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint > > >> > > >> _______________________________________________ > > >> kictanet mailing list > > >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > >> > > >> Unsubscribe or change your options at > > >> > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com > > >> > > >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder > platform > > >> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > > >> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the > ICT > > >> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and > > >> development. > > >> > > >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > > >> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > > >> bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, > respect > > >> privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > >> _______________________________________________ > > >> kictanet mailing list > > >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > >> > > >> Unsubscribe or change your options at > > >> > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/arapkirui%40gmail.com > > >> > > >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder > platform > > >> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > > >> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the > ICT > > >> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and > > >> development. > > >> > > >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > > >> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > > >> bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, > respect > > >> privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > kictanet mailing list > > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > > > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke > > > > > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform > > > for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > > > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > > > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and > > > development. > > > > > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > > > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > > bandwidth, > > > share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, > do > > > not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > > ---------------------------------------------- > > > This message has been scanned for viruses and > > > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > > > believed to be clean. > > > --------------------------------------------- > > > "easy access to the world" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > > This message has been scanned for viruses and > > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > > believed to be clean. > > --------------------------------------------- > > "easy access to the world" > > > > >

5 6

Vizualisations on Student Teacher Ratio
by bitange＠jambo.co.ke 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

Listers, Uwezo has deveoped a visualization tool on the distribution of teachers in the country. If you carefully review this piece of open data, you will find that teachers had no case in the recent strike threat. What is disturbing is the growing number of decisions made without proper scientific methods. I am glad media tried to dismiss the teachers' case. What the public did not know is that once the contract teachers are confirmed, the same union officials will demand transfers for their relatives from marginal areas (often with teacher deficit) to surplus regions. They will then use marginal or deficit areas to ask for more recruitments. The cycle will continue. Further the union dues will increase but education in marginal areas will decline. Can we be ever embrace rational approaches to decision making especially on critical development programmes? Where I come from teachers have outsourced their services as they do their businesses or visit relatives in far flung areas as in the US. KNUT knows this and nobody bears responsibility on the declining standards. There is no performance apparisal and if it was ever introduced 50% of teachers will go home. Last year myself and three other friends randomly gave the past KCPE exam to 10 teachers in five districts, only one scored 350. We can do this on large scale but I doubt that the result will be any different. Can we stand up and be counted on this. Education is the foundation of any nation. Regards Ndemo. ---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world" ---------------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. --------------------------------------------- "easy access to the world"

8 14

Re: [kictanet] IGF - congratulations
by Baudouin SCHOMBE 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

Traduire du texte ou une page Web Saisissez du texte, l'adresse d'un site Web ou importez un document à traduire. <http://translate.google.cd/?tr=f&hl=fr> Annuler <http://translate.google.cd/?tr=t&hl=fr> Traduction (français > anglais) Congratulations to the organizing committee of the IGF 2011 in Nairobi, the Kenyan government specifically. We have a wonderful, full of friendliness and good working atmosphere. I wish to express my admiration for the expertise of Alice who has demonstrated the ability of African women to be worthy of such high responsibility of international concern. I am still very happy with her appointment by consensus as Chairman of the Working Group for AFIGF . Baudouin 2011/10/6 Adam Peake <ajp(a)glocom.ac.jp> > Hi Listers, > > Good to see many of you at the IGF. A wonderful event, great show-case for > Kenya. > > Highest attended IGF, more than 2000 people through the UNON gates and more > than 800 participated online. More people from more countries. Praise is > universal: the best IGF yet. > > Good media coverage and interesting to see two articles in the print > edition of The Economist, one a Leader. One conference generating this kind > of interest from The Economist is pretty special. > > Praise for KIXP from the senior U.S. govt representative at the IGF < > http://www.ntia.doc.gov/**headlines/2011/opening-** > session-remarks-assistant-**secretary-strickling-internet-** > governance-forum<http://www.ntia.doc.gov/headlines/2011/opening-session-remarks-assistant-se…>> > Kenyan technical excellence yet again. > > Thanks for a great couple of weeks. > > Adam > > > > ______________________________**_________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/**mailman/listinfo/kictanet<http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet> > > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/** > mailman/options/kictanet/**baudouin.schombe%40gmail.com<http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/baudouin.schombe%40gma…> > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for > people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, > share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do > not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > -- SCHOMBE BAUDOUIN CENTRE AFRICAIN D'ECHANGE CULTUREL/ ACADEMIE DES TIC FACILITATEUR GAID/AFRIQUE Membre At-Large Member NCSG Member email:baudouin.schombe@gmail.com baudouin.schombe(a)ticafrica.net tél:+243998983491 skype:b.schombe wite web:http://webmail.ticafrica.net blog:http://akimambo.unblog.fr

1 1

CCK's "Kaa Macho" courier campaign,
by robert yawe 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

Hi, I hope that CCK will not use this post in the future to obstruct my appointment as PMG, a few weeks ago I attended a press briefing by CCK on an awareness campaign they where planning to and have already launched on licensed courier companies. We were given a viewing of the advertisements currently running in the media after which I asked if they will include an SMS service for the reporting and verifying of the registrations. The acting Director General of CCK was present and it was indicated that they will do so before launching, I have been watching the campaign proceed with the only means of contact being a website address. Exactly how does that assist me when I am in Moyale or on Kirinyaga road in Nairobi looking to identify a licensed courier company who I can use to deliver my parcel? Interestingly, the question was answered by the representative of Posta who told me to just look for the nearest post office as they are already licensed and compliant, but that is beside the point. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

3 3

Re: [kictanet] . IGF - congratulations
by Nnenna Nwakanma 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

I do agree that Kenya was a most wonderful host. I got a mail this morning from someone saying: "Hello everyone, I am still in Nairobi, The safari to Masai Mara and Nakuru was nice, and hoping to visit Amboseli tomoro. Shall be returinng to Sri Lanka on the 8th." No comments Nnenna -- Nnenna Nwakanma | Founder and CEO, NNENNA.ORG | Consultants Information | Communications | Technology and Events | for Development Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (+225)| Tel: 225 27144 | Fax 224 26471 |Mob. 07416820 Ghana: +233 249561345| Nigeria: +234 8101887065| http://www.nnenna.org nnenna(a)nnenna.org| @nnenna | Skype - nnenna75 | nnennaorg.blogspot.com Your multi-lingual development and event partners across Africa.

2 1

M-PESA transactions: System failure or negligence?
by Kamotho Njenga 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

On various occasions, I have heard people narrate experiences citing numerous issues pertaining to dubious transactional outcomes while using the M-Pesa service. Sample questionable matters that have been raised include incomplete transactions, disputable account balances, money disappearances etc. Hitherto, I have been tempted to dismiss them as naive users of systems or even rumor peddlers. However, I got an experience this weak that has fairly shaken my confidence in the M-Pesa process chain. Here is a chronology of events: -Tuesday 03/10/2011: I send money to one Evan Chege for an agreed mission. The following transaction details are sent to me- BR68XQ537 Confirmed, Ksh 15,030 sent to EVAN CHEGE 0712437150 on 3/10/2011 AT 5:37PM -Wednesday 04/10/2011 3.30 PM- Evan Chege seeks explanation on whether I sent the money having received no notification nor e-money on his end -Wednesday 04/10/2011 3.30 PM- I presume that Evan Chege is lying to me, since I have a transactional delivery notification -Wednesday 04/10/2011 7.37 PM- BR77CO072 Confirmed. Ksh4,100.00 sent to Charles Karithi 0724017539 on 4/10/11 at 7:37PM New M-PESA balance is * Ksh2,478.00* -Wednesday 04/10/2011 8.09 PM- BR77IJ875 You bought airtimeKsh200.00 of airtime on 4/10/11 at 8:09 PM New M-PESA balance is *Ksh17,338.00* -Wednesday 04/10/2011 8.11 PM Up to now- Tried to access customer help line to no success- Only prerecorded messages playing for an infinite duration *Outstanding Concerns* - Does this mean that the M-PESA system at times sends false confirmation notifications to customers. How many times might this have happened? - Why did the balance in the above instance rise from Ksh 2478.00 to Ksh 17,338.00 without any narration. Could this difference be the Ksh 15,030 that I had earlier sent to Evan Chege. If so why was it returned secretly? - Why was the transaction charged yet it was not consummated? - Now that the mobile money service is rolling billions worth of client money are there any system assurance checks to guarantee safety of transactions? - Is there a dedicated agency that monitors mobile money transactions? Who takes responsibility for failure and how are potential disputes set to be resolved? Or is there a presumption that the mobile money innovations are bound to be flawless even as they scale up? Kamotho Njenga

1 0

Re: [kictanet] IGF - congratulations
by Barrack Otieno 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

Indeed, congratulations to the Kenya IGF team led my Ps Ndemo and the Chair as well as the Secretariat team led by Chengetai not forgeting you Adam, and all Kenyans it was a wonderfull week. On 10/6/11, Adam Peake <ajp(a)glocom.ac.jp> wrote: > Hi Listers, > > Good to see many of you at the IGF. A wonderful event, great > show-case for Kenya. > > Highest attended IGF, more than 2000 people through the UNON gates > and more than 800 participated online. More people from more > countries. Praise is universal: the best IGF yet. > > Good media coverage and interesting to see two articles in the print > edition of The Economist, one a Leader. One conference generating > this kind of interest from The Economist is pretty special. > > Praise for KIXP from the senior U.S. govt representative at the IGF > <http://www.ntia.doc.gov/headlines/2011/opening-session-remarks-assistant-se…> > Kenyan technical excellence yet again. > > Thanks for a great couple of weeks. > > Adam > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/otieno.barrack%40gmail… > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for > people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, > share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do > not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > -- Sent from my mobile device Barrack O. Otieno Afriregister Ltd (Kenya) www.afrire <http://www.afriregister.com>gister.bi, www.afriregister.com<http://www.afriergister.com> <http://www.afriregister.com>ICANN accredited registrar +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno

1 0

IGF - congratulations
by Adam Peake 06 Oct '11

06 Oct '11

Hi Listers, Good to see many of you at the IGF. A wonderful event, great show-case for Kenya. Highest attended IGF, more than 2000 people through the UNON gates and more than 800 participated online. More people from more countries. Praise is universal: the best IGF yet. Good media coverage and interesting to see two articles in the print edition of The Economist, one a Leader. One conference generating this kind of interest from The Economist is pretty special. Praise for KIXP from the senior U.S. govt representative at the IGF <http://www.ntia.doc.gov/headlines/2011/opening-session-remarks-assistant-se…> Kenyan technical excellence yet again. Thanks for a great couple of weeks. Adam

1 0

Don't bite the hand that feeds you!!!!
by Titus Ngeno 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

Why do newspaper journalist makes more spelling and grammatical errors while Reporters rarely make these mistakes, and when they do, they are almost always caught they are both the same people if not same intellect. Does this have anything to do with that some news comes in very close to deadline? How about "copy editors" who has to place the article in the space available, I think this is where a lot of problems occur if you ask me... Now let us consider Programmers: If you are one are a programmer, I know you've worked with both public and private code written by other developers and when you see incorrect spelling in source code it instantly undermines the credibility and professionalism of the whole source. The problem can get more serious when a contributor or original writer attempts to later correct the mistake as this can lead to mismatches and errors. Sometimes the spelling mistake can be hard to rectify, as is the case if there is a misspelling in an interface, database table or column name. I guess we all have to embrace and learn to value and see the importance of taking the time to correct spelling and grammatical errors and realized nowadays a spell checker is an essential item in the developer's toolkit. Two cents -----Original Message----- From: kictanet-bounces+titus.ngeno=ebix.com(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+titus.ngeno=ebix.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 2:48 AM To: Titus Ngeno Subject: kictanet Digest, Vol 53, Issue 17 Send kictanet mailing list submissions to kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke You can reach the person managing the list at kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Declining English grammar in our Newsprint (S.M. Muraya) 2. Re: [NYSA:7509] The Cleanest Estate in Africa; Nyayo Embakasi Estate (Edith Adera) 3. FW: Legalizing Phone Tapping in Kenya? (Edith Adera) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2011 10:14:12 +0300 From: "S.M. Muraya" <murigi.muraya(a)gmail.com> To: waudo siganga <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Declining English grammar in our Newsprint Message-ID: <CAE3a0EkVdM_jaFCJ7FTYmcZttx2q9XQve2B6vKaR=CGxrN8eWQ(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Many of us sound / speak "Kenyan" but when need be we can "sound" British... This helps... Improve Your Pronunciation with BBC Learning English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdRmGvmeY1U On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 8:58 AM, waudo siganga <emailsignet(a)mailcan.com>wrote: > Thanks for bringing this out Bw PS. The TV stations also need to do > something about poor English pronounciations by some of their > newsreaders. It is common to hear, for example, "wrecked havoc" > instead of "wreaked havoc". Other simple words such as "cap" for the > kofia which is supposed to be pronounced same as "cup" is instead pronounced "cape" > as in sheng. Another example is "liaise" which phonetically should be > pronounced li-ye-z but the newsreaders seem to have other ideas. There > are millions of examples, so to speak. The worst part is that > listeners and school children pick up these wrong prounciations and > everything gets propagated. In the age of ICT perhaps someone can > point out to the newsreaders that there are websites (e.g. > Dictionary.com) that can help them with prounciation. > > Waudo > > > On Tuesday, October 04, 2011 8:11 PM, bitange(a)jambo.co.ke wrote: > > All of today's newspapers had several grammatical errors. At this > > time and age of ICT, is it not too embarrasing to have such errors? > > We have thousands of English majors without jobs. It is time for > > media to be thorough in what they do by utilizing our many graduates without jobs. > > As a Kenyan I get embarrased to see such errors. > > > > Ndemo. > > > > > > > > > > Sent from my BlackBerry? > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga(a)hotmail.com> > > Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2011 13:32:57 > > To: <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> > > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > > Subject: [kictanet] GSMA: Calls will remain high between African > > countries > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.c > o.ke > > > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder > > platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT > > policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for > > reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT > > enabled growth and development. > > > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable > > behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's > > times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or > > personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/emailsignet%40mai > lcan.com > > > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder > > platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT > > policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for > > reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT > > enabled growth and development. > > > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable > > behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's > > times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or > > personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/murigi.muraya%40g > mail.com > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder > platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT > policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for > reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and > bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, > respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. >

1 0

South Sudan becomes ITU’s 193rd Member State
by Shem Ochuodho 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) announces the joining/admission of the Republic of South Sudan into the Union. Read on:- http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2011/36.aspx Regards, Shem

1 0

Re: [kictanet] unsubscribe me
by Bagyendera Moses 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

Please unsubscribe me from the list: mbagye70(a)yahoo.com and moses.bagyendera(a)ict.go.ug _______________________ Moses Bagyendera ICT Security Consultant Phone: +256 772 521 404 www.websecureuganda.com

1 0

Fwd: ISO/IEC JTC1/SC27 IT Experts come to Nairobi
by waudo siganga 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

Some colleagues on this list may be interested in this important international meeting coming to Nairobi from next Monday [1]http://www.kebs.org/index.php?opt=standards&view=ISOIEC_JTC1_S C_27)? I am told that together with the editing sessions, KEBS will hold an industry seminar on 14th October afternoon (see attached brochure and registration form). Kindly circulate this to others as it is an important forum to interact with the experts in this sector. Kind regards. Waudo References 1. http://www.kebs.org/index.php?opt=standards&view=ISOIEC_JTC1_SC_27

1 0

Re: [kictanet] [NYSA:7509] The Cleanest Estate in Africa; Nyayo Embakasi Estate
by Shem Ochuodho 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

Bro. Haron, Yes the 'Umuganda' are a unique, great thing. But for such to have the kind of impact experienced in Rwanda, the top leadership must be truly on the driving seat. I personally experienced and heard of many good hands-on things President Kagame (my today's Africa's role model President) does. Apart from Umuganda, Rwanda to the best of my knowledge remains the only country in the world where non-biodegradable polythene bags are outlawed, and strictly enforced. Rwanda has many 'firsts' we could all learn from - place where rule of law is honoured, zero-tolerance to corruption, techno-savvy, people-centred (as opposed to political elite-centred), only world country with more female than male MPs, some of the best maintained city/countryside roads (at least they were 4 years ago when I left), very likely Africa's safest city, and possibly cleanest city, Africa's no doubt only major Internet-ready city (you can access broadband wireless Internet literally from any part of the city/Kigali), etc. The only reason: Rwanda has visionary, selfless, servant leadership which Kenya sorely lacks. Isn't this reason enough for us to replace all those pretenders we call 'leaders' in Kenya? PNU/ODM IS THE PROBLEM, G47+1 IS THE ANSWER! Rgrds, Shem Shem J. Ochuodho, MSc (Eng), PhD, LLD (Hon) Senior Advisor Ministry of Telecom & Postal Services Republic of South Sudan (RSS), Juba Commonwealth Telecom Organization (CTO/RSS) 2010 African Internaut Award Recipient Kenya Community Abroad (KCA) 2007 Excellence Award Winner AfricaOnline 2005 Industry Pioneer Award Recipient Father of Internet in Kenya (Computer Society of Kenya - CSK 2000) Cell: +249-955-021-040/+256-477-232025/+254-725-016679 Skype: shem.ochuodho ________________________________ From: Mutwiri Haron <mutwiriabuana(a)yahoo.com> To: nysa1(a)googlegroups.com Sent: Friday, 30 September 2011, 17:57 Subject: RE: [NYSA:7509] The Cleanest Estate in Africa; Nyayo Embakasi Estate Lets keep our country clean. i live in Rwanda where National cleanup 'muganda' is practised very last saturday of the month. Civil servants,youth,NGO workers,soldiers and verybody takes part.Even slum area are very clean coz this muganda thing has created an awareness of cleanliness.They say Kigali;CLEAN,GREEN AND SECURE. Why not Nairobi and all our towns and villages? CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS. Haron Mutwiri Abuana --- On Fri, 9/30/11, joseph lunani <blessedkal(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >From: joseph lunani <blessedkal(a)hotmail.com> >Subject: RE: [NYSA:7506] The Cleanest Estate in Africa; Nyayo Embakasi Estate >To: nysa1(a)googlegroups.com, mwanyagetinge(a)yahoogroups.com >Cc: newvisionkenya(a)yahoogroups.com, nvk-mageuzi(a)yahoogroups.com, progressive-kenyans(a)googlegroups.com, progressiveminds(a)yahoogroups.com, siasa-kenya(a)yahoogroups.com, thelastwordtokenya(a)yahoogroups.com >Date: Friday, September 30, 2011, 6:40 AM > > > >Mr. Oketch, > >We all agree Kenya needs direction in garbage collection and disposal. We laud the efforts of a few Kenyans that have kept sections of towns, estates and homesteads tidy & clean. Given your passion & vocation on the matter would you work with estate welfare association like Komarock etc to harmonise the disparity between the likes of Nyayo Estate & Mathare for example? > >I am certain the is goodwill but many need to be reminded that cleanliness is next to Godliness. And that they might be in a ghetto but maintain cleanliness, hygiene, plant flowers, dig trenches to ease drainage flow etc. > >I appreciate the efforts of your organisation and welcome you to our offices so as to redo your we site at no charge. Your work speaks for itself and you require a customised website that will celebrate & better showcase that. > >Regards, > >Lunani Joseph > >www.in-synque.com > > > > > >________________________________ >Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:17:59 -0700 >From: komarockswatch(a)yahoo.com >Subject: [NYSA:7485] The Cleanest Estate in Africa; Nyayo Embakasi Estate >To: mwanyagetinge(a)yahoogroups.com >CC: NewVisionKenya(a)yahoogroups.com; NVK-Mageuzi(a)yahoogroups.com; nysa1(a)googlegroups.com; progressive-kenyans(a)googlegroups.com; ProgressiveMinds(a)yahoogroups.com; Siasa-Kenya(a)yahoogroups.com; thelastwordtokenya(a)yahoogroups.com > > > > >Friends, >>When I called Mr. Ephantus Njeru to inform him that the PC Nairobi and The Consultative Team will be visiting Nyayo Embakasi Estate on the 13th October 2011 as a Best Practice for Kenyans, he told me; 'Welcome to the Cleanest Estate in East and Central Africa.' Mr. Njeru is the Estate Supervisor and he works with his colleagues Peter and Ann. >> >>I laughed and dismissed him as a typical bragging Kenyan. >> >>Outside the Kiragu & Mwangi Limited officesToday, after briefing the DC Embakasi Mr. Peter Mbugi, I went to Nyayo Embakasi Estate. My, this is the Cleanest Estate in Africa, not just East and Central Africa. And I want to challenge anybody who thinks otherwise to let us know. >>The Estate is managed by Kiragu $ Mwangi Limited- registered valuers and property managers. The Estate is one of the Flagships of the National Social Security Fund- NSSF and Phase one of the Estate was built in 1999, the same time Buru Buru Phase 5 was being built. >> >>Just look at this.... >>The Managers had a very clear vision and focused management style from the word go. They decided that they wanted to bring Muthaiga to Embakasi and that is what they have done. They have worked as a team with the Residents and this has seen clear decisions being made on the 4 key areas namely; >> >> 1. Garbage Collection >> 2. Estate Cleaning >> 3. Gardening and Tree Planting and >> 4. Estate Security.It is important to note that this is one area where even the Police confirm, there are no muggings and no theft. >>The Residents in Partnership with the Management ensures that water flows, street lights are working, and services for which they are paying are provided. And the key words here is Team Work. >>As at now, Nyayo Embakasi Estate has 2,505 units and a further 688 units will be commissioned within 3 Months. This makes Nyayo Embakasi Estate the 2nd largest Estate in Africa after one in Natal Province of South Africa. >>At optimum level next year, the Estate will boast of 4,774 units. >>If this is note a Best Practice, then I do not know what that should be. And we at The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign are truly happy to pay a visit to this Estate that is the Cleanest in Africa on the 13th October 2011. >>In the same vein, we are inviting Kenyans, if Nyayo Embakasi Estate can do it, we can also do it wherever we are. >>Congratulations and you take the Trophy hands down. >>We at KCDN firmly believe that we the People of Kenya can help Clean Kenya. >>This is a campaign for Kenya by Kenyans. Let us make it a huge success...... >>If it is to be, it is up to me. A Clean Kenya Starts With me. A Peaceful Kenya is my Responsibility. >>Disclaimer; The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign is about us Kenyans. It involves all Kenyans from the various regions, religious persuasions, political thinking and we do not discriminate against any Kenyans nor any region. >> >>Peace and blessings, >> >>Odhiambo T Oketch >> >>CEO KCDN Nairobi >> >>Nationwide Coordinator - Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign >>National Coordinator- Friends of KNH Maternity Unit >>PO Box 47890-00100, >>Nairobi Kenya. >>Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126 >>Email; oto(a)kcdnkenya.org, komarockswatch(a)yahoo.com >>www.kcdnkenya.org >>http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com >>friendsofkcdn(a)yahoogroups.com >>Facebook; Odhiambo T Oketch >>Facebook; Monthly Nationwide Clean Up Campaign >> >-- >Thanks for Supporting the National Youth Sector Alliance >To post to this group, send email to nysa1(a)googlegroups.com >http://groups.google.com/group/nysa1?hl=en?hl=en > -- >Thanks for Supporting the National Youth Sector Alliance >To post to this group, send email to nysa1(a)googlegroups.com >http://groups.google.com/group/nysa1?hl=en?hl=en > -- Thanks for Supporting the National Youth Sector Alliance To post to this group, send email to nysa1(a)googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/nysa1?hl=en?hl=en

4 3

Safaricom Limited adjusts its tariffs
by Harry Hare 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

This has been long coming http://bit.ly/oYOiHr Enjoy your weekend. Harry

8 7

Re: [kictanet] SEMINAR ON IMPORTANCE OF SECURITY STANDARDS IN A GLOBALISED ECONOMY
by Esther Wanjau 04 Oct '11

04 Oct '11

Dear All, Attached please find an information brochure and registration form for the above seminar to be held on 14th October, 2011 at KICC. Please fill the form and return it by 9th October 2011. Esther

1 0

Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] Fw: CONGRATS 'UNCLE' VINT... BUT WHERE ARE THE AFRICAN OLDIES? (WAS Vin Cerf @ ihub: Internet Oldies meeting young techies)
by Barrack Otieno 04 Oct '11

04 Oct '11

Dr Ochuodho, With all due respect i find your statements to be in bad taste (Mediocrity and God help Kenya), i resisted making a post because we respect you for your role in the internet space in Kenya and for your information Stephano and co paid tribute to your role and that of Charles Musisi in the internet space in this part of the world alongside many other African oldies, i would wish to state a few things and i have no intention of starting a flame war for that matter you may correct me if i am wrong. First i was among the many young people at the i-hub for the side event after which we had a fireside chat. Our very own engineer James Rege Chair of the Parliamentary commitee on energy was at hand and he took the trouble to travel with Vint in the same car (devoid of all the Parliamentary trappings) to spend time with the youth and i can assure you they did not dissapoint. The event was one of its kind and all the young people present attested to this, to know where you are going you need to know where you have come from, why must we learn about people like Musisi from visitors from Europe?, i asked engineer Rege the same question when he told us the history of the telecom industry in Kenya and we agreed that there is need to document such information for future generations and i challenge you and the other African oldies to do the same, how else will knowledge be transfered to future generations. At another regional meeting that had Youth from all over East Africa courtesy of IDRC and Makerere University there was unanimity on the need for the Youth and oldies to work together to transfer knowledge but where are the African oldies have you abandoned us in pursuit of self actualisation?, well Egypt was a good scenario of the potential of youth and technology. It is common knowledge that the world abhors a vacuum and this is a challenge to the oldies in Africa to take your rightfull place and mentor the youth, a parent has to be deliberate in terms of making time and and investing resources to bring up great sons and daughters and as the bible describes them , they are arrows in his hands. Finally i wish to thank Vint Cerf and all those who made the the event a success, we hope to have another one soon with African oldies, God Bless Africa. Proudly Kenyan On Sun, Oct 2, 2011 at 11:52 PM, Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com>wrote: > Congrats 'Uncle Vint' and 'Uncle Stefano'..... > > But where were/are the African 'Oldies': 'Mzee' Mike Lawrie, Ibikun > Odusote, Bill Sangiwa, Tieni Bah, Prof. Venancio Mansingue, Musa Fall, > Charles Musisi, Mark Bennett, Nejib Abida, etc? > > Mediocrity the bane of Africa's problem. God help Kenya! > Shem > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga(a)hotmail.com> > *To:* shemochuodho(a)yahoo.com > *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > *Sent:* Thursday, 29 September 2011, 21:05 > *Subject:* [kictanet] Vin Cerf @ ihub: Internet Oldies meeting young > techies > > *Vin Cerf at ihub: Internet Oldies meeting young techies * > *By Mutwiri Mutuota* > > NAIROBI, Kenya, September 29- The pioneers of the information age met with > their young disciples on Thursday in an eye opening assembly held as a side > event of the ongoing 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Nairobi. > > The session was held appropriately at a venue where technologists, > investors, tech companies and hackers congregate in Nairobi , known as iHub, > the global IT gurus led by Google vice-president and one of the acknowledged > founders of the internet, Vint Cerf. > > “The enormous social impact of the internet was evident even before the > e-mail was invented in 1971. Now, internet and mobile technology drives the > world and the potential for industry are limitless,” Cerf stated in one of > his moving insights into the gift his invention alongside Bob Khan in the > early 70s gifted the world. > > While re-counting in detail how the thesis developed by the two computer > scientists turned to be a tool that billions transact their daily lives > almost 30 years on, Cerf challenged Africa to be at the forefront of > capitalising on the expanding cloud computing opportunities for business and > economic growth. > > As young techies gathered scrambled to store the large volume of > information being passed from the living IT icon, the gathering also proved > to be a think tank on the next generation innovations that will maintain the > info age bubble. > > “I hope than on January 1, 2013, IPv6 will be turned on to run alongside > IPv4 to mark exactly 30 years since internet was turned on. I’m so excited > and I cannot wait for this to be realised," Cerf enthused. > > For the uninitiated, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the next edition > that is designed to succeed the 32-bit predecessor, IPv4 and it will see the > Internet operating by transferring data between hosts in small packets that > are independently routed across networks. > > The award winning Google vice-president who joined the tech giant in 2005, > said the company had designed products specific to the needs of Africans > with the continent’s native languages incorporated to make them appeal to > all spectrums of the populations. > > “We have made it easy for African businesses to advertise on Google Ads by > developing the system that sees users pay for the adverts once they are > clicked on. This model has appealed to many enterprises particularly those > in Africa ,” Cerf offered. > > He added: “We continue to encourage more user friendly content and creating > volume for locally generated content since I believe content generated in > Africa for example should circulate within Africa, not through Europe or > America .” > > Adel El Zaim from the Global Alliance for ICT and Development in the UN > Department of Economic and Social Affairs who was also in the assembly dwelt > on the economic aspect of the advancements in information technology. > > “It is the responsibility of individual entrepreneurs to archive their data > on the internet but research on how content is being uploaded, the risks > that posses and how it is stored and privacy should be done to give the > correct picture on the risks,” said El Zaim. > > “Cloud computing should be opened up to be free to all but there is need > for reaching acceptable level of internet and mobile technology. There is > also need to understand better how technology can be used and for business > opportunity in Africa , local content products should be offered by using > local languages,” he added. > > Laura Abba, who was involved in the RINAF project mooted in the 90s that > was tailored to usher Africa into the ICT age recalled the efforts that were > spearheaded by the UN led initiative that fast tracked internet development > in the continent. > > “Today the internet is no longer about the infrastructure but the content. > When we started this project, 90 percent of content concerning Africa was > generated in Europe and other parts of the world but this has changed and > should be encouraged,” Abba told the gathering. > > Engineer James Rege, the Member of Kenyan Parliament for Karachuonyo > Constituency who is one of the first IT specialists in the country observed > that Africa and Kenya in particular was catching up in IT innovations. > > “However, there is need for democracy in communication. Development of ICT > in Africa has been hampered by political hurdles and they need to be freed,” > Rege advised. > > “Even old women in Karachuonyo have email accounts and I urge tech > companies such as Google to view Kenya as a remote part coming up and should > help it advance,” the legislator added. > > He singled out the Kenya ICT Board for the positive steps it had taken to > ensure the country was in tune with development as well as generation of > local content for the Internet. > > Kaburu Kobia, who is in charge of generating local content at the board > acknowledged more Kenyans were contributing content conversant to them > particularly in social networks such as Facebook. > > There was concern about ownership of data in the cloud. > “At Google we believe you own your data. With cloud computing, there > will be substantial amount of support since data will be shattered into > small pieces,” Cerf explained. > > Cloud computing will see shared resources, software, and information > provided to computers and other devices as a utility like the electricity > over a network. > “We need to find standards where clouds can communicate with each other, > use the high speeds between them in the backbone of the internet to transfer > data and I’m very much in favour of use of clouds for this purposes". > > “But with concerns on cyber security, we all need to ensure it is compliant > with the rules in the jurisdiction they operate with the kind of protection > people should have,” the tech sage added. > > > ----------------KICTANet----------------------------------- > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is > all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth > and rule the World! > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/shemochuodho%40yahoo.c… > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for > people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. > > KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors > online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, > share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do > not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > -- Barrack O. Otieno Afriregister Ltd (Kenya) www.afrire <http://www.afriregister.com>gister.bi, www.afriregister.com<http://www.afriergister.com> <http://www.afriregister.com>ICANN accredited registrar +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno

1 0

Fwd: Fellowship Application Round Opens for ICANN International Public Meeting 43 in San Jose, Costa Rica
by waudo siganga 03 Oct '11

03 Oct '11

This could be of interest to some; those interested in seeking sponsorship to participate in the 43 ICANN meeting. [1]http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-30sep11-e n.htm Fellowship Application Round Opens for ICANN International Public Meeting 43 in San Jose, Costa Rica Program Ensures Global Representation at ICANN's Public Meetings 30 September 2011 MARINA DEL REY, California: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is now accepting online applications for the 15th round of the Fellowship program. Successful candidates will participate in the ICANN meeting to be held in San Jose, Costa Rica from 11-16 March 2012. The Fellowship program is open to applicants who are current residents of developing and least developed nations and interested in participating in ICANN and its supporting organizations, constituencies and stakeholder groups. Priority is given to individuals new to the ICANN environment from government and the ccTLD community, as well as those from academic, civil, business and non-profit entities, which are NOT involved in or associated with other ICANN supported travel programs. The program provides the support and opportunity for these participants to gain knowledge on how to have their voices heard in the Internet community and ICANN. More information regarding terms and conditions, as well as eligibility is available online at [2]http://www.icann.org/en/fellowships/ or email at [3]fellowships(a)icann.org regarding any questions about this process or program. The Fellowship program arranges the airfare, hotel and a stipend for those individuals selected to participate in this ICANN meeting. Recipients are expected to actively participate in and contribute to ICANN processes, both at the meeting and in the future. As always, registration for ICANN's meetings is free for anyone wanting to attend. Applications for the meeting in Costa Rica will be accepted from 00:00 UTC on 1 October 2011 until 00:00 UTC on 14 November 2011. Successful candidates will be posted on the ICANN Fellowship webpage by 22 December 2011. What Is ICANN? To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address into your computer – a name or a number. That address has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination we wouldn't have one global Internet. ICANN was formed in 1998. It is a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with participants from all over the world dedicated to keeping the Internet secure, stable and interoperable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet's unique identifiers. ICANN doesn't control content on the Internet. It cannot stop spam and it doesn't deal with access to the Internet. But through its coordination role of the Internet's naming system, it does have an important impact on the expansion and evolution of the Internet. References 1. http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-30sep11-en.htm 2. http://www.icann.org/en/fellowships/ 3. mailto:fellowships@icann.org

1 0

Country Code +211/South Sudan Goes Live
by Shem Ochuodho 03 Oct '11

03 Oct '11

The country code "+211" (Republic of South Sudan) went live yesterday, 1st October, 2011, 2 months ahead of the set deadline for switchover, 15th December. Below was the speech of the Chief Guest - Hon. Minister for Telecom & Postal Services. Rgrds, Shem Shem J. Ochuodho, MSc (Eng), PhD, LLD (Hon) Senior Advisor Ministry of Telecom & Postal Services Republic of South Sudan (RSS), Juba Commonwealth Telecom Organization (CTO/RSS) 2010 African Internaut Award Recipient Kenya Community Abroad (KCA) 2007 Excellence Award Winner AfricaOnline 2005 Industry Pioneer Award Recipient Father of Internet in Kenya (Computer Society of Kenya - CSK 2000) Cell: +211-977-232025/+249-955-021-040/+254-725-016679 Skype: shem.ochuodho ------ begin ------ TALKING POINTS BY HON. MAJ. GEN. MADUT BIAR YEL, MINISTER FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS & POSTAL SERVICES, RSS, ON THE OCCASION OF THE NEW COUNTRY CODE LAUNCH BY GEMTEL, QUALITY HOTEL, JUBA, 1ST OCTOBER, 2011 Hon. Ministers of the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) here present Hon. Members of Parliament The Managing Director & CEO, GEMTEL Green Network, Mr. Gadafi, Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies & Gentlemen: I am most elated to be with you here today in making history at this auspicious occasion as we launch our sole and exclusive country code for the Republic of South Sudan (RSS), “+211”. Am delighted to note that the network suitably branded ‘The Roots of South Sudan’ is once more living up to expectation by being the first network to implement, test and launch this new country code. I am equally thrilled to note that close on the heels, at least one other telecom operator will also be doing the same within a week from now! Just like a national flag, the country-code is a national monument that will live with many generations to come in the future. It is no doubt one of the strongest symbols of our sovereignty, freedom and independence, and the full recognition by the whole world of South Sudan as a Full Member of the Community of Nations. Ø The historic signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 heralded a new beginning in South Sudan. While on the whole this milestone enabled us to reap peace dividends including the experience of this unique event, the opportunities created also brought about implementation pressures and challenges. On formation of government, we committed ourselves to providing basic services to the people, such as clean water, reasonable housing, healthcare, education, good roads, efficient transport, security, and equally important too, modern telecommunications and postal services. That today even in some of the very remotest villages of South Sudan you can make a phone call is itself a clear testimony that with the continued cooperation and partnership of all major actors, including the private sector, even the said challenges can be overcome as today attests. Ø As the dynamics of the global and regional economies evolve, information and communication has become an indispensible pillar for competitiveness as well as a growth-engine. South Sudan has to play catch-up with the global trends, and today marks a major milestone. Recognizing the importance of communications & ICTs in socio-economic development, wealth generation, job creation, poverty alleviation, and citizen’s access to government services, the Government promptly issued policy and regulatory guidelines to stimulate sector growth. It is our declared policy to promote investment, private sector development, and to espouse partnerships (including public-private-people-partnerships) that are recognized as important elements in meeting the millennium development goals (MDGs). This is part of why from day one, we decided that private enterprise was the way to go for our telecommunications sector, hence the five licensed operators. Ø In anticipation of a positive referendum vote, the Government tasked me to travel to Guadalajara, Mexico to to meet the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and also to attend the meeting of its highest decision-making body (Plenipotentiary), which convenes every four years. The Secretary-General, himself an African (heading this oldest UN Agency for the first time since inception in 1865) assured me that should the People of South Sudan vote for separation, he would issue the country code within 48 hours (i.e. two days). In fact, when this happened, he long beat the self-set deadline; he instead issued the country code within 2 hours of the UN General Assembly recognition of South Sudan. The ITU also was one of the VERY first organizations to congratulate our President and the People of South Sudan. To deepen our friendship further, I am pleased to inform my countrymen and women, and indeed our friends here present that yesterday, a very high-powered delegation from the ITU ended a 3-day visit to South Sudan – yet another historic visit as we join the Global Community. Ø The one question most people ask me these days is “When are we going to use our country code?”. To ease the pressure on our engineers and ensure the new code is implemented with razor-precision, I ensured the public that the country code will become operational by 15th December. Indeed, that is the absolute deadline I gave to the operators also. I am much delighted that the Green Network has broken that set record by leaps and bounds. It is now incumbent upon each and every one of us to inform our friends and allies of the transition to our new country code. You will recall that we now have a very easy, and lucky number ‘211’; don’t forget the 1st month of the year 2011 was when South Sudanese voted decisively for separation! And today we launch also the new code on first day of the month. I want to request all of us here present today to give a hearty clap to ITU for having favoured us with our number of choice. Few nations enjoyed this privilege! Ø In the same vein, join me in congratulating Gemtel for once more leading the way to hasten the implementation of this new country code. Finally, I want to request you to join me also in congratulating and indeed thanking the Government and People of Uganda for having permitted us to use their “+256” code at a time our own then regulator could not! Ø Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: I cannot sit down before I inform you that we have also received our Alpha-numeric Country Codes “SS” (Alpha-2) and “SSD” (Alpha-3) from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and will soon be advising you of arrangements to implement our Internet domain (dotSS). As you may have heard, these Alpha-codes have many applications, including the national currency (SSP) and passports (SSD), among others. In the same vein, we are advanced with arrangements to join the Universal Postal Union (UPU) that will permit Juba to have its own International Postal Exchange for mail and parcel delivery. Ø As for today, enjoy our new country code. Long live the Republic of South Sudan. Long live President Salva Kiir. Long live Gemtel. South Sudan Oyee!.. +211 Oyee!.. Gemtel Oyee!.. The People and Friends of South Sudan Oyee!.. Shukran! --- end ----

5 5

Vin Cerf @ ihub: Internet Oldies meeting young techies
by Grace Githaiga 02 Oct '11

02 Oct '11

Vin Cerf at ihub: Internet Oldies meeting young techies By Mutwiri Mutuota NAIROBI, Kenya, September 29- The pioneers of the information age met with their young disciples on Thursday in an eye opening assembly held as a side event of the ongoing 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Nairobi. The session was held appropriately at a venue where technologists, investors, tech companies and hackers congregate in Nairobi, known as iHub, the global IT gurus led by Google vice-president and one of the acknowledged founders of the internet, Vint Cerf. “The enormous social impact of the internet was evident even before the e-mail was invented in 1971. Now, internet and mobile technology drives the world and the potential for industry are limitless,” Cerf stated in one of his moving insights into the gift his invention alongside Bob Khan in the early 70s gifted the world. While re-counting in detail how the thesis developed by the two computer scientists turned to be a tool that billions transact their daily lives almost 30 years on, Cerf challenged Africa to be at the forefront of capitalising on the expanding cloud computing opportunities for business and economic growth. As young techies gathered scrambled to store the large volume of information being passed from the living IT icon, the gathering also proved to be a think tank on the next generation innovations that will maintain the info age bubble. “I hope than on January 1, 2013, IPv6 will be turned on to run alongside IPv4 to mark exactly 30 years since internet was turned on. I’m so excited and I cannot wait for this to be realised," Cerf enthused. For the uninitiated, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the next edition that is designed to succeed the 32-bit predecessor, IPv4 and it will see the Internet operating by transferring data between hosts in small packets that are independently routed across networks. The award winning Google vice-president who joined the tech giant in 2005, said the company had designed products specific to the needs of Africans with the continent’s native languages incorporated to make them appeal to all spectrums of the populations. “We have made it easy for African businesses to advertise on Google Ads by developing the system that sees users pay for the adverts once they are clicked on. This model has appealed to many enterprises particularly those in Africa,” Cerf offered. He added: “We continue to encourage more user friendly content and creating volume for locally generated content since I believe content generated in Africa for example should circulate within Africa, not through Europe or America.” Adel El Zaim from the Global Alliance for ICT and Development in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs who was also in the assembly dwelt on the economic aspect of the advancements in information technology. “It is the responsibility of individual entrepreneurs to archive their data on the internet but research on how content is being uploaded, the risks that posses and how it is stored and privacy should be done to give the correct picture on the risks,” said El Zaim. “Cloud computing should be opened up to be free to all but there is need for reaching acceptable level of internet and mobile technology. There is also need to understand better how technology can be used and for business opportunity in Africa, local content products should be offered by using local languages,” he added. Laura Abba, who was involved in the RINAF project mooted in the 90s that was tailored to usher Africa into the ICT age recalled the efforts that were spearheaded by the UN led initiative that fast tracked internet development in the continent. “Today the internet is no longer about the infrastructure but the content. When we started this project, 90 percent of content concerning Africa was generated in Europe and other parts of the world but this has changed and should be encouraged,” Abba told the gathering. Engineer James Rege, the Member of Kenyan Parliament for Karachuonyo Constituency who is one of the first IT specialists in the country observed that Africa and Kenya in particular was catching up in IT innovations. “However, there is need for democracy in communication. Development of ICT in Africa has been hampered by political hurdles and they need to be freed,” Rege advised. “Even old women in Karachuonyo have email accounts and I urge tech companies such as Google to view Kenya as a remote part coming up and should help it advance,” the legislator added. He singled out the Kenya ICT Board for the positive steps it had taken to ensure the country was in tune with development as well as generation of local content for the Internet. Kaburu Kobia, who is in charge of generating local content at the board acknowledged more Kenyans were contributing content conversant to them particularly in social networks such as Facebook. There was concern about ownership of data in the cloud. “At Google we believe you own your data. With cloud computing, there will be substantial amount of support since data will be shattered into small pieces,” Cerf explained. Cloud computing will see shared resources, software, and information provided to computers and other devices as a utility like the electricity over a network. “We need to find standards where clouds can communicate with each other, use the high speeds between them in the backbone of the internet to transfer data and I’m very much in favour of use of clouds for this purposes". “But with concerns on cyber security, we all need to ensure it is compliant with the rules in the jurisdiction they operate with the kind of protection people should have,” the tech sage added. ----------------KICTANet----------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!

2 1

Use ICTs to resolve food problems in Kenya
by Grace Githaiga 01 Oct '11

01 Oct '11

Use ICTs to resolve food problems in Kenya By Mutwiri Mutuota Nairobi, Kenya, September 30- Kenya can solve her food deficit problems by incorporating ICT in agriculture to stem the over reliance on erratic natural rainfall patterns currently favoured by most rural farmers. Ministry of Information and Communication Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bitange Ndemo urged the country’s universities to lead the way by using their land as models of how IT can realise the dream to eradicate drought. “The Government has already done the entire mapping of the country’s soils, and good use of the data can inform farmers when it is most appropriate to for example to plant potatoes, wheat or maize,” Ndemo told students from various Kenyan universities during an IGF Public lecture on Friday. Ndemo was emphatic that “the highest productivity in the farms will only be achieved when we incorporate advancements made in the information technology sector that can be used to create knowledge on hunger trends and food security solutions”. Turning to institutions of higher learning, Ndemo cited the Egerton University of Agriculture as a centre that could hatch a solution to the raving drought that continues to bite the country particularly in the Northern and Southern parts. “The Universities possess 2GB broadband and 5000 acres of land, and if these two resources were adequately used, Egerton could generate enough revenue to subsidise fees and research for their students as well as offering solutions to farmers countrywide.” The former ICT lecturer at University of Nairobi turned to his Alma Mater stating they could also take up the challenge in dairy farming since they possess enough land for agrarian research as well. “We must be able to see the opportunities that exist to solve the food shortage problem through research by using the available data and convert it to knowledge.” Shifting to the impact of the ICT evolution on governance, Ndemo observed that democracies in the world were feeling threatened by the rise of integration through Internet social media platform. “Only recently, Britain, one of the most stable democracies in the world almost shut down social media after the incidents in London, illustrating how governments are becoming increasingly confused by development of the democratic space in the Internet.” He stressed the need for governments to formulate policies aimed at bringing them in tandem with the unlimited freedoms of expression available on the internet. -------------------------KICTANet-----------------------------------------

1 0

The 6th Internet Governance Forum Concludes
by Grace Githaiga 01 Oct '11

01 Oct '11

The 6th Internet Governance Forum Concludes By Mutwiri Mutuota Nairobi, Kenya, September 30- The 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) concluded in Nairobi on Friday as multiple stakeholders in the IT sector laid out the foundations of future global engagement in the ever expanding industry. Concerns on cyber security, the shift in Internet Protocols, the rapidly expanding mobile phone sector, IT and commerce, social impact of the growth, Internet content and the next generation innovations that will propel the next phase of the information age dominated the discussion forums. Over 2000 delegates from more than 100 countries, representing Governments, the private sector, civil society, the Internet community, International organizations and the media have been meeting in Nairobi since Tuesday. Their brief was to examine cross-border Internet governance challenges. This was the first IGF to be held in sub-Saharan Africa. “The Nairobi IGF was significant since Kenya has made significant progress in implementing internet development. What we have understood in the past three days is that everyone has an equal opportunity in the internet,” Vint Cerf, the pioneer of the Internet and Google vice-president noted. The IGF charted the policies needed by governments worldwide to position the globe as it prepares to usher in new frontiers in the ICT technology such as IPv6, O3B and Cloud Computing among others. Presentations, reports and statements emphasised the need to ensure cyber security what with everyday lives becoming more and more dependent on ICT particularly in the mobile phone sector. The IGF noted that women and children were at particular risk as governments and private sector agreed to forge partnerships to ensure the vulnerable groups continued to enjoy the benefits of the technological advancements. World bodies such as the International Chamber of Commerce as well as local and international leading tech companies such as Google, AT&T, Safaricom and Kenya Data Network gave input on the economic and financial implications in ICT development. Among the resolutions arrived at during the 6th IGF, is that stakeholders resolved to press policy makers to ensure there were no restrictions of the use and accessibility of the Internet with acceptable legal framework policies to protect users and innovators from cyber crime. The proactive role women were playing in the IT explosion was acknowledged with one forum in the IGF dedicated to discussing women’s integration in the Internet growth and development. “In Taiwan for example, more women are using social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to report cases of domestic violence and their voices are being heard,” an APC representative told the forum. Being hosted in Africa, the 6th IGF challenged the continent to be at the forefront of capitalising on the open Internet to create applications and generate local content to suit their need. “Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa have shown leadership in innovation. In the developed world and we are seeing a shift of innovation from the South to the West and this levels the playing field if ultimately replicated worldwide with the world doing business,” Gabriel Solomon, the Head of Public Policy at GSMA, the worldwide umbrella body for all mobile phone operators said. Education and more research on ICT were not far off the deliberations as the conundrum that is the Internet continues to demand more and more inventions with the world becoming a digital pot. While most of the participants agreed that the Nairobi IGF was an overwhelming success, it remains the challenge for all stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the hundreds of policy ideas meant at ensuring compatibility to new information systems. --------------------KICTANet---------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!

1 0

Be innovators: Kenyan Universities Challenged
by Grace Githaiga 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

Be innovators: Kenyan Universities Challenged By Mutwiri Mutuota NAIROBI, Kenya, September 30- Kenyan universities have been challenged to play their role as innovators of internet applications and content to spur the country’s economic growth through the rapidly expanding global ICT sector. This was the keynote message delivered by the eminent panel that addressed University Students during a Public Lecture at Nairobi’s Kenyatta International Conference Centre, organised by the Kenya’s Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Steering Committee. The eminent panellists were Vint Cerf, one of the co-founders of the Internet and vice-president of tech giant Google, Fernando Perini, the Senior Programme Officer at the IDRC, Jeff Bruegmann of American Communications AT&T and Bitange Ndemo, the Permanent Secretary in the Kenyan Ministry of Information and Communications. “The Internet is a highly distributed de-centralised communication system where everybody has an equal opportunity to use and the potential it holds for economic empowerment is enormous,” Cerf, who together with Bob Khan are acknowledged as the fathers of the internet said. “With advancements in cloud computing, mobile internet and shift in Internet Protocols giving rise to devices that can become part of the internet; it creates an interesting set of opportunities that can accommodate a new range of products and devices,” he added. Cerf underscored the importance of research and education as governments continue to lay the necessary infrastructure to support the new age of ICT that will see the Internet capacity increased in the near future. “Systems such as IPv6 and 03B networks are almost here with us and there is an available market for applications that is not confined to any market. I’m enthusiastic about the possibilities that exist to such young people as you.” The Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the next edition that is designed to succeed the 32-bit predecessor, IPv4 and it will see the Internet operating by transferring data between hosts in small packets that are independently routed across networks. Similarly, the O3B system that will involve 12 satellites is aimed at making the internet accessible to the ‘Other 3 Billion’ people without broadband access to making the total number of net users reach 5 billion, half of the projected world population by 2015. In his remarks Bruegmann stressed mobility is the future for IT networks with 1 billion mobile users worldwide that constitutes half of the internet users. He added research into IT needs to be re-taught at the university level since existing journals had been overtaken by development, citing the Ushahidi Forum in Kenya as a model example. “There are many creative industries such as music, movies, publishing and gaming with cheap gadgets for consumer being made that create potential for new developments,” Bruegmann stated. “Transformation to new systems is not enough. There is need to understand new business models, what networks we want in future and the power and possibilities available in the community.” While stating the IGF as an example of how values in the global Internet are maintained with greater freedoms of expression, privacy and increased access of the web, Perin said there were key issues that the world needed to grasp as it makes transformations in technology. “We need to discuss the relationship between governance, the open science required, creative industries and cyber security,” he said. With 220,000 plus students in Kenyan universities believed to own smart phones, Ndemo expressed concern that the community was not leading the nation in coming up with inventions required to place their country on the economic ICT path. “It’s my hope that what you learn here will make you walk out and make money. We need to emulate the US university fraternity that has brought forth billion dollar IT inventions such as Google, Yahoo! And Facebook,” the American trained former IT lecturer challenged. He added: “This is the time for you since the moment you hit 26 and get married, it is said you can no longer invent anything. The government has done well in building broadband infrastructure and supported universities with up to 2GB bandwidth.” Ndemo further pressed them to establish You Tube channels for their lecturers to aid in the generation of local content as well as in monitoring the knowledge they are receiving from their tutors. “The Government has released so much of its data under the Open Government policy and what we need is someone to package this as an application that can compile it for release. This is an opportunity our universities can capitalise on to generate revenue.” ----------------------------KICTANet-------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!

1 0

Shaking a leg at IGF Gala night
by Grace Githaiga 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

Shaking a leg at IGF Gala night By Mutwiri Mutuota NAIROBI, Kenya, September 29- Techies worldwide are known more for their devoted love of gadgets and fiddling with the same for hours on end. However, they too have their human side and on Wednesday night, participants at the 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Nairobi tucked away their laptops, iPhones, iPads and any portable electronic gadget at their disposal to put their best foot forward. The occasion was the gala opening of the IGF hosted by the Kenyan government where only intermitted short speeches (tech savvy folk prefer to do most of their talking by fingers, mind you) interrupted the explosion of fan. Top Kenyan Ministry of Information and Communication led by the minister, Samuel Poghisio, his Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bitange Demo and Alice Munyua, the chair, Kenya IGF Steering Committee are among those that addressed the gathering. Participants from all over the world then got down to sample the best Kenyan cuisine prepared by the famed Carnivore Restaurant of the Tamarind Group in a buffet package served from seven points that sampled delicacies from coastal communities in Kenya. The Village Band was at hand and belted out local traditional tunes as the international guests took the opportunity to engage in social banter away from computer related talk. And once peoples tummies were full, it was time to be entertained by an enchanting mix of African pop tunes that simply drove the crowd to frenzy. Young techies relished the moment to display their dancing skills as songs from various ethnic communities in Kenya including Kalenjin, Agikuyu, Akamba, Abaluhya and Dhuluo, as well as popular numbers from Nigeria, Uganda and Liberia among others blazed the speakers. “This is the chance we wanted to give all our visitors to sample what Kenya has to offer,” Poghisio said in his brief remarks. For sure, the Gala that earned rave reviews for those who made to the giant tent gave a credible rendition of the vibrancy of the Kenyan society to echo the advancements in information technology that are seeing the development of ever miniature gadgets. Sheila Mwanyigha, a celebrated Kenyan media personality was the Emcee of the night that most visitors at the 6th IGF will remember. ----------KICTANet-------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!

1 0

capital and economic empowerment discussion @igf
by Grace Githaiga 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

Capital and economic empowerment By Mutwiri Mutotia NAIROBI, Kenya, September 29- One of the revolving assertions in the ongoing 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Nairobi is the linkage between information technology and business. In many sittings at the IGF, making capital and economic empowerment for businesses and ordinary people has resonated across the plenary as stakeholders in IT and commerce seek the way forward. In one of the sessions, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world business organisation delivered its message to the IGF where it spelt out its measures aimed at accelerating the realisation of the global tech and economic development agenda. Under its Business Action to Support the Information Society (BASIS) initiative, ICC stated its continued commitment to supporting the IGF. “The strength of the multi-stakeholder IGF model is that it brings together governments, business, the internet technical community, civil society and international and inter-governmental representatives with all participants in equal footing,” the report presented to the 2011 IGF emphasised. It called on governments to be fully incorporated in the information development strategy formulation for rapid realisation of the stated goals. “Engaging governments from around the world in Internet policy discussions is essential to ensure informed policymaking and decisions by stakeholders.” On national and regional IGF initiatives, the ICC said, “Business applauds the growing number of national and regional initiatives that have characterised the IGF. These initiatives give national and regional stakeholders the opportunity to discuss internet governance issues from national and regional perspectives.” The report underscored the benefits of the implementation of sound IGF policies on development and business contributions. “Effective internet related policies from both supply and demand perspectives improve economic recovery and growth as evidenced by the many national stimulus packages that include Internet and initiatives linked to ICTs.” It cited from the McKinsey & Company estimates that a ten percent in broadband household penetration delivers a boost to the country’s GDP that ranges from 0.1 to 1.4 percent as well as the Booz & Company findings that ten percent higher broadband penetration in a specific year correlates to a 1.5 percent greater labour productivity growth in the next five years to illustrate the assertion. “An environment that enables the development of new business models is the way to attract investment, promote innovation, build necessary infrastructures to cope with the booming data traffic and bring the benefits of the next billion internet users,” ICC intoned. The chamber however, urged policy makers to ensure the Internet growth is not checked by state or any other intervention. “Business strongly agrees that the growth and stability of the international Internet backbone infrastructure is best served when Internet interconnection agreements are left to competition forces. “In fact, business encourages the promotion of the open and interconnected nature of the internet as it fosters industries and new business models.” And in living up to one of the major concerns of the 6th IGF, that of cyber security, ICC threw its weight behind efforts geared towards ensuring Internet consumers are protected from elements keen on criminalising the web. “Business considers it crucial for lawful intercept laws and regulations to be clear and for associated regulatory processes to be transparent in order to avoid uncertain lawful intercept obligations to be a deterrent to Communication Service Providers seeking to innovate, enter or remain in new markets.” On mobile internet services, the Chamber prescribed, “Governments and regulators should adequately plan for the expanding demand for mobile broadband data to ensure that sufficient spectrum is available to support the increasing demands.” ICC offered its backing for the Internationalised Domain Names (IDNs) saying they would foster an inclusive, democratic, legitimate, respectful and locally empowering Information Society. On the forthcoming switch from IPv4 to IPv6 with the two internet protocol systems planned to co-exist for a few years, the business organisation called for government support for the adaptation stating; “The integration of IPv6 does not have a hard deadline like the system changes as Y2K did, but it is essential to prioritise its deployment to ensure that it occurs on time and inter-working with IPv4 to be accommodated.” ---------------------KICTANet--------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!

1 0

Social Impact of mobile phone
by Grace Githaiga 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Social Impact of mobile phone By Mutwiri Mutuota NAIROBI, Kenya, September 27- In the often stated world order, innovation is ‘ordained’ to flow from Western nations to their Southern counterparts. However, the mobile phone industry has provided the South, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa, the rare opportunity to impart on their illustrious Western counterparts pioneering advancements in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) that if replicated worldwide, the social impact would be astronomical. On Monday night, a report released by GSMA, the umbrella body of all mobile phone operators worldwide in Nairobi spelt out the staggering scale of what Government initiatives aimed at promoting mobile phone use can have on their populations. The GSMA conducted two studies, titled Mobile Telephony and Taxation in Kenya and Mobile Taxation: Surtaxes on International Incoming Traffic where the positive and inhibitive impact government policy can have on the advancements of the industry were spelt out. In the first report, the decision by the Kenyan government in June 2009 to exempt mobile handsets from Value Added Tax (VAT, pegged at 16 percent in the country) spurred unprecedented growth in the industry that in turn accelerated economic growth. That pronouncement was made by the country’s Minister for Finance, Uhuru Kenyatta, tucked in his long annual budget speech and its importance was lost at the moment. “The social impact has been astounding. Economic growth has been boosted by eight percent in Kenya as an example with services such as M-Pesa and Airtel Money making such a huge difference in people’s lives,” Gabriel Solomon, the Head of Public Policy at GSMA said. He was alluding to the mobile money transfer services pioneered by Kenya’s leading communication service provider, Safaricom (M-Pesa) and rivals Airtel (Airtel Money) who followed suit with the concept catching on worldwide. “It has improved production efficiency and social cohesion tremendously and such an impact can be replicated worldwide if mobile phone and mobile broadband technology is adopted worldwide,” Solomon added. According to the report, the economic impact of the growth in mobile telephony in Kenya has seen contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shoot up by whooping 250 percent since 2006 with the industry expected to churn some $3b (Ksh300 billion) or 5.6 percent of the entire GDP to the nation’s breadbasket in 2011. The decision to slash VAT on mobile handsets has led to a 200 percent growth in sales in the past two years. It also saw the market expand to include two other Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) namely Orange and Essar (YU Mobile) added to the Safaricom and Airtel duopoly. The corresponding price drop on the handset pegged at 70 percent has seen mobile coverage increase to cover 96 percent of the population, one of the highest penetration rates worldwide. “Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa have shown to be leaders in innovation in the developed world and we are seeing a shift of innovation from the South to the West and this levels the playing field if ultimately replicated worldwide with the world doing business,” Solomon remarked. Subsequently, MNOs in the country have played their part in motivating the growth in productivity of the country’s economy as a whole by contributing such increases by providing services such as mobile banking, M-Agriculture and M-Education in addition to initiating a number of social projects in Kenya’s rural areas. Events such as the annual Safaricom Lewa Marathon held at the Lewa Downs Wildlife Conservancy where besides promotion of the rare black Rhino at the 5,000 acre lush of Savannah in Northern Kenya, the race also raises money for eradication of eye disease trachoma among the nomadic Samburu community. “The experience of the Kenyan government’s removal on taxation on handsets indicates there could be significant benefits for consumers from removal of mobile specific taxes,” the report features. On the other side of the spectrum, the second study on Surtaxes on International Incoming Traffic (SIIT) illustrated the adverse effects state levies on mobile telephony were having on particularly rural African society that continues to be left behind by the digital boom. Gabon and Congo Brazzaville have borne the brunt of the introduction of SIIT by their governments with the price of inbound mobile call traffic rising by 111 and 82 percent in that order. “MNO in Senegal noted that the number of international call minutes terminated on its network decreased each month the taxation is in place when the prices rose by 50 percent,” the report cited. Similar reversals were witnessed in Ghana where prices rose by 58 percent when SIIT was introduced where in addition to the reduction of incoming calls, operators in African countries are reciprocating by higher termination prices. Of more worrying concerns, the findings state, “Operators have reported significant cases of illegal traffic since the introduction of SIIT. This takes away the revenue from operators and governments since illegal SIM boxes work in a way that congests a disproportionate amount of spectrum and reduces the average quality of service for illegal calls.” “Governments should liberate the mobile phone industry to allow private sector investment for the benefit of the consumer as Kenya demonstrated by dropping the tax on mobile phone handsets,” Solomon asserts. During the launch of the report where Kenya was cited as a model example of government’s active involvement in advancing mobile telephony, the country’s Information and Communication Minister, Samuel Poghisio, noted; “The world should think of mobile technology as an agent of social development and there is need to worry about cyber security and such steps are for the sake of mankind.” While proclaiming the country was in the process of rolling out an ambitious M-Education and M-Health programme, he added, “We should think of the mobile phone as an agent of rural development.” While the figures stated above are beyond the comprehension of the commoner, Jane Mwai, who owns a small stall for mobile phone handsets and accessories in Kinoo, a settlement 15km from Nairobi’s Central District perhaps best sums the impact of devices whose stated average weight are given between 200 to 800 grams. “Before I ventured into mobile phone business three years ago, I used to operate a shop on this very premises that was not bringing much and I had to rely more on my husband,” she narrates. “However, since I changed to phones, I’m making enough to keep me going and with my savings, I’m looking forward to opening another stall in Kikuyu (some 5km away). Every day, there is a new mobile product in the market and customers are always there so I made the right choice,” she added. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!

2 2

The death of print media
by robert yawe 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Hi All, I have finally realised that the print media is dead for all intent but the distribution of political propaganda here is my proof; 5 years ago I could place an advert in the classified section of the Nation or Standard newspapers and receive over 500 responses, 2 years ago I would place a one eighth page full colour advert only to receive 150 responses, last week a placed a quarter page advert in the Nation and only received 5 responses. Interestingly, I placed a link on facebook and my website received over 700 hits within 4 hours, that's the final straw I will no longer spend a penny on print advertising and fully embrace online. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

16 21

Public Lecture for University Students with Dr. Vint Cerf Father of the Internet - September 30, 2011 9 -11 am
by Barrack Otieno 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Dear Listers, The 6th IGF Steering Committee in conjunction with KENET invites you to a public lecture at the KICC tomorrow (30th September) starting from 8.30am to noon. The meeting is open to the Public, the theme being Broadband Internet and the New World Wide Web - Opportunities for Student Led innovations and entrepreneurship. Dr vincent Vint Cerf will give a talk on the future of the Internet in Africa - Lessons from the US University Community. The agenda for this lecture can be found here: http://igf.or.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=… Kind Regards -- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno -- Barrack O. Otieno Afriregister Ltd (Kenya) www.afrire <http://www.afriregister.com>gister.bi, www.afriregister.com<http://www.afriergister.com> <http://www.afriregister.com>ICANN accredited registrar +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno

1 0

Re: [kictanet] Public Lecture for University Students - September 30, 2011 9 -11 am
by Barrack Otieno 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Dear Listers, The 6th IGF Steering Committee in conjunction with KENET invites you to a public lecture at the KICC tomorrow (30th September) starting from 8.30am to noon. The meeting is open to the Public, the theme being Broadband Internet and the New World Wide Web - Opportunities for Student Led innovations and entrepreneurship The agenda for this lecture can be found here: http://igf.or.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=… Kind Regards -- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno

1 0

Mentorship Talks @iHub - Saturday
by Phares Kariuki 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

For anyone interested... This Saturday at iHub, from 9 am... 1. *Jyoti Mukherjee - Founder & CEO of IST Limited,* one of the largest Oracle resellers/trainers/integrators in EA. Will be talking about her entrepreneurial journey. 2.* Suru Shah - Founder & Chairman - Blowplast Limited.* Will be giving a talk on how he built the business, work ethics and personal ethics. Blowplast is a plastic manufacturer that has grown to revenues approaching 3 Billion KES annually. Additionally, he will be talking about his use of Kaizen & BI to improve business performance, which led to his company to win CoYA IT 2010. -- With Regards, Phares Kariuki | T: +254 720 406 093 | E: pkariuki(a)gmail.com | Twitter: kaboro | Skype: kariukiphares | B: http://www.kaboro.com/ |

1 0

Re: [kictanet] Hello - PC* Communications - Event consultancy
by Muthoni Masinde 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Thank you very much Priya, Please resend the profile; I cant seem to get it. I will then review it and get back to you with the finer details of the Conference. Kind regards, Muthoni On 9/27/11 5:06 PM, "Priya" <priya(a)priyachanacommunications.com> wrote: > Good evening Muthoni > > I received an email from Andrea regarding a conference you need organized. > > Please find attached my company profile. > > Kindly advise a convenient time and date to meet to discuss the details. Upon > the provision of the scope of work we will present you with a cost proposal to > arrange the conference. > > I have copied in Doreen who is my logistic partner on conferences, she and I > will attend the meeting. > > Warm regards, > > > Priya Chana > PC* Communications Ltd > M. 0724 716 397 > M. 0770 300 714 > E. priya(a)priyachanacommunications.com > > PILLAR AWARDS AFRICA http://www.pillarawardsafrica.org > Nominate your heroine today!! send an sms to 4665 - category, name, > mobile number > ie. Entrepreneur, Priya Chana, 0724 716 397 > ~Pillar Awards Africa looking to recognise the everyday Heroine~ > > KENYA BELIEVE IT CHARITY www.kenyabelieveitcharity.org > Do YOUR bit!!! Personal Social Responsibility (c) > > > > > > DISCLAIMER: All the information contained in this e-mail message is strictly > confidential and may be legally privileged. Such information is intended > solely for the use of the designated recipient. Any disclosure, copying or > distribution of all or part of the information contained herein to or by third > parties is prohibited and may be unlawful. PC* Communications Limited accepts > no liability for the contents of this message or attachments therein whether > official or personal. PC* Communications Limited reserves the right to monitor > all e-mail communications through its networks. Please note that any opinions, > express or implied, presented are solely those of the author and do not > necessarily represent those of PC* Communications Limited. > > If you have received this e-mail message in error please delete it immediately > and notify PC* Communications Limited through e-mail > info(a)priyachanacommunications.com > > > ----------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner > <http://www.mailscanner.info/> , and is believed t o be clean. > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI IS ISO CERTIFIED > > The University of Nairobi is committed to providing quality services to all > its clients. The University will monitor and review its quality performance > from time to time through an effective implementation of the Quality > Management System based on ISO 9001:2008 standard. > > University of Nairobi Website: http://www.uonbi.ac.ke/ > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > ----------------------------------------- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI IS ISO CERTIFIED The University of Nairobi is committed to providing quality services to all its clients. The University will monitor and review its quality performance from time to time through an effective implementation of the Quality Management System based on ISO 9001:2008 standard. University of Nairobi Website: http://www.uonbi.ac.ke/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1 0

Refugee Camps to Benefit from Resource Centers
by Grace Githaiga 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Refugee Camps to Benefit from Resource Centers By Mutwiri Mutotia NAIROBI, Kenya, September 28- Software manufacturing giant, Microsoft Corporation has established three computer resource centres in Kenyan refugee camps to ensure the displaced are in tune with the information technology age. This was disclosed by the company’s senior vice-president, Prad Smith, who led a high powered delegation to the Kenyan deputy leader, Kalonzo Musyoka at his office on Wednesday. “This centres will help them access information about their families and relatives besides helping them access to online education as well as update the refugees in their respective camps on the day-to-day activities in other parts of the world,” Smith proclaimed. He said the organisation was working closely with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in ensuring that refugees become computer literate. Kenya has borne the majority of refugees fleeing the strife-torn Horn of Africa with the Kakuma and Daadab refugee camps in the Northern part of the country hosting almost a million displaced persons. The Community Technology Learning Centres (CTLC) as the project is known, was mooted in 2003 with the pilot at the Daadab camp that now host close to half a million refugees. CTLCs have also been launched in Afghanistan. But with Kenya hosting the 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) the stalwarts of the global tech industry have taken advantage of the gathering to seek new markets for their products. During the visit, Musyoka lauded the role played by Microsoft in the provision of knowledge, information and communication which is critical to the development of any country. “The Kenyan Government is doing everything possible to ensure that every child in the country gets access to a computer and internet connection as one way of preparing them to face the challenges of the modern world,” the vice-president stressed.

1 0

Thoughts developing at the IGF 2011, 26th to 30th September 2011
by Philip Adar 28 Sep '11

28 Sep '11

Sharing thoughts at the IGF 2011, in Nairobi. http://isoc.org/wp/igf/?cat=4567 -- Regards Philip Adar

1 0

Re: [kictanet] [Shujaa Solutions] Shujaa Solutions - September 2011 Digest
by Sean Moroney 28 Sep '11

28 Sep '11

Hi Michael, Congratulations on the progress you are making in so many different directions. I’d like to invite you to make a presentation on your Apps Store in the Mobile Apps stream of our East Africa ICT Summit over 2-3 November. The programme of confirmed presentations so far is attached for your reference. In addition, would you like to make a short (10-min) Innovation Showcase presentation on the M-Ganga project at our AfriHealth conference over 30 November – 1 December (programme attached) delegates from other countries would also find this interesting and it may open opportunities for collaboration across the region. I hope you can contribute to both conferences and look forward to having your response. Regards, Sean Moroney Chairman AITEC Africa seanm(a)aitecafrica.com UK Tel: +44(0)1480-880774 UK Fax: +44(0)1480-880765 UK Mobile: +44(0)7973-499224 Skype: seanmoroney www.aitecafrica.com From: shujaa-bounces(a)shujaa.co.ke [mailto:shujaa-bounces@shujaa.co.ke] On Behalf Of Michael Wakahe Sent: 28 September 2011 10:33 To: shujaa(a)shujaa.co.ke Subject: [Shujaa Solutions] Shujaa Solutions - September 2011 Digest Greetings folks. It has been a while since I posted on our mailing list but now intend to do so more regularly. A lot has been happening on the local and international scene. In the diaspora we have seen the acquisition of Motorola by Google, the Windows 8 BUILD conference and the exit of Carol Bartz from Yahoo! and Leo Apotheker from HP. The "Kenyans for Kenya" campaign was very successful and goes to show that the solutions for Africa's problems lie in Africa. The shilling has slid against the dollar in a big way and we want our economy restored - "Haki Yetu" ;-) Some of the activities we have had since I last blogged include: * Setting up to be a Premium Rate Services Provider (PRSP) with Airtel Kenya and Safaricom Kenya. This means we are now offering short code, bulk SMS, USSD and IVR services with the mentioned operators. With our Safaricom line, you can send any message to the short code 2024 and will get an automated response from us. The cost is KES 5/- and we will not subscribe you to any services; * I facilitated the module 'Mobile Web' at the Safaricom Academy <http://www.safaricomacademy.org/> this July and August; * We have been applying for various grant requests and competitions including the Kenya ICT Board Grant Round 2 <http://www.ict.go.ke/index.php/component/content/article/74-books/366-grant…> , the Enablis Business Plan Competition 2011 <http://www.businesslaunchpad.co.ke> and the Ashoka Changemakers More Health Competition <https://www.changemakers.com/morehealth/entries/m-ganga-mobile-healer> . This Friday is the deadline for the Orange African Social Venture Prize <http://www.starafrica.com/en/news/orange-african-social-venture-prize/the-c…> and the 2012 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA); <http://aip.uneca.org/aif> * We were at a training for Safaricom Content Providers this August as we are set up to provide them with mobile apps. I must say kudos to their efforts on creating a content management platform. Am prodding them to release it as soon as they can so that apps can be a big phenomenon here; * As usual working with business partners and seeking collaboration with universities and other institutions. Some of the commercial activities we are now undertaking include: * Revamping our website and social networks to expose our products, activities and social events; * Building up our product dubbed the Shujaa SMS Gateway. This will be our management system for SMS services. Some of the features will be an HTTP API to send and receive SMS, reporting through graphs and email briefs, documentation, SLA and other legals. It will allow you to set up your code to call our API to trigger and receive SMS through the local operators; * We have just formed an exciting team to put out a fully fledged app store under the Mobisoko <http://mobisoko.com/> flagship. The focus is Kenya and then Africa. An app store concept that we developed last year can be seen by clicking this link: http://appstore.shujaa.mobi. With the experiences learnt from this initiative I believe we are well placed to contribute a lot. More details coming soon. On the community side, some upcoming activities include: * I will be a mentor <http://garage48.org/nairobi/mentors> for the Garage48 <http://garage48.org/nairobi> event this Saturday here in Nairobi; * We are putting out the M-Ganga <http://mganga.shujaa.mobi> healthcare project which aims to conserve traditional medicine in our country. We will request for volunteers to use our mobile app to take interviews and photos of medicine men and herbs and submit to the database. This project is inspired by Shikoh Gitau who is now working in Google Kenya. * We will be doing some interviews with players in the tech industry and putting them on our Youtube page. Essentially just to get a feel of the local scene from people in different areas including SME, large corporate and government. Our quote for this month is from Archimedes, a Greek mathematician and inventor (c. 287 BC – c. 212 BC): "Give me a place to stand and with a lever I will move the whole world". I believe IT is our lever for this task and we are standing here in Kenya B-) -- Regards, Michael Wakahe Director, Shujaa Solutions Software & Mobile Land: +254 (0) 20 250 9260 Web: www.shujaa.co.ke Mobile: shujaa.mobi

1 0

Women and Internet Governance @ IGF
by Grace Githaiga 28 Sep '11

28 Sep '11

Women and Internet Governance By Mutwiri Mutuota NAIROBI, Kenya, September 28- While many sectors struggle to achieve gender parity, women have played a proactive role in the development, advancement and consumption of the internet. The Women and Internet Governance session at the 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Nairobi recognised and hailed the role female leaders and consumers of ICT have played in the global growth of cyber space. Interventions from some of the world’s leading female ICT policy makers at government and private sector as well as web technology based entrepreneurs acknowledged that women were not shying away from being part and parcel of the digital revolution. The Association of Progressive Communicators (APC) while making an intervention on Women access to the internet for instance, told the meeting that many women in Asia countries such as Taiwan and China had turned to the internet to highlight gender bias and injustices to great effect. “In Taiwan for example, more women are using social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to report cases of domestic violence and their voices are being heard,” an APF representative told the forum. Nigerian entrepreneur, Nnenna Nwakanma stated during her intervention that while women were making significant strides in attaching themselves to the policy making machinery in ICT, there was need to make many more able to generate web content. “We need to create more women to generate content tailored to their needs so that they can enjoy (cyber) space. I’m an example of how one can make a living from churning content for the internet and my firm runs from the table room and kitchen,” she intoned. With millions of women accessing ICT through mobile phones and computers, the cyber world has unfortunately opened another front for gender violence against them. The keynote intervention during the Women and Internet Governance session was the presentation of a report by the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANET) titled Study on Women and Cyber Crime in Kenya: The Dark Side of ICTS presented by Alice Munyua, Muriuki Mureith and Grace Githaga. It tabled grim findings on how the internet was being used to make women the subject of gender abuse at an alarming scale as Githaiga explained when she presented the report. “Women continue to be at risk of being victims of psychological violence through the internet and mobile technology,” she summed. In her illustration, she recounted the tribulations of Patricia Kihoro, a Kenyan contestant at the reality television show, Tusker Project Fame. “Patricia had to change her Facebook account settings after receiving thousands of hate messages on her inbox after voting out one of the audiences favourites. She told us she was so afraid of moving out to the streets when she returned home the show ended. The other rising technology induced violations of women’s rights was through sending abusive text messages that had evolved to include images with the advent of multimedia enabled phones. “The lack of specific cybercrime/cyber security legislation makes it even more difficult to punish those who use ICTs tools to conduct violence against women. “While, the review of the Kenya Communications Amendment Act, enacted in January 2009, begins to deal with the problem, it does not explicitly deal with all cyber crime and cyber security issues on the person and specifically women,” Githaga quoted the expansive report commissioned last year. With all present resolving to press for enactment of policies to safeguard women from cyber crime, Eunice Kariuki of the Kenya ICT Board stressed the urgent need to develop programmes to ensure global e-justice. “We need more women leaders in IT space as a lasting intervention to ensure e-justice. Women leaders in ICT will play a key role in formulation of policies meant to safeguard their interests in addition to making the advancements more user friendly to them,” Kariuki said. Drawing from her personal experience, she conceded the path towards ensuring gender parity in ICT was still long. The KICTANET report highlighted, “Cyber violence is more difficult for police to handle because people do it in the privacy of their homes. People can use the internet and email facilities wherever they find themselves and in this way hide what they do. It can be anonymous and therefore more dangerous.” “There is need to ensure a proper balance between the interests of law enforcement and respect for fundamental human rights. Such rights also include the right to freedom of expression and the rights concerning the respect for privacy,” it recommends. Alice Munyua, the Chair of Kenya IGF Steering Committee lead the women present in paying tribute to the late Nobel peace laureate Wangari Maathai. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!

1 0

Re: [kictanet] Kalonzo Opens the IGF
by meshack emakunat 28 Sep '11

28 Sep '11

Dear lister. I find the issue of protecting the children on the internet of great importance especially in an african setting considering the igf is being held right here in africa. If we want to have ict for development in a set up that is opinionated on a more traditional foundation of moral ethics, then the issue of moral ethics has to be adressed in policy fomulation and advocacy. We heard from mr. Karim Toure from gambia that people dont take there children to school not because of any other reason but they just shun the western education. regards. On Tue Sep 27th, 2011 4:44 PM PDT Grace Githaiga wrote: > > > >Kalonzo Opens the IGF > >NAIROBI, Kenya, September 27- Kenya’s vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Tuesday underscored the importance of internet and related technologies as a potential tool for economic growth and social change. > >Musyoka consequently noted that internet has played critical role in the promotion of good governance through access to information thus restoring the public trust in political process. > >Addressing the ongoing 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) at the United Nations Office in Nairobi as it marked its official opening, the deputy leader stated, “This significant development creatively interfaced with mobile telephony can achieve enormous results in record time and to a great majority.” > >Kalonzo stressed the net has become an indispensable facet of modern day life and singled out information and education resource, commerce, employment, design and deployment of efficient administrative systems and access to public and official information as some of the benefits. > >The Vice president observed that access to knowledge, information and communication is critical to the development of any country and initiatives such as the Open Data Portal could give great impetus to public participation in translating government data and information into a reservoir of development ideas. > >He underscored the need for concerted effort in tackling emergent cyber-based security issues as he urged all stakeholders to come up with innovative ways of protecting children online. > > “I call upon all stakeholders to pay special attention to protect children on line as well as develop ways to address other forms of attacks against the integrity of the infrastructure, networks and services of the internet” Mr. Musyoka said. > >The three-day IGF, the first in Sub-Saharan Africa has the theme of “Internet as a catalyst for change, Access, Development, Freedom and Innovation and has drawn over 1,500 participants from across the world to share ideas on the emerging trends in the cyber world. > >“The impact continues to have dramatic effects including the overwhelmingly successful mobile telephony cash transfer platform M-Pesa pioneered in Kenya a few years ago. In Kenya, we have made great strides towards making Internet accessibility readily and cost effectively available to every region in the country,” he stated. > >He said this had been possible by the installation of three undersea fibre optic cables along the coast of East Africa. > >The Vice President added that the fibre connectivity via long-distance wireless communication technologies such as WiMAX and 3G has increased internet access tremendously, and encouraged more initiatives and partnership on the use of the internet for development purposes and in particular, in areas such as healthcare and education. > >He told the IT experts to come up with innovative programmes that will make the internet the watershed of ideas that will determine how effectively human capital, talents, skills and other resources could provide solutions to challenges facing them. > >Musyoka lauded the Kenya Internet Governance Forum for actively representing Kenya in all Internet governance processes. > > >----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World! >

1 0

Kalonzo Opens the IGF
by Grace Githaiga 28 Sep '11

28 Sep '11

Kalonzo Opens the IGF NAIROBI, Kenya, September 27- Kenya’s vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Tuesday underscored the importance of internet and related technologies as a potential tool for economic growth and social change. Musyoka consequently noted that internet has played critical role in the promotion of good governance through access to information thus restoring the public trust in political process. Addressing the ongoing 6th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) at the United Nations Office in Nairobi as it marked its official opening, the deputy leader stated, “This significant development creatively interfaced with mobile telephony can achieve enormous results in record time and to a great majority.” Kalonzo stressed the net has become an indispensable facet of modern day life and singled out information and education resource, commerce, employment, design and deployment of efficient administrative systems and access to public and official information as some of the benefits. The Vice president observed that access to knowledge, information and communication is critical to the development of any country and initiatives such as the Open Data Portal could give great impetus to public participation in translating government data and information into a reservoir of development ideas. He underscored the need for concerted effort in tackling emergent cyber-based security issues as he urged all stakeholders to come up with innovative ways of protecting children online. “I call upon all stakeholders to pay special attention to protect children on line as well as develop ways to address other forms of attacks against the integrity of the infrastructure, networks and services of the internet” Mr. Musyoka said. The three-day IGF, the first in Sub-Saharan Africa has the theme of “Internet as a catalyst for change, Access, Development, Freedom and Innovation and has drawn over 1,500 participants from across the world to share ideas on the emerging trends in the cyber world. “The impact continues to have dramatic effects including the overwhelmingly successful mobile telephony cash transfer platform M-Pesa pioneered in Kenya a few years ago. In Kenya, we have made great strides towards making Internet accessibility readily and cost effectively available to every region in the country,” he stated. He said this had been possible by the installation of three undersea fibre optic cables along the coast of East Africa. The Vice President added that the fibre connectivity via long-distance wireless communication technologies such as WiMAX and 3G has increased internet access tremendously, and encouraged more initiatives and partnership on the use of the internet for development purposes and in particular, in areas such as healthcare and education. He told the IT experts to come up with innovative programmes that will make the internet the watershed of ideas that will determine how effectively human capital, talents, skills and other resources could provide solutions to challenges facing them. Musyoka lauded the Kenya Internet Governance Forum for actively representing Kenya in all Internet governance processes. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!

1 0

Uwezo app
by Ory Okolloh 27 Sep '11

27 Sep '11

Is there a link somewhere to the app? Thanks, Ory On Thu, Sep 22, 2011 at 7:24 PM, <kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke>wrote: > Send kictanet mailing list submissions to > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > You can reach the person managing the list at > kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Vizualisations on Student Teacher Ratio (bitange(a)jambo.co.ke) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:32:02 +0300 (EAT) > From: bitange(a)jambo.co.ke > To: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Cc: k-internetusers(a)bdix.net, KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions > <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: [kictanet] Vizualisations on Student Teacher Ratio > Message-ID: > <244efa5e3b9fafd3b7abd46be35c5c81.squirrel(a)mail.jambo.co.ke> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Listers, > Uwezo has deveoped a visualization tool on the distribution of teachers in > the country. If you carefully review this piece of open data, you will > find that teachers had no case in the recent strike threat. What is > disturbing is the growing number of decisions made without proper > scientific methods. > > I am glad media tried to dismiss the teachers' case. What the public did > not know is that once the contract teachers are confirmed, the same union > officials will demand transfers for their relatives from marginal areas > (often with teacher deficit) to surplus regions. They will then use > marginal or deficit areas to ask for more recruitments. The cycle will > continue. Further the union dues will increase but education in marginal > areas will decline. > > Can we be ever embrace rational approaches to decision making especially > on critical development programmes? Where I come from teachers have > outsourced their services as they do their businesses or visit relatives > in far flung areas as in the US. KNUT knows this and nobody bears > responsibility on the declining standards. There is no performance > apparisal and if it was ever introduced 50% of teachers will go home. > Last year myself and three other friends randomly gave the past KCPE exam > to 10 teachers in five districts, only one scored 350. We can do this on > large scale but I doubt that the result will be any different. Can we > stand up and be counted on this. Education is the foundation of any > nation. > > > Regards > > > Ndemo. > > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > > > ---------------------------------------------- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > --------------------------------------------- > "easy access to the world" > >

1 0

Tributes to Wangari Mathaai at IGF 11
by Grace Mutung'u (Bomu) 27 Sep '11

27 Sep '11

It is so striking that the IGF programme book, which I imagine was printed way before the sad demise of Prof Wangari Mathaai extensively quotes her on page (as an introduction to Kenya)...whoever had this great foresight! In addition, delegate after delegate today sent messages of condolence to Kenyans on her loss. She was truly a world heroine. R.I.P -- Grace L.N. Mutung'u (Bomu) Kenya Skype: gracebomu Twitter: GraceMutung'u (Bomu)

1 0

Fwd: Registration form WCCC and Computer Olympiad
by waudo siganga 27 Sep '11

27 Sep '11

This could interest some, particularly programmers who can write computer games to play chess, draughts, checkers, Go, backgammon, bridge, and more. Waudo ----- Original message ----- From: "J.W. Hellemons" <J.W.Hellemons(a)uvt.nl> To: "J.W. Hellemons" <J.W.Hellemons(a)uvt.nl> Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:51:17 +0000 Subject: Registration form WCCC and Computer Olympiad *Apologies for multiple postings* Dear member of the ICGA, Please be so kind to register for the events in Tilburg in November via http://www.grappa.univ-lille3.fr/icga/news_item.php?id=66 for the WCCC, WCSC and Computer Olympiad. For participation in the ACG13 conference please register via https://www.conftool.net/acg13/index.php?page=logout Best regards, Joke Hellemons

2 1

Follow the IGF on twitter
by Grace Githaiga 27 Sep '11

27 Sep '11

Follow IGF proceedings on twitter: @KICTANet ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the strength to survive, you have the power to succeed. Life is all about choices we make depending upon the situation we are in. Go forth and rule the World!

2 1