A few points for discussion, for the sake of research: The concept behind research is to take a large amount of information, compile it in a reasonable way and share it for educational purposes. Policy makers need to read research for a variety of sources before they make decisions. What may be missing from this discussion is the research from the development community that illustrates how ICTs when utilized properly can benefit the people. But when content developers (aka the media) and others are not free to express their research (stories) without arbitrary censorship, a country puts it self at risk. Please see *Development as Freedom* by Amaryta Sen, foremost economist on development and freedom, winner of the Nobel prize in Economics, and Sen's work on how democracy and a free media have prevented famine in India. One question for Walu, how many people have to be on the brink of starvation before the title FAMINE applies? A few suggestions: *So what are some definitions of famine?* • According to Médecins Sans Frontières, famine is a situation where more than five people in 10,000 are dying every day. • USAID says a famine is a "catastrophic food crisis that results in widespread acute malnutrition and mass mortality. It is a process, rather than an event, with a beginning, a middle and an end." • The World Food Programme says a famine occurs when a serious food crisis is made worse by "governments' failure to deal with the situation". In most of the 80 countries where WFP operates, people are on the brink of a food crisis. • Nigerien President Mamadou Tandja put it this way in an interview in August with the BBC: "There are three signs of a famine: when people are leaving the countryside and going to live in shantytowns; people are leaving the country; and there are beggars all over the place. Those three things do not exist in Niger at the present time." • Devereux and Howe suggest this definition: "Famine is where the number of people dying is between 2-4 people per 10,000 population per day, and/or wasting is between 20-40 percent (that is the proportion of children aged between six months and five years old who are less than 80 percent of the average weight-for-height). Coping strategies are exhausted and people adopt survival strategies. Markets begin to close or collapse." So where does Kenya fit into this equation? According to the World Bank, one of the primary funding agencies for ICTs for development in Kenya the infant mortality rate has been on the rise for the last 10 years. As of their 2007, Millennium Development Goals report the infant mortality rate is up to 79 out of 1,000. That was before the post-election violence, drought, and crop failure. I am sure it is much higher as I know of three children who have died in the last week in Likoni. The under five mortality is up to 121 per 1,000. Unfortunately the data for the poverty reduction of Goal 1 is missing from the dataset as if the figure for malnutrition. However if you compare the Kenyan Bureau of Statistics numbers such as poverty in Ganze constiuency in Coastal province, you will see that the malnutrition is rampant. As for survival strategies and rural to urban migration just take a look at the child prostituion trade at the Coast and the burdgening population and insecurity in Likoni. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/KENYAEXTN/0,,menuPK:356536~pagePK:141132~piPK:141109~theSitePK:356509,00.html<http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/KENYAEXTN/0,,menuPK:356536%7EpagePK:141132%7EpiPK:141109%7EtheSitePK:356509,00.html> With 10 million people on the brink of starvation, roughly one third of the country, I would in my professional opinion call it a famine. So where does this fit into the policy? Again according to the World Bank, The vision of the ICT policy in Kenya is to become "an e-enabloed and knowledge based society by 2015." Their mission is "to use ICT to improve the livelihoods of the people of Kenya and opitmize its contribution to the economy." http://siteresources.worldbank.org/PSGLP/Resources/ICTPolicyandKenya.pdf SO... If these are the goals of the ICT policy then why haven't the people received any share of the $116 million in World Bank loans given to the government? Would a country on its way to becoming a knowledge based society chose to curb the voice of the media if they had the priorites of the people in mind? Really, I just wanted to share some of the thoughts rambling around in my head as I watch the children in my village starve... Any thoughts from anyone else? Many blessings, Crystal On Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 3:16 PM, Catherine Adeya <elizaslider@yahoo.com>wrote:
I do agree with the authors (I believe from an IDRC publication) who wrote ".....the link between policy research and policy-making is non-linear. Researchers must be flexible and agile in their timing and approaches if they are to influence economic policies. They should be willing and able to re-assess the situation at any point in time, and to re-visit their course of action or strategy".
Failing to plan is planning to fail. Research is not for research sake; research should and can inform policy. Many research centres were created in response to the need to develop policies that are home-grown, given the context of the failures of imported policies. Many policymakers run back to the very researchers who they would listened to in the first place to ensure they work in partnership; however researchers must work in a timely manner. Essentially, Walu, is on the right track.
Best,
Nyaki
------------------------------ *From:* Bill Kagai <billkagai@gmail.com> *To:* elizaslider@yahoo.com *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> *Sent:* Saturday, January 17, 2009 11:23:42 AM *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Day 5 of 10-KCA 2008, IT Section - the Bad + Recommendations
OK, I am convinced. This discussion is to do with research and I commend that. The only catch I can foresee is captured very well by Physicist Dr. Angeyo Kalambuka...quoting him verbatim,
*[However, normally, academics look backward to find lessons; policymakers look ahead and often must improvise. Academics can wait until all the facts are in; policymakers cannot. The time horizon of academics may be years; the horizon of policymakers, weeks, days, even hours.]*
Source - http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/-/440808/513790/-/428722/-/index.html
This is the key difference between David Makali and co. (who are making things happen and shaping the future) and 'us' who are waiting to derive research from the action Media policy makers take. That is why they are a step ahead of us. Walu is our Academician. Where are our policy makers who will influence our future??
Bill
On Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 9:32 AM, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack@gmail.com>wrote:
If i may contribute to this exchange i think the discussion is important Bill. The Law is already in place , however everyone seems to be having their own opinion on the Pro's and Cons of the New law which is counterproductive in the long run for the sector.Dont forget there are vested interests and sideshows in this whole Law issue, as practitioners it is important that we are all informed on the benefits (or good tidings) that the new new law brings and the challenges it might bring to the sector in the long run.In short as others are submitting their petitions let the debate continue, we were challenged at the Hilton Forum to embrace Research and the kind of information being exchanged on this forum is of utmost importance to all members.
On Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 3:55 PM, John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com> wrote:
Bill,
I have no game plan, I am an Academician and so find that I am able to look at this issues from each stakeholders perspective relatively objectively - and yes my effort was 'duly' commissioned by the KICTANet National Cordinator - though not digitally signed :-(.
This 10day exercise is not intended in anywway to undermine any other 'fact-finding' exercise and I believe the Ministry (of Info) does have the resources to multi-task and receive ideas from face-2-face workshops, online workshops, et al.
With regard to timeliness - last I heard was that Wako (AG) and/or Parliament can only begin to debate the suggested recommendations/proposals in April 2009 under a new Bill. So my take is that we have enough time for KICTAnet, ISACA and/or any other Stakeholder to submit their ideas.
Why go into the other Sections -IT, Telco, Postal, etc?. Again, my brief was to do total review of ALL sections - avoid being trapped in the over-hyped Media vs Govt debate because all the other sections are important too and could stand to benefit from a review.
I attach the Program Outline which I posted on Day 1 and looks like you missed it (hence your suspicions?). Nevertheless, If members wish that we rest the discussion, I will close the discussion and move out of the Chair accordingly.
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