John I hear you loudly and clearly. Back in the 1990s we used to get computer parts from Dubai, Malaysia and the like. On weekends, we converted our classroom to an assembly line, and created sufficient inventory for anticipated sales that week. In one demonstration, I proudly talked about skills of our technicians to assemble and maintain computers. I didn't realize it was a turnoff for the client. "Computers made in Kenya!" he exclaimed and walked out saying he will come back to us. He never did and completely avoided our follow up. Long story short: one of my techies slapped a "Made in Canada" label on some of the machines and they were promptly snapped! (I have seen a similar streak in encounters in our ICT consulting and publishing business; but again ... what would be more typically Kenyan than this?) Back to the present: how many ongoing projects in the country mandate minimum local content/participation? Example: what proportion of the Thika Road construction is mandated to be subcontracted to local firms (engineering design, construction, etc.). ... Sorry, I could write an entire book on this demonstrating the truth that, as much as we target/blame others for failure we are equal participants and ... need to do our part. Have a good weekend. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com Agano Consulting Inc.; www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda; Skype: okiambe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be prepared for ICT security failures & know how to respond when they happen! Call: +1-888-587-1150 or info@aganoconsulting.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ________________________________ From: John Kariuki <ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk> To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2012 2:11 AM Subject: Re: [kictanet] KIRDI in onslaught of local products - re Jua Kali Nyanchama, Get a world Polytechnic today and you will compete with the world. In my village on the slopes of Mt. Kenya, the local Jua Kali used to make computer desks. Today they do not because they cannot compete with imports! John Kariuki. From: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com> To: ngethe.kariuki2007@yahoo.co.uk Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Saturday, 28 July 2012, 5:53 Subject: [kictanet] KIRDI in onslaught of local products - re Jua Kali In case you missed. Aside from these, I have seen products made from bananas, pineapples and avocado ready for large scale agro-processing investment. There is a lot to learn from this institution. KIRDI on the roll One more comment regarding Jua Kali: how many of AIE holders on this list have made it a policy to source from Jua Kali e.g. furniture? Not only would this earn this hard working lot a better living but the sourcer can also help lift standards of products Jua Kali produce. Sentiments expressed here about polytechnics are right on. In my Nyamira area we have been arguing about what to press for first: a university or a world class polytechnic? I have supported the latter adding that more should also be done in village polytechnic type skills development. And for reasons that today, we have an inverted pyramid with a lot of graduates without the needed support structure to make them effective. Baadaye. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com Agano Consulting Inc.; http://www.aganoconsulting.com/; Twitter: nmatunda; Skype: okiambe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be prepared for ICT security failures & know how to respond when they happen! Call: +1-888-587-1150 or info@aganoconsulting.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ngethe.kariuki2007%40y... 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. 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