Hi All, I am new to this mailing list and would like to start by saying something about myself. I am an Information Technology specialist with over 15 years experience which means I know how to use DOS, UNIX and other OS's that exist only on 5.25" floppy disks. My area of specialisation is in design & implementation of local and wide area networks. On the issue of mGovernment I do agree that this is the next frontier but it is shocking, as usual, that we are not embracing the technology or even working to develop the necessary legislation to make it flourish. AS many web site designers about WAP and they are lost, we are designing heavy sites that have no intelligence to identify the type of device accessing the site and thus adjust the page to display better on the particular device. It is interesting that CCK and the Ministry of Information plus the ICT Board can sit back when the fight between Telkom and Safaricom on the delivery of SMS messages across the network continues to deny the tax payer (excise duty on airtime). Or the fact that none of the mentioned felt it necessary to educate Mr. Kivuitu on the need to make live electoral database available over SMS. Now if we cannot take advantage of this opportunity to create local content and utilise mGovernment how can we entrust this "bodies" (which interestingly refers to expired humans) with making the marine cable a viable project. Maybe we should cancel the project and use the money to put up a technology park in Mandera and Garsen. We do not need to recreate the wheel, just visit yahoomobile, googleearthmobile, or if you have a GPRS enabled phone try wap.mystocks.co.ke. Or next time you are going up towards NIC on Bunyala Road look at the Nokia advert. The mobile phone is the future let embrace it or perish. Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 KEnya Tel: +254722511225 ----- Original Message ---- From: Harry Hare <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, 19 November, 2007 6:16:53 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] Mobile Government: The New Frontier in TransformingPublic Services - 29th November 2007 <!-- _filtered {font-family:Tahoma;panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;} _filtered {font-family:Garamond;panose-1:2 2 4 4 3 3 1 1 8 3;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue;text-decoration:underline;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple;text-decoration:underline;} span.EmailStyle17 {font-family:Arial;color:windowtext;} span.EmailStyle18 {font-family:Arial;color:navy;} span.EmailStyle19 {font-family:Arial;color:navy;} _filtered {margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;} div.Section1 {} _filtered {} _filtered {font-family:Symbol;} _filtered {} _filtered {} _filtered {} _filtered {} _filtered {} _filtered {} _filtered {} _filtered {} _filtered {} _filtered {font-family:Symbol;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> Dear Kwach, I agree with you and it is equally interesting to note that some mobile applications are already being implemented…I dare say that this part of the world will see more mGovernment in the G2C (Government to Citizens) arena than the traditional eGovernment where the PC is the main service delivery channel. Most welcome to attend the session. Kindest regards Harry From: Kwach [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 5:51 PM To: 'Harry Hare' Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' Subject: RE: [kictanet] Mobile Government: The New Frontier in TransformingPublic Services - 29th November 2007 Hi Harry, These are interesting statistics and scenario. For developing countries, there is urgent need to move from quantity to quality. In my view, content is the quality because more 65% of mobiles are only meeting social needs and costs involved have got no direct linkage to revenue for the owners, which should be a great concern. With Mobile Government, time and resources used in the rural to the say Government offices miles away would be deployed in other economic activities. I am keen to attend. Kwach Akich From: kictanet-bounces+kwach=archway-productions.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+kwach=archway-productions.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Harry Hare Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 8:49 AM To: [email protected] Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Mobile Government: The New Frontier in TransformingPublic Services - 29th November 2007 Dear Colleagues, Mobile services are quickly emerging as the new frontier in transforming government and making it even more accessible and citizen-centric by extending the benefits of remote delivery of government services and information to those who are unable or unwilling to access public services through the Internet or simply prefer to use mobile devices. In theory, many government services can be now made available on a 24x7x365 basis at any place in the country covered by mobile networks, which today means almost everywhere! Michael, correct me if Im wrong. It is from this background that the World Bank in partnership with eGovWorld 2007 (www.egovworld.com) and African eDevelopment Resource Centre presents a dialogue on Mobile Government (mGovernment) on 29th November 2007, 4.30pm -7.00pm at the World Bank offices, Nairobi. The dialogue is live Video Conference and an integral part of the eGovWorld 2007 conference taking place in India 29-30 November 2007. According to the ITU, the total number of mobile users worldwide as of late 2006 was about 2.7 billion and the number of internet users was just above 1.1 billion. This means that there is 33.6% of world population (and 22.2% of developing countries population) who already have mobile phones but are not yet using the Internet. Does this provide a strong case for leveraging the mobile channel to dramatically improve access to public services, including electronic government services to those who can afford to use a personal or shared mobile phone? Does this create an opportunity to connect in the near future the next two billion people to some of the benefits of e-government, e-health, e-education, e-banking and e-commerce? How exactly can Mobile Government change the lives of common people in developing countries? What are best examples of such impact? What are the key constraints to making this vision a reality? How should governments change the way they do business to take advantage of mobile technologies? What is the role of the private sector? Are there successful business models (e.g. PPP) for private sector companies to deliver value-added m-government services? These are some of the questions that will be addressed. Participation to the event is free; however, one needs to register to get access to the venue. If you are interested in participating send an email directly to [email protected] for a registration form. Space is limited at the venue, only 20 places are available and will be given out on a first-come-first-served basis. Deadline for registration is Wednesday 22nd November. Program: +++++ Welcome & Introduction Samia Melhem, Senior Operations Officer, Global ICT, World Bank; and Chair, e-Development Thematic Group Vikas Kanungo, Chairman, The Society for Promotion of e-Governance, India & Convener, eGovWorld 2007 Opening Remarks/Keynote address R. Chandrashekhar, Additional Secretary (e-Governance), DIT, Government of India Speakers Ibrahim Kushchu, Associate Professor and Director, Mobile Government Consortium International & Author, "m-Government: An Emerging Direction in e-Government", UK Hannes Astok, Member of Parliament & former Deputy Mayor, City of Tartu , Estonia Kindest Regards Harry Hare Executive Director African eDevelopment Resource Centre 3rd Floor, Nelleon Place , Raphta Road , Westlands PO Box 49475 00100, Nairobi Tel +254 20 4453445 Cel +254 725 650044 -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet This message was sent to: [email protected] Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/robertyawe%40yahoo.co.u... ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out there knows the answer. Try it now. http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/