Just to expand the discourse on the cable issues and place it into some wider perspective. As far back as 1997, the US Government identified eight sectors it deemed critical to the national security and the essential functioning of its economy. These were:
1. Telecommunications
2. Transportation
3. Water supply
4. Oil and gas production
5. Banking and finance
6. Electrical generation
7. Emergency services, and
8. Essential government functions
A President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection ("PCCIP") in October 1997, highlighted the topic of critical infrastructures and made a series of specific recommendations for their protection.
What does this have to do with the issue of “cut cables”? At the height of the post election violence and in some incidents thereafter, the movement of produce and goods in Kenya became a serious issue. In fact as a consequence, ALL of the neighbouring countries are actively identifying and developing alternative access routes for their products and services. Kenya Vision 2030 is predicated on an export led growth strategy that is and will be heavily dependent not only on networked transport services, but also on the fibre optic cable. The investment in transport and ICT infrastructure are premised on the desire to establish Kenya as the region's preeminent communications hub. The assurance that Kenya can and will consistent, reliable and affordable access to these critical infrastructures is critical to achieving these goals.
It is thus important that players in the ICT Sector team up with other sectors to insist on the development of a national, perhaps East African wide Critical Infrastructure Protection Policy complete with accompanying reviews and enhancements in the legal and institutional frameworks. It is the only consistent way through which we shall be able to ensure security for investments so expensively and patiently built.
A piecemeal approach will work for a short while and we shall be firefighting to eternity. The effort should focus on a comprehensive intervention, while obviously dealing with the issues in the short term.
My two cents worth.
Kind regards
Eric
-----Original Message-----
From: kai wulff [mailto:kai.wulff@kdn.co.ke]
Sent: Fri 06/11/2009 22:14
To: Eric Aligula
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
Subject: AW: [kictanet] Cable issues
It would help if we could get our day in court. Vandalism is one thing,
negligence another. We as Operators spend huge amounts on staff we attach to
contractors to make sure they don't destroy our cable plant .. If they do,
we never get compensated. Taking them to court takes years and you might
only get awarded the cost of the cable plus the labor ..
Frustrated
Kai
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----Von: kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.keAuftrag von jairah@kippra.or.ke
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+kai.wulff=kdn.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] Im
Gesendet: Friday, November 06, 2009 20:40
An: kai.wulff@kdn.co.ke
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy DiscussionsBetreff: Re: [kictanet] Cable issues
ColleaguesThis message was sent to: kai.wulff@kdn.co.ke
What I would suggest is to have a law to protect critical infrastructure
from vagabonds such as those that destroy cables and other infrastructure
that we need to sustain the enabling environment for doing business. The
penalties this guys receive are a joke and the law needs to target the
entire value chain, at least on the Kenyan perhaps East African side.
Kind regards
Eric Aligula
Sent from my BlackBerry®
-----Original Message-----
From: Jevans Nyabiage <jnyabiage@nation.co.ke>
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:07:21
To: <jairah@kippra.or.ke>
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Subject: [kictanet] Cable issues
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