Walu,

Are you saying that a request, even a reasonable one, from statehouse should never be considered by the regulator if they are to remain independent?

From the article, it appears the CCK board and MOIC carefully considered the 'request/directive' from statehouse and have a justification for it: "There was a feeling that we had moved too fast with the issue, and the decision is meant to give players a chance to step back and evaluate the effects that the significant reduction in MTRs has had," Ndemo told The standard in an interview.

I think 'independence' of a regulator does not disqualify them from receiving requests from statehouse or any other party. If the regulator can deliberate on the issue/request and then act in the best interest of the nation, I think they are still independent.

In this case, the government, the regulator and all the operators seem to be agreed on the issue and hence I do not expect any backfiring, unless the consumer disagrees furiously.

Best regards,

Jotham K. Mwale

--- On Thu, 6/9/11, Walubengo J <jwalu@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Walubengo J <jwalu@yahoo.com>
Subject: [kictanet] State House moves in to quell mobile price wars
To: jokilimo@yahoo.com
Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Date: Thursday, June 9, 2011, 12:38 AM

By Macharia kamau,


A presidential directive freezing the reduction of mobile termination rates (MTRs) has rendered irrelevant a prime ministerial task force set up to establish how reduced MTRs affect the economy and mobile phone operators.


By the Standard @
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000036808&cid=14&
~~~~~~~~
I get worried when I read headlines like these.  Is it really true or a case of being misquoted. I have a big problem when a Regulator receives explicit instructions from Statehouse=President? particularly when we have been successfull in pretending that the Regulator is truly independent.

In the new constitutional dispensation, this can quite backfire and leave more egg on Statehouse..
walu.


-----Inline Attachment Follows-----

_______________________________________________
kictanet mailing list
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/jokilimo%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.