/FYI --- On Tue, 8/19/08, Alex Gakuru <gakuru@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Alex Gakuru <gakuru@gmail.com> Subject: Fwd: [ke-internetusers] Internet Governance Forum(IGF) Discussion, Economic Issues To: alex.gakuru@yahoo.com Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 1:19 AM ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Crystal Watley Foshee <crystal@voicesofafrica.org> Date: Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 10:36 AM Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Internet Governance Forum(IGF) Discussion, Economic Issues To: Alex Gakuru <gakuru@gmail.com>
Alex,
I have just a few words on e-commerce and online government. First, e-commerce. The laws and licensing are important to internet consumers, but not more so than the other import/ export laws governing the country. When I think of the consumers in this case I would like to think of those who would consume if they had the opportunity. In many villages there are income generation projects that would benefit from being able to market their wares on the global stage. The issue is access.
This takes me to the second point of e-government. First, the reality on the ground is that it is almost impossible to get a list of the NGOs and CBOs working in various locations of the country from the government offices. This is because they have one computer and no one on staff who knows how to use it. This is the computer literacy within the lower branches of the government. So who is the e-government targeting? Is it the wananachi? In the States I used e-government to do everything. Rarely did I visit government offices. Here it is the only available option and it takes days, weeks, or months to get any information.
What we are doing now on the ground is getting into communities and assessing their information needs. The biggest problem we are facing is lack of consumer access. People lack the funds to be able to access the computers, the training, and even more so the internet, when and where it is available. Voices of Africa has become a legal NGO and we are building our research capacity. Something at that EAC Harmonization conference struck me. 90% of all internet users are in Mombasa and Nairobi, right? I have spent much time writing and studying the rural areas, but it dawned on me that the people who should have high rates of access in these areas have almost none. Thus I am in Likoni, a 'slum' of Mombasa directly across from the port. I am doing a needs assessment to compare to Western province. Here in Likoni there is no cybercafe. Few of the organizations have internet access and none of them offer it to the community.
We both know the power of information. These people have such limited access, yet somehow most of the bandwidth is being pulled here. So I thought it would be interesting in light of the submarine cables coming DIRECTLY into the beach to do a needs assessment before and after and see what kind of equipment we can use to prepare the community. It will make a nice case study.
To plainly answer your question there are many who would be consumers if they had access. When we are talking about consumers needs a priority should be placed on the potential for increasing the demand for internet and other ICT services. In Kenya we need to invest in using ICT to raise the standards of living so the consumers have more ability to consume. (Please remember that for most in Kenya that may mean extra skuma for the kids.)
The Likoni survey is attached. Results to follow next month.
Many blessings,
Crystal
On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 1:09 AM, Alex Gakuru <gakuru@gmail.com> wrote:
Greetings,
Simultaneous Internet Governance discussions are
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi inline with one EA Community. Later, an EA IG Forum will be held in one of the countries to articulate priority Internet Governance issues for
taking place in the community.
This will be the position presented at the 3rd United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to be held in Hyderabad, India from 3-6 December 2008 at the Hyderabad international Convention Center (HICC). (see venue picture here:
<http://ipjustice.org/wp/campaigns/igf/igf-2008-hyderabad/>)
An ongoing IGF discussion on kictanet mailing list
consumer and in adding your voice onto the conversation, could I request that you raise pressing issues whether mentioned on Mwende's below email or not.
Yes, we have always known too well that official consumer protection failed a long time ago. Consumer empowerment to face-off aggressive and evasive service providers, ever re-inventing "new" services mostly costing an arm and a leg, is what we need and ICT knowledge is the starting point - therefore, recognise CCK's sharing new Consumer Eduction Programs we were invited to a few months ago.
But in view of the backlog of unattended issues, what else needs to be done for the consumer to assert their voice in the ICT marketplace?
You may opt to raise them online or send me an off-list message. I could frame the issue in the IGF context in our response to today's topic.
View this is an opportunity for your opinion - the consumer - to reach the highest levels at the United Nations;)
Regards,
Alex
--- On Mon, 8/18/08, mwende njiraini <mwende.njiraini@gmail.com> wrote:
From: mwende njiraini <mwende.njiraini@gmail.com> Subject: [kictanet] Day 7 of 10:-IGF Discussion, Economic Issues To: alex.gakuru@yahoo.com Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Monday, August 18, 2008, 10:21 PM Morning!!
Thank you all for your contribution to various aspects of internet governance. Today we start our discussions on economic issues. The internet is increasingly playing a critical role in economic development specifically in facilitating international trade.
The economic issues therefore basically relate to
framework that makes e-commerce possible. The participation of developing countries in e-commerce is limited by the lack the appropriate legislation, authentication technologies and electronic payment methods. The
limitation however is the lack of appropriate legislation that is essential in the protection of consumers in relation to confidentiality, misleading advertising and delivery of faulty products.
In your view, who should be responsible for
the consumer in light of the fact that the national legislation may be faced with the limitation of jurisdiction? Given that mobile services are available to the majority, should developing countries concentrate
mentions you - the the main protection of their
efforts in enabling m-commerce to overcome the challenges of e-commerce? What private sector initiatives are there in e-commerce particularly in e-Payments?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards Mwende
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-- Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Voices of Africa Mbambe Rural Resource Management Programme crystal@voicesofafrica.org http://www.voicesofafrica.org/ http://www.mbamberuralresources.org/
"You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi