Thanks Wangari, Eric and Listers for the Invitation.

We at BitHub.Africa are a commercially Blockchain Accelerator that is driving the adoption of blockchain technology and solutions including Bitcoin across Africa. You can see what we do here http://BitHub.co.ke

Blockchain to summarize is about the disintermediation of trust by using a shared public ledger of transactions that can be only updated by holders of tokens on that particular network. Blockchain is designed in a manner that it is very difficult to change previous transactions as everyone will notice the ledger is being tampered with and therefore any suspicious transactions will not be approved. You can already imagine what such a system can do for the Land Registry and also IFMIS considering the NYS scandal for example.

Bitcoin is the most the secure Blockchain protocol, network and platform being more powerful than the top 500 super computers in the World. It allows the transmission of value over its distributed networked at nearly no cost, near instant from any part of the globe to another. So sending 1 billion Kshs over the Bitcoin networks costs the same as sending 10 Kshs over the network. I think the fee is about Kshs 2 at the moment. You can think of it as Digital Mpesa over the Internet but not governed by a Company like Vodafone but by distributed computers similar to how Bittorrent works. Its near impossible to stop this technology as subsequently it is becoming the Internet of Value.

While M-Pesa turns your mobile phone into a "Bank Account", Bitcoin turns your mobile phone into a "Bank" meaning you are in actual possession of your own money & assets. Kids born today will find current banking systems very archaic just like we stopped sending letters through Posta because of Email & Whatsapp. 

At BitHub we offer consultancy services for organizations who would like to understand or rethink their governance/business  models using Blockchain technology. This could be lenders, insurance or any financial technology startup looking to scale rapidly at low costs. Just yesternight we were at the launch of Tala formerly Mkopo Rahisi and they are already using blockchain tech to scale their lending app globally.

We have published a feasibility study on Blockchain in Kenya & Africa here. 

I will leave you with a comprehensive blog post we just wrote on Blockchain titled The Blockchain Opportunity in Africa! Ideas, Concepts & Implementation? 

I look forward to all your comments here, let's grab this opportunity!

Kind Regards,

John K

+254 725 274191

On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 6:16 AM, WANGARI KABIRU <wangarikabiru@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

Warm Greetings Eric!

Thank you for pointing out on BitHub. It would be exciting to know what they are up to.

I have found their address from the link as bithubafrica@gmail.com (copied herein). Address BitHub Africa,P.O. BOX 76081 Space Kenya, 2nd Flr Timau Plaza, Argwings Kodhek Road.Nairobi 00508 Kenya
Let us see what we might discover from them.

BitHub Team; A request you enlighten us on 'WhattsUp'', what is happening in the blockchain sphere in Kenya and your experiences - possibly as one fast and first in the market.

Brian: Thank you for the link too. Tech talent and investment doesn't seem to be following this blockchain discovery...

('I argued before that 2016 will be the year that the development sector’s back end operations will take the front stage and become the focus of substantial innovation efforts. The current level of attention (or hype?) around the blockchain might be just an indicator of that – whether you are talking remittances or supply chains, social finance or refugee ID registration, cap and trade for emissions or identification in conflict zones.....London has a vibrant blockchain development and investor scene – the City of London has switched on to the possibilities and its proximity to London’s tech hubs is leading to the rapid emergence of a blockchain developer and startup community. But how can we firewall and apply some of that talent to the global development and humanitarian system? And how can we attract financial investment to build blockchain systems for development, a sector notoriously poor at investing in information technology directly itself?....) - Giulio Quaggiotto
http://diytoolkit.org/sprinkling-blockchain-magic-dust-exploring-use-cases-in-the-development-sector/

Rosemary; Your take that blockchain is an improvement to the financial services sector takes me back to the heated discussions on Bitcoin/CBK and others.

Kivuva; Your drift on usage of Blockchain for elections or in other words for other sectors in addition to financial services is where I see the greatest opportunity lies. What I find perplexing is that our Tech community has not gone into this in droves, creating for different industries. Or what are people working on,or we do not understand, find it worth or too risky?

'...As often is the case, however, to date the rhetoric around the potential of the technology by far outstrips the practice.'- Giulio Quaggiotto

I am yet to understand on the group called  'miners' in this Blockchain, what they do and how they make money - where the rubber meets the road! Hopefully by the end of the week I shall, and share. $&$$$$$ have a way to cause and attract interest.

Thank you all for the ongoing enlightenment on this!

Be blessed.

Regards/Wangari

---
Pray God Bless. 2013Wangari circa - "Being of the Light, We are Restored Through Faith in Mind, Body and Spirit; We Manifest The Kingdom of God on Earth".


--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 17/5/16, Eric Mugendi via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [kictanet] BLOCKCHAINS - Get in the Conversation and Perhaps Conversion..Digital Currency
 To: wangarikabiru@yahoo.co.uk
 Cc: "Eric Mugendi" <emugendi@gmail.com>
 Date: Tuesday, 17 May, 2016, 15:56

 There's Bithub, a hub
 that's focusing on incubating blockchain startups
 locally. http://techcabal.com/2016/01/14/space-kenya-launches-bithub/
 On Tue, May 17, 2016, 2:11 PM Wangari Kabiru via
 kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:
 Happy Tuesday!
 Would any of our Tech hubs be handling any
 entrepreneurs doing this?
 Otherwise, tuko mbali! And this is not
 synonymous with the Kenya Silicon Savanna hype.
 Blessed day.
 Regards/Wangari
 On May 17, 2016 10:44, Rosemary Koech-Kimwatu via
 kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:
 KenyaCoin sounds very interesting. The use of
 blockchain technology is best viewed as an improvement of
 the current financial systems rather than a competitor.
 I'm convinced that it can tremendously improve financial
 services. Thank you Wangari  for the introduction of this
 discussion.
 Regards,
 Rosemary
 Koech-Kimwatu Tel: +254
 718181644Skype: Rosemary
 Koech-Kimwatu 


 On Mon,
 May 16, 2016 at 9:38 PM, Baiju Shah via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:
 Hi
 Wangari,
 Many thanks for the
 notes on the understanding of theBlock Chain and
 we are very interested in the distributed ledger technology
 as a means of exchanging trading and financial information
 from a b2b perspective.
 We are looking to kick off an
 R&D project on developing some key transactional areas
 especially on dealing with cross boarder trade and the
 application of using open ledgers.
 Thanks,
 Best
 Regards,BaijuTelemedia Africa
 Ltd.
 On Monday, 16 May
 2016, Wangari Kabiru via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 wrote:
 Happy Monday!
 Pray you are well.
 Today I have learnt on Blockchains and I am
 delighted to share of. Learnt from Ashis Gadnis - BANQUAPP.COM and Ric
 Shreves.
 Any persons in this community  in the
 field?
 The last time this discussion was here it was
 CBK and Bitcoin rundowns and the Ministry. Globally a lot is
 happening.
 The discussion is beyond financial services
 into data management, humanitarian data and refugee
 transfers services...and more.
 This community needs to have sharp
 deliberations on this at this year's IGF.
 <<< start notes>>>
 BTC4D @ ICT4D on 16/05/2016
 'The blockchain is the new black..'
 First overlay is the web

 Second is blockchain - trust layer

 Challenge old ways, disrupt governance and centralised
 authority for enforcing transactions
 What is;

 A block chain is a distributed ledger via peer-to-peer

 Chain of digital signatures

 Protocal for exchanging value over internet without an
 intermediary

 A technology that allows people to exchange trust over
 transactions - Bank of England
 Critical elements in old times is trust.
 A block chain is another type of database for
 recording transactions - one that is copied to all
 computers

 Blockchain can be more than digital currency eg Asset
 tokenisation - transaction metadata used for
 transactions
 Structure;

 Data stored in structures called blocks.
 Elements; Header, Content - validated list of
 assets
 15M - No. of Bitcoins in circulation

 20B - Maximum no.of Bitcoins (2140), algorithm - manage
 inflation (unlike Ksh, $)

 $56M - 24hour Turnover of Bitcoins

 $746 M - Ethirium, 2nd Digital Currency
 Volatility of Bitcoin 1.24%

 2013 +

 2014 -

 2015 +
 Other Blockchains;

 Best known are public; Litecoin, BitShares, Dogecoin,
 Namecoin.

 Others are private
 Types; unpermissioned, permissioned
 Newer ones;

 Ethereum, Microsoft BaaS - Blockchain as a Service
 Blockchain can be as a;

 Platform - build others on it

 Software
 What is happening;

 R3 working with 40+ banks

 Visa working on an independent proof of concept

 Citi has 3 blockchains and own digital currency
 (Citicoin)

 SEC, USA Stock Exchange
 The players you should know?

 R3

 Hyperledger

 Ethereum - an app platform

 Microsoft Azure BaaS - flexible

 Ripple

 Bitcoin is what is well known
 <<< end notes>>>
 Be blessed.
 Regards/Wangari


 --
 Baiju
 Shah_______________________________________________

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 in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT
 enabled growth and development.

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