Dear all, (apologies for the length of this email) I feel compelled, by most of the recent commentary regarding KENIC as well a by my involvement from day 0 of the process to set up a registry for .KE, to add my voice to the discussion currently ensuing. First of all, a bit of history - at the beginning of the process to have a Kenyan registry for .KE there were two major contenders. The two were the ISP community represented by TESPOK (with Richard Bell and myself responsible) and CCK (with Michael Katundu responsible) acting on behalf of government. Both parties started out pursuing different paths towards the same goal but quickly realized that the process needed teamwork and a joint effort. The then CCK director general, Sam Chepkonga, called for a meeting of the various interested parties at the time, including CCK, TESPOK, Telkom Kenya's Jambonet, KENET and others. At this meeting it became evident that CCK had originally misunderstood the correct process and procedures for engagement with ICANN related to the .ke cctld, since I had been part of the consultative group that drew up ICANN's ICP-1 guidelines for CCTLD management, I shared what the correct procedure was. As a result, CCK and TESPOK decided to join forces and work closely for the redelegation of .ke and the steering committe that led to the establishment of KENIC was formed. 13 months later we had a fully operational registry, running under a non-profit organization called Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC). The legal form of the organization was as a company limited by guarantee, the guarantors being CCK and TESPOK. These are what the law calls the "members" of the company who ultimately are responsible for all issues related to the company. As with any other limited company - the members are free to decide whom to appoint as directors of the company for corporate governance - strategy, policy and direction. This therefore means that from a purely legal standpoint, only TESPOK and CCK get to decide who the directors of the company are. It was decided from the outset, however, that the board of directors would be constituted by identifying representatives of the "Local Internet Community" and soliciting nomination of a candidate for directorship from them. It was also agreed that government representative would never chair the organization, but Govt would have a "Golden Vote" or power to veto any board decision that was felt as not being in national interests. The original groups identified included CCK, Min of Finance (GITS), E-Gov Directorate, TESPOK, DRAKE (domain registrars association) and KENET. Over the years, other groups have emerged from which candidates for directorship have been identified, these have included KIMA, KICTANET among others. Before we start rocking the boat and end up with what I call "management by harambee" with every tom, dick and harry claiming their legitimate right to be on the board of KENIC I think we need to remember what a board of directors is supposed to be and do as per the 14 principles for corporate governance as defined by the Institute of Directors ( http://www.iod.com/MainWebsite/Resources/Document/corp_gov_guidance_and_prin...) I would like to specifically highlight these principles in particular: - Shareholders should establish an appropriate constitutional and governance framework for the company. - Every company should strive to establish an effective board, which is collectively responsible for the long-term success of the company, including the definition of the corporate strategy. However, an interim step on the road to an effective (and independent) board may be the creation of an advisory board. - The size and composition of the board should reflect the scale and complexity of the company’s activities. - The board should meet sufficiently regularly to discharge its duties, and be supplied in a timely manner with appropriate information. - Levels of remuneration should be sufficient to attract, retain, and motivate executives and non-executives of the quality required to run the company successfully. - The board is responsible for risk oversight and should maintain a sound system of internal control to safeguard shareholders’ investment and the company’s assets. - There should be a dialogue between the board and the shareholders based on a mutual understanding of objectives. The board as a whole has responsibility for ensuring that a satisfactory dialogue with shareholders takes place. The board should not forget that all shareholders have to be treated equally. - All directors should receive induction on joining the board and should regularly update and refresh their skills and knowledge. - There should be a clear division of responsibilities at the head of the company between the running of the board and the running of the company’s business. No one individual should have unfettered powers of decision. - All boards should contain directors with a sufficient mix of competencies and experiences. No single person (or small group of individuals) should dominate the board’s decision-making. - The board should establish appropriate board committees in order to allow a more effective discharge of its duties. - The board should undertake a periodic appraisal of its own performance and that of each individual director. - The board should present a balanced and understandable assessment of the company’s position and prospects for external stakeholders, and establish a suitable programme of stakeholder engagement. I have served (in my personal capacity) on the KENIC board as a director and have huge respect for the other directors, all of whom I believe have tried their best to serve the organization's interests. It is true that from time to time individual members might have forgotten their fiduciary obligation and put either their own interests or those of the the organization they represent first, but there has been a reasonable balance due to the diversity of the members of the board. In conclusion I would like to add that I have complete confidence in the current board, that they will see the organization through this "rite of passage" which I believe is very important for the growth and stability of the organization. Best regards, Brian [image: logo] *Brian Munyao Longwe* | Mobile: 254715964281 http://mashilingi.blogspot.com <http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> <http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> LinkedIn<http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> Contact me: [image: Skype] blongwe Want a signature like mine? <http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.com%2Femail-install%3Futm_source%3Dextension%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dpromo_16> Click here.<http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.com%2Femail-install%3Futm_source%3Dextension%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dpromo_16> On Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 4:58 PM, Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke> wrote:
Sammy, The BOD at KeNIC and listers at large
We understand that the board has now restructured the governance of KeNIC in such a way that it now becomes a 'closed' stakeholder environment? Could you please kindly clarify this issue. Reading your posting of a few days and let me quote you here:-
"...the Strategic Plan Review that took place last month, the following stakeholders were selected based on the value they bring to the KENIC Board to enable KENIC meet its mandate of growing the .ke name space in Kenya." end quote.
When can ALL stakeholders have a copy of the Institutional Assessment report? Or is this only for the eyes of the board? or the current perceived stakeholders?
My concern here is that shouldn't the AGM have decided on who the new stakeholders are? Who does the Board of Directors report to in this case?
Correct me if I'm wrong but what the current status of affairs indicates or implies is that there is fundamental shift from the current stakeholder structure to a new one.
Good Corporate Governance tenets demand that before such fundamental changes are made as to how an AGM is conducted this should be decided by the AGM NOT by the Board of Directors. After all it is at the AGM that Board Members are elected...
We must at all costs ensure that the governance of KeNIC is above board and the way the current situation is it leaves to much speculation and rumor to spread. For the sake of this organisation you must be seen to be beyond reproach.
Having said that I do agree that these are tumultuous times at KeNIC and we must allow reason to take place. I urge everyone to take a step back and let the management and board of KeNIC steer the ship until the AGM which I am hoping will be open to ALL stakeholders and not just the ones that the board feels has a stake in KeNIC.
Ali Hussein
On Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 1:38 PM, Musya Michael <michael.musya@gmail.com>wrote:
Already feeling the impact. MPESA transaction yet to reflect...3 hours now. After calling...please call again at 2.30p.m.
On Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 12:13 PM, Michael Bullut <main@kipsang.com>wrote:
Great history lesson there for some of us... :-)
Sent on the run, Please excuse errors & ommissions! On Aug 21, 2012 10:17 AM, "Odhiambo Washington" <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
On Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 1:17 PM, Rebecca Wanjiku < rebeccawanjiku@yahoo.com> wrote:
Apparently Kenic has issued termination letters to all employees, what will the PS increase control over if the organization has no employees? Read more...
http://www.wanjiku.co.ke/2012/08/kenic-ceo-fires-first-salvo-at-govt-termina...
Tel. 254 720 318 925
wanjiku.co.ke
*From:* Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe@gmail.com> *To:* rebeccawanjiku@yahoo.com *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> *Sent:* Monday, August 20, 2012 12:34 PM *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Ministry seeks more seats at KENIC
McTim,
On this one, you are wrong (for the first time) :)
Besides running primary and secondary nameservers for .KE .... Randy (via PSG) also handled all registrations for .KE (and maintained the root database for the cctld).
Best regards,
Brian
[image: logo] *Brian Munyao Longwe* | Mobile: 254715964281 http://mashilingi.blogspot.com <http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/brianmunyao> <http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> Twitter<http://www.twitter.com/blongwe> <http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> LinkedIn<http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/brian-munyao-longwe/0/32/254> Contact me: [image: Skype] blongwe Want a signature like mine? <http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.com%2Femail-install%3Futm_source%3Dextension%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dpromo_16> Click here.<http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=16&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.com%2Femail-install%3Futm_source%3Dextension%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dpromo_16>
On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 5:17 PM, McTim <dogwallah@gmail.com> wrote:
On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 9:49 AM, Sammy Buruchara <buruchara@me.com>wrote:
Dear Listers,**** ** **
<snip>
At the dawn of Internet in Kenya, we all relied on Mr. Randy Bush in Oregon USA to register .ke domains.
I don't think Randy ever actually registered domains for .ke (or anyone).
IIRC, he offered (via PSG) free Secondary name services to many ccTLD that did not have the werewithal to run secondary services for themselves.
In this case, McTim, you never registered any .KE domain until KENIC came into being, otherwise you'd know Randy did.
I remember with Nostalgia those templates we used to send to Randy Bush in the days, and how one would anxiously await his response - yes, because it meant money then! A successful processing of the template was a big issue - you made a small mistake and it would be rejected.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I can't hear you -- I'm using the scrambler.
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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.
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Michael Musya.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
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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.
--
*Ali Hussein|Managing Partner*
* *Telemedia Africa Azania Technology Group
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