For those interested in EASSy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Longwe" <[email protected]> To: "Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, May 05, 2006 11:12 AM Subject: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] Kenya to Build Kshs 15 Billion Fibre Optic
I would urgently suggest that anybody who is interested in this subject and is in Nairobi on the 8th should attend the workshop that the Ministry has called. The PS is now in Djibouti and I expect that he will come back with some interesting suggestions. The workshop is intended to address all the issues required to establish multi- million Multimedia technology park and I believe that internet infrastructure is a key element. For those of you who saw the notice in the newspapers it was clear that investors, contractors, architects, development partners etc are being called to attend this event and chart the way forward. Unfortunately I will be out of the country at the time - otherwise I would have really wanted to participate.
Regards,
Brian
On May 5, 2006, at 10:11 AM, <[email protected]> <[email protected]> wrote:
Well said Bill.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Kagai" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>; "Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2006 12:49 PM Subject: Re: [Fibre-for-africa] Kenya to Build Kshs 15 Billion Fibre Optic
I dont have authority to speak on this but as an interested party I can say:::
1. The dynamics of capitalism are at play and the demand for the cable ultimately has to be met. For the local investors, we find the Djibouti route cheaper and accessible. But I am also aware that other interested parties are actually interested in laying the cable from Mombasa to India...and talks are in progress.
2. Raising money from the Stock Exchange will not be easy as some have purported. Though we have had successes in the market, blue chip is not yet fully embraced since the collapse of Africa Lakes??? Africa Online. I know and have experienced that before Capital Markets Authority allows you to transact in the market it takes minimum 3 years of vetting. So raising money from the NSE is (IMHO) impossible on the said time frame.
3. Regardless of all the other unresolved problems, the ultimate scenario for some of us if for Govt to take the lead though a SPV worth USD 200 Million. We can then invest in the said vehicle which will have Govt as a share holder with a certain stake. This will probably be the best solution for interested entities and the money we invest proratas to the shares we get. I think Ubuntunet Alliance is also looking for a similar route. Then the SPV can assume legal status, acquire all the necessary licenses from CCK, later go public and we are on the move.
Probably, if we were to form a consortia of this nature then we can negotiate with Govt, get things done and we all smile to the bank.
The other thing I know for sure is that the Kenya Govt is very committed to PlanB of EASSy but they will require PPP to make it happen. I prefer this direction rather than wait for E-Africa Commission to be releasing info in bits and pieces to an extent where the investors we represent cannot tangibly make a decision on EASSy. -- With Kind Regards, Bildad Kagai MD - Circuits & Packets Communications Ltd Content & Training Partner - JKUAT E-Government Academy Suite B2, Tetu Apartments, State House Avenue P. O. Box 20311 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel. 254 20 2728332 Fax. 254 20 2726965 Cell. 254 722 379409 URL. www.circuitspackets.co.ke URL. egov.jkuat.ac.ke
On 5/4/06, Eric Osiakwan <[email protected]> wrote:
Question, is there a specfic reason why the cable is being build from Mombasa to Djibouti, Bill?
On another note, am not sure of the argument that the EA and SA governments and people have waited too long for EASSy to happen so they are tired and considering alternate approaches.
Since we have all become Open Acces believers on the basis that the "closed access" aka "club deal" has not the expected evidence in SAT3, the consenssus is to try an alternate approach. Hence the original plan for EASSy needs to change to an Open Access structure so lets be patient and work through the mechanism except if we have given up already and want to do EASSy the SAT3 way, God forbid....
Eric here
---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: [email protected] Reply-To: Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants <[email protected]> Date: Wed, 3 May 2006 12:17:50 -0500
Actually I wouldn't be that hasty in thinking that this is an
thing. It seems that the government has gotten tired of waiting for the operators to get their act together and mobilise EASSY (they have now >pushed the completion date to 2008).
So what the KE govt has decided to do is try and commission a cable running from Djibouti to Mombasa. To try and fast track the country's "connectedness". >A potential spinoff is that this could potentially save EASSY the construction of that portion.
It seems that we are not the only ones who are feeling frustrated at how difficult EASSY seems to be getting....
Regards,
Brian
Quoting Badru Ntege <[email protected]>:
The announcement by the Kenyan Government to go it alone on the proposed optic fibre already presents a sharky start and uncertain maturation of the ESSY project which has significant impact on bth the the profile and expecations within the consortium.
It's a pitty though not too surprised. This is indicative of
entirely >bad the >> typical
African short sightedness where a few government technocrats hide their limited knowledge on simple issues behind the vail of national security.
So when some of us who have been knocking our heads against stalwarts >> like these don't seem to excited by Eassy you can understand. As long as governments are anywhere near the deal, it has a 40% chance of success.
Sorry to our kenyan brothers and sisters, there goes your tax money in >> a black hole. I predict that if they proceed, the project will be >> reviewed under a special comission of inquiry a few years later which will >> conclude that the funds were mismanaged, find one or two scapegoats who will >> still gate away with it.
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-- Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://afrispa.skybuilders.com/users/Eric/blog.html Slang: "Tomorrow Now" -- _______________________________________________ Fibre-for-africa mailing list [email protected] http://mailman-new.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-africa
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