I have a couple of concerns about this specific issue:
  1. Firstly, robots do not do everything a person does. That said that is why robots are "assisted" by human elements. The robots are only an extension of the human function to make it "more efficient". In most cases a robot is specialized in one specific line item duty. If they are placing a wheel on a car in the plant they don't place a wheel on a car and go on to record it in a book somewhere. They do just that. They did not go to school to learn manufacturing processes.
  2. Secondly, what would be termed as a robot (without abusing the term). Is my WiFi modem a robot? Is my blender a robot? Is my car also a robot??
  3. Thirdly, are robots employed or purchased? (I thought VAT on buying and maintaining robots was already a thing)

Not entirely for this idea for sure.


On Tue, Feb 28, 2017 at 5:05 PM, Admin CampusCiti via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
No doubt. That we need to ensure that we hold our government to account on how they spend our taxes and wherever we can we need to chip in and help the disadvantaged. We should be our brothers' and sisters' keepers.

Ali Hussein
Hussein & Associates
+254 0713 601113 / 0770906375

Twitter: @AliHKassim

Skype: abu-jomo

LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim

Blog: www.alyhussein.com

"Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi

Sent from my iPad

On 28 Feb 2017, at 4:54 PM, Mwendwa Kivuva <Kivuva@transworldafrica.com> wrote:

That is true Ali. Human will have to develop skills needed in this evolving society. But we should remember in every society, there still will be the F student. There will be the elderly, and most importantly, the peasants. Those with skills will prosper. But we need social nets for the disadvantaged, and those who life has served them only lemons. This category will always be there in every society 

On Feb 28, 2017 3:49 PM, "Admin CampusCiti" <info@campusciti.com> wrote:
We also need to consider the fact that humans need to upscale their competencies to enable us to live in this Information and data driven world. Going forward we will see more and more skilled workers stepping up to do more important work higher the value chain.

In the scheme of things we tend to forget this important aspect. AI, MI etc are human instigated and human will remain at the top of the food chain. 

Ali Hussein
Hussein & Associates
+254 0713 601113 / 0770906375

Twitter: @AliHKassim

Skype: abu-jomo

LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim

Blog: www.alyhussein.com

"Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi

Sent from my iPad

On 28 Feb 2017, at 3:06 PM, Mwendwa Kivuva via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

Your point is very good Mark Elkins.

I think Bill Gates is trying to simulate such a debate ... on what is
the role of humans in an automated, mechanized, and robotized society.
Traditionally, human labour has been considered as a factor of
production. If we declare millions of human labour redundant, and
there are no security measure build around it, where will humans go?
How will they earn their food, education, healthcare, and shelter?
Taxation is such a measure that build social security net around
humanity. So that the robots can produce, and the enterprises pay
government for upkeep of it's people, instead of hoarding the end
products of robots in vaults, and other forms of securities.
______________________
Mwendwa Kivuva, Nairobi, Kenya
twitter.com/lordmwesh




On 28 February 2017 at 15:46, Mark Elkins via kictanet
<kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
I do agree though that if automation removed the jobs of existing people,
they should be somehow compensated - either moved to a new job internally or
re-trained or something positive. Usually with automation, the company can
be expanded (make more profit) - which should mean more human staff.  That
would be the ethical thing to do. I don't see this as a tax though.


On 28/02/2017 13:33, Mark Elkins via kictanet wrote:

This is probably the best reply so far!

Personally, a robot is a tool. This could be my coffee maker making a cup of
freshly ground coffee rather than a human taking the beans, grounding them
with stones, adding them to boiling water - etc... all by hand. Agh.


On 28/02/2017 11:19, awatila--- via kictanet wrote:

I think in the discussion the original purpose of taxation is forgotten.

A human being pays tax to the government to cover the cost of the common
services provided by the government.



What are this services that the robot will be consuming from the government
that they need to pay for?



Regards,



Alex





Sent from Mail for Windows 10



From: Mark Kipyegon via kictanet
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2017 12:06 PM
To: awatila@yahoo.co.uk
Cc: Mark Kipyegon
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Why Bill Gates would tax robots



During the Industrial Revolution, critics of mechanisation would use similar
arguments. Advances in technology should be embraced.



On 28 Feb 2017, at 10:25, "kictanet-request@lists.kictanet.or.ke"
<kictanet-request@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:





Message: 3

Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2017 10:21:47 +0300

From: Job Muriuki <muriukin@gmail.com>

To: Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack@gmail.com>

Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>

Subject: Re: [kictanet] Why Bill Gates would tax robots

Message-ID:

  <CAJ+RKRbKRsadcYewDv-zEiAN0dpVKryxHye64aUc0FSB5toOkA@mail.gmail.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"



Barrack,



Am in business and I know it's the bottom line that counts at the expense

of people.

Now we further what to fire the already strained employee replace them
with

a robot

for a fatter bank account and cash you don't need.

I believe Bill Gates been the billionaire he is has realised you can have

all the cash

and wealth you can get but it all without meaning what really matters is

the humanity.







_______________________________________________

kictanet mailing list

kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke

https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet

Twitter: http://twitter.com/kictanet

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KICTANet/



Unsubscribe or change your options at
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/awatila%40yahoo.co.uk



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.





_______________________________________________
kictanet mailing list
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kictanet
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KICTANet/

Unsubscribe or change your options at
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mje%40posix.co.za

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.


--
Mark James ELKINS  -  Posix Systems - (South) Africa
mje@posix.co.za       Tel: +27.128070590  Cell: +27.826010496
For fast, reliable, low cost Internet in ZA: https://ftth.posix.co.za



_______________________________________________
kictanet mailing list
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kictanet
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KICTANet/

Unsubscribe or change your options at
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mje%40posix.co.za

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.


--
Mark James ELKINS  -  Posix Systems - (South) Africa
mje@posix.co.za       Tel: +27.128070590  Cell: +27.826010496
For fast, reliable, low cost Internet in ZA: https://ftth.posix.co.za


_______________________________________________
kictanet mailing list
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kictanet
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KICTANet/

Unsubscribe or change your options at
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kivuva%40transworldafrica.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.

_______________________________________________
kictanet mailing list
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kictanet
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KICTANet/

Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40campusciti.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.

_______________________________________________
kictanet mailing list
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kictanet
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KICTANet/

Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ultimateprogramer%40gmail.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.



--
Ahmed Maawy
Principal Product Management Specialist - Al Jazeera Media Network
Skype: ultimateprogramer