Hi Grace,

I think this comparison fails to critically explain the full picture in regards to the role of a prevailing environment that allows the adoption of a particular service let's take a minute and juxtapose the two:

1. Cost

The price of a toilet bowl is about KShs 7,000 while that of a phone can even be KShs 999. The phone wins this round.

2. Infrastructure

For a mobile phone to work there needs to be a network infrastructure that allows connectivity, so if there was no network then there would be no need for a mobile phone.But here there has been significant investment in the network connectivity by the relevant stakeholders i.e the telco's.

For a toilet to work there needs to be sewer system, a septic tank or bio-digester. A majority of Kenyans cannot afford the huge amount to be invested in infrastructure a septic tank in upcountry costs at least KShs 70,000 to construct. So unless someone steps up to finance the heavy infrastructural cost of a sewer system, the adoption of toilets is not about to improve.

The phone also wins this round.

3. Auxiliary Services

For successful provision of mobile phone services there needs to be access to top-up credit. Telco's have greatly invested in ensuring a countrywide distribution of top-up credit in whichever part of the country one is in.

For a toilet to properly work, there needs to be proper access water, in most parts of the country tapped water is a myth. Most Kenyans cannot afford the heavy investment in infrastructure that is needed to have tapped water unless the government, or other well-wishers invest in this.

The phone once again wins

3. Regulatory Environment

Service provision by Telco's is highly regulated by the CAK and even the CBK gets involved for services like remittance so the Telco's are forced to offer acceptable standards of service.

The business of Sewerage services and water provision is governed through devolved quasi-government entities that have neither the resources nor the willpower to ensure a proper services to their citizens and they are rarely held accountable

You guessed it , the phone wins over the toilet.

Bomu in this discussion, the toilet does not stand a chance against the mobile phone unless there are changes in all the above. One thing is for sure will the proper will power and investment anything is possible because after all the toilet had quite a head start over the phone. I think toilets can be as big a business as phones but it's in the hands of all the wrong people.

Regards,

Rosemary Koech-Kimwatu

Twitter:@TechWakili

Tel:+254 718181644/771632344

On Mon, Feb 29, 2016 at 10:34 AM, Grace Mutung'u (Bomu) via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

Listers,
interesting view from someone who is not typically in these streets:

What this success story does not explain, however, is why Kenyans are willing to invest in a mobile phone but not in other services, such as sanitation.
Why has mobile phone connectivity gained more importance than toilets?
A recent survey by Afrobarometer shows that while 98 per cent of Kenyans have access to a mobile phone, less than 20 per cent have access to proper toilets.
http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/Craze-over-mobile-phone-must-be-one-Kenyan-peculiar-habit/-/440808/3096094/-/9a7unqz/-/index.html
--
Grace L.N. Mutung'u
Nairobi Kenya
Skype: gracebomu
Twitter: @Bomu

<http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/profile/GraceMutungu>

PGP ID : 0x33A3450F

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