[Kictanet] Workshop to discuss ICT Strategy Paper
warigia bowman
warigiabowman at hotmail.com
Wed Jan 25 12:05:36 EAT 2006
Hi brian
I will attend the first hour of this workshop.
Yours, Rigia
>From: Brian Longwe <brian at pure-id.com>
>Reply-To: Kenya ICT Policy - kictanet <kictanet at kictanet.or.ke>
>To: warigiabowman at hotmail.com
>Subject: Re: [Kictanet] Workshop to discuss ICT Strategy Paper
>Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 16:11:39 +0300
>
>Hi Wainaina,
>
>Thanks for this input. I would urge you (and anyone else planning to come)
>to go through this document and come prepared to enhance, develop, adjust,
>beef it up so that it's better suited to the task at hand.
>
>Regards,
>
>Brian
>
>On 24 Jan 2006, at 13:23, Wainaina Mungai wrote:
>
>>Hi Brian,
>>
>>My input would be on the role of civil society organisations under "Roles
>>and Accountability". The main roles may be listed as;
>>
>>-> Accountability & Transparency: Keep political and market forces
>>accountable to the needs of society and encourage social responsibility &
>>good governance.
>>-> Awareness raising & capacity building (especially to the unreached)
>>-> Ensure a social justice & human/consumer centred approach
>>-> Universal access/last mile solutions such as community-based and
>>community-run initiatives.
>>-> Implement and encourage non-market-led interventions (poor,
>>disability, gender etc)
>>
>>Put another way, CSOs must be the "conscience" that keeps both market and
>>political forces on the path of social justice and intervenes where the
>>two cannot adequately meet the needs of the people.
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>Wainaina Mungai
>>http://www.madeinkenya.org
>>
>>SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is development that meets the needs of the
>>present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
>>their own needs.
>>
>>
>>> -------Original Message-------
>>> From: John Walubengo <jwalubengo at kcct.ac.ke>
>>> Subject: Re: [Kictanet] Workshop to discuss ICT Strategy Paper
>>> Sent: 24 Jan '06 07:37
>>>
>>> Hi Brian,
>>>
>>> I just thought I would share my reactions in advanced given that I may
>>> arrive later (or not) due some other meeting on the same day.
>>>
>>> The paper seems to be hurriedly cobbled together, ideas are
>>> good and factual BUT they have NOT been contextualised
>>> within the Kenyan environment.
>>>
>>> For example, the paper semms to emphasise a lot on outsourcing
>>> projects (call centers, BPOs, etc) and the proposal to market
>>> Kenya as the hot destination for the same (BPOs, Call Center,etc) by
>>>March 2006.
>>>
>>> My worry is that if we market Kenya from this dimension,
>>> when our domestic infrastructure if far being ready to
>>> handle the resulting/impact of such a would be succesfull marketing
>>> campaign, then we create a disaster. The first 3 or 5
>>> investors would get in, get burned and get out. And then
>>> the rest would learn - from the bad experiences of the
>>> first few - and then probably never step in Kenya again. {might be
>>>good to hear the challenges of the 2 or 3 BPOs who've been in Kenya for
>>>the last 2years, and why the number has not grown}
>>>
>>> In other words this ICT strategy looks at what Kenya should be
>>> in 5-10years time but tries to set milestones for the same within a
>>>1year bracket. So, to me theres is need to be honest with what can be
>>>achieved in the next 1year as we look towards the next 5, 10 years.
>>>
>>> The priorities for the next 1year are unfortunately the
>>> 'boring' and difficult things that nobody seems to want to do.
>>> This includes, but is not limited to:
>>>
>>> i) Regulatory issues: - there's need to ensure that the
>>> Regulator is effectively independent to monitor and regulate the
>>> industry. Quality standards, Affordability, effective Competition,
>>>Consumer Protection, remain but some of the challenges CCK seems to
>>>avoid.
>>>
>>> ii) Government Issues: - there's need to ensure that the
>>> Government plays its role as far as enacting the
>>> appropriate legislations and regulation is concerned. Government
>>>should also ensure that the secondary but supporting infrastructure such
>>> as Electricity, Road networks exist to make it easier for Telecom
>>>Operators to expand their reach. Govt must concretely enhance or
>>>institutionalise Public Private Partnerships (PPP), etc.
>>>
>>> iii) Private Sector:- With a strong PPP, there will
>>> definately be opportunities for private sector to pump in
>>> sufficient funds to build and expand the Telecom Infrastructure
>>> (particularly the Fixed Line Network).
>>>
>>> iv) Content Development:-We really do not have significant presence on
>>>the internet -as a country. Most of the Internet Users in Kenya log in
>>>to access international content. Even percieved local content like
>>>www.nationaudio.com seat on foreign sites. eGovernment initiates must
>>>lead the way to provide locally relevant content along the lines K.R.A
>>>is doing. Strategies to encourage Universities and Colleges to do the
>>>same must be sought.
>>>
>>> To me these are some of the immediate things to put in place and
>>> they are the ones to be milestoned within a year. The rest would then
>>>automatically fall in place.
>>>
>>> walu.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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