[Kictanet] Fw: [Fibre-for-africa] Kenya to Build Kshs 15 Billion Fibre Optic

Fri May 5 16:42:53 EAT 2006

For those interested in EASSy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brian Longwe" <brian at pure-id.com>
To: "Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants" 
<fibre-for-africa at lists.apc.org>
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, <alice at apc.org> <alice at apc.org> wrote:
>
>> Well said Bill.
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Kagai" <billkagai at gmail.com>
>> To: <eric at afrispa.org>; "Private list for use by EASSY Workshop 
>> Participants" <fibre-for-africa at lists.apc.org>
>> 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 <eric at afrispa.org> 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: brian at pure-id.com
>>> Reply-To: Private list for use by EASSY Workshop Participants 
>>> <fibre-for-africa at lists.apc.org>
>>> Date: Wed,  3 May 2006 12:17:50 -0500
>>>
>>> >
>>> >Actually I wouldn't be that hasty in thinking that this is an
>>> entirely >bad
>>> >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 <ntegeb at one2net.co.ug>:
>>> >
>>> >>
>>> >>>
>>> >>> 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
>>> 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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>>> >> Fibre-for-africa at lists.apc.org
>>> >> http://mailman-new.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/fibre-for-
>>> africa
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
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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"
>>> --
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
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