[kictanet] The Kenya Communications Amendment Bill

[Alex Gakuru]

I disagree with Sam Vaknin's arguments "Regulate the
Internet!" 

"It is time for legislators and regulators to step in.
Even a moderate dose of legislation and the
willingness not to succumb to either to mob or to
business pressures will go a long way towards
restoring the Internet to its original purpose: the
civilized and lawful - not to mention pleasurable -
exchange of information and opinion over computer
networks."

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=34976

But Greek and Latin owe their humbling philosophical
esteem to regard, value, and placing the essence of a
good debate far above time-tied points of view. Thus,
I am happy in Kenya recently I attended a meeting only
to find all asked to satisfactorily justify their
support of THE OPPOSITE point of view. How clever of
them....

"Democracy is hard, perhaps the most complex and
difficult of all forms of government. It is filled
with tensions and contradictions, and requires that
its members labor diligently to make it work.
Democracy is not designed for efficiency, but for
accountability; a
democratic government may not be able to act as
quickly as a dictatorship, but once committed to a
course of action it can draw upon deep wellsprings of
popular support,"

http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/democracy/ 

This is the space all citizens are obliged to
aggressively defend and not so quickly entrust it to
powerful government leaders submerged in own
interests. 

Let's debate some more Brian!
   
--- Brian Longwe <brian at isisweb.nl> wrote:

> SMS is not allowed in Ethiopia - let alone media
> freedom or conducive  
> legislation ..... it is not fair to compare a
> country with such  
> advanced civil liberties as Kenya with a dictatorial
> regime.
> 
> It is also important to look at the other side of
> the coin and  
> challenge/question our media as to why they would
> want to blacken our  
> country's good record and reputation on the
> international arena.  
> Please be assured that we have enemies who would use
> any means to  
> make us look bad ..... don't take anything that
> appears in print as  
> gospel ......
> 
> 'nuff said,
> 
> Brian
> 
> On Aug 20, 2007, at 8:55 PM, Alex Gakuru wrote:
> 
> > Dear Dr. Ndemo,
> >
> > It is terrible the media called a dog! but thank
> you
> > very much for easing the weight of
> responsibility...
> >
> > http://www.isoc.or.ke
> >
> > Certainly, I would really appreciate if my full
> > confidence were restored considering frighteningly
> it
> > appears communication is under attack across
> Africa:
> > The New Struggle for Press Freedom in Africa
> > http://allafrica.com/stories/200708201115.html and
> > stories like "Botswana, Kenya and Zimbabwe pass
> > tyrannical Bills"
> > http://www.eastandard.net/archives/index.php? 
> > mnu=details&id=1143973075&catid=4
> >
> > I trust you understand why I have to stay put
> > regarding the Communication Amendment Bill -
> concerned
> > because since March 2006, the top five most
> popular
> > Ethiopian web sites (including CyberEthiopia) and
> > several blogs have been blocked and are
> inaccessible
> > across Ethiopia. The apparent objective is to
> prevent
> > the dissemination of information that is critical
> of
> > the current regime.
> >
> > See
> > http://www.cyberethiopia.com/net/docs/ 
> > internet_repression_in_ethiopia.html
> >
> > RSF had also reported the censorship along with
> other
> > media watchdogs and had called on the relevant
> > ministries in Ethiopia, but no reaction so far.
> > http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=17783
> >
> > I am only afraid that foreign companies may not
> trust
> > their outsourcing to our entrepreneurs if only and
> > just government were remotely perceived "packet
> > sniffing"    regime. I have no doubt all of us in
> > Kenya wish nothing came in our way of vision 2030.
> >
> > Lord forbid but should Kenya sink, we all go under
> and
> > I want to stay afloat with my head above the water
> for
> > a long time.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Alex
> >
> > --- bitange at jambo.co.ke wrote:
> >
> >> Dear Alex,
> >> There is no crisis or tension in the ICT
> legislative
> >> process.  I was
> >> pointing out the opportunities that are available
> to
> >> you in ensuring that
> >> the piece of legislation you want is passed.  As
> far
> >> as I am concerned all
> >> of us have representation in parliament and we
> >> should utilize that
> >> opportunity instead of blaming the Government.
> >>
> >> The Safari Park proposals shall be given to the
> MPs.
> >>  The Thursday date
> >> was set anticipating that parliament will go on
> >> recess.  Now that they are
> >> not going on recess, they have proposed August
> 30th
> >> and 31st.  We are
> >> looking for resources for a venue in Mombasa and
> >> shall revert to you.
> >>
> >>
> >> Regards
> >>
> >>
> >> Bitange.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> May I suggest we ask Eng. Rege to help diffuse
> ICT
> >>> tensions now bottling up? Borrow his experince
> on
> >>> dealing with government, stakeholders,
> >> steakholders,
> >>> and others? Just thinking aloud and welcome
> >> comments.
> >>>
> >>> Alex
> >>>
> >>> --- Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Thanks Alex i appreciate your response your
> >>>> arguments are valid though
> >>>>
> >>>> On 8/17/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru at yahoo.com>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>> Barrack,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> My apologies if I appeared to harass the
> >> Permanent
> >>>>> Secretary. The gist of my, I believe
> justified,
> >>>>> request for information was to know the fate
> of
> >>>> our
> >>>>> Safari Park contributions considering that the
> >>>>> expected legislators could not come because of
> >>>> said
> >>>>> Parlimentary Procedures.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I needed to know whether we should assume that
> >>>> those
> >>>>> contributions we made needed to be repeated
> >> should
> >>>> an
> >>>>> opportunity to meet with the Committee present
> >>>> itself
> >>>>> especially if the ministry could not
> >> incorporate
> >>>> them.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I interpret Dr. Ndemo's advice as "they have
> >> them,
> >>>>> because we gave them but now lobby hard
> >> yourselves
> >>>> to
> >>>>> ensure your interests are captured"
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I am sufficiently pleased with his reply, his
> >>>>> voluntary additional information, and await
> >>>>> confirmation on how the committee sees best
> fit
> >> to
> >>>>> receive any outstanding   stakeholders'
> >> concerns
> >>>> on
> >>>>> the bill as promised today.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Please understand that I consider myself of
> the
> >>>> issue
> >>>>> focussed, not the person, nature and I would
> >>>> seriously
> >>>>> err to substitute any clause, error,
> >> commission,
> >>>> or
> >>>>> omission with "Bitange Ndemo":)
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Have a laughly day!
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Alex
> >>>>>
> >>>>> --- Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>>
> 
=== message truncated ===



       
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