[kictanet] The Kenya Communications Amendment Bill

Wed Aug 22 08:16:45 EAT 2007

Precisely! Why should the author conclude "It is time
for legislators and regulators to step in." It smacks
of a call for government net control while instead end
users should continue developing their own codes to
make the internet to grow. 

Q: Which Legislators? Kenya,EA,EU,Congress..
Q: Which Regulators? CCK, OfCOM, FCC..

The internet's success was based on the following
reasons: "HISTORY: WE OWE IT ALL TO THE HIPPIES"

1. "Access to computers should be unlimited and
total."
2. "All information should be free."
3. "Mistrust authority - promote decentralization."
4. "You can create art and beauty on a computer."
5. "Computers can change your life for the better."

http://members.aye.net/~hippie/hippie/special_.htm

The article to me sounds like building blocks
justifying grounds from Mugabe's and the Chinese to
censor internet and we all know the favourite entry
points (separately below could also be one such) 

----     
Separately,
http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2587&Itemid=5813
We note "Consumer Bill to boost online transactions"
and welcome this government move.

Our Consumers Association was not informed, or
involved in the background policy formulation process
if and/or when that took place. Further, the Bill is
not listed at http://www.kenyalaw.org/Bills/ so I may
not have specifics.  

Overall, our interpretation is that this Bill's
intention is just similar to the Government's NGO
Coordination Board that checks for CS registrations,
etc. for govt - while the Civil Society have an own
"industry" NGO Council that deals with their dear
"end-user" (in this case ICT consumers) issues.

KEBS-we have a BIG consumer issue on their "closed"
endorsement of Microsoft-sponsored OOXML standard i.e.
without open and wide industry consultations.

If Ms Catherine Ngahu, were on this list perhaps she
would have clarified apparently because Internet
consumer protection stands out on the story.

In principle, ICAK welcomes this bill, wishes later
government appointees well and we hope to interact
with them at a convenient moment in the future (after
the bill is passed.)

Thxs

-- John Kariuki <jnkariuki at gmail.com> wrote:

> Alex,
> For your information,the original Internet was not
> regulated. However, after
> commercialization in the early 1990's we see a lot
> of regulation, not by
> laws passed by legislators or regulators BUT by the
> "Codes"made by
> programmers who determine what you can or cannot do
> on the Internet.
> 
> JN
> 
> 
> On 8/21/07, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > 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.
> > > >>
> 
=== message truncated ===

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