[kictanet] Day 10 of 10: Reconciling Stakeholder Interests

Tue Feb 6 09:09:30 EAT 2007

Sounds like utopia but realisable. In this day and age, no one sector can 
deliver the complexities of sustainable development alone. Therefore, 
partnerships between government, businesses, civil society and media (what 
is referred to as multi stakeholder partnerships) have become a growing 
feature world wide.  Additionally, the interactions of ICTS with development 
and poverty reduction goals are so complex that a range of resources and 
competencies need to be brought together to create solutions to specific 
challenges. One of the reasons that the UN WSIS process adopted multi 
stakeholder process and now others like the ITU are following.
Kenya ICt Action network is based on this philosophy and one of the lessons 
we have learnt is that diversity is a reality and it is important to 
understand different values, encourage dialogue and integrate views into 
joint solutions. And I believe that with the amount of discussions, e-mail 
reading, listening, etc we are all in a position to understand and reconcile 
our various interests to shape/build consensus.

alice

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Joseph" <MJoseph at Safaricom.co.ke>
To: <alice at apc.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 7:25 AM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 10 of 10: Reconciling Stakeholder Interests

>I think you have done a good job in summing up the objectives of the
> various participants and stakeholders.  I think all the objectives can
> and should be met if all parties understood each other's key objectives
> and operating environments (including an understanding of the costs to
> achieve them). I think we have progressed a great deal in the last 4
> years with operators, the regulator and the Government beginning to
> understand and appreciate each other roles.
>
> To improve matters, more honest dialog with each other in an environment
> where no one is superior to the other, where the "big whips" are packed
> away, and hopefully a new framework in terms of the new ICT bill where
> the roles and expectations of each stakeholder is clearly spelt out.
>
> Sounds like Utopia but that that's my opinion.
>
> Regards,
>
> Michael
>
> CEO
> Safaricom Limited
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke at kictanet.or.ke
> [mailto:kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke at kictanet.or.ke] On
> Behalf Of John Walubengo
> Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 7:03 PM
> To: Michael Joseph
> Subject: [kictanet] Day 10 of 10: Reconciling Stakeholder Interests
>
> <<<I must stay that the previous theme 'Projected Impact of
> OFC on Stakeholders' has been quite turbulent. We did
> recieve about 20 postings on this theme(during 4 calender
> days) and it has been a challenge trying to sieve through
> them in order to create a brief and reasonable account of
> the issues, proposals and predictions. In the interest of
> moving forward, I would wish to introduce the next theme
> and but will provide the summary of issues in the final
> report.>>>.
>
> In general, the Operators have an obligation to maximize
> profit for their shareholders by virtue of having taken a
> risk and committed funds into a particular line of business
> (OFC included).  The Consumer on the other hand will always
> want services at the lowest cost possible (including free
> services).  The Regulator is mandated - in part - to
> provide a level playing field for the Operators and a
> protection mechanism for Consumers. Finally, the
> Government's main role would be to improve the livelihoods
> of its citizens e.g. providing essential services,
> conducive policy, legislative and regulatory environment
> for all the stakeholders.
>
> Indeed, the above brings out the automatic tensions that
> come to play because each stakeholder wants to pursue their
> interests which in most cases would be in conflict.  E.g.
> Private sector would naturally follow the lowest path to
> profit e.g. charge highly, concentrate in high-income zones
> and recoup their investments in the shortest time possible.
> Nothing illegal with that, but if the Government
> intervention is lacking in such a situtation, then certain
> parts of society (citizenry) would be excluded from
> accessing some of the (essential) services provided by the
> Businesses.  On the other hand, forcing Business to provide
> these services to low income communities, or forcing them
> to under-price without compensatory schemes (incentives)
> would be the quickest way to run down the business (denying
> Govts Tax Revenues).
>
>>From the previous theme, it was evident that the current
> status and relationships, particularly between Consumers
> and Operators is not too healthy. Similarly, the existing
> relationship between Govt and the Regulator came into
> question and various models and frameworks for improving on
> these was proposed. Infact, if all things remain constant
> and the OFC was delivered tomorrow, I suspect that the
> tensions between the stakeholders may go a notch higher,
> possibly compouded by intense Operator(with OFC access) vs
> Operator(without OFC access) wars.
>
> How then can these wars be pre-empted? What are the top
> three things, each Stakeholder (Operators, Regulators,
> Consumers and Govt) should do in order to provide a win-win
> situation for everybody in the new OFC dispensation?  Two
> days on this conclusive phase...start talking along this
> theme keeping in mind some Netiquette as recommended by the
> list administrator.
>
> walu.
>
>
>
>
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