[kictanet] Day 10 of 10: Reconciling Stakeholder Interests

Tue Feb 6 14:15:38 EAT 2007

This sounds like a modern day sermon......

If we cant realise this then we loose the opportunity to leverage the last frontier in Societal 
strength which is the multi-stakeholder power.

Eric here

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: <alice at apc.org>
Reply-To: Kenya ICT Action Network - KICTANet <kictanet at kictanet.or.ke>
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 09:09:30 +0300

>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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