[kictanet] Holding our Leaders Accountable

Thu May 24 13:42:12 EAT 2007

Chelimo,

The future is ICT and ICT is the future....its not something that you pray
it goes away........Is it too difficult to be humble/open minded to  say 'Am
not all that knowledgeable,in this arena,but I would be more confortable
with a discussion,since we are both going to be learning from each
other,than an interview!!'
In the next 7 months,one of these guys is gonig to be the President of
Kenya....so as the ICT sector, what are we looking at in the next 5 years,if
they do not want to mention it or as U said its not of importance?

Kind Regards,

On 5/24/07, chelimo kenneth <chelimoken at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Dear All,
>
> Everybody seems to be bashing the politicians without putting into
> cognizance their (politicans) work schedule. Their diaries are very
> unpredictable and most of them would give preference to issues or functions
> which could attract votes or popularity. ICT in my view is not a vote
> attracting subject under a debate in Kenya as of now.  Remember government
> is yet to extend ICTs to rural areas and other disadvanatged places like
> slums.The reason is simple given the number of people who are ICT literate
> or compliant in such areas. Most votes are in rural areas and slums where
> people have no iota of  knowledge in  ICT.  Unless ICT is popularised first
> in  these areas and make  people ask their leaders including  presidential
> aspirants about their blueprints on ICT, you will just be wasting your time
> trying to attract political leaders  for an ICT debate. After all  over 90
> per cent of  current legislators either have very basic or no knowledge of
> ICT after all. Good day
>
> Ken Chelimo
> National Coordinator
> Kenya Network of Telecentres
>
> *Brian Longwe <brian at isisweb.nl>* wrote:
>
> My personal view is somewhat closer to Harry's. I think that it is
> unproffessional, patronising and disrespectful to confirm
> participation at an event of such stature - and then not show up.
>
> It is more an issue of holding them accountable as opposed to
> expecting any brilliant and illuminating ideas on how to advance the
> ICT sector. As mentioned in another discussion it would have been
> excellent and would have earned lots of mileage if one or some or all
> had come and simply said "we don't know what needs to be done with
> ICT, can you tell us?" That would have earned them no end of
> admiration and respect.
>
> But now they have earned the fury of a spurned ICT sector. Let them pay!
>
> Brian
>
>
> On May 21, 2007, at 3:27 PM, Harry Hare wrote:
>
> > Why are we creating excuses for our so called political leaders for
> > not
> > showing up for an activity they had all confirmed to attend? They are
> > embarrass themselves in front of cameras everyday and deny it the
> > next day,
> > why is this different this time?
> >
> > Lets do it, lets do it right...no velvet gloves please!
> >
> > Harry
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: kictanet-bounces+harry=africanedevelopment.org at kictanet.or.ke
> > [mailto:kictanet-bounces
> > +harry=africanedevelopment.org at kictanet.or.ke] On
> > Behalf Of jamesrege at africaonline.co.ke
> > Sent: Monday, May 21, 2007 2:12 PM
> > To: harry at africanedevelopment.org
> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Holding our Leaders Accountable
> >
> >
> > Dear e-colleagues,
> >
> > As I said last week, our invitees indicated a willingness to come
> > but they
> > found varied reasons not show up. We must find a way to bring them
> > closer.
> > As they need to maximize the use of their time and also to avoid
> > public
> > embarrassment, we need to perhaps do an off-line dialogue first
> > with them
> > to find out how they want their bread battered. and I therefore
> > agree with
> > Kanja's idea. Can we beat our drum louder than the Kigali's one?
> >
> > Jim Rege
> > Washington, D.C
> >
> > Original Message:
> > -----------------
> > From: Kanja Waruru kanjawaruru at yahoo.com
> > Date: Mon, 21 May 2007 02:30:39 -0700 (PDT)
> > To: jamesrege at africaonline.co.ke
> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Holding our Leaders Accountable
> >
> >
> > Judy,
> > My concept was we use a more friendly approach and
> > remove the pressure from the candidates, its scaring
> > to be interviewed by ICT professionals under camera on
> > a subject you are not confident about.
> >
> > So my 'chai' approach was we call them for a friendly
> > ICT update over a cup of tea with the main objective
> > being to bring them up to speed and more confident on
> > this complex subject. Once they are en-lighted, they
> > will use ICT on their campaign trails countrywide
> >
> > My worry is that if nobody takes the time now to bring
> > them up to speed on ICT issues we may have a heavy
> > price to pay later on.
> > Cheers.
> > Kanja
> >
> > --- Judy Okite wrote:
> >
> >> Kanja,
> >>
> >> This 'chai' concept......how much accountability are
> >> we talking about?
> >> a one-on-one based conversation?
> >> how does it benefit the Nation? at the end of the
> >> day....how does your
> >> 'scream' come out? "He told me so?"
> >> Or probably we could do it,but the 'Githongo' way!
> >>
> >> Kind Regards,
> >>
> >> On 5/17/07, Kanja Waruru
> >> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Dear All,
> >>> Let me comment on this debate.
> >>>
> >>> Its obvious that the main reason why our 'guests'
> >>> didn't show up was that the subject matter was to
> >>> sophisticated and nobody wanted to expose their
> >>> ignorance in front of the cameras.
> >>>
> >>> My suggestion is we should invite them back not
> >> for a
> >>> press debate, and no cameras, but for chai and a
> >>> friendly chat that would bring them upto speed on
> >> ICT
> >>> issues.
> >>> Regards.
> >>> Kanja.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --- Alex Gakuru
> >> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> I encourage us not tire in seeking ways to
> >> involve
> >>>> legislators in ICT but we
> >>>> are not afraid to critise them if and whenever
> >> they
> >>>> fail us terribly.
> >>>> Aspirants you embarrassed consumers?
> >>>>
> >>>> Inexcusable are unapologetic absence in the
> >> digital
> >>>> age where the politicans
> >>>> usually show off fancy communication gadgets....
> >>>> considering the effort
> >>>> everyone put in, and most appreciated Eng.
> >> Rege's
> >>>> preparations input
> >>>> contribution and his early arrival.
> >>>>
> >>>> ...and these politicians are always so harsh at
> >>>> criticizing others yet when
> >>>> they are called to state their vision they all
> >>>> chicken out. They deserve a
> >>>> thorough thrashing for the embarrassment they
> >> caused
> >>>> to the country and the
> >>>> tuned in world which now has a better
> >> understanding
> >>>> of the political
> >>>> protagonists qualities.
> >>>>
> >>>> But interesting questions were being asked in
> >> your
> >>>> view of your absence
> >>>> yesterday:-
> >>>>
> >>>> 1. Do political leaders thrive better amidst
> >>>> information-deprived rural
> >>>> people?
> >>>> 2. How much of their CDF funds went to ICT
> >> projects?
> >>>> 3. Has it been over-assumed that rural means
> >> poor or
> >>>> "stupid"?
> >>>> 4. Do ICT disinterested MPs hope to fit well in
> >> Hon.
> >>>> Kaparo's ICT-compliant
> >>>> parliament?
> >>>> 5. What and how else could the network deliver
> >> these
> >>>> politicians into the
> >>>> ICT world?
> >>>>
> >>>> It was wonderful Kanja transformed local content
> >>>> challenges into an
> >>>> opportunity. "Everyday, the media, is always
> >> busy
> >>>> destroying old content
> >>>> because of storage problems...." (ask the media
> >>>> houses to for the content
> >>>> and start a "K-Tube"? ;-)
> >>>>
> >>>> Thank you Edith for sharing community wireless
> >>>> access point built using
> >>>> ordinary tins. I am intersted in ....
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks to KICTANET, KENIC, KDN, MEDIA OWNERS and
> >>>> notable patient press who
> >>>> chose to stay on despite politicians failing to
> >> turn
> >>>> up. Cover more stor
> >>>>
> >>>> October 2004 draft ICT Policy decried absence of
> >>>> high level ICT leadership
> >>>> but fortunately the last year gazetted policy
> >> speaks
> >>>> of protecting this
> >>>> (new-found) leadership. In view of this, I am
> >>>> obliged to thank President
> >>>> Kibaki for assuming high level ICT leadership
> >> the
> >>>> successive ICT directives
> >>>> in 2006 ( e.g. fibre, digitisation... )
> >>>>
> >>>> So, I give credit where it is due?
> >>>>
> >>>> Alex Gakuru
> >>>>
> >>>> On 5/17/07, Lucy Kimani
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> All,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I am just venting on the dismal performance of
> >> our
> >>>> aspiring presidential
> >>>>> candidates, I have noticed a trend where those
> >> in
> >>>> leadershipship positions
> >>>>> let alone those aspiring for the same confirm
> >>>> their attendance to a
> >>>>> certain function and then not show up or best
> >> case
> >>>> scenario show up 2-3
> >>>>> hours late. I keep asking myself why do we as
> >>>> Kenyans accept this
> >>>>> behavior, and I am at a loss!
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Actually, my pesa nane is that we as the
> >> citizens
> >>>> need to start demanding
> >>>>> accountability in that when one says they will
> >>>> attend a function then they
> >>>>> should keep to their word, after all why are
> >>>> electing people whose word
> >>>>> doesnt count for much? Additionally, most of
> >> us
> >>>> also have busy work lives
> >>>>>
> >>>>> and the fact that we were willing to stop what
> >> we
> >>>> were doing to sit down
> >>>>> to hear what these aspiring candidates have to
> >> say
> >>>> about ICT is a
> >>>>> testament to how important we feel ICT to be
> >> to
> >>>> the country.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I am one for making strong statements, and a
> >> one
> >>>> page ad expressing our
> >>>>> displeasure and questioning why the candidates
> >> are
> >>>> scared of facing a
> >>>>> serious group of citizens wanting to know
> >> where
> >>>> each of them stands in ICT
> >>>>> would be in order! I am sure if it was one of
> >>>> those meetings where fans
> >>>>> are shouting at the top of their voices, and
> >> no
> >>>> one is asking any serious
> >>>>> questions they probably would show up, we need
> >> to
> >>>> start demanding more
> >>>>> from our politicians!
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Just my thoughts!
> >>>>>
> >>>>> LK
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> -----------------------------------------
> >>>>> This email was sent using Communicatons
> >> Solutions
> >>>> LTD WebMail.
> >>>>> " "
> >>>>> http://www.accesskenya.com/
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>>
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> >>
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> >
> >
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-- 
Judy Ann Okite,
+254-721237507,+254-734252336
P.O. BOX 2228 00100,
NAIROBI,KENYA.

"Even if you are on the right track, you'll still get run over if you just
sit there."
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