[kictanet] Holding our Leaders Accountable

Fri May 25 15:44:12 EAT 2007

Becky and Brian:

I am with you on this, those expecting to lead us should do their homework
and ignorance is not an excuse even in law! ICT affects all Kenyans and if
the digital divide is to be eliminated then we need these leaders to
articulate their visions, and if they havent given it a thought then we
surely need to give them a nudge instead of sitting back and feeling
slighted.

Well, I do have a voters card and every vote counts, so let no-one sell us
short because our individual votes do add up!

LK

> i agree with Brian, we should seek dialogue and just because things have
> been done that way in the past, it does not mean we should accept it
>   that arguement that ICT does not have votes for them is untenable, we
> are people who vote,
>
>   besides, we have always asked our leaders to address issues and pursue
> certain ideologies,
>   by accepting that its ok for them not to turn up on that day, what do we
> expect my grandmother in the village to do?
>
>   i think its time we demanded better returns for our money, we want them
> to be accountable, then we should start,
>
>   change comes from within........
>
> Brian Longwe <brian at isisweb.nl> wrote:
>   Hi Kenneth,
>
>   While I can understand your sympathy as an alternative point of view -
> one thing I cannot do is accept it as a reason for the no-show.
>
>
>   If your diary is full you simply do not make appointments - least of all
> confirm participation - or say "I am only 20 minutes away".
>
>
>   In addition I can assure that not even one of them was dealing with any
> rural issue, nor concerned with the slum constituency or other
> "disadvantaged" areas. I can almost guarantee you this.....
>
>
>   Let me ask this entire list a question - and please excuse if I'm the
> only one who sees it this way. Why is it only during election period
> that the "wannabe" presidents talk (and get other people to talk) about
> the poor, underprivileged and disadvantaged?
>
>
>   No excuse - mark my use of the strong language - no excuse for lack of
> etiquette, professionalism and integrity.
>
>
>   I think that as KICTANET we should contact each one of them and ask them
>  what they intend to do about the broken date.
>
>
>   Brian
>
>     On May 24, 2007, at 1:17 PM, chelimo kenneth 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
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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> Rebecca Wanjiku,
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> blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/
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