[kictanet] Mobile Government: The New Frontier in TransformingPublic Services - 29th November 2007

Thu Nov 22 08:22:14 EAT 2007

Hi All,

I am new to this mailing list and  would like to start by saying something about myself.  

I am an Information Technology specialist with over 15 years experience which means I know how to use DOS, UNIX and other OS's that exist only on 5.25" floppy disks.  My area of specialisation is in design & implementation of local and wide area networks.

On the issue of mGovernment I do agree that this is the next frontier but it is shocking, as usual, that we are not embracing the technology or even working to develop the necessary legislation to make it flourish.  AS many web site designers about WAP and they are lost, we are designing heavy sites that have no intelligence to identify the type of device accessing the site and thus adjust the page to display better on the particular device.

It is interesting that CCK and the Ministry of Information plus the ICT Board can sit back when the fight between Telkom and Safaricom on the delivery of SMS messages across the network continues to deny the tax payer (excise duty on airtime).  Or the fact that none of the mentioned felt it necessary to educate Mr. Kivuitu on the need to make live electoral database available over SMS.

Now if we cannot take advantage of this opportunity to create local content and utilise mGovernment how can we entrust this "bodies" (which interestingly refers to expired humans) with making the marine cable a viable project.  Maybe we should cancel the project and use the money to put up a technology park in Mandera and Garsen.

We do not need to recreate the wheel, just visit yahoomobile, googleearthmobile, or if you have a GPRS enabled phone try wap.mystocks.co.ke.  Or next time you are going up towards NIC on Bunyala Road look at the Nokia advert.

The mobile phone is the future let embrace it or perish.

Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
KEnya 
Tel: +254722511225

----- Original Message ----
From: Harry Hare <harry at africanedevelopment.org>
To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Monday, 19 November, 2007 6:16:53 PM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Mobile Government: The New Frontier in TransformingPublic Services - 29th November 2007

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Dear Kwach,

I agree with you and it is equally
interesting to note that some mobile applications are already being implemented…I
dare say that this part of the world will see more mGovernment in the G2C (Government
to Citizens) arena than the traditional eGovernment where the PC is the main service
delivery channel. Most welcome to attend the session.

Kindest regards

Harry

From: Kwach
[mailto:kwach at archway-productions.com] 

Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007
5:51 PM

To: 'Harry Hare'

Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy
Discussions'

Subject: RE: [kictanet] Mobile
Government: The New Frontier in TransformingPublic Services - 29th November
2007

Hi Harry,

These are interesting statistics and
scenario. For developing countries, there is urgent need to move from quantity
to quality. In my view, content is the quality because more 65% of mobiles are
only meeting social needs and costs involved have got no direct linkage to
revenue for the owners, which should be a great concern. 

With Mobile Government, time and resources
used in the rural to the say Government offices miles away would be deployed in
other economic activities.

I am keen to attend.

Kwach Akich   

From: kictanet-bounces+kwach=archway-productions.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+kwach=archway-productions.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Harry Hare

Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007
8:49 AM

To: kwach at archway-productions.com

Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy
Discussions

Subject: [kictanet] Mobile
Government: The New Frontier in TransformingPublic Services - 29th November
2007

Dear Colleagues,

Mobile services are
quickly emerging as the new frontier in transforming government and making it
even more accessible and citizen-centric by extending the benefits of remote
delivery of government services and information to those who are unable or
unwilling to access public services through the Internet or simply prefer to
use mobile devices. In theory, many government services can be now made
available on a 24x7x365 basis at any place in the country covered by mobile
networks, which today means almost everywhere! Michael, correct me if Im wrong.

It is from this
background that the World Bank in partnership with eGovWorld 2007 (www.egovworld.com) and African
eDevelopment Resource Centre presents a dialogue on Mobile Government
(mGovernment) on 29th November 2007, 4.30pm -7.00pm at the World
Bank offices, Nairobi. The dialogue is live Video Conference and an integral
part of the eGovWorld 2007 conference taking place in
 India 29-30 November 2007. 

According to the ITU,
the total number of mobile users worldwide as of late 2006 was about 2.7
billion and the number of internet users was just above 1.1 billion. This means
that there is 33.6%  of world population (and 22.2% of developing 
countries population) who already have mobile phones but are not yet using the
Internet.

 Does
     this provide a strong case for leveraging the mobile channel to
     dramatically improve access to public services, including electronic
     government services to those who can afford to use a personal or shared
     mobile phone?  
 Does
     this create an opportunity to connect in the near future the next two
     billion people to some of the benefits of e-government, e-health,
     e-education, e-banking and e-commerce?  
 How
     exactly can Mobile Government change the lives of common people in
     developing countries? What are best examples of such impact?  
 What
     are the key constraints to making this vision a reality? 
 How
     should governments change the way they do business to take advantage of
     mobile technologies?  
 What
     is the role of the private sector? Are there successful business models
     (e.g. PPP) for private sector companies to deliver value-added
     m-government services? 

These are some of the
questions that will be addressed.

Participation to the
event is free; however, one needs to register to get access to the venue. If
you are interested in participating send an email directly to susan at africanedevelopment.org
for a registration form. Space is limited at the venue, only 20 places are
available and will be given out on a first-come-first-served basis. Deadline
for registration is Wednesday 22nd November.

Program:

+++++

Welcome
& Introduction

Samia
Melhem, Senior Operations Officer, Global ICT, World Bank; and
Chair, e-Development Thematic Group

Vikas
Kanungo, Chairman, The Society for Promotion of
e-Governance, India & Convener, eGovWorld 2007

Opening
Remarks/Keynote address

R.
Chandrashekhar, Additional Secretary (e-Governance),
DIT, Government of India

Speakers

Ibrahim
Kushchu, Associate Professor and Director,
Mobile Government Consortium International & Author, "m-Government: An
Emerging Direction in e-Government",
 UK

Hannes
Astok, Member of Parliament & former Deputy Mayor,
 City of Tartu ,
 Estonia

Kindest Regards

Harry Hare

Executive Director

African eDevelopment
Resource Centre

3rd Floor,
 Nelleon Place ,
 Raphta Road ,
Westlands

PO Box 49475
00100, Nairobi

Tel +254 20 4453445

Cel +254 725 650044 

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