[kictanet] Safaricom IPO Certified Urgent

[Bill Kagai]

Ladies/Gentlemen,

Investors appetite has been whetted for a long time now over Safaricom
IPO with local hustlers putting in investment to benefit from this
gigantic IPO. But when all signs read 'full steam ahead', an obstacle
crops up. We do not need to decide the merits/demerits of the appeal
but the setting up of the Privatisation Act should not compromise ICT
initiatives in Kenya. I think the politicians have their space in this
but a neutral force should also come out to clearly spell that 'ICT
Iko na Wenyewe'. I have read somewhere in the dailies where one party
argues that should the court stop the IPO then people will be refunded
their investment whilst the opposite argues that it will not be
possible. Why are we letting these neophytes compromise our industry
and the future ICT IPOs to come??

Kictanet ought to transform into an ICT watchdog in Kenya following
the same vein as the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. In
fact we ought to be contemplating how we can get this lobby group
entrenched into a commission. I think I would love to see a paid
advertisement from Kictanet....not taking sides...but clearly defining
why such ICT ventures should not be politicized and why politicians
need to GO SLOW when they venture into our territory. They need to
consult with 'us' [read ICT stakeholders] before jeopardizing our
efforts and know that we should not be hurt by their selfish interests.

My entire savings!!

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Bildad Kagai
MD - MediaCorp Limited
Nairobi Stock Exchange [NSE] - Authorised Information Vendor
Suite B2 Tetu Apartments StateHouse Avenue
P. O. Box 20311-00200
Tel. 254 20 272 8332
Fax. Rendered Obsolete
URL. www.mediacorpafrica.com
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