[kictanet] Day 7 of 10:-IGF Discussion, Economic Issues

Tue Aug 19 14:47:43 EAT 2008

Thank you, Crystal and Alex, for the very practical contribution to today's
debate.

You have correctly identified the lack of consumer access to computers and
the internet due to financial and social (skills, culture) reasons as an
obstacle to e-commerce in Kenya.  I appreciate your sharing of needs
assessment that is currently ongoing in Likoni, Mombasa to determine
potential demand for internet and mobile services in light of the
anticipated landing of the submarine cable.

I hope you can share the findings of the research.

Kind regards

Mwende

Disclaimer: These comments are the author's own

On 8/19/08, Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> /FYI
>
>
> --- On Tue, 8/19/08, Alex Gakuru <gakuru at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > From: Alex Gakuru <gakuru at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Fwd: [ke-internetusers] Internet Governance Forum(IGF)
> Discussion, Economic Issues
> > To: alex.gakuru at yahoo.com
> > Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 1:19 AM
> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > From: Crystal Watley Foshee
> > <crystal at voicesofafrica.org>
> > Date: Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 10:36 AM
> > Subject: Re: [ke-internetusers] Internet Governance
> > Forum(IGF)
> > Discussion, Economic Issues
> > To: Alex Gakuru <gakuru at gmail.com>
> >
> >
> > Alex,
> >
> > I have just a few words on e-commerce and online
> > government. First,
> > e-commerce. The laws and licensing are important to
> > internet
> > consumers, but not more so than the other import/ export
> > laws
> > governing the country. When I think of the consumers in
> > this case I
> > would like to think of those who would consume if they had
> > the
> > opportunity. In many villages there are income generation
> > projects
> > that would benefit from being able to market their wares on
> > the global
> > stage. The issue is access.
> >
> > This takes me to the second point of e-government. First,
> > the reality
> > on the ground is that it is almost impossible to get a list
> > of the
> > NGOs and CBOs working in various locations of the country
> > from the
> > government offices. This is because they have one computer
> > and no one
> > on staff who knows how to use it. This is the computer
> > literacy within
> > the lower branches of the government. So who is the
> > e-government
> > targeting? Is it the wananachi? In the States I used
> > e-government to
> > do everything. Rarely did I visit government offices. Here
> > it is the
> > only available option and it takes days, weeks, or months
> > to get any
> > information.
> >
> > What we are doing now on the ground is getting into
> > communities and
> > assessing their information needs. The biggest problem we
> > are facing
> > is lack of consumer access. People lack the funds to be
> > able to access
> > the computers, the training, and even more so the internet,
> > when and
> > where it is available.  Voices of Africa has become a legal
> > NGO and we
> > are building our research capacity. Something at that EAC
> > Harmonization conference struck me. 90% of all internet
> > users are in
> > Mombasa and Nairobi, right? I have spent much time writing
> > and
> > studying the rural areas, but it dawned on me that the
> > people who
> > should have high rates of access in these areas have almost
> > none. Thus
> > I am in Likoni, a 'slum' of Mombasa directly across
> > from the port. I
> > am doing a needs assessment to compare to Western province.
> > Here in
> > Likoni there is no cybercafe. Few of the organizations have
> > internet
> > access and none of them offer it to the community.
> >
> > We both know the power of information. These people have
> > such limited
> > access, yet somehow most of the bandwidth is being pulled
> > here. So I
> > thought it would be interesting in light of the submarine
> > cables
> > coming DIRECTLY into the beach to do a needs assessment
> > before and
> > after and see what kind of equipment we can use to prepare
> > the
> > community. It will make a nice case study.
> >
> > To plainly answer your question there are many who would be
> > consumers
> > if they had access. When we are talking about consumers
> > needs a
> > priority should be placed on the potential for increasing
> > the demand
> > for internet and other ICT services. In Kenya we need to
> > invest in
> > using ICT to raise the standards of living so the consumers
> > have more
> > ability to consume. (Please remember that for most in Kenya
> > that may
> > mean extra skuma for the kids.)
> >
> > The Likoni survey is attached. Results to follow next
> > month.
> >
> > Many blessings,
> >
> > Crystal
> >
> > On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 1:09 AM, Alex Gakuru
> > <gakuru at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Greetings,
> > >
> > > Simultaneous Internet Governance discussions are
> > taking place in
> > > Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi inline
> > with one EA
> > > Community. Later, an EA IG Forum will be held in one
> > of the countries
> > > to articulate priority Internet Governance issues for
> > the community.
> > > This will be the position presented at the  3rd United
> > Nations
> > > Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to be held in
> > Hyderabad, India from
> > > 3-6 December 2008 at the Hyderabad international
> > Convention Center
> > > (HICC). (see venue picture here:
> > >
> > <http://ipjustice.org/wp/campaigns/igf/igf-2008-hyderabad/>)
> > >
> > > An ongoing IGF discussion on kictanet mailing list
> > mentions you - the
> > > consumer and in adding your voice onto the
> > conversation, could I
> > > request that you raise pressing issues whether
> > mentioned on Mwende's
> > > below email or not.
> > >
> > > Yes, we have always known too well that official
> > consumer protection
> > > failed a long time ago. Consumer empowerment to
> > face-off aggressive
> > > and evasive service providers, ever  re-inventing
> > "new" services
> > > mostly costing an arm and a leg, is what we need and
> > ICT knowledge is
> > > the starting point - therefore, recognise CCK's
> > sharing new Consumer
> > > Eduction Programs we were invited to a few months ago.
> > >
> > > But in view of the backlog of unattended issues, what
> > else needs to be
> > > done for the consumer to assert their voice in the ICT
> > marketplace?
> > >
> > > You may opt to raise them online or send me an
> > off-list message. I
> > > could frame the issue in the IGF context in our
> > response to today's
> > > topic.
> > >
> > > View this is an opportunity for your opinion - the
> > consumer - to reach
> > > the highest levels at the United Nations;)
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > >
> > > Alex
> > >
> > > --- On Mon, 8/18/08, mwende njiraini
> > <mwende.njiraini at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > From: mwende njiraini
> > <mwende.njiraini at gmail.com>
> > > > Subject: [kictanet] Day 7 of 10:-IGF Discussion,
> > Economic Issues
> > > > To: alex.gakuru at yahoo.com
> > > > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions"
> > <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> > > > Date: Monday, August 18, 2008, 10:21 PM
> > > > Morning!!
> > > >
> > > > Thank you all for your contribution to various
> > aspects of
> > > > internet
> > > > governance.  Today we start our discussions on
> > economic
> > > > issues.  The
> > > > internet is increasingly playing a critical role
> > in
> > > > economic development
> > > > specifically in facilitating international trade.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > The economic issues therefore basically relate to
> > the
> > > > framework that makes
> > > > e-commerce possible. The participation of
> > developing
> > > > countries in e-commerce
> > > > is limited by the lack the appropriate
> > legislation,
> > > > authentication
> > > > technologies and electronic payment methods.  The
> > main
> > > > limitation however is
> > > > the lack of appropriate legislation that is
> > essential in
> > > > the protection of
> > > > consumers in relation to confidentiality,
> > misleading
> > > > advertising and
> > > > delivery of faulty products.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > In your view, who should be responsible for
> > protection of
> > > > the consumer in
> > > > light of the fact that the national legislation
> > may be
> > > > faced with the
> > > > limitation of jurisdiction?  Given that mobile
> > services are
> > > > available to the
> > > > majority, should developing countries concentrate
> > their
> > > > efforts in enabling
> > > > m-commerce to overcome the challenges of
> > e-commerce?  What
> > > > private sector
> > > > initiatives are there in e-commerce particularly
> > in
> > > > e-Payments?
> > > >
> > > > Looking forward to hearing from you.
> > > >
> > > > Kind regards
> > > > Mwende
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Disclaimer: These comments are the author's
> > own
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > kictanet mailing list
> > > > kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> > > >
> > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> > > >
> > > > This message was sent to: alex.gakuru at yahoo.com
> > > > Unsubscribe or change your options at
> > > >
> >
> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/alex.gakuru%40yahoo.com
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > ke-internetusers mailing list
> > > ke-internetusers at bdix.net
> > > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Crystal "Naliaka" Watley
> > Voices of Africa
> > Mbambe Rural Resource Management Programme
> > crystal at voicesofafrica.org
> > http://www.voicesofafrica.org/
> > http://www.mbamberuralresources.org/
> >
> > "You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi
>
>
>
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