[kictanet] I have seen the future of the marine cable

[robert yawe]

Today I saw the future of Kenya after the fiber land and I feel duty bound to share the experience.

For many years my business has provided server solutions to multinationals for groupware, our main selling point for having servers located locally was always the unreliable internet links.

Today one of my clients, a multinational company has moved their servers to Europe and are using thin client technology to connect the desktop user.  

I saw a similar scenario when multinationals where allowed VSAT terminals, as many technical activities got consolidated either at head office in Europe/USA or regional processing centers in India.  What we were left with was clerical and other none core activities.  With the downturn in the world financial markets expect more centralised control of corporate activites and offshoring of currently local functions.

I assure the advocates of BSP and call centers that they will achieve their objective of turning Kenya into a clerical hub for the rest of the world.  Which is historically what Kenya's role was always meant to be within the British Empire.  We are soon to become a nation of overqualified call center operated involved in an activity that does not provide skills transfer.

Come January I will have lost a prime revenue earner as all that will
be expected from us will be blowing the computers and offering 1st
level support on productivity applications and printing issues.  This
will mean that I have no need to retain high skilled personnel.

What use is it then for us to be setting up Universities all over the country yet all we shall need are large armies of fellows with good spoken english, maybe french or chinese with an average IQ and basic level of education.

Am I an alarmist? I do not think so I am a realist, I am reengineering to meet the challenge but can someone provide a condusive environment.  Ndemo can we get collocation centers made available, the newly redressed ISPs are not about to add value in this direction.  Can the government take the lead in outsourcing its activites, we are ready to setup a call centre for the Government in ISIOLO or at RIAT in Kisumu, I dare you to give me the challenge.

Have a god filled christmas & a proserous new year

 Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya


Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696



      
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/kictanet/attachments/20081209/021ff306/attachment.htm>