[kictanet] 1 million Laptops for who?

[Bill Kagai]

Dear Daktari Bitange,

I understand where you are coming from especially the media ignoring that
big chunk in section 88 that the 'gagging' only  applies during a STATE OF
EMERGENCY. To understand the magnitude of this term, even during the post
election violence, the President never declared a state of emergency. Many
ICT bills in Europe and the US have this provision especially after the
Yugoslavia crisis. Particular reference I have in mind is Sweden where our
Energy and Communication Committee of Parliament headed by Eng. James Rege
visited less than a month ago.

In my humble submission, I think we need a paradigm shift. It is no longer
an issue of whether, we did our best in the stakeholder meetings or the
media sent junior officers who did not have teeth to bite as you suggest. We
do not have to get to a point where we need Koffi Anan to come and also
mediate a crisis prompted by a bill recently passed in parliament. To be
bold, its actually making a fool out of Kenyans.

These Media guys are part and parcel of society, and besides the Executive,
Judiciary and Parliament, the fourth estate lurks somewhere within but with
no jurisdiction cast in any constitution of any country. We need to engage
rather than apportion blame. Shelving the bill will just inculcate more
anxiety in society. A small crisis at NCPB, such as flour getting finished
when there are still a few hundreds lined to buy, can easily trigger a food
riot as Egypt witnessed in 1984. And history will judge that the Media Bill
prompted this. Its foolhardy to allow ourselves to get there.

I suggest we solve this problem without letting the President have to make
the decision of signing/not signing or shelving the bill since he relies on
all Kenyans input before making a decisison of this magnitude.

Let us also not forget that the bill also has significant clauses besides
Section 88 that make alot of sense for us in the ICT industry. Business and
Middleclass have always been blamed of watching as crisis unfold without
contributing any tangible ideas in the thought process. The paradigm shift
is that we (ICT) sit down with our brothers and sisters in Media, consider
their grievances and come up with a middle ground to pass to the Minister
for further consideration with His Excellency and then maybe bringing the
bill back to parliament for consensus building.

Conclusion:
Its a no-brainer, we need to act now, or wait for Kofi Annan to come and
solve another problem just becuase Kenyans cannot sit together. I, for one,
volunteer to be  be in the center of this process and be counted as part of
the solution to this problem.

On Sat, Dec 13, 2008 at 4:20 PM, <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:

> Dear Crystal,
> I would be the first person to resign from my position if I know that we
> are putting forth a bad law.  During the consultative fora I raised issues
> on the now contetious section 88 my intetion then and even today was to have
> it struck out.  The stakeholders refused and because media had sent junior
> officials, we could not manage to remove it.  Although it was not one of the
> substantive amendment, we asked that parliament strikes it out.  MPs in
> their wisdom brought the sectiom back.  If you know our legislative process,
> I have do not have power over parliament.
>
> I had hoped that media and Government could restrategize but instead media
> started propaganda and distorting facts at the same time inciting Kenyans to
> violence similar to what they did in january.
>
> As for the WB funds and computers, I shall have the Board's response.  We
> have not procured any computers yet.
>
> Ndemo.
> Sent from my BlackBerry(R)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Crystal Watley" <crystal at voicesofafrica.org>
>
> Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:01:11
> To: <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
> Cc: <skunkworks at my.co.ke>; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] 1 million Laptops for who?
>
>
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-- 
Bildad Kagai
MD - MediaCorp Limited
Nairobi Stock Exchange Authorised Information Vendor
Suite B2, Tetu Court, State House Avenue
P. O. Box 20311 - 00200
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel. 254 20 272 8332
Fax. Rendered Obsolete
S - 1°17'13.8"
E - 36°48'22.7"
www.mediacorp.co.ke
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