[kictanet] Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed byPost-ElectionViolence on ICT Organisations

Tue Jan 29 14:09:21 EAT 2008

I think we are all trying to deal with the crisis which seems to grow
every day with no-one seemingly concerned enough to stop it.

With regard to the scratch card prices, the problem was, and is still to
some extent, the disruption of our supply lines due to the violence and
the closing of the banking network for more than 10 days. In a, mostly,
informal economy, the impact of lengthy bank closures has a significant
impact on the economy and is even outlawed in some countries. The
problem is that stocks are kept to a minimum due to cash flow and
security problems. So if there is a minor blip this does lead to
significant shortages. We are looking, as are others, for alternative
solutions to deal with this problem.

At one point we became a bank and collected billions of shillings in
cash (and stored them in our vaults) from dealers in order to get the
supply process going.

Fortunately we never experienced severe disruption to our network except
for some areas in Western (where else) due to the inability to get
diesel fuel to some key sites. But the threat was always there.

The other threat worth mentioning is the ever increasing hostile hate
SMSs which were circulating after the elections and continue to
circulate.  We are introducing a filtering system which will hopefully
stop some of them, but we must realize that the communications networks
are vital in times of unrest and if we are forced to close down some
elements to stop these hate messages, the impact could be felt even more
widely and may even introduce panic. We must guard our freedom but we
must also act responsibly to protect that freedom. I know I am preaching
to the choir, and may even encourage some debate, but it is a fine line
in these critical times.

Regards, 

Michael

CEO
Safaricom Limited

-----Original Message-----
From: kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+mjoseph=safaricom.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke]
On Behalf Of John Walubengo
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 9:45 AM
To: Michael Joseph
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 2 of 5 - Challenges Posed
byPost-ElectionViolence on ICT Organisations

mmhh, looks like very few contributions. I understand the
dampened mood.  But really, we have to talk.  Unless you
guys want us to bring Koffi Anaan here to make us share...

Anyway, Thanx Alex, Bill, and Brian for your contributions
so far. I was just thinking at a national level...the
impact  so far.
1. Mobile Operators (earlier in the fracas I bought a
scratch card worth 250sh for 500sh, black market rates)
2. BPO projects (whats happening at Kencall and others?)
3. ICT Board (with World Bank threatening to hold back
funds, what happens to the Infrastructure projects that
were to provide Bandwidth to BPOs and Academia?)
4. Media (how are you coping with the live transmission
ban?)
6. ISPs, ASPs, Cybercafes (any impacts)
7. Our members in the region UG, RW (any impacts?)

Plse talk, we have only four more days to go. It is
refreshing to talk about this things. It is part of the
healing process.

walu.

--- Alex Gakuru <alex.gakuru at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Ok, I was silent because Brain Longwe had earlier
> asked that the list be what it was meant to be. Since
> that position has changed, I want to start with
> "funny" joke. We have a saying in this regard. 
> 
> Have you been one of those who have tried or struggled
> to guess the tribe of the person sending emails to
> mailing lists? Please own up:) Last week we considered
> assessing the psychological consequences the crisis
> was having on consumers with regard to email and blogs
> posts.
> 
> It turned out that some tried to "align" their views
> on e-mail senders whom they perceived (or imagined?)
> to be of the same or "friendly" tribes. Our
> conclusion, listers were not tribal, yet the stress,
> politics and media had forced them to seek tribal
> alignments. We were happy to discover that. 
> 
> Next we discussed tensions at workplace Telkom Kenya
> being our sample. We learnt how badly it had divided
> staff there. We overheard employee conversations! We
> wished companies would hold extra parties to lessen
> tensions at work. I have just noticed a ke-users
> lister has posted a very positive message. Their HR
> department  today held an organisation-wide
> counselling session. That was excellent. All companies
> should start similar  initiatives. Thanks Saidimu!    
>   
> 
> Terrible for us because when we engaging Telcos and
> ISPs we never ask for okuyu, jang or kale etc tariffs
> or quality of service standards. Our engagement covers
> coast to lake, Turkana to Namanga, Garissa to Busia.
>  
> At such moments, Information and Communications
> Consumer protection is more than ever necessary. We
> are battling rights of the people know on one hand, on
> the other we are urging responsibility to accompany
> freedom of expression, fighting against ban on live
> broadcasts    also aware of the dangers of misuse,
> against sms sniffing very aware of misinformation
> dangers. 
> 
> We noted and appreciated the media's own intervention
> early and responsibility but also appreciate the role
> of government to protect everyone.
> 
> This thread is on the challenges hence I stop there
> for now to hear others' lest I be accused of
> monopolising on opinion. I will be back;)
> 
> Regards,
> 
> 
> Alex   
> 
> 
> --- John Walubengo <jwalu at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> 
>      
>
________________________________________________________________________
____________
> Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
> http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
> 

________________________________________________________________________
____________
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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