[kictanet] New DG

Sat Jul 26 20:32:17 EAT 2008

Joseph,

Five years ago, being conversant on energy issues, my proposal was rejected
as there were some sections not only our dear partners wanted removed but
sadly our own brothers and sisters also agreed with the development
partners.....Reading you now five years later its like we are stuck in mud
or worse running on a treadmill and thinking we are covering miles.

What is important now according to an article titled 'It's in your head'
page 51 of Newsweek of July 21 'new research suggests thatpolicy may not be
the most important thing....attitudes....attitudes and values.

Below please find a piece of that rejected thesis.

David

Sub-Saharan Africa's economic growth will be stifled unless the region's
power shortage can be a thing of the past. Of importance is the Electric
Bill 1997 and its adoption by parliament in October 1997 which aims to
'amend and consolidate the law relating to the generation, transmission,
transformation, distribution, supply and the use of electrical energy for
lighting and other purposes, and for connected purposes' (Republic of Kenya
1997). The Act separated power generation, regulation and distribution
heralding an energy shift from the monolithic, cumbersome and inefficient
energy policy which had existed for more than 7 decades since the British
colonial government started electricity power industry in Kenya. Previously
the Kenya Power Company and now Kenya Electricity Generating Company (*
KenGen*) have taken the generation functions from Kerio Valley Development
Authority, Tana River Development Authority and Kenya Power and Lighting
Company (*KPLC*). KPLC is now solely responsible for distribution and sale
of power generated by KenGen while the Electricity Regulatory Board is
charged with licensing of prospective investors. One disesteeming feature of
the regulatory body is that although it has broad administrative brief, the
final decision is left to the Minister for Energy a situation which creates
opportunities for the Minister, a political appointee, to veto the decisions
of the Board, the technical body. Whose interests and traditions and also
what values does the legislation manifest, or better not represent? Hughes
(1983) looks at the history of electrification in Britain, in particular
London, and compares it to that of cities like Chicago and Berlin, in the
period 1880 – 1930. He concludes that 'the overall backwardness of London's
utilities foundered on the rocks of legislative obstruction, especially the
Electric Lighting Act of 1888 which imposed crippling hardships'. He
insisted that in 1902 in Britain 'a large number of strongly established
interests had a highly developed instinct for conservatism'. Almost a
century later in Kenya 'conservative political interests' are at work given
the immense powers that the minister of energy retains pointing out that the
politicians seem wary of relaxing the government's regulatory hold of the
electric power sector. In the past the government's role has been marred by
inability to satisfy demand and allegation of corruption. Poor performance
in the economic sector mainly reflects inefficiency in manufacturing arising
from the dilapidated infrastructure particularly roads, insufficient supply
of power, incidences of import dumping and non-payment of import duty says
the monthly Economic Review report released by Central Bank of Kenya (Daily
Nation 28th March 2000). Another telling case being charges from Price
Waterhouse on methods used by KPLC to contract two private companies,
Iber-Africa and Westmont, did not follow transparent procedures in inviting
bids and did not provide adequate information to bidders to enable them to
submit their best bid (Daily Nation 10 November 1997).  This is probable in
an atmosphere where the minister can discriminate using the scale of what
politicians view as 'political correct' and 'anti establishment' and thus a
source of 'kickback taking' which signifies a state which is not transparent
and accountable.  Wachira Maina (Sunday Nation 19th October 1997) gives a
telling critique to the Act pointing out that the powers of the Minister
compromise the liberalization policy. Hibou (1999) points that standard
economic theory, discretionary interventions in the economy are conducive to
corruption, and it is for this reason that a maximum degree of consistency
and uniformity is desirable. Not according fairness to all diminishes
assurances to potential investors as occurred when the World Bank, in
July-August 1997 suspended its aid to Kenya's power sector projects (The
Economic Review January 1998).  Why then do we have a decadent situation?

On 7/24/08, joseph wafula <muliaro at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> I congratulate Mr Njoroge for the appointment as DG for CCK, however I
> still find the criteria used weak if what was in last Saturday Nation
> newspaper was part of the criteria. What is clear is that we are far from
> expecting CCK to meet WTO expectation of an independent regulator. CCK is
> strongly under what I term "political capture".  The issue of salary one
> earns as a prerequisite for short-listing for the post makes it even worse
> in my view. What is the future for such criteria in the eyes of all
> stakeholders particularly those in private sector, Foregn Direct Investors
> etc? the question is, how can such officer be free from government influence
> and special interest? Perhaps the criteria of appointment need to be revised
> to give an independent outfit and sectoral professionalsm to CCK DG
> position.
>
>
>
> Dr Muliaro Wafula
>
> Lecturer JKUAT & Director
>
> Kenya E-governance and E-Content Backbone
>
>
>
>
>
> --- On *Wed, 7/23/08, Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho at yahoo.com>* wrote:
>
> From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] New DG
> To: muliaro at yahoo.com
> Cc: "New Vision List" <newvisionkenya at yahoogroups.com>, "Robert
> Onyango-Alai" <alai.robert at gmail.com>, "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2008, 6:14 AM
>
>    Dougi,
>
>
>
> Of course Google (and its variants!) has never been the only method to
> gauge qualification! Sadly, it is/they are the only measure we have these
> days, especially for ICT!
>
>
>
> Brian, I have never known in any profession what you say to be a parameter
> for qualification or eligibility. Otherwise if it were, wouldn't people like
> Atieno Ochola (gender notwithstanding), Matano Ndaro, Michael Katundu, John
> Omo, and many more at CCK be as much deserving?
>
>
>
> Lest am asked: 'declare your interest', let me do so. The other day I
> noticed an MP (who is either a present or past CCK director) contribute to a
> motion on CCK without 'declaring interest'; he was lucky to get away with
> it. I too applied for this job, not because I expected to be considered, but
> to find out if Kenya had changed; if we had moved on to a New Kenya where it
> didn't matter where [in Kenya] you came from, who you knew, whose
> son/daughter you had married, etc. We do not seem to have learnt from the
> events of the turn of the [last] year! Kenya appears to be sitting on a time
> bomb. Formation of the coalition does not seem to have detonated it.
>
>
>
> I have previously contended that Kenyan informaticians are endangered. How
> right I am/was. The words 'mediocricity, political expediency, ethnic
> bigotry' keep ringing on my ears. So, it now appears we cannot find an
> eligible informatician to lead CCK and we have to get an economist! I wait
> for the day, for instance, when the IMF shall be headed by an informatician,
> or one James Rege shall be Finance Minister! Short of the ICT professionals
> organizing themselves and regaining their space, we have a long wait.
>
>
>
> Best rgrds,
>
> Shem
>
> --- On *Mon, 7/21/08, Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>* wrote:
>
> From: Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] New DG
> To: "Shem Ochuodho" <shemochuodho at yahoo.com>
> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Date: Monday, July 21, 2008, 5:54 PM
>
>  IMHO Njoroge has been "the power behind the throne" for every one of the
>  last DGs. I think he will make an excellent leader. His time has come.
>
>
> Congrats Bw Njoroge
>
>
> Brian
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On 21 Jul 2008, at 9:32 PM, "waudo siganga" <emailsignet at mailcan.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>  Anyone with background info on new DG? Google only has the appointment dd
> 21/7
>
> On Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:40:24 +0300, "Wainaina Mungai" <wainaina at madeinkenya.org> said:
>
>  I would assume Nyaki meant "effective engagement" rather than "effective
> management"
>
> Regards
> Wainaina
>
> On Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 4:45 PM, Catherine Adeya <elizaslider at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>>  Walu,
>>
>> Your suggestion for 3.5 is good though I think it should simply be 'How to
>> organize Associations for Effective Managment with the Government.
>>
>> Unless I heard wrong, KTN Sunrise news this morning announced Mr Charles
>> Kinyanjui Njoroge as the new CCK DG.
>>
>> Nyaki
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----
>> From: John Walubengo <jwalu at yahoo.com>
>> To: elizaslider at yahoo.com
>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 2:31:33 PM
>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Forum Agenda - Lets focus
>>
>> Harry,
>>
>> Indeed it would be a public forum - but to what extend has the message
>> gone  outside Nairobi given that most listservers have subscribers in NRB?
>> Maybe there's need to have the traditional notice in the print media.
>>
>> As for the Agenda proposed and copied below,
>> 1.      Forum Objectives
>> 2.      Association presentations
>> 3.      General Discussion
>> 4.      Way forward
>>
>> I would add - 3.5. How to Organise the different Associations for
>> effective engagement with Govt.
>>
>> walu.
>> nb: meanwhile, unconfirmed reports from my moles indicate that a new DG
>> for CCK has been unveiled. Anybody with such a copy?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>
>
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-- 
David Otwoma,
Chief Science Secretary,
National Council for Science and Technology,
Utalii House 9th Floor,
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Office tel: +254 (0)20 2346915,
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