[kictanet] Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers'

Thu Jun 12 15:27:09 EAT 2008

Daktari,

Many thanks for sharing additional examples of the practical challenges our entrepreneurs face. Would be nice to find a catalogue of those impediments, and even more importantly, the interventions (if any) being undertaken to stem them.

Best rgrds,
Shem

--- On Wed, 6/11/08, R. O. Marwanga <rom105 at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: R. O. Marwanga <rom105 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: {Disarmed} [kictanet] Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers'
To: bitange at jambo.co.ke, NewVisionKenya at yahoogroups.com
Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>, "New Vision List" <newvisionkenya at yahoogroups.com>
Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2008, 2:01 PM

Shem & others: Good to see this dabate on ICT and encouraging to see Dr. Ndemo participating. I just have two comments regarding entrepreurship in Kenya and the govt's role. a) First, as an entrepreneur myself and as one interested in developing entrepreurship in Kenya, my experience has been both positive and negative in the past several months. First, Kenya is excellent in terms of availability of human resources. The attitude towards taking risk is somewhat positive and there are some efforts, albeit disjointed, towards creating an environment for risk-taking. Howeever, on the gov't side both central and local, I find the attitude towards entrepreneurship negative, almost hostile despite all the pronouncements to the contrary. A comparison here will show why: I have been running a consulting firm in the US since 1998 and all that time, I have never seen a local govt official or IRS come to knock on my door about
 taxes or anything like that. Besides the initial registration fees which is minimal, I simply declare to IRS and pay taxes if any, each quarter. But in Kenya, I set up my office last October and since then City Council Askaris & people from KRA have come to my office demanding one thing or another! I have had to pay exhobitant fees for which I cannot see what I get back, for example KSH 20K annual City license fee! I get similar horror stories all the time from my students in an Executive MBA class at Strathmore, many of whom run their own businesses. There is clearly a need for change of attitude on the govt side towards promoting entrepreneurship which I find lacking right now.  b) Second, it is my opinion that a gov't has the role of both helping to create capacity and also participating in the creation and use of capacity, particularly in capital intensive areas like ICT. For example the US gov't creates
 capacity, helps others to create capacity and is one of the biggest consumers of the capacity created. Hope this is the direction Kenya is moving.

Thanks

R. O. Marwanga                

--- On Wed, 6/11/08, Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho@ yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho@ yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: {Disarmed} [kictanet] Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers'
To: bitange at jambo. co.ke
Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists. kictanet. or.ke>, "New Vision List" <newvisionkenya@ yahoogroups. com>
Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2008, 10:49 AM

Bw PS,
Once again allow me to say it is commendable to see you being 'responsive' online.
On ICT development, I don't think what we are complaining of is 'inaction'; No. There are lots of good 'projects' happening. Our/My concern is that they are not coherent, or rather there is no overarching 'comprehensive' or 'integrated' plan portraying the 'bigger picture' than individual projects or initiatives do. Examples of African countries with such comprehensive Masterplans include Rwanda, Tunisia and Mozambique. If we have (such) a master plan, I am not aware, and I would be more than delighted to see it. Otherwise, good strategies like that for the BPO's, the E-Govt Strategy, etc, should only be sub-components of the 'Masterplan' .
As for lacking entrepreneurs, am not sure I entirely agree, either. Once again allow me to contend that Kenya has got some of the most 'enterprising' human resources. What they lack are opportunities and an enabling environment. I know some strides have been made, but we still have a long way to go. Just for instance, Tanzania gives up to 15% advantage to local firms when they bid for Govt projects (or so am told). Unless Kenyan rules have changed, I don't think such a provision exists. But that's just one area for improving the environment. There are several others, some specific to ICT, others of a more general nature. Developing a 'Masterplan' would create an opportunity for sufficient engagement with diverse 'Stakeholders' (including 'Professionals' and 'Entrepreneurs' ) that would unearth more comprehensively areas of improvement that the ICT private sector requires to fly.
Finally, I don't think Govt can run away from building, creating and utilizing capacity. Of course it doesn't do it alone; it does it in collaboration with other players. But it is incumbent, as a starting point, upon Govt to come up with a comprehensive 'Human Capacity Development and Utilization Plan'. And rumour has it one could be in the offing; if that is true, that would be great. If the rumour is not true, then something needs to be done about it.
My 2 cents worth.
Warmest rgrds,
Shem

--- On Wed, 6/11/08, bitange at jambo. co.ke <bitange at jambo. co.ke> wrote:

From: bitange at jambo. co.ke <bitange at jambo. co.ke>
Subject: Re: {Disarmed} [kictanet] Fw: Re: [NewVisionKenya] Voiceless 'Knowledge Workers'
To: shemochuodho@ yahoo.com
Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists. kictanet. or.ke>
Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2008, 8:07 AM

Dear Shem/Lucy,
Reading the write up here, I concluded that you are really behind on what is
happening in the ICT landscape that I cannot do justice by using a balckberry
to respond.

However, in summary there are focused strategies to grow our sector.  2006 a
bpo strategy that has given rise to part of vision 2030.  Aggressive ICT
infrastructure development.  Complete legal and regulatory framework that is
waiting for Parliament to do their part.  Centers of excellency to build
capacity created.  Many more projects being implemented by th ICT Board and yes
there is a master plan.

What we neen now are entrepreneurs.  Although government can help build
capacity, it cannot create them.  This requires both role models and ability to
take risk.  We must also remove the negative attitude whereby we approach all
issues from a negative angle.  

Asante.

Ndemo
Sent from my BlackBerry®

Shem Ochuodho <shemochuodho@ yahoo.com> wrote: 

An edited version of the article below appeared in today's edition of the
Standard. 

Rgrds, 
Shem 

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