[kictanet] We have failed Kenya, again

Sun Jan 18 19:34:33 EAT 2009

Barrack,

I am a social scientist and there are many ways that ICT can help to solve
the food crisis, stop corruption, and bring to an end the disintegration of
Kenya. The main problem here is that ICTs are not being widely utilized for
problem solving for the wananchi, but for making the rich richer. Those who
can afford the technology benefit and leave everyone else behind. That is
where the GOVERNMENT is supposed to step in. The issue with the government
in Kenya is priorities. This extends thoughout all sectors. It is obvious
that the poor in the villages who are expericing famine are NOT on the
forefront of the agenda.

The silver lining lies in the few organizations who know that ICTs can be
used in development and strive to do so. Many struggle with little support
and overwhelming workload, but they continue to serve. Let us not forget the
scores of unsung heros in ICT whose agenda is set by the needs of the
people. I think it is high time that those with the right priorities join
together to ensure our villages are not left behind.

Many blessings,

Crystal

On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 9:53 AM, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>wrote:

> Nice writeup Bob, the reality is that technology is just one of the
> components the major challenge lies with the people (our attitudes) or shall
> we call it will power and culture (processes, ways of doing
> things whatever), am not a social scientist but i guess we need some serious
> social re-engineering, there are policy makers Bill:) on this list who might
> define what that is and Academicians but...
> Yes we can
>
> On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>wrote:
>
>>  Hi All,
>>
>> I am ashamed to be an information technology professional, we have failed
>> our country yet again by taking the high road and spending all our time
>> lambasting politicians for issues such as the media bills yet we are no
>> better. Last time I checked there was no profession like politician but
>> there is information technology.
>>
>> Why am I concentrating on a none Obama issue at such a time when the
>> entire world & africa have their eyes facing Washington, because that will
>> not stop crop failures, starvation of innocent children or reduce of fuel
>> costs.
>>
>> Last week's head lines where scary  to say the least, our food security
>> reserves where sold off to Sudan & a revelation on the disapperarance of
>> millions of litres of fuel from under the nostrils of KRA, KPC & GOK.
>>
>> Stop that thought, none of this events has anything to do with the media
>> bill as it had not been signed when this activitites where going on & the
>> politicians are not to blame either as they are generally not farmers but
>> peddlers of promises and inuendo.  The buck stops here with me & you the so
>> called information technology experts, gurus, kemenyis . . .
>>
>> All we have done is blame the lack of high speed internet access for
>> everthing from failed marriages to space travel, yet we would have spent our
>> energys developing solutions to stop this age old issue of famine and petty
>> theft instead of lamenting over irrelevancies and red herrings.  Information
>> is power, thus us as information technology professionals weld more power
>> than even the proverbial pen.
>>
>> So now that I have your undivided attention here is my point, we have
>> proven and tested national wireless connectivity network provided by
>> SafariCom, Zaine & Telkom/Orange yet it takes us 9 months to notice that not
>> enough maize was planted.  You tell me what the cost would be to setup a
>> land utilisation database with regular updates, I will not waste my finger
>> grease trying to discuss this you all now this is a no brainer.
>>
>> Fuel disappears from a storage tank and no one noticed it was missing for
>> a whole year until some fellow followed a routine year end procedure of
>> taking stock take an act that resulted in his firing for not getting
>> permission from the chief executive, whose holding the smoking gun I ask?
>>
>> Do KPC & ministry of agriculture actual have IT personnel on their
>> payroll? Fire them, then the entire ICT Board, ICT Secretary to the cabinet,
>> entire staff of the directorate of e-government, entire staff of government
>> information technology services & anyone else who is mandated with the
>> responsibility of advicing government on issues of technology. Not
>> forgetting one Dr. Mutua, yes Dr. Ndemo too.
>>
>> We cannot be discussing call centres, bpo, ID card application monitoring,
>> electronic passport applications, issues that will impact less than 1% of
>> the population while leaving out a strategic issue like food security and
>> fuel supply.
>>
>> Obama as president of the USA, the landing of 3 marine cables & the
>> revision of the media bill is not the fix all for our problems here where we
>> are, the world is at war & if we cannot feed our troops how do we expect to
>> battle?  Lets look at technology as a means to an end & not an end in
>> itself.  Lets use the available technology to solve real problems as that is
>> the only legacy we can leave behind.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Robert Yawe
>> KAY System Technologies Ltd
>> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>> Kenya
>>
>> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
> --
> Barrack O. Otieno
> ISSEN CONSULTING
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> To give up the task of reforming society is to give up ones responsibility
> as a free man.
> Alan Paton, South Africa
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-- 
Crystal "Naliaka" Watley
Voices of Africa
crystal at voicesofafrica.org
http://www.voicesofafrica.org/

"You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi
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