[kictanet] My take: your opportunity own a laptop, , interest-free government facilitated loan

[Victor Gathara]

Alex

Thanks for this. Have heard a lot about this project but scanty details. Couple of questions:

- How does the lending institution confirm that the loans are for laptops and not other 'needs'; a kind of receipting system?
- How to prevent individuals/institutions making money off this i.e. buy laptops to sell on at a profit? Branding?

Probably all been worked out but as the article says we would like to have more info on this project.

Victor

-----Original Message-----
From: kictanet-bounces+v-gathara=dfid.gov.uk at lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+v-gathara=dfid.gov.uk at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Gakuru Alex
Sent: 23 July 2009 08:38
To: Victor Gathara
Cc: kictanet
Subject: [kictanet] Fwd: [ke-internetusers] your opportunity own a laptop, ,interest-free government facilitated loan

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Alex Gakuru <gakuru at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 8:26 AM
Subject: [ke-internetusers] your opportunity own a laptop, , interest-free government facilitated loan
To: ke-users <ke-internetusers at bdix.net>


Folks,

I was at this meeting- a very good initiative. Proposed loan maximum 50,000/=. I requested that they be supplied unbundled - i.e. without Operating System or other software. Microsoft Windows costs 10,000/= Microsoft Office 17,000/= total cost 27,000/= (more than half the loan amount!!). That would mean that you would have to buy a low-spec laptop to accommodate proprietary software costs within 50K limit.

Costs that would be done away with thus enable owners get highest specs laptops, if choose FOSS operating systems (such as www.ubuntu.com, www.pcbsd.org (Ken Kasina developed installer!!), www.fedoraproject.org, en.opensuse.org, www.redhat.com, etc). that all come with free OpenOffice. Give local IT youths installation contracts for these and MORE FOSS applicatications, at, say, 7,000/= per laptop.
 1 million x 7,000 =????? :) talk about national software cost savings, youth empowerment, promoting local innovation, and taxes retentions...

Obviously, not to exclude them, Microsoft are entitle to pitch sales too,, we see which makes business and national sense?

Companies, organisations, associations can also get the interest-free the laptops loans for their employees, staff, members. Will keep you updated as events unfold.

Enjoy,

Alex

-----

[Business Daily]
State to guarantee loans for laptops
By Okuttah Mark
Thursday, July 23 2009

Organisations or individuals seeking to take advantage of this year's budget stimulus package on laptops are free to negotiate with any banking institution, computer vendors or the telecommunication companies.

This follows the announcement by the government through the Permanent Secretary for Information, Dr Bitange Ndemo. that the government will only facilitate the process but the negotiations will be done by interested parties on their own.

The incentive was offered by Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta during this year's budget and aims at accelerating computer access in the country.

In the one million computer campaign, the government will guarantee money borrowed either by individuals or organisations to buy the laptop between now and June, next year. The government will also pay the interest on the loan.
...

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Company%20Industry/-/539550/628254/-/u8x1gfz/-/index.html

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