[kictanet] Who is ICT Board? - Capacity Building
Vitalis Olunga
volunga at yahoo.com
Wed Apr 7 01:37:44 EAT 2010
For effective and long-term strategic developments, the system needs to be looked at as a whole, and specifically from "helicopter, or bird's eye view perspective. The right hand needs to know what the left is doing. Duplication of roles and many centres of powers can only deter development. Starting from the global perspective, it was a big debate to arrive at the jus the name "Information, Commuinications and Techonologies." It took the world nations a number of forums and numerous dicussions and dialogue sessions, before a concensus was reached to coin the name, now commonly abbreviated ICT. The main reason was the the complexity arising due rapidly changing technologcal innovations, the changing needs of the people, the needs for governments to develop policicies, etc., Some polcies were were based on comand-and-control approach, in the industries or sub-sectors of economy, in what is now commonly known as the ICT sector. At the
beginning the indutry boundaries were distinct, mainly revolving around telecommunications and broadcasting. The life was easy because the enviroment was more stable and the future was easily predicable. With the techlological innovations in computing and communications, and the convergence of variuous technologies, industry boundaries have become more maleable, and increase in flux in industry stractures. This this is a challenge as well as an oppotunity that we are facing and need to be addressed, at all times. There is need for an umbrella body "from a bird's eye view perspective " for the strategy formulation and coordination of strategy implementation in order to achieve the long-term national objectives. Otherwise we will end-up with fragmented development plans, with very little impact on the sytem as whole at the national level. These can only be useful for quick fix solutions.
Contributions, including mentions about professional bodies/assocaiations have been raised in this discussions, e.g. ICPAK, KMA, etc. Also there are variuos governmental authorities in this country, apart from the ICT Board, e.g. Roads Board, Coffee Board, etc. some of which are not professionally based, wheras quite a good number are. Though ICT sector is wide and diverse, and it may be a challenge to bring all the stakeholders under one umbrella body, it is worth underating the challenge and get a solution. There are other organizations which need to be included, and which could be having resources to guide the ICT to achieve sustainabale development. For example, the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK), the Enginners Regitration Board (ERB), the locatal chapter of Intutution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (in any), etc. The organizers of the proposed forum could extend invitation to such professional bodies as well.
Reagrds
Vitalis
________________________________
From: Harry Delano <harry at comtelsys.co.ke>
To: volunga at yahoo.com
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Tue, April 6, 2010 10:14:26 PM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Who is ICT Board? - Capacity Building
Hey Esther,
Thanks alot. However, I have a feeling that such a body should be representative of those in industry (elective representation), and
the Govt agencies side.. ( as effectively representative as possible).
Solely charged with the mandate to drive ICT forward in this country. I think there is a general feeling that vested interests and turf
wars might take an upper hand (unless reigned in) at the detriment of progress in this vital sector and to avoid numerous duplication
of effort in the process.
Regards,Harry
________________________________
From: Esther Muchiri [mailto:emuchiri at andestbites.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2010 9:55 PM
To: harry at comtelsys.co.ke
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
Subject: RE: [kictanet] Who is ICT Board? - Capacity Building
Good suggestions Harry, but while I am not a pessimist, I have a feeling that with time, whatever body will be formed will still face the same attacks/questions from the industry on the mandate etc
Perhaps the upcoming public forum will begin to shed some light in the direction ICT development in Kenya should follow?
From:kictanet-bounces+emuchiri=andestbites.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+emuchiri=andestbites.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Harry Delano
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2010 6:21 PM
To: emuchiri at andestbites.com
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Who is ICT Board? - Capacity Building
Lilian,
This is so comprehensive.. Hope, notes are being taken from these resourceful discussions coming in.
Mine, is just a proposal. Clearly, the different agencies existing, happen to work within some form of
mandate in their own areas of jurisdiction or so, whether the mandates are competing mandates or
a duplication, it may be quite difficult to just "merge" them..
Clearly, Listers - one thing that is now clear, is that ICT is a huge phenomenon, that cuts' out across
the entire spectrum of Govt and ministries - beyond INFOCOM. This means, stakeholders from other
Govt. sectors need to be brought into the fold to harmonize strategy..
I suppose therefore, this may call for an oversight body - to which, each of the Govt agencies can have a
representation. This oversight, could encompass reps, from all sectors, private , and govt. All interests
should be declared as a pre-requisite to serving on this panel for purposes of accountability and
transparency..
If in order, I could float some names for such a body, such as:-
* National ICT Task Force - (NICTAF)
* National ICT Agency of Kenya - (NICTAK)
* National ICT Oversight Board -(NICTOB)
Other names are welcome..
Harry
________________________________
From:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of Lilian Karanja
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2010 11:43 AM
To: harry at comtelsys.co.ke
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Who is ICT Board? - Capacity Building
Yes, Robert.......I see.
Certainly, what GoK needs is ICT Governance. “Without governance you do not produce good decisions consistently. ‘Governance’ in the context of the management of ICT crafts a clear framework in which decisions are made, who makes the decisions about business and technology developments, who has input into the decision-making process and how the decisions are formed”.
In my opinion, the ICT Board (under Min. Of Info Comm), the Directorate of e-Government (under OP), the GITS Department (under Min. Of Finance), and both the CCK and NCS (both under Min. Of Info Comm) seem to have related ICT goals and objectives. They (unfortunately) don’t seem to oftenly collaborate in their decision-making. I personally like the idea of a KITA like SITA/RITA. Sometime ago, the Directorate of e-Government seemed to come-up into a KITA (in the way we think of SITA/RITA), but did not ‘mature’ into the institution envisioned.
GoK ICT Governance Decisions would ideally focus on:
· Determining the strategic approach to e-government and ICT within GoK
· How the e-government initiatives should be used in GoK, to improve services, reduce costs, develop the community, etc
· How fundamental e-government and ICT is to GoK and the country at large
· The way e-government and ICT is to be managed (e.g. by what mechanism and how resources are to be managed)
· The way investments are to be made and policies on realising and sharing benefits
· How the required skills are to be procured (through strategic partnerships, in-house, through consortium, etc)
· The principles that underlie the ICT architecture
· Setting priorities and determining e-government and ICT investment programmes
· Managing the foundations and regulations regarding the core elements of the infrastructure:
o Personnel – who will be responsible for their professional development and where certain skills should reside
o Methods and techniques – what project/programme management, development and operations management standards should be used
o Charging mechanisms and services standards (performance management)
o Information – standards to enable the effective sharing of information
o Core applications – intranet, finance systems, payroll, registries and personnel standards, etc
o Technical – network, consolidated service desk, data standards
o Security
o Legal
This has conspicuously missed within GoK, in the past years. We look to GoK greatly to spur ‘mwananchi’ by keenly committing to ‘add value’ to broadband so that their attitude, confidence and appreciation towards the use ICTs and the Internet increases (especially in the rural areas, as they access Government e-Services), thus creating an Internet Community and an IT culture. Am not sure we necessarily need support from outside to do this, even donor funds (we don’t need). We can do it on our own, as we (Kenya) are, now, known to be an emerging knowledge economy. GoK can lead the way to create a Kenyan way ‘working with’and using ICT. We have so many Youth (any way), who are jobless! Lets purposefully develop capacity of these young and use them sufficiently.
I rest my case, and I apologise for any misunderstandings.
LILIAN
--- On Tue, 4/6/10, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>From: robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
>Subject: Who is ICT Board? - Capacity Building
>To: "Lilian Karanja" <l_wkaranja at yahoo.com>
>Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>Date: Tuesday, April 6, 2010, 12:32 AM
>Hi Lilian,
>
>Just wanted to clarify an issue, government has some of the best trained ICT fellows and I know because I have regularly interacted with them for over 10 years. Do not be deceived by the fact that they are no fancy websites or iphone applications the men and women who keep the government systems running are basically miracle workers.
>
>How they do it is beyond my comprehension and the last thin they need is a capacity building what they need like all with the other areas of government is a co-ordinator or a Deputy Prime Minister IS. Hon Raila has definitely moved government efficiency a notch higher and without a "dream team" or expatriate consultants all he did was dust off the diamonds within.
>
>Government has a beautiful retention strategy which is we pay you for 2 hours a day and we expect you to only deliver the paid for work, if you are unable to find something profitable to do with the balance 6 hours then that is your problem.
>
>What we need is a deputy prime minister information systems or ICT or BPO whatever the name of which KICTB has proven not to be to "desilo" (term coined by Dr. Ndemo during the PM Round table meeting) the government activities.
>
>Can you government ICT gurus stick your heads out and defend your selves, I know many of you are on this listing, so be warned that next time I need to put the record strait on your behalf I will actually name names.
>
>Robert Yawe
>KAY System Technologies Ltd
>Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>Kenya
>Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>
>
>
________________________________
>From:Lilian Karanja <l_wkaranja at yahoo.com>
>To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
>Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>Sent: Mon, 5 April, 2010 16:58:41
>Subject: Re: [kictanet] Who is ICT Board? Hijacked
>Dear PS:
>
>It is a little discouraging to hear you say that the issues discussed in this topic are 'kuchongoana tu'. We look up to you, and others in Government and also in the private sector who are so passionate about the use of ICTs and the Internet to create opportunities for all, in Kenya, and see that ICT remains a reliable vehicle for economic growth and development. So, please don't stop listening to us, patiently and we beseech you to continue in your wisdom in dealing with these matters.
>
>This topic, 'Who is ICT Board?' as well as that of 'eGovernment is it a myth or reality?' have raised important questions that should be addressed with 'a big heart' and an open mind. As you have noted, a town hall meeting is good and always welcome. However, moving forward, it needs to be clear how ICT Board interacts with Government and how it promotes the existence of an Institutional Framework for ICT management in Government. Clearly, the ICT Board manages of a huge chunk of donor funds for ICT growth in Kenya, eGovernment and the likes (through the KTCIP), but still the Government lags behind in their ICT technical know-how and skills.
>
>While one of their mandate (the ICT Board) is Capacity Building (Providing GoK and other stakeholders with skills, capacity and funding for anchor implementation of ICT projects for development) over time we have only seen laxity in the management of ICT by Government i.e. poor websites, unsatisfactory performance of legacy systems, inconsistent DNS & IP address management, meagre IT Security (web, network, etc), little or no R&D and M&E of ICT & eGovt, etc. But may be it is not deliberate laxity, it is that the Government Officers who manage IT issues in Government are not continuously trained in all pertinent areas to raise experts and skillful personnel.
>
>I hope this is an area ICT Board can address, when they say that part of their mandate is Capacity Building, otherwise we have Government Officers who cannot do much to use broadband properly and strategically as well as make eGovernment a reality. The cabilities of these Officers should be close to, if not better than those in the private sector. And when GoK finally has real experts and engineers in ICT, a retention strategy MUST be adopted to keep them and recompense them accordingly. This is the future of Government IT, 'people who are knowledgeable and focused on a bright future'.
>
>LILIAN
>
>
>
>--- On Sun, 4/4/10, bitange at jambo.co.ke <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:
>
>>From: bitange at jambo.co.ke <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
>>Subject: Re: [kictanet] Who is ICT Board? Hijacked
>>To: "Lilian" <l_wkaranja at yahoo.com>
>>Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>Date: Sunday, April 4, 2010, 9:42 AM
>>Barrack,
>>Several posts have come by on the role of ICT and I think it will be wise
>>if we sorted this in a town hall meeting similar to one we had on Malili.
>>Honestly it feels as though some Neanderthal decided to create these
>>agencies without putting some thought to it. Criticisms are good only
>>when you point out where there are gaps.
>>
>>The other day I posted a policy proposal for comments but only one person
>>did respond. What it means then is that this forum ni ya kuchongoana tu.
>>Which really is unfortunate. I have four other policy proposals that I
>>really think should push through then arouse sufficient interest from the
>>membership here.
>>
>>
>>Ndemo.
>>
>>
>>> This is truly "Jicho Pevu", i think some answers to this questions are
>>> very much in order as we celebrate Easter, can someone provide us with
>>> a list of all agencies involved in ICTs and ICT4D so that we can do
>>> some tooth comb analysis, i saw a post from Paul on what the board
>>> has achieved early this year, that was very much in order we need
>>> something from NCS as well plus any other agencies.
>>>
>>> Regards
>>>
>>> On Sat, Apr 3, 2010 at 12:50 PM, Vitalis Olunga <volunga at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> There is also another body , National Communications Secretarait. What
>>>> is
>>>> the diffrence between NCS and ICT Baord and how do the two bodies relate
>>>> with respect to advisory services to the governement on ICT matters?
>>>>
>>>> Regards
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Vitalis
>>>>
>>>> ________________________________
>>>> From: robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
>>>> To: volunga at yahoo.com
>>>> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>>> Sent: Sat, April 3, 2010 12:03:22 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Who is ICT Board? Hijacked
>>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>> I rest my case on this issue, the ICT Board is a monolith, Try
>>>> reading this... (pdf file), as I feared it is mandated to do anything
>>>> and
>>>> everything under the sun that could be called ICT which includes your
>>>> microwave oven and copier.
>>>> Functions of Kenya ICT Board
>>>> The core functions of Kenya ICT Board as documented in the Kenya Gazette
>>>> Legal Notice No 26 of the May 2007:
>>>> • To advice the government on all relevant matters pertaining to
>>>> development, coordination (remember the PM post) and promotion of ICT
>>>> industries in the country.
>>>> • Promote both locally and internationally the opportunities for
>>>> investments in ICT technology
>>>> • Facilitate and manage ICT industrial incubation parks and technology
>>>> parks together with associated facilities on sites, estates and land.
>>>> • Partner with agents within and without the country to carry out such
>>>> functions as it may consider necessary.
>>>> • To transform and empower society through deployment and use of ICTs.
>>>> • Carry out any other activity to promote and develop ICT products and
>>>> services.
>>>> Have a restful Easter as we await the limited range 4G, yes you guessed
>>>> it I
>>>> still have a 3G issue and I am in Nairobi.
>>>> Regards
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> kictanet mailing list
>>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Barrack O. Otieno
>>> Geneva
>>> Skype: barrack.otieno
>>>
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