[kictanet] {Disarmed} Re: Who is ICT Board? - Capacity Building

[robert yawe]

Hi,

I think we need to stop thinking that ICT is so wide and vast, have you tried to look at areas such as medicine or engineering yet all have professional bodies.  A surgeon is different from a physician or a psychiatrist but at the focal point is the general practitioner who sees the patient as a single entity.  The neurologist sees a specific function, the ophthalmologist sees another we need a generalist entity that does not spend its energy on the finer details.

As I said in a separate thread we need to look at this issues from a focal point, the other issues are details.  When the president says he has created a district it is not for him to operationalise the act, that is why there are bureaucrats on the government payroll.  Unfortunately we do not have a "president" to give similar directives on ICT, I can assure you that if the President made a proclamation tomorrow that government should have a single contact number it will be effected the day after.

I therefore concur with a statement that the government is suffering from a governance issue and the ICT Board is not able to fill those shoes which is why this discussion is not ending.  Lets look towards getting a focal point for governments ICT issues, someone who can include those directives in the presidents speeches.

Regards
 Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya


Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696




________________________________
From: Kamotho Njenga <kamothonjenga at gmail.com>
To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Wed, 7 April, 2010 10:23:29
Subject: Re: [kictanet] {Disarmed} Re: Who is ICT Board? - Capacity Building


Vitalis,
Your view on the need to form an umbrella body "from a bird's eye view perspective " to guide the formulation and coordination of strategies in ICT sector is quite valid and realizable. There is absolutely no excuse for not having an authoritative reference point for such an enormous industry/pofession. But as you observe the process of getting every eligible person to see the need to board the common vehicle that you envision marks the point where the rubber meets the road. Its bound to be complex but as you say worth trying. For any solid progress to be registered the following realities attributable to the existing state of affairs warrant consideration. 
 
1. ICT is a multifaceted discipline. It has seperate elements to do with Software design, Database issues, AI, Web Design, E-Learning, Mobiles, Hardware....Consequently there are those who argue that the specifics of ICT can not be accomodated in the wider ICT umbrella. The thrust of this opinion is not fully conceivable.
 
2. There is a peculiar propensity amongst the ICT folk to create multiple versions (splinter lobby groups) at the slightest excuse.eg we currently have some like ICT Association, Computer Association, Linux Association, BPO Association, ICT Consumers Society, IT Standards Association. In fact if the trend continues you will expect some associations to come in the following further versions: Mobile phone society of Kenya, Laptop Association of Kenya, Flashdisk consumers Association of Kenya, M-Pesa customers federation, Windows XP alliance. Word 2007 Self Help group, Blackberry movement of Kenya... name them. It's tantamount to having more preachers than the target congregation.
 
3. A large section of ICT people are indifferent. They love to mind their own business not the profession nor the industry. They dont see the quagmire
 
Advancement is possible if all stakeholders decide to abandon mediocrity.

Kamotho Njenga
 
On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 7:33 AM, <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:

Vitalis,
>
>
>Brother Siganga and Kamotho are best placed to comment on your post.
>
>
>Ndemo.
>
>
>
>> For effective and long term strategic development, the system needs to be
>> looked at as a whole, from "helicopter view, 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 could be
>> reached to coin the name, ICT.  The main reason was the the complexity
>>> 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 sytems approach, in
>>> the indutries or sub-sectors, 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 stable and the future was easily
>> predicable. With the techlological innovations in computing and
>> communications, and the converegence of variuous technologies, industry
>>> boundaries have become more maleable. 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 " to guide in formulation and coordination of strategies in
>> ICT sector 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. Â Â 
>>
>> Controbutions have been made including mentioning about professional
>> bodies/assocaiations in othe fields, e.g. ICPAK, KMA, etc. Also there are
>>> variuos governmental authorities in this country. Apart from the ICT
>> Board, there are the Roads Boad, Coffee Board, etc. which may or may not
>> be professionally based. However, it is important to note that ICT is wide
>>%
>
>
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