[kictanet] My 2cts: Kenya IGF 2010 Mailing List Discussions Day 2 of 8Theme : Infrastructure Issues - Impact of the Fibre OpticCable IGF Mailing List Discussions

Wed Jul 7 11:26:23 EAT 2010

Well put Victor, i suppose the government and related agencies seem to have
followed the proposal you have outlined which is very elaborate, i suppose
the challenge could be getting the ``people`` or Wanjiku for lack of a
better word to appreciate this resources, i am curious since i havent seen
this on the list you just posted, could it be an area worth exploring?

On Wed, Jul 7, 2010 at 10:15 AM, Victor Gathara <v-gathara at dfid.gov.uk>wrote:

>  Barrack
>
> When I did a study on the fibre optic cables a couple of years ago I
> proposed the following actions by donors to help Kenya reap the benefits of
> fibre coming to our shores:
>
>
> -          targeted funding for the ICT industry to help mitigate the
> effect of the global recession;
>
> -          direct investments in infrastructure to help spread points of
> presence to rural areas;
>
> -          supporting a Kenyan success story in the Business Process
> Outsourcing (BPO) sector through marketing support, technical and financial
> assistance (borrowing loosely from the MPESA model);
>
> -          lobbying the government for regulation aimed at preventing
> monopolies developing and speeding up the passing of the Freedom of
> Information (FOI) act
>
> -          encouraging debate on the benefits of the sub-marine fibre in
> the public domain through collaboration with the media and supporting the
> Ministry of Information and Communications communication strategy.
>
> -          factor support for the development of a vibrant Kenya ICT
> industry in the Enterprise Development Programme
>
> -          lobby for ICT issues among donors
>
> -          support for the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTAnet) - to
> transform it to a effective national association
>
>
> The danger at the time was that many viewed the arrival of the cables as
> the 'silver bullet' that would slay the problems facing the ICT industry in
> East Africa and in so doing catalyse the ICT (followed by the
> economic) revolution. It shouldn't surprise us that this hasn't happened
> as connectivity is only but a part of the issues that need to be resolved.
> Its also early days yet. I believe change in this arena will happen bit by
> bit (pun intended) until we have critical mass where more massive changes
> (the expected revolution) will then take place. The pace of the change will
> be dependent on how quickly the transformative actions above are taken.
>
> Victor
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* kictanet-bounces+v-gathara=dfid.gov.uk at lists.kictanet.or.ke[mailto:
> kictanet-bounces+v-gathara <kictanet-bounces%2Bv-gathara>=dfid.gov.uk@
> lists.kictanet.or.ke] *On Behalf Of *Barrack Otieno
> *Sent:* 07 July 2010 10:31
> *To:* Victor Gathara
> *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
> *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Kenya IGF 2010 Mailing List Discussions Day 2 of
> 8Theme : Infrastructure Issues - Impact of the Fibre OpticCable IGF Mailing
> List Discussions
>
> Thank you Charles and Sam for your observation and positive outlook. I
> agree with Sam, having a highway without vehicles to ply on is a mirage
> nonetheless Charles is right in pointing out the very fact with the few
> vehicles on the highway the future looks bright. That nothwithstanding and
> considering the fact that 70 percent of our economy is composed of the
> informal sector we need a sustained campaign that will ensure this segment
> is brought onto the Super highway.
>
> On Wed, Jul 7, 2010 at 6:26 AM, Sam Aguyo <saguyo at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>  Dear Listeners,
>>
>> I think we need to be more inward looking, the golden murmur should have
>> been Seacom is down so our BPOs are suffering huge losses.  Indeed we have
>> the superhighway but apparently not vehicles to run on it.   When the Anti
>> Terrorist Police Unit first released its rapid communication channels i had
>> worries since it was a yahoo.com address, am glad they quickly changed
>> and now it is go.ke, a good development.  We now have 3 cables if am not
>> mistaken but if there are no Buses not even matatus to ply on them, then
>> they are a mirage.
>>
>> Considerable impact will be felt when we stop, think, ponder and seize the
>> opportunity that comes with the infrastructure than wait to complain that
>> the infrastructure itself is not in itself giving business opportunity.
>>
>> Well Walu, am already doing research on something related.
>>
>>
>> Sam Aguyo
>>
>>
>>  ------------------------------
>> *From:* Solomon Mburu Kamau <solo.mburu at gmail.com>
>> *To:* saguyo at yahoo.com
>>
>> *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> *Sent:* Tue, July 6, 2010 5:15:39 PM
>>
>> *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Kenya IGF 2010 Mailing List Discussions Day 2
>> of 8 Theme : Infrastructure Issues - Impact of the Fibre Optic Cable IGF
>> Mailing List Discussions
>>
>> One of the views in regards to the undersea cables, is realistically
>> speaking, the current situation. As Walu pointed out, all users of
>> .com have been affectedby the effects of Seacom's state of affairs.
>>
>> This is perhaps one of the many reasons as to why the Undersea Cables
>> were a 'mess' from the word go. It beats logic why the breakdown or
>> whatever has not been restored to its full capacity, as we speak.
>> Could there be sabotage?
>>
>> Back to your query: The socio-economioc impact of the cables.
>> 1. They are anticipated to open more job opportunities (BPO, E-stuff)
>> 2. They would generally improve the economic and security of countries
>> thus enhancing interdepence and social closeness.
>> 3. The most notable impact, in my view, was the momentus speed that
>> would usher quick businesses thus economic growth.
>>
>> The youth would have benefitted greatly considering that they
>> constitute to the majority of workforce. In such a view, growth in
>> countries where the cables pass would be great, maybe +10% p.a.
>> The value addition, as of now, remains to be seen!
>>
>> On 06/07/2010, Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> > Barrack,
>> >
>> > internet traffic is truly messed up down here. Considering that our
>> domestic
>> > networks+local content are relatively non-existent we are heavy
>> consumers
>> > international traffic - even my email, yours and many others are .com
>> and so
>> > they will try to head out of the country through constrained links given
>> > that Seacom has gone down with probably 50%? of our international
>> > capacity...
>> >
>> > it only emphasis the sorry state of affairs that despite the pomp
>> > surrounding the advent of the undersea cable, there is yet to be that
>> > socio-economic revolution that was expected. Maybe there is but I have
>> not
>> > yet heard about BPO jobs flooding our market, eLearning taking off,
>> > eCommerce and the rest of the goodies happening because we now have the
>> > superhighway down at the coast...indeed someone can do a good PhD thesis
>> on
>> > why this is so and inform us exactly when the IT miracle will happen
>> (the
>> > Indian style).
>> >
>> > walu.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --- On Tue, 7/6/10, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > From: Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>
>> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Kenya IGF 2010 Mailing List Discussions Day 2 of
>> 8
>> > Theme : Infrastructure Issues - Impact of the Fibre Optic Cable IGF
>> Mailing
>> > List Discussions
>> > To: jwalu at yahoo.com
>> > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> > Date: Tuesday, July 6, 2010, 2:42 PM
>> >
>> > Listers , there is very loud silence with regard to Infrastructure
>> issues i
>> > suppose we have adopted a wait and see approach, i can hear murmus
>> across
>> > various lists within the country as well as regionally that seacom is
>> down
>> >
>> http://www.seacomblog.com/team-seacom/2010/07/seacom-service-down-seacom-actively-seeking-solutions
>> ,
>> > probably we are getting used to this scenario, however is this right?
>> >
>> >
>> > On Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 9:56 AM, Barrack Otieno <
>> otieno.barrack at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > Dear Listers,
>> >
>> > Apologies for starting the thread late and thanks
>> > to all those who responded actively on the first day, the thread is
>> > still open. Today we look at Infrastructure issues, a quick glance
>> > through last years report brings to mind the Pomp that greeted the
>> > TEAMS and SEACOM initiative, one year down the line, it would only be
>> > good to review the milestones we have made this far, going through an
>> > earlier discussion on this list, i noted an interesting article posted
>> > by listers that mentioned the fact that the undersea cable has led to a
>> > boom in Spam coming from the this region, the study was conducted by
>> > Symantec, i know this is just a tip of the ICEBERG and would like to
>> > look at the issue from a Social perspective as well as an economic
>> > perspective, are there real (tangible benefits) that the cables have
>> > brought or is it euphoria, do we have indicators that show how the
>> > country has benefited?, what do the various consituencies have to say?
>> > Consumer advocates, Youth Representatives, the Private Sector?..the
>> > discussion is open
>> >
>> > --
>> > Barrack O. Otieno
>> > +41767892272
>> > Skype: barrack.otieno
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Barrack O. Otieno
>> > +41767892272
>> > Skype: barrack.otieno
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> >
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>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>> Solomon Mbũrũ Kamau
>>
>> *****************************************************
>> Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all
>> the same way to the side of a hill!
>>
>> AND
>>
>> It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous
>> generosity!
>>
>> http://smiley2.wordpress.com
>> http://mburu.sikika.co.ke
>>
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>
>
> --
> Barrack O. Otieno
> +41767892272
> Skype: barrack.otieno
>
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-- 
Barrack O. Otieno
+41767892272
Skype: barrack.otieno
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