[kictanet] the used computers debate

Mon Mar 15 18:46:28 EAT 2010

This openness from the PS is laudable. I met a mzungu during ICANN who
was impressed that we have a PS who has agreed to be on a "Civil Society
emailing List". he was wishing it was so in his country. Also recently I
received an email from someone in the rural areas who had an IT
investment idea and it read (un-edited) in part:

"Kindly my dear friend, organise for a meeting between you, Luis
Otieno(Microsoft), ICT Board Chairman - remind me his name - I gues its
the former 3mice CEO(Problem of being in Shaggs!!!), George Okando,
George Muhia - IBM , HP CEO and any other influential person e.g
Permanent Secretary  information ( DR Bitange)- I like this guys
brains."

So best wishes to Evans on the 19th!

Waudo

On Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:10 +0000, bitange at jambo.co.ke wrote:
> Ikua,
> We can meet 4pm on Friday the 19th of this month.  In my statement, I
> said "we are considering a ban".  Treasury has had many problems with
> used electronic imports and computers are just one of them.  We shall
> talk.
> 
> Ndemo.
> 
> 
> Sent from my BlackBerry®
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ikua at lpakenya.org
> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:15:02 
> To: <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] the used computers debate
> 
> Thank you Kivuva for echoing my concerns.
> 
> To answer you Dr Waudo, I don't agree with you that we are too busy.  
> As much as I agree that the PS is quite available all round for  
> consultation, my problem is the way these policy pronouncements appear  
> in the media, with no visible option for recourse. When the PS  
> announces in the media that he will ban used computers, it seems like  
> the decision has already been made. That is what my complain was  
> about. I wish he had invited industry players to give their views for  
> or against such a drastic decision.
> 
> I will actually seek to have an audience with him and try and make him  
> see our side of the story, as we also try and understand where he is  
> coming from. I believe he has the best interests of our country at  
> heart, as we all do.
> 
> Knowing that Dr. Ndemo will read this, please grant us an audience  
> when we call your office.
> 
> Regards,
> Ikua
> 
> 
> Quoting lordmwesh <lordmwesh at gmail.com>:
> 
> >  As much as we want to be proud of ourselves, it's only fair  we realize
> > Kenya is a "developing third world" as the wabeberu likes to call us.
> >
> > In that regard, second hand items will always be part of us, cars,
> > computers, etc.
> >
> > Instead of issuing a total ban, we can grade the second hand electronic
> > equipments that get into the country, just like we do for cars. This will
> > not prevent 'contraband' computers getting into the market, just the way we
> > can't prevent illicit drugs, and cars older than 10years sneaking through
> > our ports, but at least will help in regulating the quality that gets in.
> >
> > Politics is a game of interest, but when making policies, we should always
> > look at the good interests of the whole county.
> >
> > PS Ndemo, and me can afford powerful new computers, but what about the
> > college kid who is learning how to code, or the estate entrepreneur who is
> > setting up a cyber?
> >
> > We all know that some new computer clones have poor performance than most
> > branded second hand imports.  For example, I have never been able to buy a
> > durable new keyboard or mouse, unless its part of a western branded new or
> > second hand computer. Maybe I don't know where to shop.
> >
> > Most of the techies in this list will agree that a western branded second
> > hand computer (HP, Dell, et al) with 2.5GHZ CPU, 1GB RAM, 80GB HDD, and a
> > TFT all costing roughly KES24,000, and are just as good for daily
> > applications
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Mwendwa Kivuva
> > 0722402248
> >
> > ____________________
> > transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing
> > biblia.kenya.or.ke | A verse a day
> > kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
> >
> >
> > On 11 March 2010 10:51, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Colleagues,
> >>
> >> "In a recent report, Information permanent secretary Bitange Ndemo
> >> proposed a ban on used computer imports. This is good because of the
> >> growing threat posed by hazardous e-waste from used electronic
> >> equipment ? computers, mobile phones, television sets and even
> >> fridges."
> >>
> >> This is just a proposal, i agree with Mr. Ikua there is
> >> misrepresentation of facts, let us focus on access for all and if used
> >> computers can address this issue then they should be permitted,
> >> ikssues of e-waste can be handled by KEBS, i am aware of the fact that
> >> there are vested interests in the whole issue, if we are not careful
> >> we will continue playing second fiddle to Europe and other continents
> >> I am sickened by the fact that we are are mostly "resellers" and
> >> "consumers"(peripheral roles) access is what will stimulate knowledge
> >> transfer hence innovation. We need a stakeholder meeting before the
> >> ban is effected if at all it will be effected and possibly a
> >> referendum on the matter.
> >>
> >> Thank you
> >>
> >> On Wed, Mar 10, 2010 at 5:42 PM, waudo siganga <emailsignet at mailcan.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> > Evans - I am also sad regarding this ban but I have to unfortunately
> >> > challenge you. I think we need to blame ourselves in the industry rather
> >> > than the Ministry because we are too busy with too many things to
> >> > properly engage the Ministry. I believe the Ministry has an open-door
> >> > policy and even the PS has agreed to be on this list which is
> >> > commendable. You and I run associations that engage in Public Policy
> >> > advocacy. Can you tell us what exactly your association has done to
> >> > predict this development and what engagement you have had with the
> >> > Ministry on the issue which was then dis-regarded when the decision was
> >> > made?  I know my association has not attended to this issue mainly
> >> > because we are attending to too many things - so we need to proceed from
> >> > there before blaming the Ministry.
> >> >
> >> > Waudo
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:39 -0600, ikua at lpakenya.org wrote:
> >> >> So we are back to this debate about used computers. seems like the
> >> >> Ministry will not relent on this.
> >> >>
> >> >> The story in the business daily has a lot of misinformation and half
> >> >> truths coming from the Ministry. To say that the price of new
> >> >> computers has come down to affordable levels is to be economical with
> >> >> the truth. How much is a new Dell or HP computer? About 45k. The lower
> >> >> priced models like Mecer or Acer will go for about 35k and above for
> >> >> standard specs.
> >> >> How about a new clone? About 25k. And the lifespan of a new clone?
> >> >> About 3 years, 4 if you are lucky. The warranty on new clones is only
> >> >> 3 months. Used/refurbished computers can give the user upwards of 5
> >> >> years in good use. Between a new clone made with cheap parts from
> >> >> China and a used computer of a major brand, I would go for the used
> >> >> computer.
> >> >> With 10k, you have a good low spec used computer. So as a student or a
> >> >> home user, you get easy access to technology. With 15k, you have a
> >> >> powerful used computer with specs like P4 3.0/512mb RAM/80gb HDD. So
> >> >> as a small business which needs to buy 10 computers, or a school or
> >> >> college that needs to buy 40 computers, what would you go for with a
> >> >> limited budget?
> >> >>
> >> >> Why cant the government regulate the trade in used computers instead
> >> >> of imposing a total ban? The industry will still have jobs for IT
> >> >> technicians, whether its used computers or its assembly of clones.
> >> >> which leads m,e to the question, what happened to the eMado computer?
> >> >> How is it doing as a business proposition? How many have been sold and
> >> >> to whom? How much is it? How many components are being manufactured in
> >> >> Kenya?
> >> >>
> >> >> We can for instance say  that we will not accept into the country a
> >> >> computer manufactured over 5 years ago, or 8 years, like motor
> >> >> vehicles. Or that we will not accept computers below a certain speed.
> >> >> Clones have much more ewaste than used computers as they die faster.
> >> >> Yet new branded computers are way beyond the reach of the common
> >> >> mwananchi. but again, this has never been about the common mwananchi,
> >> >> inasmuch as noone sees the need to find out what he thinks about such
> >> >> policy decisions.
> >> >>
> >> >> Regards,
> >> >> Ikua
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >> kictanet mailing list
> >> >> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> >> >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> >> >>
> >> >> This message was sent to: emailsignet at mailcan.com
> >> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at
> >> >>
> >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/emailsignet%40mailcan.com
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > kictanet mailing list
> >> > kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> >> > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> >> >
> >> > This message was sent to: otieno.barrack at gmail.com
> >> > Unsubscribe or change your options at
> >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/otieno.barrack%40gmail.com
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Barrack O. Otieno
> >> Administrative Manager
> >> Afriregister Ltd (Ke)
> >> P.o.Box 21682
> >> Nairobi 00100
> >> Tel:
> >> +254721325277
> >> +254733206359
> >> +254202498789
> >> Riara Road, Bamboo Lane
> >> www.afriregister.com
> >> www.afriregister.co.ke
> >> ICANN accredited registrar.
> >> Skype: barrack.otieno
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> kictanet mailing list
> >> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> >>
> >> This message was sent to: Lordmwesh at gmail.com
> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at
> >> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/lordmwesh%40gmail.com
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> kictanet mailing list
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> 
> This message was sent to: bitange at jambo.co.ke
> Unsubscribe or change your options at
> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/bitange%40jambo.co.ke
> 
> ---------------------------------------------- 
> This message has been scanned for viruses and
> dangerous content by Jambo MailScanner, and is
> believed to be clean.
> ---------------------------------------------
> "easy access to the world" 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> kictanet mailing list
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> 
> This message was sent to: emailsignet at mailcan.com
> Unsubscribe or change your options at
> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/emailsignet%40mailcan.com
> 