[kictanet] Independent Communications Commission of Kenya

Edith Adera eadera at idrc.or.ke
Thu Nov 18 07:15:13 EAT 2010 

Bwana Ndemo,

This is "business as usual" to me, nothing has changed.

For example the issues raised by Francis Wangusi which is generally touching on "regulatory capture" (and the solutions are well documented in literature and research evidence some of which he has stated) may be articulated by ordinary Kenyans in simple "layman/woman" fashion - but all the same is significant. It is high time Kenyans are involved in Laws that govern them. In this country, ordinary Kenyans NEVER know when Laws are being grafted, what they contain (we must begin to have the capacity to articulate the content of laws in simple ways for ordinary Kenyans to engage - I believe this is the essence of the spirit of the constitution in DEMANDING citizen engagement).

If other countries can do it, why can't we? I remember being in South Africa when they were developing their Convergence Law - the portfolio committee (read parliamentary committee) had public forums to solicit submissions (not in exclusive locations) - as their process demands public opinion. In our telecom and regulation class, we scrutinized the draft and actually wrote submissions.

While we will give you substance in reviewing the draft Law, let Kenyans have their say! 

Edith
________________
Edith Ofwona Adera
Senior Program Specialist
ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program
International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international
Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa
Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera
eadera at idrc.or.ke | www.idrc.ca | www.crdi.ca
________________________________________
From: bitange at jambo.co.ke [bitange at jambo.co.ke]
Sent: 17 November 2010 23:42
To: Edith Adera
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Independent Communications Commission of Kenya

Edith,
My Mombasa proposal is not cast in any stonem. It just because I have had more successes there than here in Nairobi.  We can have a meeting anywhere if we all are committed to coming up with a good policy framework.  I do not know about the net and random catches.  I need serious input.

Democracy by nature is anarchical and the greater you try to cover more people, the more expensive and the less likely in becomes to progress the law.  This is a well founded theory and that is the reason expert opinion is more valuable at this stage.  The people will be taken care of by their reps unless you made the mistake to pass the supreme governance document.

Ndemo.
Ndemo.


Sent from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke>
Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2010 23:00:10
To: bitange at jambo.co.ke<bitange at jambo.co.ke>
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Subject: RE: [kictanet] Independent Communications Commission of Kenya

Bwana Ndemo,

This time around I'm not convinced. The major concern is that Mombasa gives you an "exclusive group of people", the "usual suspects".

In the spririt of the new constitution I think we need to cast our net wider...involve more Kenyans. We must lead by example in showing how the latest technology - both old and new - can be used to engage Kenyans. For example your PS colleague from Ministry of Roads was on radio and TV last week being grilled by Kenyans about the plans for our roads and people asked him tough questions (sms feedback was also integrated into the show). We need to see more innovative ways to engage Kenyans.

my two cents

Edith


________________
Edith Ofwona Adera
Senior Program Specialist
ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program
International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international
Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa
Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera
eadera at idrc.or.ke | www.idrc.ca | www.crdi.ca
________________________________________
From: bitange at jambo.co.ke [bitange at jambo.co.ke]
Sent: 17 November 2010 10:20
To: Edith Adera
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Independent Communications Commission of Kenya

Edith,
Due to our peculiarities and need for consistent participation Mombasa seems to be the Dawa.  Everytime we plan a two day conference around the city, people either choose to attend one day or intermintently while attending to other needs.  In the end it takes you longer to get any concesus.  I let you to try this because in the end it becomes expensive.

Regards

Ndemo.


Sent from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke>
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:51:30
To: bitange at jambo.co.ke<bitange at jambo.co.ke>
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Subject: RE: [kictanet] Independent Communications Commission of Kenya

Bwana Ndemo,

This is "music to my ears". It's gratifying to see that citizens are now placed at the heart of policy-making in Kenya!

Incidentally, we have just approved funding for a comprehensive study to review "the right to information and citizen participation in parliamentary affairs in Kenya" - we hope that the findings will inform the review of policies and standing orders to entrench citizen participation in parliament.

Can we find more effective and less expensive ways of engaging citizens in policymaking processes, must it be Mombasa? why not a decent hall in the suburbs where ordinary Kenyans can also give their views?

Edith

________________
Edith Ofwona Adera
Senior Program Specialist
ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program
International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international
Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa
Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera
eadera at idrc.or.ke | www.idrc.ca | www.crdi.ca
________________________________________
From: kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke [kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of bitange at jambo.co.ke [bitange at jambo.co.ke]
Sent: 16 November 2010 16:54
To: Edith Adera
Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions'
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Independent Communications Commission of Kenya

Listers
Talking of reforms.  We have posted two Bills, that is the Independent
Communications Commission of Kenya and the Independent Media Council, on
www.information.go.ke.  The two far reaching pieces of legislation were
necessitated by the new Constitution.  I need your input by mid January
before we plan a major conference (the constitution requires comprehensive
stakeholder participation before any policy proposal becomes law) in
Mombasa.  After we establish concesus the Bills will be sent to the Kenya
Law Reform then Constitutional Implementation Committee then the AG's
office and finally to Parliament.  We will get another chance to view the
Bills after the first reading in Parliament.  The whole process is to take
less than six months.

The Freedom of Information and Data Protection Bills are making progress
too and we shall keep you updated.

Regards


Ndemo.





> Dr. Ndemo, you are right that we are overdue for comprehensive reforms
> when it comes to how we run and manage our parastatals.
>
> However, I think that is exactly the kind of change that Yawe is proposing
> to bring about. I'm delighted that someone like Yawe who obviously has
> extensive experience in converging ICT with business, can be bold enough
> to stand up and say I can do it. Barack Obama in his book Dreams of My
> Father spoke about how leaders seeking the highest elective office must
> have an outsized ego. They must believe that they can do something better
> than everyone else, even if that something seems impossible. With Yawe, I
> can personally say that he has the brains, skills, motivation and ego to
> meet the challenges of being the post-master general.
>
> Look forward to your appointment Yawe.
>
> With Kind Regards,
> Harry Karanja
> Senior Consultant, EVA
>
>
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>  Thank you for considering the environmental impact of printing emails.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kictanet-bounces+kairo=softlaw.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> [mailto:kictanet-bounces+kairo=softlaw.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
> Behalf Of bitange at jambo.co.ke
> Sent: Monday, November 15, 2010 10:03 PM
> To: kairo at softlaw.co.ke
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Yawe for Post Master General
>
> Jane,
> You are right to some extent.  Ministries do not have unlimited power over
> their parastatals.  You recall as Hon. Michuki cleaned the Transport
> ministry, the Ports Authority was at the verge of collapse.  There are
> intricacies in the running of state corporations that you are not aware
> of.  They are managed by many agencies such as the State Corporations
> Advisory Council, Inspector General of State Corporations and not
> forgetting the unions.  It is not as simple as you think.  Several
> variables affect the way they operate.  Comprehensive reforms may be
> necessary.
>
> Ndemo.
>
>
>
>> Hi Robert,
>>
>> Thank you for a very well outlined vision.
>> How I wish the appointing authority would give you an opportunity.
>>
>> Meanwhile,I choose to strongly disagree with Bwana PS in regard to the
>> legacy
>> issues he raised.
>>
>> Yawe's vision is comprised of income generating ideas e.g.Renting out
>> banking
>> hall space, Advertising, Selling airtime etc,very minimal resources are
>> required
>> and if anything the organisation would be assured of immediate
>> returns.From the
>> vision I also see numerous job opportunities being created through
>> Ecomerce and
>> the eventual door delivery of mail.
>>
>> Listers, I draw inspiration from how Hon Michuki transformed the public
>> transport sector.
>> He used the same staff his predecessors had used,no retraining,no
>> retrenchment
>> or work force overhaul;just a man who decided to bring sanity on the
>> roads
>> and
>> sanity he brought.
>> Similarly,it also took one man,same task force,same conditions,to undo
>> all
>> what
>> had been done by Hon Michuki at Ministry of Transport.
>> Again Hon Michuki moved to Min of Enviroment,we could have heard excuses
>> of how
>> much resources were needed to clean Nairobi
>> river........................again
>> the river got cleaned.
>>
>> Personally I believe its all dependent on the person at the top.
>> Under our current situation I dont expect Yawe to immediately replace
>> Maj
>> Gen
>> Hussein Ali but the least I would have expected is in the meantime Yawe
>> be
>> introduced to the Post Master General to share on how some of his ideas
>> can be
>> implemented as we wait for the resource and legacy issues to get
>> resolved.
>>
>> Jane Kagiri
>> kagirijane at yahoo.com
>>
>> Its impossible to build a tribute of success on a foundation of excuses.
>>
>>
>>
>>
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