[kictanet] Vision 2030: ICT and Other Sectors Converged (Day 2)

[Mugo Kibati]

Dear Dennis,

 

Thanks for your questions and please see my responses interspersed in your
email below. I hope they go some way into assuaging your concerns.

 

Regards,

Mugo

 

 <http://www.vision2030.go.ke/> logo.jpg

 

Mugo Kibati

Director General

Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat

KUSCCO Centre, 2nd Floor - Upper Hill

PO Box 52301 - 00200, Nairobi

Email: mugo at vision2030.go.ke

www.vision2030.go.ke

 

From: kictanet-bounces+mugo=vision2030.go.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+mugo=vision2030.go.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf Of Dennis Kioko
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 1:27 PM
To: Mugo Kibati
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Vision 2030: ICT and Other Sectors Converged (Day 2)

 

I am quite afraid to engage, as like majority of the population and
politicians, I am yet to read up on Vision 2030 and its many pillars (though
civil servants are required to have knowledge of it before promotion).
However , I am keen on a few issues, and not sure how Vision 2030 touches on
them 

*	Ease of doing business - almost 50 years since independence,
government and especially local government are biggest hindrances when it
comes to doing business. Are there plans to make it easy to start a
business, like even make it free (free licenses) and guarantee site security
(for small kiosks, like allocated areas) with the aim that the business will
be taxed later on . Free licensing with penalties for those without means we
have an idea of number of businesses, which we can tax after 1 year and so
on. More businesses means more tax and more employment. 

 

.         You are very right. Ease of doing business in Kenya has been
impeded by government silos and corrupt practices. The Vision 2030 Delivery
Board has recognized this challenge and is intervening with all the leading
agencies to expeditiously install a One-Stop-Shop under the leadership of
Kenya Investment Authority.  Indeed that has been the subject of the last 2
board meetings and will be a focus of ours in January. Additionally, we are
working with the Ministry of Finance to look at the business regulatory
environment with a view to simplifying and modernizing it. This will involve
legal reforms such as the proposed new Company' Act (now in its third
reading in parliament), the Partnership and Liability Act, administrative
reforms which include eliminating unnecessary processes and procedures at
the company registry, KRA, etc, and also e-government at the all registries,
judiciary, the port and airport, etc.  We will keep you posted on progress.

 

*	Agriculture - our agriculture is still primitive, and for all
intents we may still be using stone age tools. How do we move to mass
production and economies of scale, mechanize agriculture for small scale
holders

 

.         Agriculture - Very well said.  Modern large scale farming for food
security and export is a major priority in the agriculture sector. Setting
stage for this undertaking has been the Agricultural sector reform bill
which has been drafted in line with the new constitution, streamlining the
numerous agricultural acts into just 3.  In addition to streamlining
regulation, the bill will also set up industry development funds and dispute
resolutions mechanisms. We are also working on modernized large scale
irrigation and the toughest part, introducing entrepreneurial (as opposed to
subsistence) farming.

 

*	Research & manufacturing - we do almost 0 research in this country,
meaning we import what is often referred to as "superior technology" from
Europe (Germany) and other countries. Why not have universities especially
tackle the issue of processing agricultural produce. We also need
agricultural produce processing industries to serve our hinterland. Kenya is
a small agricultural nation compared to Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan which
have more arable land (we can outdo them if we take irrigation seriously)

 

.         Research and Manufacturing -  This is industrialization - a major
component of Vision 2030.  The immediate focus is to harness international
commerce opportunities by establishing processing parks in five strategic
locations with rich raw materials hinterlands. A concept note has been
developed for five SME parks. Upcoming projects include a pilot metal SME
park in Nairobi, a pilot agro-processing SME park in Eldoret and Kisumu -
for vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, horticulture; and a meat processing and
tannery SME park in Nakuru. An SME park in Mombasa is to target processing
of food, juices and vegetable oil. Additionally, the most successful five
(5) Industrial Constituency Development Centers (ICDCs) shall be transformed
to SME parks. Eventually, we will need to have an SME park project for each
of the 47 counties during the 2nd MTP.  Additionally, an industrialization
policy is being developed which looks at the various resources required -
human, energy, infrastructure and aligns policy across various sectors
towards ensuring increased value addition and processing within Kenya.

 

*	Security - there is virtually no security in this country, seeing
that a gang can comfortably set up a toll point on the countries most modern
highway (Thika road) and "tax" every motorist Kshs 1,000 , unperturbed. The
scenario is repeated across the country where it becomes almost impossible
to conduct any activity past dusk. 

 

*	The question of security is a vexing one that has eluded us for
decades. We must now all collectively focus on the whole gamut of
jurisprudential reforms under the new constitution. These reforms are far
reaching and if well executed should address the security problem. What am I
talking about? Judicial reforms under Chief Justice Willy Mutunga - a more
transparent, more efficient, better resourced, quicker and automated
judiciary (the numbers and compensation of judges and magistrates at every
level are being increased dramatically. Police reforms are underway with the
civilian oversight body about to be put in place and a newly structures
police service under a new inspector general in the next 2 months. The
Directorate of Public Prosecution is also undergoing tremendous reforms. All
these reforms combined are critically important and we should all focus on
them and ensure pressure to have them properly brought to completion is
constantly brought to bear.

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