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

[Solomon Mbũrũ Kamau]

Mr. Kibati,

Much appreciation to the responses provided more specifically on adult
education.
I understand the efforts made by the government and other non-state
actors cannot go unnoticed. However, in order to demystify the
understanding of adult education, there is a need to harmonize it as
part of our blue prints so as to bring back its relevance since the
gradual decline in the 1980s.
The Kenya National Adult Literacy Survey, pointd out that about 7.8
millions Kenyans are illiterate, and there are various avenues which
have been identified to improve the sub-sector.
My only fear is how we shall rate ourselves in 2015 at the end of UN
Decade on Education for All.

Asante sana.

Regards,

Solomon

On 18/12/2011, Mugo Kibati <mugo at vision2030.go.ke> wrote:
> 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.
>
>