[kictanet] Korea - Dr Ndemo for Presidency!

Alice Munyua alice at apc.org
Mon Nov 14 21:42:08 EAT 2011


Dear P.S Ndemo,

You note that we have adopted nonsensical ideologies, did we have a 
choice? Many have have argued that we have often lacked the 
socio-economic organisation to transform and develop into advanced 
economies and that's the reason why we seem to continuously adopt 
foreign ideologies and depend on industrialised countries.

Countries like Korea seem to have certain attributes that  have enabled 
them to adapt more easily to "development" from having a more 
educated/skilled labour force, technologically advanced, but the most  
important factor seems to be their (authoritarian) leadership, who are 
more ideologically committed to socio-economic progress and development. 
The  Korean experience raise's the old questions regarding the 
relationship between socio-economic development and regime type.

So could the challenge and a our biggest problem be corrupt politicians 
and stupid voters?  And perhaps it is time to move towards 
de-ideologisation having experienced the failure of previous "adopted" 
ideologies in solving our unique challenges and crises and let us hope 
that it will be sustainable.

Best

Alice

On 14/11/2011 16:06, bitange at jambo.co.ke wrote:
> Muraya,
> Let it be clear that as we fight corruption, we are not the only 
> corrupt. I am reading Capitalism 4.0 and Kaletsky argues that 
> "politicians are corrupt, banks are greedy and voters are stupid". If 
> you have followed the financial crisis in both US and Europe, you 
> cannot believe the level of corruption.
>
> I am looking forward to see what TI reports. Although I support the 
> idea that we should fight our own corruption war, it is absurd to be 
> characterized as corrupt yet we see what is happening. We need to 
> understand these new forms of corruption as they impact on us. The 
> volatility of our shilling is a reaction to the financial crisis 
> elsewhere. If we were to leave everything to the dictates of 
> economics, our shilling will highly be valued. The continued currency 
> manipulation by some countries will destabilize Africa.
>
> What you are seeing is a failure of Laissers-faire economics (Less 
> Government more Private Sector) promoted by Reagan/Thatcher regimes 
> and other economists such as Rand. Even Liberal Democrats like Clinton 
> and Blair had to become centrist in order to be elected and shifted 
> from Keynesian economics that had served the world for decades.
>
> We adopted this nonsensical economics
> and that is why Land in Kenya appreciates on a daily basis without any 
> economic explanations. We then start blaming ourselves in Movoko 
> County. Let us decide what ideology is good for us and stop being 
> appendages of others.
>
> Sorry Blackberry is a nightmare for typing.
>
>
> Ndemo.
>
> Sent from my BlackBerry®
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From: * "S.M. Muraya" <murigi.muraya at gmail.com>
> *Date: *Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:04:25 +0300
> *To: *<bitange at jambo.co.ke>; KICTAnet ICT Policy 
> Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> *Subject: *Re: [kictanet] Korea - Dr Ndemo for Presidency!
>
> Can we say, development revolves around transparency?
>
> Should we not focus on more than revenue collection?
>
> It is harder to steal (citizen time / public funds) when everyone can 
> see what you are or not doing?
>
> Revenue collections can increase even with improved citizen / customer 
> / client relationship management.
>
> Who is to blame for the demolitions in Mavoko (Syokimau)?
>
> Some victims (citizens) say when they were building, the Mavoko County 
> Council was aware and never told them anything.
>
> Is it not time for especially for local governments to request citizen 
> e-mail addresses in various applications for services and approvals?
>
> Also, have often wondered how to report good behavior when in govt 
> offices / parastatals.
>
> This will get good people promoted -- and we know good people are more 
> likely themselves to hire / promote / contract other good people.
>
>
> On Sun, Nov 13, 2011 at 12:38 AM, <bitange at jambo.co.ke 
> <mailto:bitange at jambo.co.ke>> wrote:
>
>     Jane,
>     There are possibly reasons why Korea is doing better than its
>     1960s peers.
>      Casual look on the road tells you that more than nine out of ten
>     vehicles
>     on the road are Korean.  You either see the Hyundai or a Kia and
>     sometimes
>     a Samsung.  There is practically no foreign car here even the
>     Toyota which
>     originally gave the technology to Korea.   I am told that 100% of
>     the home
>     appliances are locally manufactured.  This level of patriotism
>     (royalty to
>     local outputs) is not by accident.  South Korea is sandwiched by two
>     powerful economies, that is, Japan and China.
>
>     This is an export-orientated country, with a total trade volume
>     exceeding
>     900 billion in 2010. This figure also makes them the 7th largest
>     exporter
>     and 10th largest importer in the world.  Since 2003, South Korea has
>     established its network of free trade agreements to boost trade and
>     economic ties with other countries.
>
>     Currently, South Korea has 5 FTAs in effect, 3 FTAs which has
>     concluded
>     discussions, and 19 FTAs under negotiation and consideration. So
>     far, the
>     biggest FTA of South Korea is the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS
>     FTA) signed in 2007.  This free trade agreement plans to liberate 95
>     percent of the trade tariffs between the 2 countries.   It is also US
>     first free trade agreement with a major Asian economy and biggest deal
>     since the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed with
>     Japan in
>     1993.  Even with these FTAs some Koreans oppose especially FTA
>     with the
>     US.  At a neatly organized rally (looked like an AGM of some company)
>     people are gathered to protest FTA with the US.  They argue it
>     will hurt
>     their industry.
>
>     With a lack in natural resources, South Korea has a high dependence on
>     import of capital goods, raw materials and industrial supplies. The
>     country is also the 5th largest importer of oil in the world, with
>     3.074
>     million barrels imported per day.
>
>     This makes Korea a good case study for Kenya as we have almost a
>     similar
>     background.  At the height of structural adjustment program (SAP),
>     Kenya
>     had practically developed local capacity to manufacture cars.
>      Uhuru then
>     manufactured by General Motors had attained more than 60% local
>     content.
>     The neighbouring countries had begun to import Uhuru from Kenya but we
>     were more focused on exports to Europe than exploiting the regional
>     market.  The then Government which ironically introduced Nyayo car
>     found
>     it easier to import used cars from Japan.  We had lost track of going
>     through a learning curve and create local capacities.  Similar
>     tastes were
>     developing in the textile industry that led to the shutdown of
>     Rivertex.
>     The change of policy from SAPs to liberalization gave rise to
>     looting of
>     public enterprises (Read Kenatco, KNTC, ICDC, Kisumu Molasses, Kenya
>     National Assurance, AT&H etc.)  Other countries notably Korea,
>     Singapore
>     and Australia turned to corporatization of state enterprises and they
>     succeeded big.  If there were to be any justice through TJRC, it
>     is the
>     repossession of these assets to enable us create a youth venture
>     capital
>     to help the youth set up enterprises.  I am well aware that Kenya
>     media
>     knows who looted and the state of those assets.
>
>     There is no need for us to be sorry about the past and keep on whining
>     about the future.  We must identify the opportunities that are
>     glaring at
>     us.  It is not for nothing that God denied Middle East the land to
>     grow
>     food and gave them oil.  We have a comparative advantage in
>     certain areas
>     that only after we exploit them that it becomes an opportunity.
>      We must
>     move from the past where opportunity meant a job opportunity to an
>     environment where opportunity means you need to scratch your head
>     and see
>     a window where others have not seen one then exploit the chance.
>      Africa
>     and Middle East provides that window.
>
>     We also must be patient and willing to take collective sacrifices
>     for us
>     to succeed as a nation.  You visit India and see that they do not
>     import
>     many vehicles too.  In as much as the Mahindra is slow and ugly,
>     Indian
>     buys it.  The Tata truck may not be great but Indians buy it.  We have
>     exported raw coffee far too long as we import instant coffee from
>     our raw
>     materials.   Building a value added industry of our resources for the
>     African market will make Kenya the largest economy in Africa.  In two
>     years' time consumption in Africa will top $3 trillion.  I have
>     not even
>     talked about AGOA which remains unexploited. Think.
>
>
>     Regards
>
>     Ndemo.
>
>
>     > PS,
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > I bring back the debate of your for presidency! I strongly feel
>     you have a
>     > lot to offer and wish Kenyans would vote beyond political
>     rhetoric! What
>     > do
>     > you think should be done to promote such change in this country? Am
>     > impressed by the Korea's experience beyond words and feel thoroughly
>     > challenged. However, at times I think we do not want real change
>     because
>     > we
>     > benefit from the chaotic system in our country.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > Jane
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > From: kictanet-bounces+info=amwik.org at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>     <mailto:amwik.org at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>     > [mailto:kictanet-bounces+info
>     <mailto:kictanet-bounces%2Binfo>=amwik.org at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>     <mailto:amwik.org at lists.kictanet.or.ke>] On Behalf Of
>     > James Mbugua
>     > Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2011 5:35 PM
>     > To: info at amwik.org <mailto:info at amwik.org>
>     > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
>     > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Korea
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > PS
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > That is enlightening stuff. Please also check out the last mile
>     solutions.
>     > As I have always told you, I think government should build the
>     fiber to
>     > the
>     > home with an allocation from the national budget the same way we
>     allocate
>     > money for roads. Private sector can't do it and where they do,
>     they will
>     > charge an arm and a leg to "recoup investments."
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > They key lesson to be learnt also from those observations is
>     productivity
>     > per capita.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > Kenyans are hard workers but we have inefficient production systems.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > The amount a Chinese or Korean worker produces in an hour is
>     probably what
>     > a
>     > Kenyan worker will take a day or two to produce.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > We must think of ways of improving productivity.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > Manual labourers must not be allowed to hold this economy
>     hostage with
>     > their
>     > abysmal production levels and loud, unreasonable politics.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > If you haven't guessed by now which manual labourers I speak of,
>     think
>     > Atwoli and his tea pickers who won't allow mechanization at the
>     farms and
>     > the dock workers who won't allow efforts to make the Port of
>     Mombasa more
>     > efficient.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > Economic development theories dictate that mechanization takes
>     place to
>     > free
>     > up manual labourers to move into other economic sectors. We must
>     look
>     > seriously at our level of productivity if we are to develop to
>     Korea's
>     > level.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > James Mbugua
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > On Tue, Nov 8, 2011 at 5:19 PM, <bitange at jambo.co.ke
>     <mailto:bitange at jambo.co.ke>> wrote:
>     >
>     > I arrived in Korea yesterday for a Global e-Government
>     conference.  ITU
>     > ranks Korea as number one in ICT diffusion.  From the airport
>     you see
>     > people walk through with an e-passport using biometrics.  The
>     New Incheon
>     > airport is 70 Kms west of Seoul, the capital and largest city of
>     South
>     > Korea with some 11 million inhabitants. It is one of the largest and
>     > busiest airports in the world actually the world's fourth
>     busiest airport
>     > by cargo traffic, and the world's eighth busiest airport in terms of
>     > international passengers in 2010.
>     >
>     > Korea is about 99,000 sq Kms or one half of the Rift Valley
>     Province of
>     > Kenya with a population of 50 million and a GDP of $1 trillion
>     (Kenya's
>     > GDP is about $35 billion).  In the 60's it was largely a donor
>     recipient
>     > country with a GDP less than that of Kenya and more than 60% of its
>     > population below poverty.  They have turned tables to be a
>     member of the
>     > OECD and a donor country over a short period.
>     >
>     > For many years it mostly depended on the USA as its largest
>     trade partner
>     > but over a time they focused their energies on the Asian
>     Markets.  Its
>     > trade with China, USA and Japan in 2010 figures stands at %190,
>     $98 and
>     > $90 billion respectively.  They import a great deal of food and
>     the reason
>     > why we should not lease our land but use it to improve on our
>     economic
>     > growth.  A Kg of meat here is $100 imported from Canada and Brazil.
>     >
>     > I asked our Ambassador why we cannot sell our meat here.  He
>     says we do
>     > not meat their standards.  This should not be a problem since we
>     have
>     > broadband in most parts of the country that we can keep pace
>     with the rest
>     > of the world in keeping the records especially those required by
>     various
>     > standrds organization.
>     >
>     > Back to Korea.  ICTs are also deployed along the highways making
>     it easier
>     > to go through the toll stations and collecting all the revenues.
>      You can
>     > get data from government at every hour.  You can for example
>     know the
>     > number of children born in a day throughtout the country.  There
>     is CCTV
>     > practically everywhere.  Crime is approaching zero.
>     >
>     > There is an over supply of affordable public transport via the
>     rail and
>     > bus system all clean and on time.  If you choose to drive on
>     your own, you
>     > are taxed at every new turn you make.  The tax from the
>     polluters who
>     > cannot use public transport is used to subsidize the energy
>     efficient
>     > public tranportation.
>     >
>     > Every child after high school has to go through the Military thus
>     > instilling the discipline required in this competitive world.
>      Because of
>     > such discipline, they do everything very fast.  We were literaly
>     running
>     > behind our hosts to catch up with them.  In the Newspapers there
>     is a Bank
>     > executive who has committed suicide because he gave questionable
>     loans to
>     > friends.  He killed himself for shaming his family and that he
>     may not
>     > have any friends.
>     >
>     > My experience here confirms much of what we have been saying in this
>     > forum.  The problem is how to inculcate such high levels of ethical
>     > standards as well as feeling of shame.
>     >
>     >
>     > Regards
>     >
>     >
>     > Ndemo.
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > _______________________________________________
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