[kictanet] Konza Land Issue

Thu Aug 9 21:19:51 EAT 2012

Dr. Ndemo,
Sorry for being the bearer of the truth but unfortunately hang you shall hang as you neither own the judge nor the jury and the hang man takes no sides.
Online rhetoric and closed group support will not save you, what you needed from the beginning was support from a constituency with a platform, sad to see Siganga give leap service to your plight yet he runs the only bona fide mouth piece which should have taken out a full page advert in today's paper in support of your efforts if only your online supporters had paid their subscriptions.
I raised pertinent issues about the project right from its public inception and took the heat, even taking on the title "village madman".  This is one time that I wish not to be exonerated as you have worked selflessly on the project, unfortunately in a utopian manner.
Those who want the project dead have more power than those, like yourself, who want it to succeed.  
I recently attended a presentation by the Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan whose master plan includes a 5,000 acre technopolis to be situated along Kangundo Road.  
It takes the Konza project concept and spreads it over 6 locations around Nairobi each covering 5,000 acres.  The land has been identified and the sellers have the right connections.
Find our why the Tatu Project remains in limbo then you will understand why Dr. Ndemo has only 2 options, drop the project and stay afloat or push on with it and go down with it.
Dr. Ndemo,  we cannot help you as we are merely hecklers sitting outside the stadium and following the goings on in the pitch through the radio commentator because we fear to take a public stand.
Your fall will be a very public one utilising the space you have so eloquently advocated and propagated, an independent media.  It is time that you put together a war council to go to battle with and for you, whose members are clearly not on this forum.
I wish you all the best in surviving this onslaught and hope that you had followed my finger that kept trying to point you towards the writing on the wall.
As the late Vice President Kijana Wamalwa once said "I found myself wallowing in the miasma of deceit . . ."
Regards 

Robert Yawe

KAY System Technologies Ltd

Phoenix House, 6th Floor

P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200

Kenya

Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

--- On Thu, 9/8/12, bitange at jambo.co.ke <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:

From: bitange at jambo.co.ke <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Konza Land Issue
To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Date: Thursday, 9 August, 2012, 6:43

Listers,
A number of you have independently asked me to clarify the Konza Land
issue that was in the papers yesterday.  Let me briefly explain the
problem.

Prior to the purchase of Land we developed a conceptual framework on the
locationing of a tech city.  Here we largely relied on the work done by
Booz Allen.  Among other things research shows that a tech city must be
located at least 30 minutes from the airport and be in the outskirts of a
major city from where you can tap the human resource.

With this we crafted a tender document that restricted the suitable land
within the parameters of the conceptual framework.  This was done openly
and we assumed it was indeed an open tender.  But it emerged that the
definition of open was to advertise land availability anywhere without
restrictions.  This grey area in the law is rediculous since land in Wajir
will have been of no use to us and as such we flouted the procurement law.

After our competitive bid, we consulted with the Ministry of Lands to give
us the valuation of which the recommendation was Ksh. 200,000.  Since most
quotes were in the 300 range we focused on the most suitable piece and
offered to pay Ministry of Lands Valuation rate. In open tenders one is
not allowed to negotiate even when it is in the interest of the country. 
Here it is said we manipulated the numbers.

This clearly is a misunderstanding since we still have grey areas in the
Procurement Law.  Whereas KACC says we used direct or restricted tendering
to buying the land, our view was that the method was open since and one
that is in the interest of the country.

We did indeed consult the AG's office if what we did was in order and we
were given the clear.  Much of this is done by various the departments but
I bear the ultimate responsibility.

What is absurd is the fact that the Daily Nation decided to highlight this
issue while we were having the Konza conference here with international
investors.  This was the time we were telling investors that Kenya has
changed and corruption is being dealt with.  Well they did a great damage
to my reputation.  I read malice in the story since it is something that
has been around.  I would rather have taken a six month jail term than
mess up with a project that I have devoted my life to.  I have taken risky
decisions to have this project take off but it is now clear that we only
rejoice on successes.

KACC has a right to question what we do and indeed in Teams they were on
our case all through until the project was complete.  The fact that they
question does not amount to corruption.  This is how we can change laws
and make them dynamic with changing times.  As much as I respect the
Media, in this case they hurt my character dearly yet what I did was right
and hoped we can change the law for future rational decisions.  Never in
my public life have I tried to do something that is not in the interest of
the country.

Ndemo.

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