[kictanet] Konza Land Issue can we have a public position?

Fri Aug 10 08:56:45 EAT 2012

I have this feeling that the "force(s)' behind the article is/are
individuals with large parcels of land (irregularly acquired of course- in a
certain area around NBI) that would love to have this project stopped and
re-located to these land- thus effecting what I will call "Land laundering".
We'll have to all fight for this project, it will come to fruition

Edwin

From: kictanet
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+eonchari=lynxbits.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf Of Mark Mwangi
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2012 8:45 AM
To: Edwin
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Konza Land Issue can we have a public position?

As I have been told again and again, Nothing comes without a fight. 

The old vultures will not let go of the government fund honeypot without
resistance and this is a fact we all need to take into account. Dr. Ndemo is
not a naive man and I believe he saw this coming. I am personally not in a
position of any influence hence my public position is as good as Mama
Njokis's at Marikiti Market. 

Organised, stable and intellectual support is what Dr. Ndemo and other like
minded technocrats need for them to use their official capacities
effectively. Its not impossible. We just need a little faith. After all the
guys with more power are just humans like the rest of us. 

On Fri, Aug 10, 2012 at 8:35 AM, <otieno.barrack at gmail.com> wrote:

Edith,

That's true, reading through Yawe's post I get the impression that we
shouldn't underestimate the forces against the project which makes sense, my
proposal is the current status notwithstanding can we come up with a known
position for or against the project as a stakeholder community, I think we
need to separate Dr. Ndemo as a person and the cause he is championing for
which is in the interest of the public.

Sent from my BlackBerryR

  _____  

From: Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke> 

Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:57:02 -0400

To: Barrack Otieno<otieno.barrack at gmail.com>

Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>

Subject: RE: [kictanet] Konza Land Issue can we have a public position?

The Konza Technopolis Train already left the station in my view!

Is it stoppable? Me thinks not. Making a mountain out of the media article
is what may lead to it being stopped, unless I'm missing something?

Bwana Ndemo/Catherine Adeya - can you enlighten us on the current status? My
understanding is that it's moving on in any case. correct?

Edith

  _____  

From: kictanet [kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf Of Barrack Otieno [otieno.barrack at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2012 7:01 AM
To: Edith Adera
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Konza Land Issue can we have a public position?

Well if we made noise and Thika road was eventually marked why can't we be
heard on this matter, GG can you lead us on making a public stand i am
willing to write to whom it may concern on behalf of listers, KICTANET
position on Konza Project we can append our signatures if need be to prove
that we are a force to reckon with in any case we are key stakeholders in so
far as the constitution is concerned, i think majority of us have been
sufficiently involved in the process.

Best Regards

On Fri, Aug 10, 2012 at 3:27 AM, Bernard Kioko [Bernsoft Interactive
Limited] <bkioko at bernsoft.com> wrote:

Robert,

An interesting view!

Is it right to say we cannot help? I would imagine that we need to make that
move to help.

Also, will the accused be the one to help himself in this instance or should
we be the ones to initiate the task force that would defend a good cause
from being killed OR are you saying the "interested" parties are just too
powerful?

Regards 

From: kictanet [mailto:kictanet-bounces+bkioko
<mailto:kictanet-bounces%2Bbkioko> =bernsoft.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf Of robert yawe
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2012 9:20 PM
To: bkioko at bernsoft.com

Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions

Subject: Re: [kictanet] Konza Land Issue

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 <tel:%2B254722511225> , +254202010696
<tel:%2B254202010696> 

--- 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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-- 
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+254-20-2498789 <tel:%2B254-20-2498789> 
Skype: barrack.otieno

http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/ 

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online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
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Regards,

Mark Mwangi

markmwangi.me.ke

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