[kictanet] Digital migration and local manufacturing

[bitange at jambo.co.ke]

Kivuva,
I am really having a terrible time with internet connectivity here in
India.  It cost more than Ksh. 2,000 per an hour for a 512K link.  By the
time I read a two page attachment, the time is over with no warning.

I want to thank you for reviving the local manufacturing issue.  As Mwale
states, this where I started anticipating migration by 2012.  We could not
get support in spite of Dr. Gachigi's effort to develop a prototype.  I
personally went round talking to our industrialists.  They wanted numbers.
 I could not provide attractive numbers since this is a stop gap measure. 
Instead I went round talking how we can leverage 3D printing to start
elevating Jua Kali Industries into local manufacturing without necessarily
getting into the economies of scale trap.

The good news is that Dr. Gachigi is still determined.  Just recently I
wrote that he needed Ksh. 15 million to start local manufacturing of hand
sets.  I went further and talked to two chip makers who have gracefully
accepted to give us their mobile handset platform.  We have no investors
(risk takers) yet but it is going to work and we propel our country into
light electronic manufacturing.  It needs the commitment of Kenyans to buy
local.  Every 10 vehicles I count here in India, seven are local. 
Actually even the foreign brands are manufactured locally.  This not a
government problem but a serious cultural dilemma.

Ndemo.



> Dear Dr. Ndemo, wishing you a safe flight back home, and a quick
> recovery to your loved one.
>
> Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you too
>
> On 21/12/2012, bitange at jambo.co.ke <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:
>> Stephen,
>> I wanted to stay out of this till the ruling in court but I cannot keep
>> quiet when you tell the whole world lies on mobile penetration in Kenya.
>> Virtually every adult Kenyan has access to mobile in 2G.  The fastest
>> growing market is broadband because of the growing needs by the poor to
>> get their produce to market or get the best pricing.  This is what the
>> many applications that are being developed in Kenya will do.  Rural
>> schools need the broadband most since education too is going e. While
>> mobile coverage in Kenya is at 90% (mostly 2G coverage), land mass
>> coverage stands at 40% with 80% mobile penetration.  Mpesa is not for
>> the
>> rich like Mutoro but the poor and is accessible to 90% of the poor.
>>
>>
>> The need to migrate to 4G is critical in planning our broadband needs in
>> the next one year.  For us to meet the projected demand we must get to
>> the
>> last mile.  This means that getting to the poor since mot of the rich
>> have
>> fibre connevtivity to their homes.
>>
>>
>> I take great exception with your statements.  My Key Performance Index
>> (KPI)is how many people in Kenya rich and poor have access to internet.
>> This is significantly different from your KPI of counting how many cases
>> you have taken to court over the perceived infringement of consumer
>> rights. While you can criticise me as a public servant, I am not able to
>> even know your funding sources and the motives for funding.  I do not
>> question but this is what Kenyans are talking in low tones.
>>
>> What we can do for now is to rephrase John F. Kennedy's quote to read
>> "ask
>> not what the poor may be wanting; ask what you have done to remove
>> poverty".  Going to court purpoting to represent the poor is a bouguasie
>> cover up.  Let us stand up for the poor and help eliminate poverty by
>> teaching them to navigate the high seas of technology and fish for their
>> sustainable living.
>>
>> I am in India for some family medical case but I must report that Delhi
>> whose per capita income is lower than Nairobi, has fully migrated to
>> Digital.  The poor are now enjoying watching TV in the languages they
>> understand (this is a requirement in our constitution).  Three hundred
>> new
>> channels have come up including one helping consumers understand what is
>> in the market and how it compares with other competitors.  Perhaps you
>> need to upgrade your approach to consumerism.  Only technology will help
>> be more effective.
>>
>> Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year my brother.
>>
>>
>> Ndemo.
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
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