[kictanet] Vision 2030: ICT and Other Sectors Converged (Day 3)

[Eric M.K Osiakwan]

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 31, 2011, at 8:03, bitange at jambo.co.ke wrote:

> Eric,
> I am not done with your questions yet.  
Aha....

> On Government blocking investment in energy.  This is what we are trying to address: The role of government in enterprise.  If you go deeper into Schumpeter's theory, you will find that no government can block an idea or innovation whose time has come.
Agreed but why should government which should be facilitating assume the posture of the blockage? Is like saying since this would happen even without me complying so I won't comply which means though it happen, it may take longer or may not happen well. Schumpeter's theorem had some assumptions and one of them is not to be a blockage...if the Kenyan government and or some folks at the Central Bank had said mpesa would be great anyway so I would be a blockage, I doubt that we would be seeing the 2% GDP contribution now.

> 
> When Graham Bell invented the telephone, the British Post dismissed the idea saying there were enough messengers around.  With the invention of mobile telephony, the land line is undergoing the same fate it brought to communication early in the 20th century.  This is what is called "creative destruction".  
The internet is the most destructive technology ever invented but the Chinese have and continue to minimize it's full manifestation in China.....

> 
> We must understand this theory if indeed we want to survive in the days to come.
Am afraid that is more a problem on the side of governments and the recent legislative fracas in the US congress and senate is a new testament...

> In my recent visit to China, I saw what the future would be like.  A city the size of Nairobi is using both solar and wind energy to light up street lights.  This innovation even in Kenya does not require government approval.  
This is one of the reasons mpesa got roots and I commend the Kenyan government for that foresight and fortitude but some jurisdictions are still lacking behind. Mubarak shut down the Internet in Egypt and before long, he is being tried in a cage....

> Further we have enriched the Arab world far too long when we use parrafin to power our rudimentally oil lamps.  Instead we should by now have provided a simple battery, a solar panel and a micro wind vane to every household for energy supply.  This will save us billions of dollars that we can invest in preventive medical care.
Am totally with you but again governments have a role to play in creating the enabling environment for such great ideas, otherwise either they die suffocating or not see the light of day.

> 
> Your problem is that you want to replicate what you have seen in advanced economies.  Your approach would fail.  
To the contrary actually, my argument is we need to create our own solutions but if there is a global solution then we must be mindful of context when adapting or customizing. If you look at my carrier path, it is very clear where I stand....

> You must first create the market through simple understandable solutions.  The demands for energy will then be incremental such that even if you were to build 10,000 MW you have a ready market.
I have being a grass-roots, self organsing and bootstrapping technology entrepreneur but I seldom balance that with some top down elements, again as a way to keep balance...


> 
> On colonialism;  This is non sense in my view.  Those who colonized us are dead and most of those who were colonized are dead too.  We must not forget that this happened but our focus should be to build confidence in ourselves to face the world.  Take China for example, Japan dominated them but they have not spent their lives grumbling about the past.  They have faced up to Japan and today they compete on an equal footing.
That is the reason I lean more towards George's rendition of the solution than Ali so yes we are on the same page.

> 
> Although parts of Africa are still under the French colony, you must be grateful that the British colonized us.  The British were only interested in domination and material wealth.  The French's integration approach still has implications on their colonies.  Indeed as I write there are Africans in Africa who consider themselves French.
Yes, as an English African I have a lot of francophone friends who really love me but even the fact that I can't speak French infuriates them. It takes ten timed the effort to get stuff done with and in the francophone regions so yes some heavylifting needs to be done there. 

> There are African states that still pay French tax.  Mineral resources on African continent still belong to France
And on and on and on.....
> .
> 
> I have nothing against the French.  If our Francophone brothers feel comfortable this way, let it be.  
I have some ideas around this but I won't postulate them since they are not tested or even proven....

> The best we can do is to face up to our colonial power, leverage on the Common Wealth
> Association to build a new alliance that benefits all of us.  Together we have more voting power and ability to lead the agenda.
I totally agree so let's do that in the new year...

> 
> 
> Regards.
> 
> Ndemo.
Eric here 

> 
> Sent from my BlackBerry®
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Eric M.K Osiakwan" <emko at internetresearch.com.gh>
> Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.keDate: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:51:57 
> To: <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Subject: [kictanet]  Vision 2030: ICT and Other Sectors Converged (Day 3)
> 
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