[kictanet] Changing the face of Jua Kali with new programming capabilities

Thu Jul 26 08:52:47 EAT 2012

As Hussein correctly points, our infatuation with having infrastructure
less universities in all manner of conners at the expense of polytechnics
will just cost us in the long run. Now we are churning more computer
science graduates from ALL "universities" who only know how to work on
joomla, drupal and other open source systems, CANT CODE! I have had an
interaction while trying to recruit some quality developers, funny enough
most of the developers we have hired are guys with Engineering
backgroud...... Does this point to something...

As Collins pointed we have turned to mass consumers, wanting to import
everything from suits, matchboxes from egypt, rail lines from India and
Civil Engineering Firms from China. Are we not training well? When will we
ever see our highways being designed and constructed by a native firm? Or a
Geo thermal plant in Naivasha not being done by Japanese?

Waiyaki way was recarpeted few months ago, now the James Gichuru roundabout
is full of rapidly expanding potholes..... and the guy has been assigned
another stretch..... Sorry for digressing from Daktaris points, but the
issue lies in our planning....

On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 10:14 PM, Rad! <conradakunga at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> But now Daktari how can you help us help ourselves?
>>
>> We are falling over ourselves to convert all our polytechnics to
>> universities, forgetting if all of us become architects, there will be
>> nobody to out up our fancy designs.
>>
>> A former education minister insinuated that arts courses were irrelevant.
>>
>> We removed art & craft, music, home science from our primary syllabus.
>>
>> Work is not work unless you are in a tie sitting behind a desk.
>>
>> We insist our children become doctors, lawyers and engineers.
>>
>> Health ministry officials speak highly of public hospitals before flying
>> to Hawaii and Germany for treatment. Education ministers enroll their
>> children in GCSE schools. Agriculture ministy is always accused of being in
>> heart of maize / sugar importation scandals.
>>
>> Many of these problems are problems that we caused ourselves over decades
>> ago that may take decades to unwind.
>>
>> Perhaps you can appeal to your counterpart at the education ministry to
>> start taking some of these problems to heart and start resolving them at
>> schools.
>>
>> On Wednesday, July 25, 2012, wrote:
>>
>>> Hussein,
>>> You have hit the nail on the head.  The current set of Universities is
>>> geared towards academic.  We need Polytechics or Universities that have a
>>> focus on skills development.
>>>
>>> We made university education look like the ultimate license to success.
>>> Germany has never changed their education that largely focuses on skills
>>> but any quality engineering product comes from there.
>>>
>>> Please take time to go through these Computer aided Manufacturing
>>> products
>>> and realize that it is not University education that we need.
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.google.com/search?q=computer+aided+manufacturing&hl=en&rlz=1R2ADFA_enKE455&prmd=imvnsb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=YPEPUOulK4TPhAfFoIG4BA&sqi=2&ved=0CFsQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=531
>>>
>>> We need a number of risk takers and few complainers.  We must build our
>>> own confidence through positive thinking.  When I make mistakes, I want
>>> to
>>> hear that you can try again.  In Kenya we have no room for mistakes.  We
>>> rush to condemn.  This destroys the little confidence that there is.
>>>
>>> Enough for now.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ndemo.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> > The major issue is skill sets. We seem to have a new hobby in this
>>> country
>>> > of turning all our Polytechnics and Tertiary Institutions into
>>> > Universities. The problem with this thinking is that we now have a
>>> dearth
>>> > of skilled artisans. The other day the former CEO of Mumias Sugar,
>>> Evans
>>> > Kidero was heard complaining that they had to import skilled welders
>>> from
>>> > India to work on their industrial boilers!
>>> >
>>> > How can we transform our Jua Kali sector with the same kind of
>>> thinking of
>>> > yester years...
>>> >
>>> > We in the private sector need to heed Daktari's thoughts and do
>>> something
>>> > about this.
>>> >
>>> > Ali Hussein
>>> >
>>> > +254 773/713 601113
>>> >
>>> > Sent from my iPhoneÂ®
>>> >
>>> > On Jul 25, 2012, at 4:22 PM, Per-erick Mulamba <peremul at yahoo.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Hi,
>>> >>
>>> >> What a nice discussion. What happened to KIE and what is there mandate
>>> >> now that everything is being aligned to Vision 2030? And how can
>>> >> Universities partner with KIE to achieve that?
>>> >>
>>> >> Kind regards
>>> >> Per-Erick
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> From: Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.or.ke>
>>> >> To: Per-Erick Mulamba <peremul at yahoo.com>
>>> >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>> >> Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 2:42 PM
>>> >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Changing the face of Jua Kali with new
>>> >> programming capabilities
>>> >>
>>> >> Excellent Post Bwana Ndemo,
>>> >>
>>> >> I think what we need to do is also create University-jua kali linkages
>>> >> (popularly known as University-Industry linkages, but I prefer
>>> >> University-Jua Kali linkages).
>>> >>
>>> >> We need to also ask ourselves how the FAB labs in a couple of
>>> >> Universities in Kenya are being used? I'm aware that UoN and I think
>>> KU
>>> >> or JKUAT have them. Are these linked to jua kali? Can we offer
>>> >> customized skills training and product development in PRACTICAL terms?
>>> >>
>>> >> I sit on Meru University C of S&T (MUCST) Council, our motto is "to be
>>> >> the fountain of innovation" and I constantly challenge us to embrace
>>> >> CAM, visit the FAB labs in-country and go beyond the rudimentary
>>> >> production processes we see around â€“ itâ€™s not easy to change
>>> >> mindsets.
>>> >>
>>> >> The Ministry of Education, S&T needs to be enjoined in these
>>> discussions
>>> >> so something practical comes out of this idea and so that our
>>> >> Universities can be true hubs of innovation and link to jua-kali!
>>> >>
>>> >> Are the Indians looking to locate some of the 6 centres in Kenya? Let
>>> >> them try Meru.
>>> >>
>>> >> Edith
>>> >> ________________
>>> >> Edith Ofwona Adera
>>> >> Senior Program Specialist
>>> >> Climate Change and Water Program
>>> >> Agriculture and Environment
>>> >> International Development Research Centre
>>> >> Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa
>>> >> Liason House 2nd floor, State House Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya
>>> >> +254-20-2713160/1 | Fax: +254-20-2711063 | Mobile:
>>>  +254-733-624345|Ext
>>> >> 3406
>>> >> eadera at idrc.ca | www.idrc.ca | www.crdi.ca
>>> >>
>>> >> -----Original Message-----
>>> >> From: kictanet
>>> >> [mailto:kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
>>> >> Behalf Of bitange at jambo.co.ke
>>> >> Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 2:39 PM
>>> >> To: Edith Adera
>>> >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
>>> >> Subject: [kictanet] Changing the face of Jua Kali with new programming
>>> >> capabilities
>>> >>
>>> >> Listers,
>>> >> Last week in a speech to SAP partners at Safari Park I challenged the
>>> >> participants to leverage on technology to uplift Jua Kali.  My recent
>>> >> visit to Kariobangi light industries (where I did my research), the
>>> >> products are still the same yet the World has changed.  We still
>>> import
>>> >> such simple things as bolts and nuts from China.  These are some of
>>> the
>>> >> things we can very easily manufacture with simple software.
>>>  Practically
>>> >> the entire world has moved to Computer aided Manufacturing (CAM) where
>>> >> they easily generate 3D models of components.  It is so simple that in
>>> >> one month we can start manufacturing bicycles and car parts here in
>>> >> Kenya.
>>> >> With 19th century technology they manufacture brake pads and disks in
>>> >> Kariobangi.
>>> >>
>>> >> Let me get back to the reason why I am writing this post.  In that
>>> >> audience was an Indian National who went back to his country and gave
>>> >> the story.  Yesterday I got a call from Ministry of Foreign Affairs
>>> that
>>> >> some Indian industry group wanted to see me urgently.  I gave them an
>>> >> appointment for today early morning.  Their inquiry was whether we had
>>> >> started the application of additive manufacturing, popularly referred
>>> to
>>> >> as 3D printing.  Although I was stunned by the speed at which the
>>> >> Indians reacted to my speech, I was able to probe why they developed
>>> the
>>> >> interest.
>>> >> I gathered that the Indian Government is developing six locations to
>>> set
>>> >> up fabrication laboratories to help with industrialization of their
>>> >> country.  And that Indiaâ€™s product quality has consistently improved
>>> >> to the extent that Kenyaâ€™s leading import destination is India (see
>>> >> todayâ€™s Business Daily).
>>> >>
>>> >> Wikipedia tells me that as with other â€œComputer-Aidedâ€
>>>  technologies,
>>> >> CAM does not eliminate the need for skilled professionals such as
>>> >> manufacturing engineers, Numerical Control (NC) programmers, or
>>> >> machinists. CAM, in fact, leverages both the value of the most skilled
>>> >> manufacturing professionals through advanced productivity tools, while
>>> >> building the skills of new professionals through visualization,
>>> >> simulation and optimization tools.
>>> >>
>>> >> Our Numerical Machine Complex lies underutilized.  We make a few
>>> lathes
>>> >> there when we can scale up and provide all of our spare parts
>>> >> requirements including exports to regional countries. This will
>>> improve
>>> >> on our exports to African countries.  We can run it 24/7 and keep our
>>> >> Jua Kali busy with assembly of exportable products.
>>> >>
>>> >> Can we wake up?
>>> >>
>>> >> Ndemo.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> > That same report said 80% of people receive mobile advertising
>>> >> positively.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Amazing that i don't know any of them. Or could be i keep the wrong
>>> >> > company On 25 Jul 2012 13:03, "Agosta Liko" <agostal at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> >> >
>>> >> >> I agree with Washington
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> I would like to see the backing data ...
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> The other day there was a report that said when making buying
>>> >> >> decisions, 60% of Kenya's are influenced by Mobile ads ..
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 11:29 AM, Odhiambo Washington
>>> >> >> <odhiambo at gmail.com>wrote:
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>>
>>> >> >>>
>>> >> >>> On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 10:25 AM, Grace Githaiga
>>> >> >>> <ggithaiga at hotmail.com>wrote:
>>> >> >>>
>>> >> >>>>
>>> >> >>>> Web traffic and emails sent from Kenya are being filtered or
>>> >> >>>> blocked due to the poor reputation of local internet service
>>> >> >>>> providers. Read on.
>>> >> >>>>
>>> >> >>>>
>>> >> >>>>
>>> http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/-/1006/1462292/-/3ec4d4z/-/in
>>> >> >>>> dex.html
>>> >> >>>>
>>> >> >>>>
>>> >> >>>
>>> >> >>> This is an interesting report, but its credibility can only be
>>> >> >>> tested/verified with data, which they did not present. Figures are
>>> >> >>> nothing in such reports.
>>> >> >>> In this time and age, we expected to be presented with tangible
>>> >> >>> facts - a web link where we can see the tabulated figures.
>>> >> >>> Without this, we can safely assume the security company has an
>>> >> agenda.
>>> >> >>>
>>> >> >>>
>>> >> >>> --
>>> >> >>> Best regards,
>>> >> >>> Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
>>> >> >>> Nairobi,KE
>>> >> >>> +254733744121/+254722743223
>>> >> >>> _ _ _ _ _
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>>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
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>>
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>>
>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>>
>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
>> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>>
>
>
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