[kictanet] Dr. Ndemo & the KBC Staff Strike

Tue Mar 6 13:47:24 EAT 2012

Just seen "breaking news" sms....now Hon Anyang' Nyong'o issues the same threat as the I&C Ministry....why threaten workers with sacking rather than get to the bottom of the problem and find amicable solutions.

Just back from city centre where kiosk owners are staging a sit-in outside the PM's office protesting the demolition of their kiosks....what's going on?

Bwana Ndemo, you are known to advocate for unearthing the root of problems and not treating the symptoms...what's your take on all these industrial actions? what's going on and what does the future hold?

Edith
________________________________________
From: kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke [kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of James Mbugua [jgmbugua at gmail.com]
Sent: 06 March 2012 13:27
To: Edith Adera
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Dr. Ndemo & the KBC Staff Strike

Hidden in all these back and forths is the fact that KBC is sagging
under the weight of a bloated workforced and a lot of pensioners who
have no business being in the organization today but take it as their
birthright to be at KBC.

There is multiplication of duties where one position can have up to
six editors and you wonder what exactly they do. Many of those
technicians behind cameras and transmission and all typically come
drunk especially during soccer tournament broadcasts (My media house
once teamed up with them).

In short, I side with Dr. Ndemo, the ministry and the MD Waihenya. KBC
needs to be cleaned up, deadwood weeded out, and streamlined to have a
lean efficient workforce not people who hardly work but are at the
front line of demanding better perks.

The younger talent works as hard as anybody in the industry but they
will never advance anywhere as long as those pensioners are there and
they end up being frustrated.

I rather suspect, that besides of course the poor working terms cited,
that the announcement that employees would be vetted to see  how skill
sets match with the organization's requirements could have triggered
this strike as people seek to protect their jobs.

The vetting, preferably by the likes of PWC or KPMG should go on while
a HR consultancy should be enaged to come up with the ideal
organizational structure of KBC from management down and these filled
according to the findings of the skills audit report.

A lean, mean, KBC can trump any private media house in this country
but undeserving deadwood and beneficiaries of nepotism over the years
must be weeded out!

James

On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 1:14 PM,  <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:
> Washington,
> I simply gave you the high level problems that needs to be sorted out
> strategically.  KBC has been the training ground for the industry and to
> some extent literarly undermined by competition.  It is weighed down by
> legacy issues be it in technology or labour force.  We are dealing with
> the structure and technology first.  The labour issue is complex.  We have
> in the past tried to move as many redudant staff as we can but the
> retrenchment cost is as high as what you will need to change the
> organization.  GoK also must pay for public broadcast since in some
> stations will never make money as they are part of the universal access to
> broadcasting (CCK USF may be helpful).
>
> Alot has been done and we need to do more.  The current strike brought out
> some issues where the artistes have been doing the job that should be done
> by someone.  Obviously not a great way to spend public resources.  But to
> untangle this we need the cooperation of the staff.  We have sent a team
> to do a work load and job analysis as well as skills inventory.  We must
> be scientific in the reform agenda otherwise we ran the risk of
> victimizing good workers.
>
> We are not taking any actions on any issue at the moment antil we have
> finished all the audits we have started.  We must avoid knee jerk
> reactions at all costs.
>
> There are mechanisms for disposing obsolete equipment.  If we have space,
> it will be a great way to have broadcasting museum.  It will help future
> engineers to understand where we have come from and possibly inspire new
> innovations.
>
> Regards
>
>
> Ndemo.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> Hello Dr. Ndemo,
>>
>> I appreciate your response, but I'd like to know from you what it is that
>> is ailing KBC - and kindly be open with facts as they are. So far, you've
>> only said that KBC is grossly in debt, and you've only attributed this to
>> dumping of technology which was being phased out - specifically Medium
>> Wave
>> equipment. Your answer is not convincing, unless you are saying the 20b
>> comprises debt incurred in the dumping process and running of the MW
>> equipment. Are there other factors that are associated with the debt and
>> what is the govt doing to address those?
>> A string of govt/KBC staff are responsible for this dumping, and we are
>> talking about public funds here. Obviously, these people who did the
>> dumping (when new FM stations were being licensed and operating
>> everywhere)
>> knew so well what they were doing. It's not really hard to prove
>> connivance
>> on their part. Did KBC import equipment without supervision/knowledge of
>> CCK or whatever name the regulator was at that time? What action is being
>> taken against those people? We do have an authority to deal with cases of
>> corruption. Are they dealing already?
>> How and when is the debt going to be serviced?
>>
>>
>> Anyway, the main issue in the current debate is about those grievances
>> that
>> led the staff to take to the streets. You are in the right position to
>> tell
>> us what these were specifically and which ones were genuine (or not). It's
>> important that we also get insid information on what the actual truth is.
>> What I've heard is "poor pay", "nepotism", "sexual harrassment". The issue
>> about poor pay is rather obvious within the govt and some parastatals. How
>> true are the later two? What action is being taken to address them?
>>
>> And finally, you've mentioned that the govt's strategy is to replace the
>> MW
>> stations with FM stations. Good enough, because one of the issues you are
>> addressing is the high cost of running the MW equipment. What strategy has
>> the govt put in place to ensure that these FM stations will be able to be
>> competitive and profitable in the current market regime - even to an
>> extent
>> of being self-sustaining? We (the taxpayers) are not always happy to carry
>> the barden:-)
>>
>> Two last questions:
>>
>> 1. How is the govt going to dispose of the MW equipment? I believe they
>> are
>> electronic waste.
>> 2. Is the govt going to process the 1000+ applications you received so
>> that
>> it can replace the politically-correct employess with
>>     the right talent required to achieve the objective of turning KBC
>> around? Please don't tell me that the same tainted team of
>>     managers (as alleged) is going to be same one tasked with turning it
>> around. I am sure you know how diffiuclt it has been to
>>     change the work culture at Orange. Sometimes (more often actually) it
>> requires the injection of new blood to turn things
>>     around. I am hoping that some of those 1000+ applicants are going to
>> be
>> given jobs at KBC to achieve this.
>>
>> Once again, thank you for your time addressing this.
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 08:57, <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:
>>
>>> Washington,
>>> KBC would emerge strong from this crisis.  We found KBC with a debt of
>>> Ksh. 20 billion.  It used be the conduit for corruption through dumping
>>> of
>>> technology especially the Medium Wave (MW) just as FM was emerging.  It
>>> cost ten times more running a medium wave station than it is with FM.
>>> We
>>> are changing this.  So far we have six new FM stations replacing the old
>>> technology.
>>>
>>> We have spilit the organization into theree, that is, infrastructure
>>> under
>>> Signet, Public Broadcast and Commercial Broabcast.  The later two will
>>> basically content providers and would worry less on infrastructure that
>>> will be supplied by Signet.
>>>
>>> The strike was unnecessary since we had commited to implementing their
>>> demands.  I had personally issued a circular to that effect.  Even the
>>> Union they had joined advised them that the strike was illegal but
>>> unfortunately they defied this.  Even more unfortunate they denounced
>>> the
>>> Union out of anger.
>>>
>>> We shall continue with the reforms and improve their welfare.  It is not
>>> in our interest to see those we work with in the streets.  I was shocked
>>> to realize that we have thousands of Kenyans seeking for employment.  I
>>> think some of you may have watched TV the heaps of applications.  By
>>> yesterday we had in excess of 10,000.  I was not misquoted because on
>>> Sunday I was at the station and there were more than 1,000 applications.
>>> We must do something for our brothers and sisters.  Either we start
>>> teaching them on areas of wealth creation or find ways of creating
>>> massive
>>> employment.  We are trying in our sector but we have not done enough.
>>>
>>>
>>> Ndemo.
>>>
>>> > On Mon, Mar 5, 2012 at 21:06, Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> I feel we should sort out our National Broadcaster. It's a pity that
>>> >> other
>>> >> private media stations have taken over KBCs position as we stood by
>>> and
>>> >> watched. At the moment, KBC still has good will and can recover.
>>> >>
>>> >> It also does not make sense for we to push for cutting edge
>>> initiatives
>>> >> such as Konza, TEAMS if we are going to let the state at KBC remain
>>> as
>>> >> it
>>> >> is. I am sure they can play  a major role in local content creation.
>>> >>
>>> >> Having colleagues in the journalistic filed at KBC, I have heard
>>> rumours
>>> >> of situation where the national broadcaster's crew were first at
>>> ground
>>> >> breaking events (read disasters) in the country. However, such news
>>> is
>>> >> broken by private radio stations where the footage is sold even
>>> before
>>> >> it
>>> >> ever gets to KBCs studios. I have even heard more rumours of the
>>> >> broadcasters equipment being used to shoot footage that ends up with
>>> >> private broadcasters.
>>> >>
>>> >> I am sure the leaked payslips of staff at Standard Media Group
>>> >> <
>>> http://thejackalnews.com/media-news/news-media/1688-horror-of-massive-salary-discrepancies-at-standard-group-exposed
>>> >led
>>> >> to most of the staff questioning what it is they did wrong for their
>>> >> colleagues at media school to end up on the better side of luck .
>>> >>
>>> >> An amicable solution is required. We are all sure that the national
>>> >> broadcaster can make enough revenue to sustain a highly skilled
>>> >> workforce,
>>> >> given the right leadership.
>>> >>
>>> >> I believe Dr. Ndemo, having seeing his deeds in the ICT sector, can
>>> also
>>> >> be the champion credited with overhauling KBC.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> > @Dennis,
>>> >
>>> > For me, it's a simple question so far:
>>> >
>>> > What is it that KBC doesn't have (and cannot afford) that the private
>>> > broadcasters do have?
>>> >
>>> > If someone can answer this for me, I'd be very happy because it's
>>> "looking
>>> > at issues from BASIC PRINCIPLES". Maybe it's as hard as having to
>>> disband
>>> > KBC, if that situation cannot be addressed.
>>> > However, KBC being a National Broadcaster means it's funded by public
>>> > taxes
>>> > and that is a very very deep pocket! I am not ready to accept any
>>> > explanation to the effect that the govt cannot put in place the
>>> necessary
>>> > measures to make KBC a profitable business-case. Rumors have it that
>>> > Management at KBC are well-connected individuals, not necessarily
>>> > qualified, and that is typical for the govt, which is not a business
>>> and
>>> > so
>>> > is not expected to make profits, but KBC must make profits like other
>>> > Media
>>> > houses. I don't understand what it is that Citizen does right with its
>>> > myriad Radio Stations that KBC cannot do, having been the only
>>> broadcaster
>>> > before these FM Stations were born.
>>> > Oh, most of KBC veterans can be heard at the private Radio Stations,
>>> > especially Royal Media. Someone must be able to explain why they had
>>> to
>>> > leave KBC for these other places. The reasons are obvious.
>>> >
>>> > Perhaps the govt should just bite the bullet and shut down KBC if they
>>> > cannot improve it and attract talent and stop acting stupid!
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Best regards,
>>> > Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
>>> > Nairobi,KE
>>> > +254733744121/+254722743223
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Best regards,
>> Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
>> Nairobi,KE
>> +254733744121/+254722743223
>> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
>> I can't hear you -- I'm using the scrambler.
>> Please consider the environment before printing this email.
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