[kictanet] 140Friday. . . and I wept

Mon Mar 12 08:37:05 EAT 2012

@ Brian,

Thank you for the support to my post & I also agree with you that we need an entity to represent our interests, fortunately such an organisation exists, its called The Computer Society of Kenya" for which many of you have preferred to lambaste and ignore it.

Just a quick clarification Brian, KEPSA allows you to join as an individual person or corporate entity if there is no BMO that represents your interests, your BMO refuses to present your issues or your BMO refuses to join KEPSA.  Just for your information, I had the privilege of being part of KEPSA's activities for over 3 years as the unofficial alternative to Evelyn which gives me a more stable foot to stand on than a google search result.

If you have an issue with the current office bearers then use your democratic right to replace them, if you have issues with the name then again practice your constitution right and change it, if you full it does not fully represent your interests then define your interests, but before you can do any of this things you first must join and pay your subscriptions BMO - Business "Membership" Organisation.

I wish we would all concentrate on two issues that kept being repeated by the 3 men older than me who where on the panel.

1.  Stop asking the government to do for us, it will never happen (na omba serikali)
2.  Read the new constitution and get up to speed on the new dispensation (we need new laws)

All the issues raised at the session are already addressed in the constitution which fortunately cannot be posted as a tweet which means that you need to down load the entire document, I have it on my Kindle (had to mention that), onto those fancy devices we walk around with and read in its entirety.

Maybe what we need is a marathon constitution reading forum, after which I am sure we shall appreciate the fact that the playing field has changed and you and I have had responsibility thrust into our faces.  The constitution is already being changed as we write and as we tweet our input if not being recorded.  Dr. Ndemo kept repeating the issue but as usually many of us where busy in the cloud.

For those of you who have an aversion to reading talk to me and I could get you the document in audio version.

Regards

Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya

Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>
To: robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk>
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Friday, 9 March 2012, 21:44
Subject: Re: [kictanet] 140Friday. . . and I wept

Hi all

First of all, let me say that this response is NOT targeted at Robert
Yawe - though it addresses one of the main issues that he has raised.

I have said it here before and I will say it once again. Can we please
do our homework before we post scalding remarks?

Have we so quickly forgotten the genesis of KEPSA? And for those who
were not there when KEPSA was being originated, is it so difficult to
simply visit their website and read the first paragraph on their home
page? It simply states:

"KEPSA is the apex body and single voice of the private sector, with a
membership that comprises more than 60 Business Membership
Organisations (BMOs) and in excess of 180 corporate organizations –
and is still growing. "

Essentially - KEPSA's original purpose was to be an umbrella body -
allowing various sectoral and professional "Business Membership
Organisations" to bring their views together and then speak to
government with one voice. These BMOs then have representatives that
are recognised as KEPSA "Governors" and provide sectoral or business
specific input to KEPSA agendas.

This does not in any way replace, dilute, or diminish the purpose for
that BMOs existence nor the service it offers it's members. The BMOs
retain their unique identity and continue to engage with the specific
organs of Govt that serve or affect their sector on a day to day basis
while at the same time ensuring that the overall KEPSA agenda and
engagements contain their views, positions and input.

What was proposed today at #140Friday is the formation of a BMO
representing the interests of businesses in the information technology
sector. Whether or not BMO decides to become part of KEPSA or feels
that KEPSA would add value to it's mission and vision is something
that would need to be decided when, and if, it is formed.

So finally - please do your homework - understand the subject you are
commenting on, and the dynamics that surround it before making
sweeping statements to dismiss or blindly support initiatives.

As always,

Brian

On 3/9/12, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I took time to attend the 140Friday session and at the end I wept first
> because as I sat there I realised that this was yet another talk shop
> activity in full swing but most importantly was the rubbishing of the
> late Evelyn Rono's efforts to give the sector a voice through KEPSA.
>
> Evelyn spent many hours lobbying for the ICT sector within the government an
> effort that has come to nought as we, yet again, scatter off into our
> various selfish corners.  If all those tributes we kept sending around after
> she past away were genuine then lets honour her by continuing from where she
> left off instead of going off in a tangent.
>
> It was suggested by Dr. Ndemo and echoed by Mr. Kokubo that a team be formed
> to prepare a white paper on the issues that arose during the session, it was
> suggested that this would be best handled through the ICT Sector of KEPSA
> just for one of the panel to wrongly imply that KEPSA was an association for
> manufacturers (that organisation is called KAM who are also members of
> KEPSA).
>
> Dan Awendo of Investeq indicated that what is ailing us as an industry is
> the one man show syndrome and the leopard hunting mentality.  If we can not
> within us form a body that can speak in one voice then all the efforts are a
> waste of time and resources.
>
> I will repeat what I raised a while back when I was not able to get a
> platform from which to take over the governorship of the ICT sector at KEPSA
> from Evelyn because the Computer Society of Kenya who I assumed would
> propose me had lapsed their membership.  Unless we as an industry can speak
> in one voice and become a constituency then we shall continue to wallow in
> the miasma of deceit that was the session we had today, together we stand
> divided we fall.
>
> Twitter town hall meetings will not resolve what ails the industry it is
> only if we learn to come together that we can make an impact.  KEPSA swings
> a sledge hammer on behalf of any of its sectors, it recommends who seats on
> government committees that require private sector participation and finally
> it has the machinery to draft and push through legislation.
>
> Forming small little talk shops will not make any progress and I read
> an ulterior motive to the proposal by Mr. Kokubo to form an "independent"
> group to prepare the white paper.  He is very well aware that such a group
> will never see the day of light but if it was under the umbrella of KEPSA
> well that will be another issue.
>
> Regards
>
>
>
> Robert Yawe
> KAY System Technologies Ltd
> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
> Kenya
>
>
> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

-- 
Brian Munyao Longwe
e-mail: blongwe at gmail.com
cell:  +254715964281
blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com
meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com

"Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand
for, because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything."
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