[kictanet] 140Friday. . . who is an MNC?

Thu Mar 22 15:58:53 EAT 2012

I echo this Robert. Well done, Seven Seas.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: robert yawe 
  To: godera at skyweb.co.ke 
  Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions 
  Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2012 2:42 PM
  Subject: [kictanet] 140Friday. . . who is an MNC?

  Hi,

  I would like to congratulate the entire Seven Seas Family lead by Mike Macharia on winning the project in Zambia.

  http://www.times.co.zm/?p=1478 

  http://www.telecompaper.com/news/kenyas-seven-seas-wins-kes-4648-mln-zambian-utility-deal 

  It is my hope that Seven Seas being a MNC will make sure that there is skills and knowledge transfer to their partner organisation in the project.

  This project is a realisation that by us being open to foreigners doing business in Kenya we open greater opportunities in the region for Kenyan companies.

  Regards

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

  Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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  From: Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke>
  To: 'robert yawe' <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> 
  Cc: 'KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions' <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
  Sent: Friday, 9 March 2012, 17:19
  Subject: RE: [kictanet] 140Friday. . . and I wept

  Robert

  Some of us are great supporters of your thought processes and the voice of divergence and reason many a times…

  However, my brother this time I would like to be the first to disagree with you. KEPSA is a good forum and grouping that can be used to further sector growth and dialogue with the govt  and public sector. But to rubbish a gathering that has taken time out to deliberate issues of importance in our sector is to take the role of criticism to a level that belittles all of us and makes us look foolish – Which I think isn’t your intention.

  If KEPSA is such a strong solution provider how come the sector is still not in synch as we would like. Everyone has a right to air his/her views and to purport that KEPSA is the solution for all our ills is to revert back to the MAMA NA BABA days of old which we all are glad to have left behind. I say that we have all contributed in our own little ways to improve and expand the democratic space and let’s make use of it in a progressive manner.

  The use of Twitter and other social media platforms (including I daresay this mailing list) can only improve our connections and ability to articulate our views and belittling them doesn’t really serve any purpose. I think sometimes we wallow too much in criticizing the view that multi-nationals, foreign companies etc are only here to skim off the top..Be that as it may, what we can do is take on the good and discard the bad. The very fact that we are only so happily using all the western tools at our disposal (the internet et al) and at the same time doing our best not to conform to certain standards then complain that we are losing out is a mockery of progress.

  Robert, lastly I would hate for you to say a month/quarter from now that ‘I told you so’ that this ‘independent group’ never happened. I challenge you my brother to also provide solutions. Be part of the group, and impart your wise counsel that the industry can move forward in the right direction.

  My five cents…

  Ali Hussein|Managing Partner

  Telemedia Africa
  Azania Technology Group
  Chaka Court, Argwings Kodhek Road
  P O Box  14556-00100
  +254 773/713 601113
  Nairobi, Kenya

  Twitter: @AliHKassim
  Skype: abu-jomo

  "You generally hear that what a man doesn't know doesn't hurt him, but in business what a man doesn't know does hurt.". - E. St. Elmo Lewis, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

  From: kictanet-bounces+info=alyhussein.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+info=alyhussein.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of robert yawe
  Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 4:51 PM
  To: info at alyhussein.com
  Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
  Subject: [kictanet] 140Friday. . . and I wept

  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

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