[kictanet] On ICT Board & the New ICTA

Wed Aug 21 08:55:58 EAT 2013

Bwaa Kivuva

I still think that the ICTA should engage our Diaspora more objectively; they have something to offer. I have seen meetings/events where our people are completely out of message; out of tune with those they are pitching to. And this is, in part, because of lack of "vocabularly/perspective" of those they want to engage in. And it is NOT simply in technology but also in other endeavours. It is little comfort that most African countries (at least those are the majority I have interacted with) are in the same boat: off message, poor post-event follow up, making promises they can even execute, ..., not communicating at all about the "end result" (+ve or -ve). 

That said I am hopeful but also apprehensive in that the Kenyan culture is to approach opportunities (e.g. to hold public office) as "their turn to eat". So people fight hard to ensure they are on the "eating table"; just see even how we fight in elections. (I have heard subtle messages to people in the Diaspora on this basis: why are you coming to fight for the "little" that we have when you are, at least, "better endowed"? Nothing about public service, contribution, ... experience, perspective, ...)

Indeed, in Kenya almost everything is devoid of the message of public service, doing good for the common good, etc; in other words: statesmanship. 

Ideally, we should care less who of our people is given a portfolio, provided they meet their mandate and serve for the good of the nation.
ICTA should set the standard considering the central role of technology we anticipate in our development.
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Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com
Agano Consulting Inc.;  http://www.aganoconsulting.com/; Twitter: nmatunda;  Skype: okiambe
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________________________________
 From: Kivuva <Kivuva at transworldafrica.com>
To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com> 
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 1:57 PM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] On ICT Board & the New ICTA

That is a very balanced an interesting perspective Dr. Matunda Nyanchama.

______________________
Mwendwa Kivuva
twitter.com/lordmwesh

google ID | Skype ID: lordmwesh 

On 20 August 2013 18:47, Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com> wrote:

Friends
> 
>Some of us were privy to the formation of the board, right at the start. My involvement was from a Diaspora engagement perspective. With the board slated to market the country as a technology destination and attract investment, it was felt (at least in the beginning) that involving the Kenyan Diaspora was a good thing. Indeed, 2 slots in the board were slated for the Diaspora. 
> 
>With a colleague, we offered input including on what we thought would be the strategy for tackling certain markets, given our experience out there. Personally, I was interested in seeing us compete for business that was heading to India, the Philipines, Costa Rica, among others. And having worked in financial services (some that were outsorcing IT services - design, development, testing, operations) and services company like IBM, I felt that I could contribute. I felt that, we could offer insights into the thinking of some of these outsourcers and how we can win their business, let alone offering linkanges in our reach. 
> 
>Well ... long story short ... when the Board was gazetted, the said Diaspora slots disappeared. Inquiries we made hardly got any responses.
> 
>As for its achievements, I am not here to say. I reserve my opinion. 
> 
>Going forward, ICTA needs to do things more transparently. Searching for a board and CEO should be a competitive process (btw: I haven't seen the ads for the available positions: selection panel, the board, management, etc); and as much as we have some "famous" names in ICT, it doesn't mean there are no others that can bring freshness to the table: in the manner of leadership, strategy, vision, style. Old hands, as much as we can value them, can be culprits of tunnel vision, and hampered by their histories and relationships.  
>
>Cheers.
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com
>Agano Consulting Inc.;  http://www.aganoconsulting.com/; Twitter: nmatunda;  Skype: okiambe
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Manage your ICT risks! We are the experts you need! The trusted partners you deserve!
>Call: +1-888-587-1150 (Canada) +254-20-267-0743 (Kenya) or info at aganoconsulting.com 
>Licensed by Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK)
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>"The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.
>
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