[kictanet] On ICT Board & the New ICTA

Wed Aug 21 10:57:18 EAT 2013

Muraya

The extent of Diaspora engagement need is a matter of opinion. I just think that we are awfully under-utilizing their potential and networks. Period. 
And who says that a Kenyan in the Diaspora cannot participate in the so called 95%+++ that is required to be done here? Haven't we seen Kenyan entities, including government, hire expatriates for awfully large sums of money and know what: some of those expatriates are of questionable competency for reasons that most companies (I know I have worked in some of them) would deploy their cheapest resources to maximize profit. Quietly, some admit this but, in typical colonial mentality, it is good appearances to have that Mzungu do the job rather than an Onyango or Kamau or ... of similar or even superior competency.

I am not into names and I did reserve judgement in the case of the ICT Board; let there be an objective audit upon which we can rely otherwise what we all say is a matter of perception. Is it the reality? I don't know.

Let others speak on this matter but regardless of who takes the helm of what: please let there be an objective to serve Kenyans rather than as a means of access to the eating table.
Have a good midweek.
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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: S.M. Muraya <murigi.muraya at gmail.com>
To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com> 
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 2:55 AM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] On ICT Board & the New ICTA

Matunda,

The diaspora is relevant but 95% of what needs to be done here is by locals.

We know from experience "5% is the idea/strategy, 95% is the execution" 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/karlmoore/2012/05/31/strategy-without-execution-is-hallucination/

I am not aware of KICTB expenditure (on themselves) but KICTB provided a link on this list of the tenders they awarded. In my view Kukubo and Ndemo are some of the more transparent people we have had. This is not to say they are angels (none of us is), but were certainly less evil than other public officials 

On this list, Dr.Ndemo once lamented about teleconferencing being resisted in government (even in his ministry) because it would affect per diems (travel allowances). My estimate, we could automate 50% of current government process within 10 years if we could annually spend 20% of what is spent on travel/conferences - including false claims. 

At a KICTB event, some years ago, a senior/serial entrepreneur from Silicon Valley, noted its is "greed not goodwill" that motivates most hard/smart workers. People work most out of greed to profit not out of goodwill/charity.  

Many of our Organizational Leaders, travel the world, invest in flashy/flossy Apple devices but fail to invest in software projects and applications that makes it easier for their employees to be more transparent or productive at work. The KICTB was certainly less evil than most Kenyan State Corporations.  

Which State Corporation has given out more Technology Funds/Contracts to youth than the former KICTB?

Blessings

Murigi / Stanley Muraya

"Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city." Prov 16:32

On Wed, Aug 21, 2013 at 8:55 AM, Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com> wrote:

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.
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>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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>
> 
> 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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