[kictanet] COFEK: Formalin in Milk

Tue Feb 5 18:30:43 EAT 2013

With all due respect to Dr Ndemo, courts exist for a purpose. When we are not able to resolve our issues both in public and private sphere, we must accept without conditions, a third arbiter-the Courts.Citizens must and will forever in Kenya engage in public policy. The days when a few technocrats pushed decisions without caring how they may affect the citizenry or involving them are long gone. Technocrats must be held to account and judicial proceedings are just part of that however vexatious defendants think. 

I sincerely doubt that COFEK went to Court to entirely stop the digital switchover but to seek that the process is not just left to market forces because markets fail and often so. The scandals in the banking sector and the economic recession are clear pointers that a market can only be trusted if it has clear strong regulators and an informed citizenry. How do we explain the approval and sale of set-top boxes of a lower version yet we knew that we could have gone for a higher version straight on. Who did the approval? What were the incentives etc?

With regard to the digital switchover, while it is clear to all that the digital transmission technology that analog TV stations all over the world are adopting has the potential to bring new openness and diversity to the airwaves. But the process is costly and highly politicised. If the political decisions are not well thought through and the decision-makers not fully held accountable  there could be be big dangers on free flow of information and thus democracy.

I believe, the Ministry of Information, CCK and COFEK have a duty to Kenyans to calm down, stop shadow-boxing and embrace genuine dialogue. They must work with all other stakeholders  to head off any would-be negative effects and ensure that digital technology makes good its potential to create new and varied forms of on-air expression. 

HENRY O. MAINA
DIRECTOR
ARTICLE 19 KENYA/EASTERN AFRICA
P O BOX 2653,00100
NAIROBI
TEL:+254 (20) 3862230/2
FAX:+254 (20) 3862231
EMAIL: henry at article19.org

________________________________________
From: kictanet [kictanet-bounces+henry=article19.org at lists.kictanet.or.ke] on behalf of bitange at jambo.co.ke [bitange at jambo.co.ke]
Sent: 05 February 2013 06:11 PM
To: Henry Maina
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] COFEK: Formalin in Milk

When we challenge a global policy change that is not a product or service, we bring out our ignorance.  Supposing we do nothing now until 2015.  Will Kenyans be suddenly rich to migrate?

Consumer movement  is about services and products and not policing the public and public policy.  In Digital Migration the Government did not want to interfere with the market. The free market economy has a self adjusting mechanism that benefits the consumer.  Rich people will rush to buy set top boxes at introductory pricing which often is higher and as the market slows down, the prices are adjusted to accommodate new customers.

The price of set top boxes has come down from a high of Kes. 12,000 to Kes. 1,500 not because cofek intervened but due to demand and supply forces. Soon multiplex operators would give free set top boxes as more people buy Digital TVs.  I liked Windows 8 when it came out and could not afford it but I have got to wait for the prices to be reasonable to me. How come cofek has not fought for poor developers to access it?

It will not help this country if we rush to court every time.

Ndemo.

Sent from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo at gmail.com>
Sender: "kictanet" <kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke>Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2013 17:38:41
To: <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Subject: Re: [kictanet] COFEK: Formalin in Milk

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KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.