[kictanet] University of Nairobi Set Top Boxes

Sat Feb 16 14:17:55 EAT 2013

I think solving and funding something like this would solve so many problems. It's not that there are no investors, just that they don't invest in such enterprises. We have folks like ICDC, Centum etc who can invest in such projects, but everyone at the moment is pumping money into real estate.  Why was Java bought by ECP and not Centum etc? It's not that there's not capital in Kenya, it's that most of it is oriented at real estate (btw, just so that I'm clear, I think foreign capital is great, I just think we need to at least try and come up with our own funds locally, eat our own dog food).  

Additionally, the Universities themselves should have all the skillets (mechanical engineers, marketing folks, manufacturing etc, they are all trained within the university) required to launch such a business and might need a slight leap of faith from the government and investors.  

I'm a firm believer in solving the root cause of problems - if the problem is capital - why don't we have capital. If the problem is education, what's wrong with the system. That way, the learnings can be passed to other industries.

Given that we would probably be importing the circuit boards and individual components, all we need to do is figure out assembly, packaging and supply. I think…   

On Friday, February 15, 2013 at 8:24 PM, Kivuva wrote:

> Phares, I'm a great proponent of local industrialization. It does a
> lot of good to a countries economy, number one being reducing capital
> flight.
>  
> But the scenario is this, UoN have said they have prototypes that are
> viable, but they don't have any means to produce them. Now, if we can
> crack it and do it locally, that's the best move. But suppose those
> strategic investors don't show up? Should the idea just die out and we
> remain mass consumers, or should we outsource manufacturing/licence
> the prototype to Asian and have a piece of the cake?
>  
> On 15/02/2013, Phares Kariuki <pkariuki at gmail.com (mailto:pkariuki at gmail.com)> wrote:
> > Manufacturing locally would absorb quite a number of semi skilled
> > individuals into the workforce. Always a good thing.
> >  
> > Outsourcing is not always a good idea. Check what happened to Dell & ASUS.
> > Even the all mighty Apple Inc & Samsung.
> >  
> > Let's make them. Lets sell them. Lets figure out supply chain for the
> > greater East African region. Then we can tinker with other electronics.
> >  
> > We have the capacity. Why not do it?
> >  
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >  
> > On 15 Feb 2013, at 17:30, Kivuva <Kivuva at transworldafrica.com (mailto:Kivuva at transworldafrica.com)> wrote:
> >  
> > I dream when we will have outsourced manufacturing jobs overseas, and have
> > big companies like Apple, HP, here in Kenya, then earn foreign exchange on
> > the distribution and sells all over the world. But it sounds like a pipe
> > dream.
> >  
> > US is not suffering from outsourcing since the companies earn abnormal
> > profits from that. Only the poor jobless hands-man is the one who suffers.
> >  
> > But here in Kenya, we have non. No manufacturing companies outsourcing to
> > Asia, and no outsourced jobs coming back home.
> >  
> > Regards
> >  
> >  
> >  
> > On 15 February 2013 15:38, <peres_were at yahoo.co.uk (mailto:peres_were at yahoo.co.uk)> wrote:
> >  
> > > +1 Ali. I noted in Obama's State of the Union Address a new initiative
> > > the
> > > US govt is setting up called "Manufacturing Innovation Hubs" aimed at
> > > spurring innovation in Manufacturing.
> > >  
> > > In addition, a number of US companies such as Apple and Ford are bringing
> > > back manufacturing to the USA.
> > >  
> > > Peres
> > > Sent from my BlackBerry®
> > >  
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke (mailto:ali at hussein.me.ke)>
> > > Sender: "kictanet"
> > > <kictanet-bounces+peres_were=yahoo.co.uk at lists.kictanet.or.ke (mailto:yahoo.co.uk at lists.kictanet.or.ke)>
> > > Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:23:46
> > > To: Peres Were<peres_were at yahoo.co.uk (mailto:peres_were at yahoo.co.uk)>
> > > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke (mailto:kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke)>
> > > Subject: Re: [kictanet] University of Nairobi Set Top Boxes
> > >  
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > kictanet mailing list
> > > kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke (mailto:kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke)
> > > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> > >  
> > > Unsubscribe or change your options at
> > > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/peres_were%40yahoo.co.uk
> > >  
> > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> > > for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> > > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> > > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
> > > development.
> > >  
> > > 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.
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > kictanet mailing list
> > > kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke (mailto:kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke)
> > > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> > >  
> > > Unsubscribe or change your options at
> > > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kivuva%40transworldafrica.com
> > >  
> > > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> > > for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> > > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> > > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
> > > development.
> > >  
> > > 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.
> > >  
> >  
> >  
> >  
> >  
> > --
> > ______________________
> > Mwendwa Kivuva
> > For
> > Business Development
> > Transworld Computer Channels
> > Cel: 0722402248
> > twitter.com/lordmwesh (http://twitter.com/lordmwesh)
> > www.transworldAfrica.com (http://www.transworldAfrica.com) | Fluent in computing
> > kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
> >  
> > _______________________________________________
> > kictanet mailing list
> > kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke (mailto:kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke)
> > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> >  
> > Unsubscribe or change your options at
> > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/pkariuki%40gmail.com
> >  
> > The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for
> > people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> > regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> > sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
> > development.
> >  
> > 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.
> >  
>  
>  
>  
> --  
> ______________________
> Mwendwa Kivuva
> For
> Business Development
> Transworld Computer Channels
> Cel: 0722402248
> twitter.com/lordmwesh (http://twitter.com/lordmwesh)
> transworldAfrica.com (http://transworldAfrica.com) | Fluent in computing
> kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
>  
> _______________________________________________
> kictanet mailing list
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke (mailto:kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke)
> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>  
> Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/pkariuki%40gmail.com
>  
> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>  
> 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.  

--  
Regards,

Phares Kariuki

| T: +254 720 406 093 | E: pkariuki at gmail.com | Twitter: kaboro | Skype: kariukiphares | B: http://www.kaboro.com/ |

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/kictanet/attachments/20130216/c00b7a4a/attachment.htm>