[kictanet] Fw: [ISOC_KE] allAfrica.com: Kenya: Poghisio Appoints USF Board Members

[Warigia Bowman]

Dear McTim

I think USF is a great vehicle.  It has worked well in Rwanda and Uganda,
and a similar system brought telephony to rural areas in the US.The only
issue is the potential exposure to corruption.

When Kenya's USF is set up, we do need to have safeguards in place to keep
track of the accounting, and make sure that the monies are being used to
improve connectivity.

Based on my research on the Safaricome Digital Villages program, that may
not be a guarantee. The pashas are going better, but we need accountability
and transparency on the use of the USF funds.

Kind regards, Warigia

On Mon, Feb 25, 2013 at 6:10 AM, McTim <dogwallah at gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> On Mon, Feb 25, 2013 at 5:57 AM, stephen Mutoro <smutoro at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi Walu,
>> Sorry to intercept your communication. This is one other issue (USF) that
>> MOIC team will never succeed. How can you in all fairness ask for say up to
>> Sh500M p.a from an MSP/MNO and then they have no representation on USF
>> Board and therefore no say on how "their" money is used?
>>
>
>
> Once it is paid in to the fund, it is USF money.  It would be like saying
> that after Safaricom pays taxes it should be able to say how those taxes
> get spent!
>
> Why would a consumer group want to put the fox in charge of the henhouse?
>
>
>
>> The easier part is to gazette the names, the harder part is to get money
>> into the "Fund". Days when people who own no means of production, in
>> whatever sector, purporting to set radical rules are long gone.
>>
>
> Universal Service is not a radical rule, it has been THE dominant paradigm
> amongst telecom regulators globally for decades.
>
>
>
>>  Regrettably, again, if an MSP/MNO pays such an mount annually, it ups
>> its cost of doing business. Who eventually shoulders such costs?? You and I
>> as consumers.
>>
>
>
> correct, and if telecom services reach 100% of the population, then the
> entire citizenry benefits, including consumers.
>
> --
> Cheers,
>
> McTim
> "A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route
> indicates how we get there."  Jon Postel
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-- 
Dr. Warigia Bowman
Assistant Professor
Clinton School of Public Service
University of Arkansas
wbowman at clintonschool.uasys.edu
http://democratizingegypt.blogspot.com
-------------------------------------------------
View my research on my SSRN Author page:
http://ssrn.com/author=1479660
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