[kictanet] Thoughts on Kenya's National Broadband Strategy

Tue Jul 23 19:04:01 EAT 2013

Dear Judy,

If you truly knew my track record in national ICT development as well as
the amount of effort I have freely given towards this cause over the past
19 years since my first responsibilities in the now defunct East African
Internet Association (EAIA), then you might not really be asking me for
patience.

The problem we have, very simply put, is a human factor problem, some
thoughts on this from me in e 140 Friday blog http://140friday.com/?p=485

Walubengo, it is not matoke that causes me to speak out, it is sadness at
the depths to which we have fallen. I think it is only a matter of time
before the public (ourselves and others) start crying out for the blood of
the officers who will have led us as a country into a hole out of which we
cannot climb.

Sadly,

Mblayo

On Tuesday, July 23, 2013, Judy M. Muli wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Hi Brian and the other key stakeholders and experts in the ICT industry:
> there is need to engage more with ICT officers and managers already working
> in the public sector...there is lots of written material, research papers,
> implementation papers, and write ups- truly rich content in the government
> of Kenya so as to get and gain first hand information and experience on
> what's on the ground in the public organizations..
>
> Where we are as a country and ICT experts is not about Point of view,
> planning etc Kenyans are the best planners, and the plans exist. our need
> at the moment as a country and in major ICT projects is on implementation.
> being involved and providing tangible and specific solutions on
> implementation.
>
> Warm regards,
> I am happy to have joined the right forum,- currently I am hopeful that
> technology will not be blamed by organizations like IEBC and others on our
> watch.
> Lets get the plans already in place, empower and improve them as we
> quickly provide implementation, monitoring and evaluation tangible,
> specific, clear guidelines.
>
> Judy Muli
> Head ICT
> COB
>
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 3:41 PM, Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com<javascript:_e({}, 'cvml', 'blongwe at gmail.com');>
> > wrote:
>
>> How about the attached. My input to the so called "National Public Key
>> Infrastructure Stakeholder Consultation"
>>
>> Despite personal phone calls which I received from both Dr. Ndemo and
>> Paul Kukubo that I would receive a response, it seems that somewhere along
>> the way - I was dismissed as a "noise-maker" - I tried to keep it quiet,
>> now let me make some noise.
>>
>> I was also very disappointed to hear through the grapevine that some
>> senior people said "Brian is only making noise because he doesn't have a
>> job" along with the implication that I was seeking an
>> appointment/assignment into the PKI project....disgusting....
>>
>> Anyway, here are the attachments. Zero response to date - and I can
>> promise you, zero change in the plans/design...
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 3:24 PM, James Mbugua <jgmbugua at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> They are here. Let them respond.
>>
>> As for the Cabinet Secretary, we will judge him by performance not by
>> statements. He should state at least three flagship goals he intends to
>> achieve.
>>
>> James
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 3:11 PM, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com
>> > wrote:
>>
>> Hi Brian,
>>
>> You raise a very important issue. I attended the broadband meeting and
>> whereas it was elaborately organized there is a lot of discomfort that i
>> will raise on this platform.
>>
>> Clearly it appears the multi stakeholder model is under serious attack
>> and if we are not careful the gains we have made in the last 10 years in
>> building an enviable ICT community Internationaly will go down the drain. I
>> interacted with several technocrats and to my dismay majority of those in
>> Civil Society Organisations that are meant to check the government are
>> branded as trouble makers. Difference in opinion is treated as personal
>> affront , worse still it was clear that our input no longer matters to put
>> it bluntly from the few engagements i had this morning, we are resource
>> persons. You may have noticed that COFEK raised a similar issue in a press
>> release and i have just seen an email from a lister in which he was quoting
>> the CS that some people are making noise in a corner which i found to be
>> undiplomatic if at all it is true.
>> You have spoken for many who are murmuring and i hope the Cabinet
>> Secretary who is on this list takes note of this concerns, once goodwill is
>> lost it might take time to recover it  and this will result in stalled or
>> worse still failed projects. We need meaningful engagement based on
>> national aspirations not personal preferences and cronyism, i agree
>> meaningless stakeholder consultations should be put to an end, we need a
>> clear process of soliciting for public input, the same should show when the
>> public views have been dropped and why? ever wondered why open data is
>> still a myth to name but a few?
>>
>> Best Regards
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 2:46 PM, Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I have just gone through the recently launched National Broadband
>> Strategy.
>>
>> Sadly, none of my submitted input (included below) was accomodated (even
>> after confirmation from CCK that they had been received). I guess this is a
>> sign of the times, because it seems that over recent years "public
>> consultations" by CCK and Govt on ICT issues have been merely stage-managed
>> exercises aimed at giving an appearance of inclusion, but in reality are
>> merely rubber-stamping exercises which allow largely third party driven
>> agendas (vendors, foreign govts) to take center stage and prioritization in
>> our strategies, policies, laws etc...
>>
>> I guess I will just have to stop making the effort to "contribute" to
>> these processes as it
>>
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>
>
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