[kictanet] Would sorting out physical addressing lead to exponential growth in Nairobi?

Mon May 20 19:32:01 EAT 2013

We set up the National Addressing Taskforce sometime last year in
partnership with Google.  We have already covered the CBD as a pilot and
the launch date is coming up anytime.  Further the Ministry has been
working with lands to get funding for the the National Cadasta (the basis
of national geo-referencing).  Treasury accepted to fund the project.  You
will begin to see some of the outcomes from early next year.  Several
sectors are looking forward to this important development.

If you read Hernando de Soto's Mistry of Capital, you will understand why
this infrastructure is important.  But we also must change the culture to
use mordern referencing methods.  Several estates such as Buru Buru,
Langata, Runda etc in Nairobi have street addresses but no one uses them.
Rarely do we even make reference to street names even when they are
clearly marked.

Ndemo.

> Thanks Adam. Exactly my point. mydoorhandle seems a novice idea and may
> just provide a solution, to an extent, of Nairobi's woes.
>
>
> On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 1:29 PM, Adam Nelson <adam at varud.com> wrote:
>
>> My Door Handle is attempting to address this very problem:
>>
>> http://mydoorhandle.com/
>>
>> However, Andy brings up an important point.  The fact that one can get
>> pizza from Naked Pizza or Hashmi or Chowpaty (excellent vegetarian
>> Indian
>> food btw) actually betrays the problem.  These are local businesses with
>> local knowledge.
>>
>> The purpose of a standard addressing system is to allow anybody to find
>> a
>> residential or commercial location in order to service them quickly and
>> without requiring deep local expertise.  It's not just boda boda drivers
>> who need to know how to find places, software developers writing
>> delivery
>> routines in Germany need to know, and American scientists doing water
>> distribution projects need to know, and Indian cell tower planners need
>> to
>> know.
>>
>> The answer to the question, "does the lack of a physical addressing
>> system
>> stifle the potential in Nairobi?" is a qualified "yes".  Companies will
>> find a way around the problem, and they'll keep on doing it so the
>> potential of Nairobi isn't completely stifled.
>>
>> Nonetheless, this is one of the problems that simply has to be solved
>> and
>> the only question is 'when', not 'if'.  I personally think it's
>> incumbent
>> on government leaders to be tackling all of the 'when' problems now
>> because
>> every year that they wait is simply another year of lower efficiency
>> that
>> could have been used to "promote the general Welfare".
>>
>> -Adam
>> ---
>> OpenStack for Africa: http://signup.kili.io
>> Musings: https://twitter.com/varud
>> About Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcnelson
>>
>>
>> On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 1:02 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt <
>> andrea.bohnstedt at ratio-magazine.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Ask the people who deliver things?
>>>
>>> Naked Pizza and Hashmi have stored my address with my phone number -
>>> and
>>> yes, it contains my formal street address plus the details on how to
>>> find
>>> it. When I place an order, they reconfirm that I'm still at the same
>>> address. Plus their delivery person usually has my phone number with
>>> him
>>> just in case he gets lost (yay for technology - and pizza, obvs).
>>>
>>> I think it's a bit more tedious the first time you order when you have
>>> to
>>> give detailed directions - but if a company is smart and saves those,
>>> then
>>> that cuts down on processing time with each additional order.
>>>
>>> On 20 May 2013 12:49, Andy G <andy.gesora at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>  So Nairobi is the most advanced city in East and Central Africa....
>>>> So
>>>> JP Morgan has just been granted a licence to setup a rep office in
>>>> Nairobi.... So most of the iNGO's and corporates have set up in
>>>> Nairobi....
>>>> So Nairobi is the pioneer in alternative payment systems aka mPesa....
>>>>
>>>> But does the lack of a physical addressing system stifle the potential
>>>> in Nairobi? CCN previously tried  address most buildings in town, but
>>>> no
>>>> one ever quotes the "22 Kimathi Street" when corresponding.
>>>>
>>>> A majority of tech startups in Kenya today are web based, with mobile
>>>> technology (payment systems) providing an overwhelming support system.
>>>> A
>>>> friend once quoted as saying 95% of his online payments were on mobile
>>>> money. We have lots of tech companies that have tried building
>>>> solutions to
>>>> make it easier for Nairobi's consumers.... from ordering food online,
>>>> to
>>>> shopping, to casual labour, to ticketing... name it. But the achilles
>>>> heel
>>>> always remains addressing. Where do i as a tech startup owner send
>>>> your
>>>> goods to in Buruburu once you have bought? Or if i have a party and
>>>> order
>>>> for drinks online, how does someone deliver in some flats named "Pearl
>>>> apartments" deep in langata on a nodescript dirt road?
>>>>
>>>> Would perhaps naming of streets and physical addressing help solve
>>>> lots
>>>> of issues in Nairobi as well as create many mid level startups and
>>>> thus
>>>> jobs that we are so desperately seeking?
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Andrea Bohnstedt <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt>
>>> Publisher
>>>
>>> www.ratio-magazine.com
>>> www.africa-assets.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
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>>> 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.
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>>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
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>>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy,
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>>
>>
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>> 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.
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> 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.