[kictanet] Kenya's Silicon Savannah & the Need to do more

[Barrack Otieno]

Well put Prof.

Best Regards
On Feb 26, 2015 9:20 AM, "James Kulubi via kictanet" <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

> Paul, you hit the nail on the head.
> The problems facing research and innovation commenced in the late 70s when
> some experts thought that research and innovation could only be carried out
> by institutions created by a Science and Technology law.
> Upon enactment, the law created the KEMRIs, KIRDIs,  KEFRIS, KARIs and
> allowed the government to create additional research institutes when
> necessary. With the government diverting research funds to these
> institutions, the University of Nairobi (only university in the 1970s)
> started experiencing both human and capital problems as active researchers
> drifted to these institutes and the government cut the university research
> budget. This served well the political system of the day since they wanted
> to tame political radicalism at the university by diverting the much needed
> funds to these ill conceived institutions.
> The political elite overlooked the fact that the university  can  conduct
> research at very low cost since students are not paid to carry out research
> (instead they pay the institution through fees, research grants, etc) and
> by design students are always graduating from the institution thus avoiding
> problems associated with ageing researchers.
> Proponents of modern university would tell you that the Science and
> Technology Act killed the ‘triple helix’, i.e the interplay between the
> university, industry and government and reduced the universities to
> lecturing, evaluating and degree granting institutions.
> Lastly, although licensing of researchers may be necessary in certain
> fields such as medicine on ethical basis, it should not apply to all
> fields. The drafters of the STIA 2013 needed to be more specific in this
> regard or specify that regulations will be developed covering the fields to
> be licensing and that the regulations will be reviewed from time to time.
> James A. Kulubi
>
> --------------------------------------------
> On Thu, 26/2/15, Paul Korir via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> wrote:
>
>  Subject: [kictanet] Kenya's Silicon Savannah & the Need    to do more
>  To: jkulubi at yahoo.co.uk
>  Date: Thursday, 26 February, 2015, 3:21
>
>  Listers,
>  I recall reading the Science
>  Technology and Innovation Act of 2013 (STIA 2013) and being
>  sorely disappointed at some of the articles in that piece of
>  law. I’m not convinced that that is the kind of law that
>  will advance Kenya. If anything, it has taken us back
>  (pre-1976 when the previous legislation was signed into
>  law). For example, article 12 criminalises scientific
>  research except with with a license, which is clearly in
>  contravention of article 33 (c) of the constitution
>  (academic and scientific freedom). The penalty of this
>  contravention is a fine of up to five million or a sentence
>  of four years.
>  Unless I’m missing something could
>  someone please explain how this is progress?
>  The previous law was in harmony with
>  international laws (to the best of my understanding) in
>  support of scientific research but these were thrown out
>  because NACOSTI (previously NSTI, if I recall) had been
>  operating ‘illegally’ (i.e. demanding licenses without
>  any legal basis). Now STIA 2013 makes it legal and given
>  NACOSTI the teeth it needs to enforce its agenda.
>  In fact, private companies are
>  required to pay the highest research license fees. These are
>  things which only happen in developing countries and stifle
>  creative innovation for short-term gain.
>
>  Paul Korir,
>  PhD+353 86 224
>  1966+254 72 400
>  4767
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  On 25 Feb
>  2015, at 15:29, kictanet-request at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>  wrote:
>  Kenya's Silicon Savannah & the
>  Need    to do
>  more
>
>  -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>
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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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