[kictanet] #KeIGF15 Online Discussions Day Three: Internet Economy

[Barrack Otieno]

Listers,

The rise of the Internet economy in Kenya has been defined by
different strokes. On  one hand there are small entrepreneurs doing
their side hustles from offices, small shops and car boots. They
advertise their merchandise and services on social media and in a
rudimentary form, some deliver merchandise in backpacks from door to
door.
Enter the bigger players who have large websites from where goods and
services are purchased. Their business models differ. We have
companies like  OLX, Cheki  that provide a platform for users to
interact. They make their money from advertising. Others such as Rupu
and Jumia offer services and merchandise at  reduced prices.

Questions

1. Does  an adequate legal framework exist to protect consumers from
fraud, deficient goods and services and to assure consumer rights in
the budding Internet economy?
2. Since the bigger players in the sector are doing well, is time ripe
for the local Internet economy to be taxed to raise money for
government services?
3. Should other services in the Internet economy such as cloud
services, international online purchases etc be taxed?
4. As a stakeholder , what are your recommendations on how the
Internet economy can be improved?

The floor is open, feel free to continue contributing to the
discussions of the previous days.