[kictanet] Taifa Laptop

Ali Hussein ali at hussein.me.ke
Fri Aug 26 05:51:48 EAT 2016 

Daktari

I'm with you. Mine is to debunk the myth that we have to start from mediocrity to grow our local industries. We don't have to use the same legacy thinking of yesteryears. 

Local industry is critical for development even as we move even more faster towards the utopia of the Information Age. Even the Americans are realizing that the notion of outsourcing to China may be a short time profit thing but not necessarily good for the country. However, there's a deliberate effort to encourage this. Like The
Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2013

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revitalize_American_Manufacturing_and_Innovation_Act_of_2013

Let's support local products and solutions. But let's also ensure we hold ourselves to the highest standards possible.

Ali Hussein
Principal
Hussein & Associates
+254 0713 601113 

Twitter: @AliHKassim
Skype: abu-jomo
LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim


"Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi

Sent from my iPad

> On 25 Aug 2016, at 10:57 PM, Bitange Ndemo <bndemo at bitangendemo.me> wrote:
> 
> Ali,
> I have actually used Taifa and I was impressed with the product.  It was a mistake that we killed Nyayo car because we ended up probing up the Proton from Malaysia that was started exactly the same time.  Some of the imported computers are hopeless.  I can show you several e-waste that we keep on importing simply because it is imported.  We have killed the textile industry by wearing other people's used clothes yet an economist will tell you that the price of a new product drops when supply increases.
> 
> Ndemo. 
> 
>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 10:28 PM, Ali Hussein via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>> This notion that local equates or should be inferior harks us back to the Nyayo Car. We shouldn't expect mediocrity just because it's local. The days of comparative advantage and 'National Pride' for inferior products MUST end otherwise we will continue to lag behind as a contingent.
>> 
>> Let's buy local yes. But let's continuously demand the highest standards. It is the only way to keep local industry alive.
>> 
>> Ali Hussein
>> Principal
>> Hussein & Associates
>> +254 0713 601113 
>> 
>> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>> Skype: abu-jomo
>> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>> 
>> 
>> "Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought".  ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>> On 25 Aug 2016, at 9:39 PM, Ahmed Mohamed Maawy via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Its not that I am disputing that fact Dr. Ndemo. But the fact that they can pay extra to buy a foreign product gives that extra room for choice - in a free market choice is a must have. Having a free market is in some circumstances maybe even better for the development of our own products. Competition breeds efficiency in the long-run.
>>> 
>>> I totally agree that we need to support Taifa as a product and make it scale. But again the consumer has the right to have a choice. Some kids go to University barely on loans that they can raise from family, if they could. Some just can not - and in my personal capacity having been one of those on that demographic I can feel what some of these kids can feel.
>>> 
>>> It just means that we need to become better business people to market that product better.
>>> 
>>> I believe Kenyans can be patriotic. All they need is a reason to be so. All they need is leadership.
>>> 
>>>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 9:33 PM, Bitange Ndemo <bndemo at bitangendemo.me> wrote:
>>>> Ahmed,
>>>> They did not but in Korea everybody had to use the local products.  To buy foreign, you had to pay extra.  In fact even today only 1 in 10 cars on the road that is not Korean.  The point I am making is that our problems emanate from the appetite of foreign goods.  That is how we are not creating jobs.  Freedom even in the most free states is relative.  Our security now and in the future depends on what we do with unemployment.  
>>>> 
>>>> Ndemo.
>>>> 
>>>>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 9:23 PM, Ahmed Mohamed Maawy <ultimateprogramer at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Agreed with you bwana Ndemo 100%
>>>>> 
>>>>> But the point of all this is that the Koreans didn't come to force us to buy their units.
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 9:19 PM, Bitange Ndemo via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>>>>> Michael,
>>>>>> I have bought six of Taifa Laptops for students who come to me for help.  They are happy with the product.  I don't buy Taifa because it is cheap.  I buy to support the growth of light electronic manufacturing industry in Kenya.  We have bought garbage in form of tablets for many years from Asia.  We effectively supported Asians to go through the learning curve.  Today they dominate the sector.  India is making the industry a priority and estimates show it will top more than $ 900 billion by 2020.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Before we criticism these noble efforts we must look back and correct our attitude.  We supported Koreans perfect the Hyundai, Indians perfect the Mahindra, Japanese perfect the Toyota Mark II and Chinese perfect their electronic manufacturing capability.  Kenya will not wake up one day and produce a perfect product without going through a learning curve.  JKUAt has had to go through the learning curve since they produced their first computer, Madaraka with the support of the Ministry of Information and Communications.  We have a collective responsibility to be part of the solution to our perennial problems of unemployment.  Without the local market we cannot scale.  Patriotism means we make certain sacrifices while giving constructive criticisms.  Africa will never get out of poverty by being consumers of other people's products.  Go buy Taifa and give some advise on what they need to improve.  It has warranty and personally I have no problem with the lap top.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Ndemo.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2016 at 12:10 PM, Musya Michael via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>>>>>> Anyone using this laptop? Experiences so far?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/08/22/parents-protest-jkuats-imposition-of-taifa-laptops-on-students_c1407693
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Michael Musya.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
>>>>>>> Philippians 4:13
>>>>>>> 
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>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> Ahmed Maawy
>>>>> Executive Director - SwahiliBox / M-Power (CBO)
>>>>> Curator - Global Shapers Mombasa Hub
>>>>> Ambassador - Open Knowledge
>>>>> Director - Startup Grind Mombasa
>>>>> Software Developer - AJ+ / EveryLayer
>>>>> (KE) +254 714 960 627
>>>>> Skype: ultimateprogramer
>>>>> 
>>>>> swahilibox.co.ke
>>>>> globalshapers.org
>>>>> www.okfn.org
>>>>> startupgrind.com
>>>>> ajplus.net
>>>>> www.everylayer.com
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- 
>>> Ahmed Maawy
>>> Executive Director - SwahiliBox / M-Power (CBO)
>>> Curator - Global Shapers Mombasa Hub
>>> Ambassador - Open Knowledge
>>> Director - Startup Grind Mombasa
>>> Software Developer - AJ+ / EveryLayer
>>> (KE) +254 714 960 627
>>> Skype: ultimateprogramer
>>> 
>>> swahilibox.co.ke
>>> globalshapers.org
>>> www.okfn.org
>>> startupgrind.com
>>> ajplus.net
>>> www.everylayer.com
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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.
>>> 
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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.
>> 
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> 
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