[kictanet] Taifa Laptop

Fri Aug 26 23:20:37 EAT 2016

David,
You are a great man.  Keep on sharing your experiences. Policy is a
democrat's tool for benevolent dictatorship.  The Government should just
have a policy to buy lab tops and desk tops from JKUAT.  Our taxes should
be spent on our products.

Ndemo.

On Fri, Aug 26, 2016 at 4:24 PM, David Otwoma via kictanet <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

> Michael,
>
> I first met Taifa laptops when we had the ASK Show in 2015. I thought it
> great then, and seeing this new development I think it is very good.
> http://www.jkuat.ac.ke/departments/it/taifa-a3-laptop/
>
> It reminded me of how I returned to Kenya in 2006 after almost 10 years
> abroad. The government had just removed duty on PC parts and hence since I
> was entitled to  a 40 foot container with my personal effects I filled it
> with motherboards, RAMs, HDs and other things not available locally. When
> it was eventually cleared I got some of my childhood pals we grew together
> in Eastlands and we would assemble "No Name" tower or desk top and enabled
> many who could not afford branded i.e. IBM, HP, Dell etc. to still enjoy
> what a computer can as the hardware of essence is the motherboard, RAM, HD
> while software those days one could pirate MS without dire consequences.
>
> My bossom buddy got his son admitted to JKUAT and when the boy was sent
> home for not having a laptop I advised he gets the Taifa as he will pay by
> installments. Going forward what JKUAT may do is enter into an agreement
> with some commercial bank(s) who can provide soft loans (now that interest
> rates are coming down by law) to enable those who wish to pay back in 4 or
> 5 years to have that facility.
>
> Globally I used to see German made (Siemen Company) desktops and towers
> sold to students through local arrangements with European banks not only in
> Germany but in Austria and Switzerland too. That does not stop those who
> may wish to buy say Apple, Toshiba, HP etc at a premium doing so. The
> beauty is we have our own, even if forced down out children's' throats, it
> eventually will bring about the effect I have seen in far of places like
> Japan, South Korea, USA just to name a few. I remember a friend who had to
> attended a 6 months training course in Japan was issued a Toshiba laptop
> and its cost included in the training package. the whole class had more
> than 20 Africans and it occurred every year since 1997. If JKUAT can borrow
> that leaf and extend beyong 1st years reporting to civil servants who have
> to attend some compulsory courses not available at Kenya School of
> Government it will be great as it would boost usage and outlet of this
> Taifa laptops. Better still is making a deal with government entities like
> the Ministries, Parastatals etc and supply us with this laptops. Only last
> week I was issued with the biannual replacement of my laptop witha HP
> imported from United Arab Emirates and I am willing to bet half my August
> salary that it was purchased in excess of kshs. 70,000 while its specs are
> not so different from the Taifa laptop! Why are we happier creating jobs
> for technicians (since someone may argue degree holders should not be
> assembling laptops) abroad while our own youths are jobless. Why do we wish
> to export our dollars abroad when we could pass the money to our own
> locally to spend locally, the bigger chunks, eventually?
>
> Finally every-time I visit West African countries I notice they do not
> wear suits like we do in kenya starting from their President down to the
> street urchins. They have evolved a sophisticated clothing industry that do
> not allow 'someone died aka mitumba' industry as we have here.
>
> Let me start counting the minutes to Furahi day.
>
> --
> --
> David Otwoma, PhD
> Chief Scientist,
> National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI)
> Utalii House, P.O Box 30623-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
> Safcom tel: +254 722 141771,
> Orange tel: +254 (0)20 2346915,
> email: otwooma at gmail.com & otwoma at uonbi.ac.ke
> http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000614284149
> http://www.nacosti.go.ke
> &
> Chairman,
> Eastern Africa Association for Radiation Protection,
> http://www.eaarp.org/
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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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> 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,
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