[kictanet] Taifa Laptop

Sat Aug 27 09:51:16 EAT 2016

@ Prof Ndemo,
As you well know and remember, we experimented with our famous e-Maddo machines that were assembled at a local university and we tried to sell them to government ministries - without much success. 
Each ministry had and perhaps still has its 'owners' who will NOT want to buy local when they can buy foreign - with some good 'personal returns' :-)
We have great ideas, but zero execution. 
#What_Would_Magufuli_Do :-)?
walu.
      From: Bitange Ndemo via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
 To: jwalu at yahoo.com 
Cc: Bitange Ndemo <bndemo at bitangendemo.me>
 Sent: Friday, August 26, 2016 11:20 PM
 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Taifa Laptop

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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