[kictanet] Craze over mobile phone must be one Kenyan ‘peculiar habit’

Mon Feb 29 12:58:51 EAT 2016

Hi Grace,

I think this comparison fails to critically explain the full picture in
regards to the role of a prevailing environment that allows the adoption of
a particular service let's take a minute and juxtapose the two:

*1. Cost *
The price of a toilet bowl is about KShs 7,000 while that of a phone can
even be KShs 999. The phone wins this round.

*2. Infrastructure*
For a mobile phone to work there needs to be a network infrastructure that
allows connectivity, so if there was no network then there would be no need
for a mobile phone.But here there has been significant investment in the
network connectivity by the relevant stakeholders i.e the telco's.

For a toilet to work there needs to be sewer system, a septic tank or
bio-digester. A majority of Kenyans cannot afford the huge amount to be
invested in  infrastructure a septic tank in upcountry costs at least KShs
70,000 to construct. So unless someone steps up to finance the heavy
infrastructural cost of a sewer system, the adoption of toilets is not
about to improve.

The phone also wins this round.

*3. Auxiliary Services*

 For successful provision of mobile phone services there needs to be access
to top-up credit. Telco's have greatly invested in ensuring a countrywide
distribution of top-up credit in whichever part of the country one is in.

For a toilet to properly work, there needs to be proper access water, in
most parts of the country tapped water is a myth. Most Kenyans cannot
afford the heavy investment in infrastructure that is needed to have tapped
water unless the government, or other well-wishers invest in this.

The phone once again wins

*3. Regulatory Environment*
Service provision by Telco's is highly regulated by the CAK and even the
CBK gets involved for services like remittance so the Telco's are forced to
offer acceptable standards of service.

The business of Sewerage services and water provision is governed through
devolved quasi-government entities that have neither the resources nor the
willpower to ensure a proper services to their citizens and they are rarely
held accountable

You guessed it , the phone wins over the toilet.

Bomu in this discussion, the toilet does not stand a chance against the
mobile phone unless there are changes in all the above. One thing is for
sure will the proper will power and investment anything is possible because
after all the toilet had quite a head start over the phone. I think toilets
can be as big a business as phones but it's in the hands of all the wrong
people.

Regards,

Rosemary Koech-Kimwatu
Twitter:@TechWakili
Tel:+254 718181644/771632344

On Mon, Feb 29, 2016 at 10:34 AM, Grace Mutung'u (Bomu) via kictanet <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

>
> Listers,
> interesting view from someone who is not typically in these streets:
>
> 
>
> What this success story does not explain, however, is why Kenyans are
> willing to invest in a mobile phone but not in other services, such as
> sanitation.
>
> Why has mobile phone connectivity gained more importance than toilets?
>
> A recent survey by Afrobarometer shows that while 98 per cent of Kenyans
> have access to a mobile phone, less than 20 per cent have access to proper
> toilets.
>
>
> http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/Craze-over-mobile-phone-must-be-one-Kenyan-peculiar-habit/-/440808/3096094/-/9a7unqz/-/index.html
> --
> Grace L.N. Mutung'u
> Nairobi Kenya
> Skype: gracebomu
> Twitter: @Bomu
>
> <http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/profile/GraceMutungu>
>
> PGP ID : 0x33A3450F
>
>
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