[kictanet] Draft National ICT Policy Discussions Day 8 of 10: Emerging Issues ( Big Data, Bitcoin, Internet of Things)

Fri Jul 1 16:46:27 EAT 2016

Barrack, please not that you have jumped the gun. Blockchain and
cryptocurrency is not in the Draft Policy. :-)

As you can see from the sentiments, the pioneers of tech want to hear the
government voice on the same. *I hope after this public consultation, we
will see a paragraph about blockchains in the draft.* It can be a high
level paragraph that read

*x) Blockchains: We acknowledge the tremendous potential of the blockchain
technology in transforming various sectors of our economy and their
application in governance especially smart contracts. As the innovations
progress, Kenya is committed to adopt the technology in our society. *

It has been said before that "That blockchain technology will have an
impact equal to the creation of the Internet ..."

The Harvard Business Review conducted a two-year research project exploring
how blockchain technology can change the way we securely move and store
host "money, titles, deeds, music, art, scientific discoveries,
intellectual property, and even votes" It states that blockchain is the
first native digital medium for value, just as the internet was the first
native digital medium for information. And this has big implications for
business and the corporation.
https://hbr.org/2016/05/the-impact-of-the-blockchain-goes-beyond-financial-services
.

Regards.

______________________
Mwendwa Kivuva, Nairobi, Kenya
twitter.com/lordmwesh

On 1 July 2016 at 11:00, Barrack Otieno via kictanet <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

> Ahmed,
>
> Thank you for your intervention. How do we convert this wonderfull
> idea into a simple policy statement that can support innovation and
> research and developement, please feel free to edit the policy
> document on the Jadili platform to make sure it captures this
> suggestion. We can refine it during the face to face meeting. Here is
> the link http://jadili.ictpolicy.org/docs/kenya-ict-policy.
>
> On 7/1/16, Ahmed Mohamed Maawy via kictanet
> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
> > I think there is a huge statement being made by Samsung with their move
> to
> > Tizen
> > <
> http://venturebeat.com/2015/09/02/samsung-has-shown-its-serious-about-tizen-but-is-it-yet-the-os-of-everything/
> >,
> > and apparently bold statements being made with regards to Android (and
> that
> > Tizen will be the platform of choice). Outwardly the world will tell
> > Samsung that they can not openly compete with Google on this.
> >
> > But then there’s something we are not seeing in this whole equation - the
> > future of technology and computing.
> >
> > Major players are all looking to invest in IoT and Big Data. Because in a
> > world of 6 Billion people in the Information and Knowledge revolution,
> IoT
> > is not something that may happen. It will. Because according to IBM
> > <https://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/bigdata/what-is-big-data.html> -
> > Every day, we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data. And this is why
> Samsung
> > might win big. They are not building for now. They are building for the
> > next 2 to 5 years to come.
> >
> > Kenya faces a magnitude of challenges home made technology can solve. And
> > technology does exist for us to create sustainable solutions - and create
> > markets for sustainable solutions, as SwahiliBox had demonstrated close
> to
> > a year back when we had very much earlier predicted the marriage between
> > Big Data and IoT
> > <
> http://swahilibox.co.ke/blog/2015/06/open-data-and-the-iot-bootcamp--mombasa--june-2015
> >
> > and we had developed prototypes that were even open sourced
> > <https://github.com/SwahiliBox/OpenDataIoT> to demonstrate how easy and
> > sustainable it can be to develop next generation solutions making use of
> > both Big Data and IoT.
> >
> > Bwana Waziri, I think as a market this is one of the major areas we need
> to
> > focus on - and that we are seriously neglecting. We can not keep on
> > innovating on top of ERPs and M-Pesas and that is just it. Silicon
> Valley's
> > innovative potential does not just encompass systems like Adobe
> Photoshop,
> > but also innovations on top of IoT and Big Data
> > <
> http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/networking/300079090/the-ten-coolest-iot-startups-of-2015.htm
> >.
> > We need to innovate hardware that can be relevant within the African
> > Context - Hardware that can then hook up with the ERPs and M-Pesas, and
> > maybe bring to life a whole different export channel to other countries
> and
> > governments looking for sustainable hardware solutions. And Kenya can do
> > this.
> >
> > We need to push more resources into innovating around Big Data, Cloud and
> > IoT. As a market we can only achieve maximum innovative potential in
> > adopting the trends that players like Samsung, Intel, IBM, and the likes
> > are investing billions of dollars to get right.
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Jul 1, 2016 at 5:30 AM, Ali Hussein via kictanet <
> > kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
> >
> >> Barrack and all
> >>
> >> For the first time Net Neutrality is being given a voice. But not far
> >> enough. We need clear direction on this important issue. Where do we
> >> stand
> >> on:-
> >>
> >> *Net Neutrality*
> >> 1. Third party liability?
> >> 2. Fair and equitable treatment of Internet traffic?
> >> 3. Zero rating of services?
> >> 4. I understand that Tespok did a study that showed an increase in data
> >> revenue from OTT and messaging services like YouTube and WhatsApp. It
> >> would
> >> be interesting if we could see that report or failure of which (as
> Tespok
> >> is a member based Organisation and may choose not to share it with the
> >> general public) CA may need to step in.
> >> 5. Finally can the new regime tell us once and for all whether Kenya
> >> finally signed WCIT12 and what prompted the change of heart?
> >>
> >> *Mobile Money and the new reality of Blockchain Technology.* Let's not
> >> beat about the bush here. The very leadership position that has been
> >> achieved by our adaption of Mobile Money is at risk by burying our heads
> >> in
> >> the sand when it comes to Blockchain Technology.
> >>
> >> We need to stop thumping our chests about the phenomenal success of
> >> Mpesa.
> >> The reality is that Mpesa is only successful here in Kenya and a few
> >> other
> >> countries. Mpesa stopped innovating in this space years ago. It's time
> >> for
> >> a new reality. Mpesa is yesterday's news. Let's start creating a new
> >> narrative. We need a Global Champion. The likes of PayPal, eBay, Google
> >> etc. and we have it in us to do it.
> >>
> >> Kenya, and Africa are again at risk of being left behind. No other than
> >> the Governor of the Central Bank is on record saying that we shall wait
> >> and
> >> see what the West does before jumping in. I respect the man alot but I
> >> think engagement with the nascent Fintech Space in Nairobi together with
> >> the ICT Ministry is long overdue. We MUST chart our own path - And it
> >> needs
> >> to be a pioneering path not a follower path. We need a clear policy
> >> statement from the ICT Ministry on this.
> >>
> >> I'm reliably informed that the ICT Ministry and the Central Bank has
> >> formed or will form a joint committee to look into the adaption of
> >> BlockChain Technology. I may have missed this but is there a
> >> representative(s) from the private/banking/Fintech space? Sometimes I
> get
> >> the feeling that this country's leaders still don't get the spirit of
> the
> >> New Constitution we promulgated in 2010. I would like to humbly remind
> >> ourselves of this:-
> >>
> >> The *constitution* was presented to the Attorney General of *Kenya* on 7
> >> April 2010, officially published on 6 May 2010, and was subjected to a
> >> referendum on 4 August 2010. The *new Constitution* was approved by 67%
> >> of *Kenyan* voters. The *constitution* was promulgated on 27 August
> 2010.
> >>
> >> In the spirit of Uzalendo and moving this country forward let us share
> >> more and consult more extensively. This exercise of subjecting the new
> >> ICT
> >> Policy to this level of public scrutiny and intellectual discourse on a
> >> list like Kictanet is unprecedented. And highly commendable, This
> >> certainly
> >> shows the willingness and openness of the leadership of CS Mucheru. It's
> >> not a coincidence that he and PS Victor Kyalo are founder members of
> >> Kictanet. Intellectual discourse, sharing and engagement is in their
> DNA.
> >> I
> >> must however caution them that they must shine daylight into
> *EVERYTHING*
> >> that involves the public good. This new discussion on Blockchains is
> good
> >> for the public and the nascent FinTech community. We *CANNOT* and *MUST
> >> NOT *let vested interests prevail in the corridors of power at the
> >> detriment of the country at large.
> >>
> >> It may well be that this country decides that BlockChain Technology will
> >> do more harm than good to us. However, I humbly suggest that decision
> >> should not be left to a few individuals. No matter their station in life
> >> or
> >> government. A robust platform of discussion and consultation spearheaded
> >> by
> >> the ICT and Treasury Ministries must be held. And this must be kicked
> off
> >> as soon as possible because time's a-wastin'.
> >>
> >> My humble two cents..
> >>
> >> *Ali Hussein*
> >> *Principal*
> >> *Hussein & Associates*
> >> +254 0713 601113 / 0770906375
> >>
> >> 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 1 Jul 2016, at 1:33 AM, Barrack Otieno via kictanet <
> >> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
> >>
> >> Day 8 of 10:
> >>
> >> * Internet of Things, M2M
> >> * Net Neutrality & OTT
> >> * Big Data
> >> * Virtual Money/BlockChains
> >>
> >> The Background:
> >>
> >> Internet of Things is a vision (now a reality) of physical objects
> >> (machines, vehicles, buildings, etc) fitted with sensors that allow
> >> them to  communicate with each other.  The smart-city concept
> >> envisions sensors continuously reporting status (e.g Traffic status,
> >> Pollution Status, Maintenance Status) of the different objects to
> >> allow for efficient management response. A lot of data exchanges
> >> arises hence the term Big Data with its associated data analytics
> >> requirements.
> >>
> >> Meanwhile, Virtual Money/Currency (Bitcoin, etc) threatens to disrupt
> >> the need for a centralised banking institutions. Over The Top (Skype,
> >> Twitter, FB, Youtube) have been around longer but the need to regulate
> >> or NOT to regulate them continues to be debated.
> >>
> >> Given recent developments on the KiCTANET list on Virtual money  what
> >> should  our position on these and other emerging issues be from a
> >> policy perspective ? is there need to embrace the issues?
> >>
> >> Your comments are welcome
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Barrack O. Otieno
> >> +254721325277
> >> +254733206359
> >> Skype: barrack.otieno
> >> PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> kictanet mailing list
> >> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> >>
> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at
> >>
> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
> >>
> >> 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,
> >> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy,
> do
> >> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> kictanet mailing list
> >> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
> >>
> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at
> >>
> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ultimateprogramer%40gmail.com
> >>
> >> 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,
> >> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy,
> do
> >> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > *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 <http://okfn.org/>
> > startupgrind.com
> > ajplus.net
> > www.everylayer.com
> >
>
>
> --
> Barrack O. Otieno
> +254721325277
> +254733206359
> Skype: barrack.otieno
> PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
>
> _______________________________________________
> kictanet mailing list
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>
> Unsubscribe or change your options at
> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kivuva%40transworldafrica.com
>
> 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,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/kictanet/attachments/20160701/19c69e67/attachment.htm>