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

Fri Jul 1 20:49:21 EAT 2016

Hi Grace,

Blockchain & crypto-currencies will be an important focus area for our
Banking & Mobile Money COMESA Conference at Panafric Hotel over 30-31
August. The draft programme is attached.

John Karanja’s BitHub and the work being done by Michael Kimani’s Blockchain
Africa are adding to the pioneering work done by BitPesa. Central Bank and
the commercial banks need to learn from the expertise developed by these
initiatives, rather than taking the usual route of starting from scratch -
or commissioning expensive international consultants to develop a report. So
often, talent on our doorstep is overlooked in favour of
big-names-over-the-seas!

Sean Moroney

Chairman

AITEC Africa

seanm at aitecafrica.com <mailto:seanm at aitecafrica.com> |Skype: seanmoroney 

UK Mobile: +44(0)7973499224|Kenya Mobile: +254(0) 737148814

www.aitecafrica.com <http://www.aitecafrica.com/> 

From: kictanet
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+seanm=aitecafrica.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf Of Grace Githaiga via kictanet
Sent: Friday, July 1, 2016 10:36 AM
To: seanm at aitecafrica.com
Cc: Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Draft National ICT Policy Discussions Day 8 of 10:
Emerging Issues ( Big Data, Bitcoin, Internet of Things)

The issue of virtual Money/BlockChains is gaining traction all over the
World. I was in a meeting recently and one question that most people asked
me when they learnt I was Kenyan was on what were my thoughts around block
chain technology disrupting our famous mpesa. Unfortunately I had no answer
for them but it got me thinking. I am glad that someone on this list shared
this link
https://followmyvote.com/online-voting-technology/blockchain-technology/
which explains clearly how it works, at least for those who are not
conversant. It is a worthy read.

My questions:

1. Considering that Kenya has taken a lead in issues of technology, should
we be concerned about block chain technology considering it kinda provides a
platform where no one organisation owns the data? And in light of KRA
wanting to compel safaricom to share the data of its subscribers? 

2. Will it disrupt Mpesa?

3. Where is Central bank in this matter? Is central bank concerned that
technology is about to change the way it does business or will it wait to
make some unfortunate comment like it did recently on bloggers being
responsible for the withdrawals at Chase Bank?

4. And where is Treasury in this debate? Is it concerned with financial
technology?

5. Considering that this might be an idea whose time has come,  do we need
policy direction on this issue? 

I believe we have an opportunity with this ICT policy to be futuristic. Ama
niaje?

Rgds

GG

  _____  

Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2016 06:13:08 +0300
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Draft National ICT Policy Discussions Day 8 of 10:
Emerging Issues ( Big Data, Bitcoin, Internet of Things)
From: kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
CC: ultimateprogramer at gmail.com <mailto:ultimateprogramer at gmail.com> 
To: ggithaiga at hotmail.com <mailto:ggithaiga at hotmail.com> 

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--mombas
a--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-sta
rtups-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 <mailto: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 <mailto: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

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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.

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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
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