[kictanet] Day 3 of 6 (Wednesday) :-Innovators, Innovations & Suppliers

Wed Feb 8 16:10:00 EAT 2017

@Ahmed,
Noted. Am sure Steve's Safcom team is reading and compiling a response :-)
Meanwhile, is Machuchi in the house?
I added Suppliers on the theme hoping he has some beef to share.  Ama Steve has sorted him out offline? Either way, he has to share the issues for the benefit of the others :-)
walu.

      From: Ahmed Mohamed Maawy <ultimateprogramer at gmail.com>
 To: Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com> 
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>; "skunkworks at lists.my.co.ke" <skunkworks at lists.my.co.ke>
 Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2017 3:32 PM
 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 3 of 6 (Wednesday) :-Innovators, Innovations & Suppliers

Firstly, M-Pesa is definitely being hailed as a global disruptive innovation. This means one thing only. It needs to act so.

My response will be simple. This is where I expected M-Pesa would be today with an open all inclusive model: https://stripe.com/

On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 1:54 PM, Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com> wrote:

@Ahmed,
Do you mind clarifying a few things.  
I take it that you agree that Safcoms APIs are not too open.  Particularly the payment solution.  I presume that would be the MPESA platform which seems limited or restricted to some chosen few developers. 
Further you say that solutions built around the MPESA  APIs are not scaleable to other domains and you seem to suggest a better option out of this.
What would this option be?
Are you suggesting that rather than trying to plug into MPESA through APIs, MPESA should be released and sold as a module that developers can plug into just about anything they need to  - and pay royalties to Safcom on per use basis? 
walu.

      From: Ahmed Mohamed Maawy <ultimateprogramer at gmail.com>
 To: Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com>; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke > 
Cc: "skunkworks at lists.my.co.ke" <skunkworks at lists.my.co.ke>
 Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2017 12:29 PM
 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 3 of 6 (Wednesday) :-Innovators, Innovations & Suppliers

I will ask 2 questions as a Solutions Architect myself:

   - As a solutions developer, Safaricom does not provide its platform openly to allow 3rd party integration as does other service providers. And even if some lucky 3rd party do it, the flexibility to implement the solution to meet a diverse set of needs is quite limiting. Somehow makes a lot of us feel as if the payment solution is a "premium access" product available to specific players. The Safaricom API is not a convenient way out of it. Bootsrapping a solution around the API itself requires dedicated develper(s). For instance, stripe payments makes payment gateway integration part of the process not a separate development process.   

   - Where is the guarantee (legally binding) also that I can deploy freely a solution based on your payment platform without it being replicated?   

On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 12:20 PM, Walubengo J via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke > wrote:

Good point @ Mildred,
What role can Safcom play in promoting our own version of 'Nollywood'?  
During Ndemo days, there was talk of 'Riverwood' productions from River Road, Nairobi. Looks like they died a silent death?
walu.

      From: Mildred Achoch <mildandred at gmail.com>
 To: Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com>; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke > 
Cc: "skunkworks at lists.my.co.ke" <skunkworks at lists.my.co.ke>
 Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2017 9:32 AM
 Subject: Re: [kictanet] Day 3 of 6 (Wednesday) :-Innovators, Innovations & Suppliers

Good morning everyone,

Thank you to the KICTANET moderators and Safaricom for this opportunity to engage.

First, I would like to echo Grace B's sentiments. Thank you Safaricom for being in almost every part of Kenya. It goes a long way in assuring me that you guys will be around for a long time. Secondly, kudos for being one of the first companies in Kenya to embrace the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the goals)

Regarding the fact that you are in almost every part of Kenya, my question is: is there a way you can partner with Kenyan filmmakers to promote Kenyan films and series/web series? Especially the work of independent and upcoming filmmakers who usually don't have the connections or resources to plug into the existing broadcasting/screening channels. I applaud innovative initiatives such as Skiza tunes and Blaze. These say to me that similar initiatives can be implemented to promote Kenyan filmmakers. Media convergence is already here with us; as a market leader, Safaricom should be at the forefront of innovative initiatives related to this.

Regards,
Mildred Achoch.

Check out the Rock 'n' roll film festival, Kenya TV Channel! 
http:// kenyarockfilmfestivaljournal. blogspot.com

On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 8:11 AM, Walubengo J via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke > wrote:

Morning Listers,
As usual, feel free to do belated questions for Safaricom on previous thematic areas.  However, today we want to move onto Day 3 Theme - Innovators, Innovations & Suppliers.    I have copied in the innovators on Skunkworks and hope to hear their views as well.
So straight into the theme:
Safaricom has been quite innovative andkeeps coming up with new ways of doing things. As an innovator/developer/supplier, please tell us your experiences with regard to Safaricom Innovation as well as theirprocurement ecosystem. a) Is their development platform and applicationprogrammable interface (API) sufficiently open?b) Are the issues to do withIntellectual property /Patents/Procurement clear and adequate?c) Whereas the gain-sharing agreementsare private and confidential, how can they be made better?d) What is Safcom take onBitcoin/Blockchain technologies?
Lets hear your views, experiences and proposals.
We have only one day on this.
walu.----List of Themes---1. Consumer Issues Day, 2. Competition Issues Day, 3. Innovators, Innovations &Suppliers Day, 4. Infrastructure & Universal AccessDay, 5. Technology & Elections Day 

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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, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.

-- 
Ahmed Maawy
Principal Product Management Specialist - Al Jazeera Media Network
Skype: ultimateprogramer

-- 
Ahmed Maawy
Principal Product Management Specialist - Al Jazeera Media Network
Skype: ultimateprogramer

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