[kictanet] [private sector, the silent architects of corruption and impunity] Vodacom, Tala bosses charged with economic sabotage in Dar

Mon Apr 15 19:56:01 EAT 2019

 Indeed, we always assume private sector is clean by default, yet it is corporations (all over the world) that offer inducements to Government officers (in cash or kind - including including delayed/indirect kickbacks like revolving door arrangements), engineer complex cross-border crimes, lobby for legal loopholes / weak laws or predatory legislation, agressively avoid taxes while lying that they care about the society that they are predating on, steal intellectual property, pevert court/redress systems to miscarry justice, act as conduits for laundering and generally promote impunity to facilitate their goal of operating above the law. 
TZ's President Maghufuli is on point holding private sector executives to account. This is not about innovation vs legislation, it's about (alleged) brazen acts of impunity. 
We all know corruption always involves private sector beneficiaries. So how come corporate executives maintain a clean image and are not held to account for their role in corruption (remember how our banks got off easy, with simple token fines, despite being caught, apparently knowingly, laundering proceeds of crime)? 
Is it by accident or design that we always see media emphasis on the government side of the corruption.. ?
Perhaps one reason is that our "bold and fearless" mainstream media (MSM) relies so heavily on ad revenues that it cannot dare bite the hand that feeds it. How can MSM executives risk their revenue targets (or entire business viability) by reporting objectively against their most lucrative clients? I would not be surprised if a lot of news articles have to be pre-vetted, massaged or blocked by "client" companies before release.
Clearly the (global) news sector is ripe for disruption. There is a growing market that is willing to pay a subscription for objective, high quality news from a "difficult to compromise" source, rather than be bombarded with free but highly dubious, potentially biased and narrow scope (information bubble) coverage from sources that can never be objective because their business model is compromised to the core. I think conversations about press freedom and media independence should explore the tyranny of advertisers much more closely.
Meanwhile, thank God for the internet and democratization of publishing! At least the fake news and algorithmic bias problems have been acknowledged by new media stakeholders and are being worked on globally. In contrast, traditional media (globally) are yet to admit (or be called out by consumer advocates, with few exceptions) that it has a MATERIAL conflict of interest problem with its advertisement-reliant business model.
This illustrates the true complexity of corruption. How do you fight a monster that has already swallowed everyone who is potentiallg capable of doing something about it?
Perhaps we need new economic models that are designed around the reality that corruption is now too deeply entrenched in our culture and systems. Are we being delusional or naively hopeful when we fight corruption?
There are rich countries whose entire economies rely on global corruption; perhaps we should start studying them so we can tame this monster and make it work for us, IP nstead of against us? What if Kenya joined the UK, Switzerland, Singapore and Luxemburg as a "financial haven" (hint hint)?
Food for thought (intentionally provocative to stimulate free intellectual debate, apologies in advance if anyone is offended by the idea of embracing corruption). 
Good evening,Patrick.

Patrick A. M . Maina[Cross-domain Innovator | Public Policy Analyst - Indigenous Innovations]

    On Monday, April 15, 2019, 2:34:13 PM GMT+3, Barrack Otieno via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:  

 Hi Noah,
Many thanks for presenting the other side of the coin. Its rather unusual for a Company of Vodacoms calibre but that said we have seen cases of hapless techies paying for ommissions made by MNC's. As a Nation we lost young Engineers full of promise because of such ommissions hence i was just raising the flag so that this does not recur. Technology is always ahead of legal and regulatory frameworks and there is always a chance that trailblazers will find themselves on the opposite side of the law.
Regards
On Mon, 15 Apr 2019 13:59 Noah, <noah at neo.co.tz> wrote:

Hi Barrack
The issue with Vodacom was actually a result of Vodacom and the other 3rd party terminating international voice traffic without complying with the regulatory requirements.
Vodacom  and the others accused have since paid fines and those who were charged released on bail. 
https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Vodacom-Tanzania-CEO-released-after-paying-Sh6-billion/1840340-5067422-w1eye1/index.html
Its important that as we do business in the region, we also ensure that we comply with local laws and ignorance of law should not be an excuse to break the law imho.
Noah
On Mon, 15 Apr 2019, 08:55 Barrack Otieno via kictanet, <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

Listers,
seems as a region we still have a long way to go doing Tech business across the borders. I hope the Kenyan High Commissioner in Tanzania who is a techie intervenes since i can see one of our home grown techies in the thick of things. Let us not wait for a repeat of what happened in Ethiopia.
https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/business/Vodacom-tanzania-tala-bosses-charged-with-economic-sabotage/2560-5055246-dcdaeuz/index.html
In summary

   - The companies and their staff face 10 charges of contravening the Economic and Organised Crime Control Act, 2002.
   - They were remanded, as the crimes they are accused of are not bailable.
Best Regards

-- 
Barrack O. Otieno
+254721325277
+254733206359
Skype: barrack.otieno
PGP ID: 0x2611D86A

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