[kictanet] [NBS Working group representation] SMEs & indigenous startups NOT involved!

[S.M. Muraya]

Patrick,

Well articulated. In years gone by similar concerns have been shared by
many of us on this list.

Who are the primary sponsors? Are there any "benchmarking" trips? if so,
who attended the trips sponsored by these large entities?

FDI (foreign sponsors) may dominate on the Infrastructure side of
Broadband, however Access to Infomation is a highly localized function.

Our Public Officer Ethics Act (revised 2009) is quite potent if it were to
actually be ACTED on or effected by the EACC.

The NBS published in 2016 quoted the Constitutional right to Information
Access as one of its objectives.

The Access to Information Act - 2016 now obligates us to be provided with
public interest information.

Documenting and publishing public (interest) information can easily create
thousands of jobs in Kenya.  https://ajiradigital.go.ke/ ?

*Challenge:* 200 annual (online hosting + publishing) contracts @ KSH 10
Mln each  = KSHS 2 Bln - all awarded to local firms.

*Coverage:* 47 counties + 53 state depts, commissions. agencies + all
projects exceeding KSH 100 Mln + save us billions in stolen funds (and
opportunities).

*Transparency:* Indicate who is awarded the contract, timelines, dates paid
- or failure to pay (often indicative of sabotage).

*Charge:* Public/accounting officers to fail (within 12 monts) to procure
and maintain information/access portals - including skills/training.

In a progressive locality, leadership working to elevate its own people,
listens to and enables the local community to work with or without FDI.

https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/news/kivutha-kibwana-paltry-sh135m-big-projects



On Sat, Mar 16, 2019 at 12:35 AM Patrick A. M. Maina via kictanet <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

> Dear Listers,
>
> The National Broadcast Strategy was drafted by over 70 participants
> representing 40 organizations. On closer scrutiny, the private sector (and
> non-profit) representation appears heavily skewed in favor of *big-corp
> interests* with over ~90% of participants representing large entities (or
> mid-size entities in partnership with, or historically associated with
> advancing the interests of, large entities).
>
> Here's the breakdown:
>
> * 10 Local companies (of which 60% are the largest, most visible Kenyan
> ICT corporations).
> *   9 Foreign companies or MNCs
> *   5 Non-profits
> *   2 Universities
> * 14 Government Agencies
> *   *0* Indigenous ICT SME stakeholders (non-startups)
> *   *0* Internet Startup Stakeholder(s)
> *   *0* Indigenous tech innovators / inventors
> *   *0* Indigenous tech policy representative(s)
> -----
>   40 organizations (~71 participants)
> -----
>
> This elucidates why government policies tend to be *heavily and unfairly
> biased* towards large corporations, multinationals and NGOs to the
> detriment of SMEs and indigenous startup ecosystems (despite SMEs being the
> actual bedrock of Kenya's economy; the most innovative sector - albeit
> neglected and lacking opportunities for exposure; and the biggest jobs
> creators overall).
>
> Big corp's dominance at policy level is unfairly hogging government
> attention and thus preventing the development of a well coordinated
> tech-startup ecosystem based on a national ecosystem master-plan that would
> significantly and exponentially boost our economy within a very short
> period.
>
> This is one reason why our top graduates and innovative youth are jobless
> - relying on NGO handouts for survival (or having to grovel in the media to
> get PR-motivated "rescue offers" from *companies that would otherwise
> have turned down their application for merit-based consideration*).
>
> I think it is hypocritical, unethical and wrong for big corp to say it
> "cares" about the community when doing CSR - when behind the scenes it is
> busy hoarding all the meaningful opportunities, resources and government
> incentives that would be far more helpful to the same community in a
> sustainable way.
>
> Our President's call for promotion of SMEs, local Innovation,
> self-employment ("Tujiajiri") and millions of jobs for our youth might
> never materialize if things continue this way. The important role of SMEs
> and indigenous startups / innovations in supporting the Big 4 agenda needs
> to be emphasized and promoted.
>
> We need proportionate (and affirmative) policy representation at SME and
> Indigenous Startups / Innovations level. These representatives should be
> actual, experienced founders / innovators (who have been in the trenches
> and truly know where the shoe hurts) - not private "incubators" who will
> always be conflicted in favor of the hands that feed them (their MNCs /
> big-tech / big-corp partners).
>
> I humbly request government stakeholders on this list to kindly take note
> of the above problem and take action to remedy it please, in public
> interest. Opportunity should be equitably distributed in line with the
> spirit of our Constitution. Millions of jobs can be created (and we can
> avoid massive capital outflows) if this is done properly.
>
> Adopting the right policies is what made China take *700 Million people *out
> of poverty in just *40 years. *They have shown that it can be done. Let
> our policies be driven by similar goals, in line with Big 4 agenda: To take *40
> Million Kenyans* out of poverty and into a path of *sustainable
> prosperity *within *5-10 years*.
>
> Have  good evening.
> Patrick.
>
> Patrick A. M. Maina
> [Cross Domain Innovator | Independent Public Policy Analyst - Indigenous
> Innovations]
>
>
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-- 
SMM

*"Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one
who takes a city." Prov 16:32*
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