Walu,<br>strong as it maybe, it has taken ten years, i may have used strong words but in my opinion, the government hasnt shown much commitment apart from singing how ICTs can improve our lives<br><br>and you are right, some bills have been passed in record time, yet one maybe tempted to think the government is very committed, but to what extent,<br><br>thats just the way i see it!!<br><br>Rebecca<br><br><b><i>John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com></i></b> wrote:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> Rebecca,<br><br>Your comment <br><br>''...Kenya has no ICT law, doesn�t seem to care much about<br>e-commerce whether in country or between Kenya and other<br>countries''...may be abit on the stronger side.<br><br>I believe the relevant Kenyan agencies both in Govt,<br>Private Sector and Civil society do care and have made and<br>continue to make effort towards a legalised
eCommerce<br>environment.<br><br>The current Kenyan ICT policy does take cognisance of the<br>significance that eCommerce has and the draft ICT Bill<br>(2006) does make attempts to legalise this e-environment.<br><br>What could be lacking is a mechanism for fast-tracking the<br>issues i.e. escalating the time frame between Policy, Bill<br>and Law. Indeed, the last bit - enacting law is the<br>trickiest since it lies at the mercy of Parliamenterians<br>(MPs)...<br><br>Nevertheless, there could be interventions tailored to gain<br>Parliamentary 'buy-in'. After all, they have been known to<br>pass some Bills in record-time, why not the e-Bills?<br><br>walu.<br><br><br><br> <br><br>--- Florence Etta <feanywhere@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:<br><br>> Thanks Becky for this valuable and insightful piece. I<br>> would ask what can KICTANEt and or similar networks do<br>> about this. This is for me ois the bigger question.<br>> <br>> Cheers,<br>> FE <br>> <br>>
Florence Etta <br>> P.O. Box 14285,00800<br>> Westlands-Nairobi, Kenya<br>> Tel: Mobile + 254-733-621851 <br>> Terrestrial: + 254-20-7121506 <br>> Fax: + 254-20-7125732 <br>> Alternative Email:florence.etta@gmail.com<br>> <br>> ----- Original Message ----<br>> From: Rebecca Wanjiku <rebeccawanjiku@yahoo.com><br>> To: feanywhere@yahoo.co.uk<br>> Sent: Tuesday, 5 December, 2006 9:36:41 PM<br>> Subject: [Kictanet] IS ICANN IMPORTANT?<br>> <br>> PLAYING THE CATCH UP GAME- AFRICAN STYLE<br>> By Rebecca Wanjiku<br>> Paul Odhiambo is an ICT officer at the Ministry of<br>> Education in<br>> Kenya . He is used to the technical jargon and all<br>> issues relating to the information society.<br>> <br>> But attending the Internet Corporation for Assigned<br>> Names and Numbers (ICANN) meeting is not that easy for<br>> Odhiambo. In some of the sessions, he finds himself in<br>> unfarmiliar territory. Why
? afterall he is a techie !<br>> <br>> Because at the meetings, participants discuss about ICT<br>> laws and how they can be made responsive to people�s<br>> demands and privacies. For instance, during discussions<br>> on WHOIS, participants discuss issues on how much<br>> information should be available to the public and whether<br>> such information should be shared accross the sectors. <br>> <br>> Then there are other issues on the menu like security<br>> concerns and the<br>> usual business aspect of e-commerce. Legal issues are<br>> also discussed regarding applicable laws in case of cross<br>> country trade. For example, if importing a car from Dubai<br>> , if it�s damaged at sea and you bought it online, which<br>> courts can you seek redress? Kenyan court or Dubai .<br>> <br>> Odhiambo may find himself in unfamiliar territory<br>> because Kenya has no ICT law, doesn�t seem to care much<br>>
about e-commerce whether in country or between<br>> Kenya and other countries.<br>> <br>> Odhiambo�s story is probably the story of many African<br>> participants at ICANN meetings. Latin America, North<br>> America, Europe and Asia seem to be operating on a<br>> different level compared to Africa .<br>> <br>> While the rest are discussing progressive issues,<br>> African delegates can only watch and say, we have our<br>> issues- access, and policy formulation. <br>> <br>> But for how long will Africa cling on to the problems<br>> as an excuse?<br>> <br>> Take for example the issue of access, those who were in<br>> the ICT industry will maybe confirm that some African<br>> heads have sang this song of the digital divide, lack of<br>> access and lack of money.<br>> <br>> But the leaders have gyrated and swung their hips at<br>> the prospect of development that ICT holds. Whilst
the<br>> question of infrastructure and finance maybe understood,<br>> what about policy formulation, can that be understood<br>> too?<br>> <br>> Many of us stay home and wonder why ICANN meetings are<br>> important. Some may view it as a travel club or a<br>> playground for techies. While you wonder what label to<br>> give them, these guys are making policies that could<br>> affect you.<br>> <br>> What are you doing about it?<br>> <br>> Ends <br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> Rebecca Wanjiku,<br>> journalist,<br>> p.o box 33515, <br>> Nairobi.00600<br>> Kenya.<br>> <br>> Tel. 254 720 318 925<br>> <br>> blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/ <br>> <br>> <br>> Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo!<br>> Small<br>> Business._______________________________________________<br>> kictanet mailing list<br>> kictanet@kictanet.or.ke<br>>
http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet<br>> <br>> Please unsubscribe or change your options at<br>><br>http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/feanywhere%40yahoo.co.uk<br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> Send instant messages to your online friends<br>> http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com ><br>_______________________________________________<br>> kictanet mailing list<br>> kictanet@kictanet.or.ke<br>> http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet<br>> <br>> Please unsubscribe or change your options at<br>http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com<br><br><br>__________________________________________________<br>Do You Yahoo!?<br>Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around <br>http://mail.yahoo.com <br><br>_______________________________________________<br>kictanet mailing list<br>kictanet@kictanet.or.ke<br>http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet<br><br>Please
unsubscribe or change your options at http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/rebeccawanjiku%40yahoo.com<br></rebeccawanjiku@yahoo.com></feanywhere@yahoo.co.uk></blockquote><br><BR><BR>Rebecca Wanjiku,<br>journalist,<br>p.o box 33515, <br>Nairobi.00600<br>Kenya.<br><br>Tel. 254 720 318 925<br><br>blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/<p>
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