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<DIV>Hi Dr. Ndemo,</DIV>
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<DIV>Yet another of your safe answers to a very tricky question.</DIV>
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<DIV>So we will you be organising a session with "private sector" to plan the way forward?</DIV>
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<DIV>Regards</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>Robert Yawe<BR>KAY System Technologies Ltd<BR>Phoenix House, 6th Floor<BR>P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200<BR>Kenya
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<DIV>Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
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<B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> "bitange@jambo.co.ke" <bitange@jambo.co.ke><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> robertyawe@yahoo.co.uk<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Cc:</SPAN></B> KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Wednesday, 10 December, 2008 20:42:00<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: [kictanet] 1 million Laptops for who?<BR></FONT><BR>Dear Faima Basly,<BR>You are asking good questions pessimistically. what I said is that we<BR>shall start a one Million lap top campaign early next year. In otherwords<BR>we want at least one million laptops/notebooks in the hands of Kenyans<BR>from all walks of life. The strategy is to partner with whoever aligns<BR>themselves with our main policy direction - to lower the cost of accessing<BR>technology in Kenya - and specifically
encouraging local assembly in order<BR>to develop capacity. Government has no intention of making any<BR>procurement arrangement for the public. This is private sector work. <BR>Ours is to facilitate. If Intel lowers cost for Laptops chips as part of<BR>of our camapign and they intend to do that, that is good since that will<BR>benefit all assemblers.<BR><BR>We are looking at the issue from a macro level as we want as many Kenyans<BR>access technology. We are pretty sure Broadband would be affordable in<BR>less than one year from today. Having broadband will make every Kenyan a<BR>clerk but indeed help many to participate in the global economy.<BR><BR>Asante.<BR><BR><BR>Ndemo.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>><BR>> Mr Robert,<BR>><BR>> I read the article in the papers yesterday and couldn’t help but echo some<BR>> of your questions on this mail list that unfortunately have not yet been<BR>> responded
to.<BR>><BR>> Of key interest is the following:<BR>><BR>> Whats the plan for procurement? tender or 'donated'? To me this is a<BR>> perfect opportunity to set up a partnership for local assembly with any of<BR>> the big boys - Acer, Dell, HP etc to set up an assembly plant with a 2<BR>> year clear handover to Kenyans, part of the deal should have initial 80%<BR>> local employment with clear skill transfer built in so that in 18 months<BR>> you have 99% local employment at the plant. Do the math 1,000,000*40,000<BR>> kshs ( assumed price) = Lots of money. This is a deal that anyone would<BR>> salivate for.<BR>> Will the computers have MS Office or Linux - Again do the math as its<BR>> likely to be the former.<BR>> What about capacity building? Planned for or just wish ful thinking?<BR>> Was there a need analysis carried out to determine that it is indeed<BR>> Laptops required?<BR>><BR>> So to me
procurement of laptops should never be an option. As we already<BR>> have the madaraka project in place, why not up skill and upscale this to<BR>> meet this demand for the 1 million laptops. Or is Madaraka over?<BR>><BR>> Secondly , the target group, I think you have it right, whats this about<BR>> 'rural'? What is rural in Kenya? is it Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir, Nyeri,<BR>> Malindi, Kibira? We need a clear cut definition and probably a sector by<BR>> sector prioritization based on Vision 2030 and logically what will reap<BR>> benefit to the Kenyan economy. Don’t get me wrong we must develop Kenyans<BR>> consistently with a strong plan not hide behind the Rural Urban divide.<BR>> I raise some of these concerns because last week I was eavesdropping on a<BR>> launch at one of our Key hotels in Kenya . A Major computer chip<BR>> manufacturer was launching their East African offices. They showcased<BR>> their effort
being a certain school in Nairobi having received some<BR>> special student laptops and the school was showing how learning was<BR>> improved. All good, but the purpose of the Launch? To make an appeal to<BR>> the PS MOE to consider 'partnering' with this company to sell 240,000<BR>> laptops to the teachers in Kenya( wow I thought what a marketing gimic is<BR>> this how it’s done?)Will this lead to a pronounce from MOE of some 240,000<BR>> Laptops for teachers???? Hook and bait? Anything further than this would<BR>> be speculation.<BR>><BR>> I agree teachers need laptops (computers maybe), but once again can we<BR>> plan collectively as a government to work in unison and benefit locals on<BR>> employment and empowerment? It CAN be done.<BR>><BR>> Which brings me to the reason for this email.<BR>><BR>> Shouldnt there be some kinds of checks and balances in place in our<BR>> Ministries? Is there a way that
'we' can be involved before some of these<BR>> utterances are made?<BR>><BR>> We have two PS's of different Ministries each thinking along the same<BR>> paths both with good ideas, but I worry on the path to execution. Of these<BR>> 1 million Laptops Ndemo speaks of - what percentage for his fellow<BR>> teachers? Jua Kali artisans?, Medical students. Is there a master plan<BR>> being followed? or is it pure chance ?<BR>><BR>> Dr Ndemo,I am sure there is a simple enough response to the queries raised<BR>> above. I sincerely hope you will take the time to respond, and put my mind<BR>> and probably others as well? at rest.<BR>><BR>> Ms. Basly.<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> ______________________________________________________________________<BR>><BR>> Hi Dr. Ndemo,I felt it would not be fair to close the year with one final<BR>> outburst on your ministries policies.It was good to see that
the<BR>> governement will be giving laptops to youth in the rural area.<BR>> <A href="http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/-/1006/499894/-/jh30hdz/-/index.html" target=_blank>http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/-/1006/499894/-/jh30hdz/-/index.html</A><BR>> Last time I checked 80% of the students in the University are from the<BR>> "rural areas" would it not make more sense to first equip them with the<BR>> necessary tools. I recently talked to IT degree students at Nairobi<BR>> university and was shocked to find that less than 5% have computers<BR>> dedicated to them and this are not provided by the institution but have<BR>> been bought privately.It is good to talk of empowering the rural folk but<BR>> is this the best way, should we not begin at the top and work our way<BR>> down. This computers would also provide greater mileage if we example<BR>> they where to be giving to to students in teacher
training colleges so<BR>> that they can take technology to the schools, country wide that they will<BR>> be posted to after they graduate?Also do not forget the medical students<BR>> who would be able to provide better medical services if they knew how to<BR>> use and had access to the internet's resources.Another major issue that is<BR>> lacking from the story is how the laptops are to be procured, is there any<BR>> likelihood that they will be assembled locally as if they are we shall be<BR>> killing to birds with 1 stone.<BR>> Robert YaweKAY System Technologies LtdPhoenix House, 6th FloorP O Box<BR>> 55806 Nairobi, 00200Kenya<BR>> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696<BR>><BR>> _______________________________________________kictanet mailing<BR>> <A href="mailto:listkictanet@lists.kictanet.or.kehttp"
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