A few points for discussion, for the sake of research:<br><br>The concept behind research is to take a large amount of information, compile it in a reasonable way and share it for educational purposes. Policy makers need to read research for a variety of sources before they make decisions. <br>
<br>What may be missing from this discussion is the research from the development community that illustrates how ICTs when utilized properly can benefit the people. But when content developers (aka the media) and others are not free to express their research (stories) without arbitrary censorship, a country puts it self at risk. Please see <u>Development as Freedom</u> by Amaryta Sen, foremost economist on development and freedom, winner of the Nobel prize in Economics, and Sen's work on how democracy and a free media have prevented famine in India. <br>
<br>One question for Walu, how many people have to be on the brink of starvation before the title FAMINE applies?<br><br>A few suggestions:<br><p align="justify">
<b>So what are some definitions of famine?</b> </p><p align="justify">
• According to Médecins Sans Frontières, famine is a situation where more than five people in 10,000 are dying every day. </p><p align="justify">
• USAID says a famine is a "catastrophic food crisis that results in
widespread acute malnutrition and mass mortality. It is a process,
rather than an event, with a beginning, a middle and an end." </p><p align="justify">
• The World Food Programme says a famine occurs when a serious food
crisis is made worse by "governments' failure to deal with the
situation". In most of the 80 countries where WFP operates, people are
on the brink of a food crisis. </p><p align="justify">
• Nigerien President Mamadou Tandja put it this way in an interview in
August with the BBC: "There are three signs of a famine: when people
are leaving the countryside and going to live in shantytowns; people
are leaving the country; and there are beggars all over the place.
Those three things do not exist in Niger at the present time." </p><p align="justify">
• Devereux and Howe suggest this definition: "Famine is where the
number of people dying is between 2-4 people per 10,000 population per
day, and/or wasting is between 20-40 percent (that is the proportion of
children aged between six months and five years old who are less than
80 percent of the average weight-for-height). Coping strategies are
exhausted and people adopt survival strategies. Markets begin to close
or collapse." <br></p><p align="justify">So where does Kenya fit into this equation? </p><p align="justify">According to the World Bank, one of the primary funding agencies for ICTs for development in Kenya the infant mortality rate has been on the rise for the last 10 years. As of their 2007, Millennium Development Goals report the infant mortality rate is up to 79 out of 1,000. That was before the post-election violence, drought, and crop failure. I am sure it is much higher as I know of three children who have died in the last week in Likoni. The under five mortality is up to 121 per 1,000. Unfortunately the data for the poverty reduction of Goal 1 is missing from the dataset as if the figure for malnutrition. However if you compare the Kenyan Bureau of Statistics numbers such as poverty in Ganze constiuency in Coastal province, you will see that the malnutrition is rampant. As for survival strategies and rural to urban migration just take a look at the child prostituion trade at the Coast and the burdgening population and insecurity in Likoni.</p>
<p align="justify"><a href="http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/KENYAEXTN/0,,menuPK:356536%7EpagePK:141132%7EpiPK:141109%7EtheSitePK:356509,00.html">http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/KENYAEXTN/0,,menuPK:356536~pagePK:141132~piPK:141109~theSitePK:356509,00.html</a><br>
</p><p align="justify">With 10 million people on the brink of starvation, roughly one third of the country, I would in my professional opinion call it a famine.</p><p align="justify">So where does this fit into the policy? Again according to the World Bank, The vision of the ICT policy in Kenya is to become "an e-enabloed and knowledge based society by 2015." Their mission is "to use ICT to improve the livelihoods of the people of Kenya and opitmize its contribution to the economy." <br>
</p><p align="justify"><a href="http://siteresources.worldbank.org/PSGLP/Resources/ICTPolicyandKenya.pdf">http://siteresources.worldbank.org/PSGLP/Resources/ICTPolicyandKenya.pdf</a></p><p align="justify">SO... If these are the goals of the ICT policy then why haven't the people received any share of the $116 million in World Bank loans given to the government? Would a country on its way to becoming a knowledge based society chose to curb the voice of the media if they had the priorites of the people in mind?</p>
<p align="justify">Really, I just wanted to share some of the thoughts rambling around in my head as I watch the children in my village starve... <br></p><p align="justify">Any thoughts from anyone else?</p><p align="justify">
Many blessings,</p><p align="justify">Crystal<br></p><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 3:16 PM, Catherine Adeya <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:elizaslider@yahoo.com" target="_blank">elizaslider@yahoo.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div>
<br>
I do agree with the authors (I believe from an IDRC publication) who wrote ".....the link between policy research and policy-making is
non-linear. Researchers must be flexible and agile in their timing and
approaches if they are to influence economic policies. They should be
willing and able to re-assess the situation at any point in time, and
to re-visit their course of action or strategy". <br><br>Failing to plan is planning to fail. Research is not for research sake; research should and can inform policy. Many research centres were created in response to the need to develop
policies that are home-grown, given the context of the failures of
imported policies. Many policymakers run back to the very researchers who they would listened to in the first place to ensure they work in partnership; however researchers must work in a timely manner. Essentially, Walu, is on the right track.<br>
<br>Best,<br><br>Nyaki<br></div><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><hr size="1">
<div><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Bill Kagai <<a href="mailto:billkagai@gmail.com" target="_blank">billkagai@gmail.com</a>><br></div><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> <a href="mailto:elizaslider@yahoo.com" target="_blank">elizaslider@yahoo.com</a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cc:</span></b> KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Saturday, January 17, 2009 11:23:42 AM<div>
<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [kictanet] Day 5 of 10-KCA
2008, IT Section - the Bad + Recommendations<br></div></font><div><div></div><div><br>
OK, I am convinced. This discussion is to do with research and I commend that.<br>
The only catch I can foresee is captured very well by Physicist Dr. Angeyo Kalambuka...quoting him verbatim,<br>
<br style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">
<b><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">[However, normally, academics look backward to find lessons;
policymakers look ahead and often must improvise. Academics can wait
until all the facts are in; policymakers cannot. The time horizon of
academics may be years; the horizon of policymakers, weeks, days, even
hours.]</span></b><br>
<br>
Source - <font style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" size="1"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/-/440808/513790/-/428722/-/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/-/440808/513790/-/428722/-/index.html</a></font><br>
<br>
This is the key difference between David Makali and co. (who are making
things happen and shaping the future) and 'us' who are waiting to
derive research from the action Media policy makers take. That is why
they are a step ahead of us. Walu is our Academician. Where are our
policy makers who will influence our future??<br>
<br>
Bill<br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 9:32 AM, Barrack Otieno <span dir="ltr"><<a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:otieno.barrack@gmail.com" target="_blank">otieno.barrack@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
If
i may contribute to this exchange i think the discussion is important
Bill. The Law is already in place , however everyone seems to be having
their own opinion on the Pro's and Cons of the New law which is
counterproductive in the long run for the sector.Dont forget there are
vested interests and sideshows in this whole Law
issue, as practitioners it is important that we are all informed on the
benefits (or good tidings) that the new new law brings and the
challenges it might bring to the sector in the long run.In short as
others are submitting their petitions let the debate continue, we were
challenged at the Hilton Forum to embrace Research and the kind of
information being exchanged on this forum is of utmost importance to
all members. <br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote"><div><div>On Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 3:55 PM, John Walubengo <span dir="ltr"><<a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:jwalu@yahoo.com" target="_blank">jwalu@yahoo.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
</div></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div><div>Bill,<br><br>I
have no game plan, I am an Academician and so find that I am able to
look at this issues from each stakeholders perspective relatively
objectively - and yes my effort was 'duly' commissioned by the
KICTANet National Cordinator - though not digitally signed :-(.<br>
<br>This 10day exercise is not intended in anywway to undermine any
other 'fact-finding' exercise and I believe the Ministry (of Info) does
have the resources to multi-task and receive ideas from face-2-face
workshops, online workshops, et al.<br>
<br>With regard to timeliness - last I heard was that Wako (AG) and/or
Parliament can only begin to debate the suggested
recommendations/proposals in April 2009 under a new Bill. So my take is
that we have enough time for KICTAnet, ISACA and/or any other
Stakeholder to submit their ideas.<br>
<br>Why go into the other Sections -IT, Telco, Postal, etc?. Again, my
brief was to do total review of ALL sections - avoid being trapped in
the over-hyped Media vs Govt debate because all the other sections are
important too and could stand to benefit from a review.<br>
<br>I attach the Program Outline which I posted on Day 1 and looks like
you missed it (hence your suspicions?). Nevertheless, If members wish
that we rest the discussion, I will close the discussion and move out
of the Chair accordingly.<br>
<br><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br></blockquote></div>
<br>
</div></div></div></div></div><br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Crystal "Naliaka" Watley<br>Voices of Africa<br><a href="mailto:crystal@voicesofafrica.org" target="_blank">crystal@voicesofafrica.org</a><br><a href="http://www.voicesofafrica.org/" target="_blank">http://www.voicesofafrica.org/</a><br>
<br>"You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi<br>