<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">Listers</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">The Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Information of Communications will launch a new Government�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Open</span>�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Data</span>�Portal on July 8, 2011 at the KICC that will<span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">,</span>�for the first time<span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">,</span>�make several large government datasets available to the general public in an easy to search and view format.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">�<span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">��</span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; "><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><br></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<font class="Apple-style-span" color="#1f497d" size="3">The launch will be presided over by HE President Mwai Kibaki .</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<font class="Apple-style-span" color="#1f497d" size="3"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<font class="Apple-style-span" color="#1f497d" size="3">Program commences at 9.30 tomorrow.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<font class="Apple-style-span" color="#1f497d" size="3"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">The web portal will allow citizens and the private sector to search and display national and county level�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">data</span>�in graphs and maps and allow for easy comparison and analysis between datasets.�<u></u><u></u></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><u></u>�<u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">For web and software developers, the portal will avail�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">data</span>�in useable formats like cvs, Excel and will even include APIs for each dataset.<u></u><u></u></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><u></u>�<u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">The portal will be one of the first and largest government�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">data</span>�portals in sub-Saharan Africa. With this launch, Kenya will become a leader among developing countries in the adoption of�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">open</span>�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">data</span><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">�-�</span>a movement that is gathering momentum globally. ��<u></u><u></u></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><u></u>�<u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 19px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px; ">What is�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">open</span>�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">data</span>?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px; "><u></u><u></u></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">Public information and searchable information are two different things. Much public�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">data</span>�is already available by law but it's often not usable because it is in a format that is not easy to find, use and re-use. Published PDF files do not constitute "<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">open</span>�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">data</span>" and are not helpful to large-scale users.<u></u><u></u></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; "><u></u>�<u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">To be�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">open</span>,�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">data</span>�must be:<u></u><u></u></span></p>

<ul type="disc" style="font-size: 13px; "><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; line-height: 19.2pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">easily found through search engines (meta-tagged)<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; line-height: 19.2pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">available in machine readable formats (CSV, XML, APIs not PDF)<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; line-height: 19.2pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">accessible by third party tools/applications (interoperable)<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; line-height: 19.2pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">allow others to use and re-use for non-commercial and commercial use (e.g Creative Commons Licences)<u></u><u></u></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(242, 238, 230); vertical-align: top; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; "><span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Open</span>�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Data</span>�not only increases transparency and accountability<span style="color: black; ">�but also</span>�promotes greater efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of public services by allowing users to easily consume and interpret�<span class="il" style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">data</span><u></u><u></u></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><u></u>�<u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; ">This is therefore to invite you to�the launch. You can register at the door on your arrival.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; "><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><br></span></p></span>Paul Kukubo<br>

Chief Executive Officer, Kenya ICT Board<br>PO Box 27150 - 00100<br>Nairobi, Kenya<br><br>12th Floor, Teleposta Towers Koinange Street<br><br>Tel +254 20 2089061, +254 20 2211960 <br>Fax: +254 20 2211962<br>website: <a href="http://www.ict.go.ke">www.ict.go.ke</a><br>

local content project: <a href="http://www.tandaa.co.ke">www.tandaa.co.ke</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/tandaakenya">www.facebook.com/tandaakenya</a><br>twitter:@tandaaKENYA<br>BPO Project: www. <a href="http://doitinkenya.co.ke">doitinkenya.co.ke</a><br>

Digital Villages Project: <a href="http://www.pasha.co.ke">www.pasha.co.ke</a><br><br><br>personal contacts<br>_______________<br><br>Cell: + 254 717 180001<br><br><br>skype: kukubopaul<br>googletalk: pkukubo<br>personal blog: <a href="http://www.paulkukubo.co.ke">www.paulkukubo.co.ke</a><br>

personal twitter: @pkukubo<br><br><br>____________________<br>Vision: Kenya becomes a top ten global ICT hub<br><br>Mission: To champion and actively enable Kenya to adopt and exploit ICT, through promotion of partnerships, investments and infrastructure growth for socio economic enrichment <br>