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<div>Thanks so much for this excellent update!</div>
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<span style="font-weight:bold">From: </span>kictanet <<a href="mailto:kictanet-bounces+ebeleokobi=fb.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet-bounces+ebeleokobi=fb.com@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>> on behalf of Ali Hussein via kictanet <<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>><br>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Reply-To: </span>KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>><br>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Date: </span>Wednesday, August 17, 2016 at 3:30 AM<br>
<span style="font-weight:bold">To: </span>Ebele Okobi <<a href="mailto:ebeleokobi@fb.com">ebeleokobi@fb.com</a>><br>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Cc: </span>Ali Hussein <<a href="mailto:ali@hussein.me.ke">ali@hussein.me.ke</a>><br>
<span style="font-weight:bold">Subject: </span>[kictanet] Update on ICT Practitioners Bill<br>
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<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dear Listers, </span></div>
<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Apologies for cross-posting.</span></div>
<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As you may recall, pursuant to views expressed on this list, we submitted a memorandum to Parliament opposing the ICT Practitioners Bill on 8th July 2016. </span></div>
<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We teamed up with like minded stakeholders who were also opposed to the Bill to form a working team comprising of ourselves, the <span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Kenya
Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), the Technology Service Providers of Kenya (TESPOK) , Kenya Information Technology and Outsourcing Services (KITOS) , Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) and the iHub. </span> </span></div>
<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The consortium was invited for a hearing before the National Assembly Committee on Energy and ICT on the 19th of July where a joint memorandum opposing the Bill was presented.
The Committee, relying on <a href="file:///C:/Users/GRACE/Downloads/Standing_Orders_National_Assembly_1.pdf">Standing Order</a> Number 140 advised on the procedure for withdrawal of a Bill, the gist of which is that the Bill can only be withdrawn by the sponsor.
The committee therefore advised the consortium to consider the content of the Bill and propose amendments. </span></div>
<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The consortium presented proposals for amendment on several occasions. On 28th of July, they had the opportunity to listen to the sponsor, Hon Adan Duale as he addressed the
Committee. He explained that the Bill had been borne out of a petition by a section of Kenyans who sought regulation the ICT sector practitioners. He also indicated that he was willing to incorporate stakeholder views. <br>
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<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The consortium has attended stakeholders fora organised by the Ministry of ICT on the Bill and arrived at a common position that the Bill should be withdrawn. In view of the
Committee's request for proposals for amendment of particular clauses in the Bill, stakeholders are meeting with the Ministry to discuss the same. </span></div>
<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It is worth noting that the Committee has extended the public participation period to allow for consensus building on the Bill. This is due to the contentions and opposition
to the Bill by a significant number of stakeholders, including the Ministry and the Communications Authority. </span></div>
<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">KICTANet representatives continue to engage in the process to ensure that our views are understood by the legislators. Together with other partners in the consortium, we are
also exploring other avenues to resolve the impasse and are hopeful that Parliament will eventually see the sense in dropping this ill informed law. </span></div>
<div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default">Regards</div>
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<div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.231373);"><b>Ali Hussein</b></span></div>
<div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.231373);"><b>Principal</b></span></div>
<div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hussein & Associates</b></div>
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+254 0713 601113 / 0770906375</div>
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Twitter: @AliHKassim</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Skype: abu-jomo</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">LinkedIn: <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__ke.linkedin.com_in_alihkassim&d=DQMFaQ&c=5VD0RTtNlTh3ycd41b3MUw&r=ArvepG4_wcNu_X9xi3nb_Xa9WsGLVfmK6mwPdVONOTE&m=RyCnmKnElmyFp5WWSWBatNBq_Dw3-DGiqUfOTTba1aA&s=jcddHs1Eitg5pSwnga5dQGm-ZrsWMuniIKZPBukrO2g&e=" target="_blank">http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim</a></span></p>
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<div>"Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought". ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi</div>
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