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Post by abdulmote on Feb 15, 2014 19:47:22 GMT 3
I have often wondered and find myself bemused everytime I am reminded of Uhuru's laptop pledge for our young children. The idea is quite facinating even though it seems to generate so many questions which remain unanswered. Today, for instance, one of the Parliamentary Committee investigating this project reported some of its findings and some questions abound and have to be answered.But the tendering issue aside, where it may appear that some people are out to make a killing as is the norm in Kenya, as a laptop user myself and having a family of my own, I have never stopped worrying about the various issues such a gift may bring about. Take for example the laptops' maintenance in case they break down or are infected with a virus. Who bears the cost? And what if they get stolen or are simply dropped down or some liquid poured on them accidentally as it commonly happens? Who will provide a cover for such accidents? And what are the gadgets supposeed to provide to these kids by having such in their posession at such a young and tender age? Will the laptops provide them with any better opportunities than some of us, who learnt how to use the Pcs well in their adulthood and past their twenties? And how are these gadgets supposed to be secured, whether at school or at the children's homes when not in use? I bet some 'clever' kenyan somewhere is already putting measures in place of 'harvesting' on Uhuru's latest technological advancement in due course once the shipment has landed. What a fattening opportunity eh? And then we have the over 20,000 printers and projectors to boot. Talkof wanting to run before learning to crawl. In the meantime some Kenyans are dying of hunger, rampant and prenventable desease and widespread unemployment. Our youths are rioting with armed robberies, acts of terror and some religious intolerance and extremism, putting fear even amongst the most optimistic of Kenyans. The public wage bill is currently over the roof and public taxation promises to make lives of Kenyans even more difficult in the years and decades to come. Commodity prices are becoming more expensive than in the European countries and the security provision is thin and unpredictable. Three months ago I was contemplating selling whatever the little assets I have in Europe and move all my capital into Kenya, where I would have wished to spend the rest of life if I have any. Currently I have second thoughts on that idea and am beginning to grow cold feet the more I think about the same. Sometimes I wonder whether it is just me, or many others are in similar state of mind to mine. As much as love my country more than any other I can think of, Kenya frequently leaves me confused, fearful ad uncertain of its future, all the time, again and again and again!
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Post by OtishOtish on Feb 16, 2014 23:54:57 GMT 3
Abdulmote: First, welcome back! Actually again ... Last night I wrote a fairly lengthy response to your comments. This morning, I thought I should clean up certain "under-the-influence" bits (such as the availability of cheap internet porn in South Korea). My success in editing went beyond what I initially had in mind ... I still have to figure out the exact circumstances in which the "Jukwaa editor" will delete everything when the "return" key is hit with the cursor at the left edge ... I can't recreate the whole thing, but: * In short, I think the laptops-for-all-toddlers is a bizarre joke, but it makes a great deal of sense when seen as an eating opportunity. I have for many years been involved with some primary schools in rural Kenya, and, as far as I can tell, laptops are nowhere near the top of anyone's priority list. On a personal note, after careful consideration, I restrict my children's use of such gadget's and insist that they engage in proper learning; their school too has similar restrictions. * I did not get to comment on the following bit, and I shall now do so. Three months ago I was contemplating selling whatever the little assets I have in Europe and move all my capital into Kenya, where I would have wished to spend the rest of life if I have any. Currently I have second thoughts on that idea and am beginning to grow cold feet the more I think about the same. Sometimes I wonder whether it is just me, or many others are in similar state of mind to mine.There was a time when I would have such thoughts every winter; as I get older, my ability to take 3 or 4 months of cold misery diminishes rapidly, so returning to Kenya, on retirement, was a serious option. (If I recall correctly, you live in the UK, where the weather is bad, throughout the year, the food is bad, the people are bad ... OK, the food situation has improved a bit, with the influx of "ethnics", but still!) What has happened over the years is that the situation in Kenya has become increasingly unwelcoming. Greed, corruption, violence, personal insecurity ... these seem to dominate society at all levels. Moving capital to Kenya? You don't know who will eat it and when. Found yourself a nice little place at the Coast or wherever, in which to enjoy some sunshine in the sunset years? You don't know when local manambas will break in and cut your throat just for the TV. Think an aging person might need access to good healthcare and that such should be provided by the government? Think again. Want to do this, that, or the other, by way of leading a normal life (as opposed to a hermit's life)? Be sure to set aside a non-trivial percentage of your capital for the inevitable kitu kidogo that will be required everywhere. You don't care , because all you want is to be close to your relatives? If those are anything like mine, they will be among the people robbing you. Etc., etc. etc. There are plenty of other places for sun and a properly "relaxed life", and quite a few are affordable. Have you noticed that most serious Kenyan "cyberforums", including Jukwaa have become rather "quiet", and even the ones that thrive on matusi while busy are not doing "as well" as, say, a year ago? Is it just because the elections are over and done with and issues like the ICC no longer excite? I am not so sure. When I was in Kenya a few months ago, I visited different parts of country, and I found the national mood quite odd. I could only describe it as some sort of " national ennui". Rasna Warah is better with words and has been able to express some what I felt: " The state’s apparent indifference towards these events and citizens’ concerns have left many wondering whether years of constitution-changing was an utter waste of time and resources ... Those Kenyans who seek normality in the face of chaos and myopia are retreating into their tiny little worlds." www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/Kenya-Tyranny-Despair-Apathy-Constitution/-/440808/2143536/-/13nipthz/-/index.htmlSuppose you return to Kenya, because you love your country. Are you sure that, in return, your country will show you some love? That's how I would look at it.
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Post by abdulmote on Feb 18, 2014 23:20:17 GMT 3
OtishO brother, Thank you so much for your generous contribution here. Your observations do stimulate some painful reality in me about our mother Kenya. I will come back again for more as soon as time allows me. And I don't mean the pain... Thank you bro.
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Post by omundustrong on Mar 13, 2014 12:01:39 GMT 3
Ndugu Abdulmote,is this project jinxed from the word go?Election promises are good for hoodwinking the electorate but where the rubber touches the road is in the implementation,the word implementation looks simple,but complicated!Implementation means operationalising the promise,how you do this is by talking to the technocrats without the unnecessary heat of the campaign mood and doing due diligence.This assists in finding out the infrastructure in place to support the project.
Jubilee Government is quickly attaining the ignominious tag of a government unable to successfully float and award a tender without any irregularities being detected,is it because of vested interests or incompetence from the officers in Government.Laptop project cancelled,SGR under scrutiny,CBK Governor under probe,something is amiss somewhere.
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Post by kamalet on Mar 13, 2014 14:15:17 GMT 3
I have often wondered and find myself bemused everytime I am reminded of Uhuru's laptop pledge for our young children. The idea is quite facinating even though it seems to generate so many questions which remain unanswered. Today, for instance, one of the Parliamentary Committee investigating this project reported some of its findings and some questions abound and have to be answered.But the tendering issue aside, where it may appear that some people are out to make a killing as is the norm in Kenya, as a laptop user myself and having a family of my own, I have never stopped worrying about the various issues such a gift may bring about. Take for example the laptops' maintenance in case they break down or are infected with a virus. Who bears the cost? And what if they get stolen or are simply dropped down or some liquid poured on them accidentally as it commonly happens? Who will provide a cover for such accidents? And what are the gadgets supposeed to provide to these kids by having such in their posession at such a young and tender age? Will the laptops provide them with any better opportunities than some of us, who learnt how to use the Pcs well in their adulthood and past their twenties? And how are these gadgets supposed to be secured, whether at school or at the children's homes when not in use? I bet some 'clever' kenyan somewhere is already putting measures in place of 'harvesting' on Uhuru's latest technological advancement in due course once the shipment has landed. What a fattening opportunity eh? And then we have the over 20,000 printers and projectors to boot. Talkof wanting to run before learning to crawl. In the meantime some Kenyans are dying of hunger, rampant and prenventable desease and widespread unemployment. Our youths are rioting with armed robberies, acts of terror and some religious intolerance and extremism, putting fear even amongst the most optimistic of Kenyans. The public wage bill is currently over the roof and public taxation promises to make lives of Kenyans even more difficult in the years and decades to come. Commodity prices are becoming more expensive than in the European countries and the security provision is thin and unpredictable. Three months ago I was contemplating selling whatever the little assets I have in Europe and move all my capital into Kenya, where I would have wished to spend the rest of life if I have any. Currently I have second thoughts on that idea and am beginning to grow cold feet the more I think about the same. Sometimes I wonder whether it is just me, or many others are in similar state of mind to mine. As much as love my country more than any other I can think of, Kenya frequently leaves me confused, fearful ad uncertain of its future, all the time, again and again and again! Abdulmote Good to have you back! Moving away from the procurement process issues, and having read your concerns, I see these as the usual grumbling of Kenyans on anything the government works to achieve. When Uhuruto came up with the computers for all kids in school as a campaign promise, I argued that it was a good idea and whilst people were worried about the remote areas, I suggested that the laptops could be solar powered to resolve the problem. I still believe that this is a very good idea and parents would be welcoming this for various reasons. I have looked at the cost of text books as against e-books which parents queue to buy at the beginning of every year and it is a no brainer how cheap these can end up being even where the government is providing such books - they do not get lost neither do they get torn or damaged! The questions you ask suggest that the government may not have thought out a lot of your concerns and without an answer they idea cannot be good! As I said above, I thought they were going for solar laptops, but do you know that the rural electrification programme was actually changed to ensure that there was electricity available at every primary school? I cam to know this when chasing electricity for my mother's farm house when I was told that if there is a primary school in the vicinity of her farm, she can be assured of cheap electricity and a faster installation. Now this is an unpublicised program. In every school I am informed that funds are being made available through the counties to have storage rooms for the laptops as kids will not carry them home. We could go on and on, but I believe the mandarins at Jogoo house have thought it all out how the project will succeed including how to line up their pockets. Your lamentations about crime, hunger or disease whilst relevant should not be tied to a single government undertaking. There is a budget for each of these things and they have not been starved of money on account of this project! You lose the argument on the laptops with these issues as the replacement of the project will not address the problems you raise. You decision on the investment shift has to be yours and cannot be premised on these things. I keep telling people that people that sit and wait for the government to resolve things before they make a move will never make the move as these issues will continue being with us. So do like very many honest Kenyans do...go where you have little government and you will make money!
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Post by podp on Mar 13, 2014 17:40:09 GMT 3
But the tendering issue aside, where it may appear that some people are out to make a killing as is the norm in Kenya, as a laptop user myself and having a family of my own, I have never stopped worrying about the various issues such a gift may bring about. Take for example the laptops' maintenance in case they break down or are infected with a virus. Who bears the cost? And what if they get stolen or are simply dropped down or some liquid poured on them accidentally as it commonly happens? Who will provide a cover for such accidents? And what are the gadgets supposeed to provide to these kids by having such in their posession at such a young and tender age? Will the laptops provide them with any better opportunities than some of us, who learnt how to use the Pcs well in their adulthood and past their twenties? And how are these gadgets supposed to be secured, whether at school or at the children's homes when not in use? I bet some 'clever' kenyan somewhere is already putting measures in place of 'harvesting' on Uhuru's latest technological advancement in due course once the shipment has landed. What a fattening opportunity eh? And then we have the over 20,000 printers and projectors to boot. Talkof wanting to run before learning to crawl. Abdulmote The questions you ask suggest that the government may not have thought out a lot of your concerns and without an answer they idea cannot be good! As I said above, I thought they were going for solar laptops, but do you know that the rural electrification programme was actually changed to ensure that there was electricity available at every primary school? I cam to know this when chasing electricity for my mother's farm house when I was told that if there is a primary school in the vicinity of her farm, she can be assured of cheap electricity and a faster installation. Now this is an unpublicised program. In every school I am informed that funds are being made available through the counties to have storage rooms for the laptops as kids will not carry them home. We could go on and on, but I believe the mandarins at Jogoo house have thought it all out how the project will succeed including how to line up their pockets. 1st red high light I have tried experiments and have to admit children (from those not aware of the alphabet to rural folk who had never seen computers before and are above 10 years) do take good, very good care of what they treasure. it is better to provide them with laptops, even iPads if the price was good....and my oh my the gadgets will have us bringing up a generation that will be way ahead of most of us at the same age! 2nd red high light actually tenders have been issued for supply of solar to those schools not on the grid while for those that are within the grid any school, community center (church, mosque, temple, market place etc) should have electricity. just note the Constitution allows both National and County [4th Schedule also Article 185 (2), 186 (1) and 187 (2)] governments functions and powers to plan and develop electricity. although current statistics show electrification is highest in Nairobi (47%) and least in rural (2%) areas giving an overall level of less than 20% nationally, the fact that expansion of transmission, distribution and generation is taking place will result in increased access to all. riding on the laptop this will be spin offs that should make all support the laptop project. of course with improved governance issues of corruption ought to be dealt with but that should not be the reason to shelf the lap top project. improvement on suggestion e.g. setting up of computer laboratories will also result is spin offs to citizens in general and all those concerned (children, suppliers, etc.) hence uplifting the status and index of Kenya
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Post by OtishOtish on Mar 19, 2014 16:36:46 GMT 3
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Post by abdulmote on Mar 19, 2014 23:13:05 GMT 3
OtishO, Thanks for that link. I read the online 'papers' everyday, but I would have missed that one. Very sad indeed. I could almsot feel the agonising pain of suffocating under rotten excrement poor Mulama had to go through before his last breath. And his parents. What a traumatic episode they must have gone through. I don't think any parent would be able to forget such a horrific incident upon their child. All due, perhaps, to somebody's negligence, or deprevation of funds for such an important and critical facility the government must provide. Yet someone thought giving these kids a laptop to take home at such a tender age will provide our population with some wonderful opportunities. As the picture in the DN shows us, some don't even have a roof, leave alone walls, for a place they may be calling 'schools'. But the laptops are a priority, we are told. Forget about food for some of these young souls, pit latrines, walls or a shack for a class room. Laptops first. The last time I checked, I couldn't avoid thinking that the current generation of young people, despite having all this information at their finger tips through IT, most of them are so empty headed, I can only deduce that it all has to do wh such easy access of such facilities and therefore lack of that need as the mother of necessity to motivate their learning and knowledge acquiring instincts. Tell me, who would want to count, mentally so to speak, if a calculator is infront of them? Somebody I knew from Tanzania would call such items as "vyombo vya walemavu". Tools of the disabled. And then the tendering scandal. I don't know whether to cry or scream, in anger. On the other hand, look at Maggie. That one of Kenyatta. What a magnificient woman! One would wish our president thinks along similar lines. Running a marathon for maternal health of our poor mothers and sisters. At such an age. I admire her and wish I could offer her some of my few pennies towards her goal. I love her for that and I really mean it! Kenya must be cursed and blessed in equal measures.
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Post by kamalet on Mar 20, 2014 13:29:10 GMT 3
It is rather unfortunate to use such an excuse to fault the laptop project. I hold the view that there will always be a constant gap between the well to do and the poor. There will be a constant gap between well equipped school and schools without any equipment. But the solution can never be to stop development so that the poor catch up. Some things must be allowed to continue as efforts to upgrade the deprived areas are made...these efforts must also be constant.
The notion that stopping the technology revolution to bring about equality is as yesterday as they come. Did people not fight the advent of the computer under the guise that it would bring unemployment? Do we not have computers in virtually every office? The fact that Abdulmote and Kamale can converse via a blog is one of these developments of technology. I have lived through the Telex machine and the short life of the Fax machine but I know how much difference the computer and the web has brought to my work and life. When I grew up, there were many children who did not go to school for lack of a teacher leave alone a roof whilst others had parents who could not be bothered!
It is not any different in business. I am in the IT industry and I know the impact to business when you do not use technology. I continue to hold the belief that the laptop project is perhaps the best this for this country if the process can be cleaned out and expedited.
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Post by podp on Mar 20, 2014 13:32:23 GMT 3
www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-159485/court-suspends-order-cancelling-laptop-tenderthe sad circus continues 'as the reality that has emerged is that political loyalty is the key qualification for this cadre of staff.' “Compared to regular civil servants, hiring consultants allows you to by-pass the usual employment processes so they are tailor-made for certain people because of a variety of considerations: their specialized skill and experience are nepotism plus corruption,” www.nation.co.ke/news/The-clique-of-public-servants-on-special-terms-/-/1056/2245914/-/og9p9y/-/index.htmlotherwise I do agree with Kamalet that availing laptops or tablets or even iPads to Primary School children if it comes to pass would be one great thing to have happened. it will be like in 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' the insight of "Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice." and this was in an age when no fridge existed and the characters are in a set up like Coast or Nyanza!
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Post by OtishOtish on Mar 20, 2014 16:46:53 GMT 3
It is rather unfortunate to use such an excuse to fault the laptop project. I hold the view that there will always be a constant gap between the well to do and the poor. There will be a constant gap between well equipped school and schools without any equipment. But the solution can never be to stop development so that the poor catch up. Some things must be allowed to continue as efforts to upgrade the deprived areas are made...these efforts must also be constant. The notion that stopping the technology revolution to bring about equality is as yesterday as they come. Did people not fight the advent of the computer under the guise that it would bring unemployment? Do we not have computers in virtually every office? The fact that Abdulmote and Kamale can converse via a blog is one of these developments of technology. I have lived through the Telex machine and the short life of the Fax machine but I know how much difference the computer and the web has brought to my work and life. When I grew up, there were many children who did not go to school for lack of a teacher leave alone a roof whilst others had parents who could not be bothered! It is not any different in business. I am in the IT industry and I know the impact to business when you do not use technology. I continue to hold the belief that the laptop project is perhaps the best this for this country if the process can be cleaned out and expedited.
From an online dictionary:
priority. n. something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/priority
There seems to be some confusion here. The issue Abdulmote raised is not merely whether or not children starting primary school should have laptops or whether or not laptops in schools would do any good. It is whether or not it is the greatest need that Standard One pupils in Kenya have or even an just a great need, given the limitations of funding and what are apparently much greater needs To the extent that people want to disagree with Abdulmote's concerns, the argument they should be making is that laptops represent a fulfillment of the greatest needs of those children (or even just an especially great need). Simply arguing that laptops (or any technology) are good goes nowhere near that, nor does the mere expression of one's belief that getting them into the hands of toddlers "will be great".
The issue is not one of the gap between the well to do and the poor or between the better-equipped schools and the not so well-off. It is whether the money to be spent on laptops in Kenyan schools could be put to better use. The conditions of the schools suggest so. Let us take something as basic as food:
Children in Kenya start school at age 5 or 6. In Kenya, due to poor nutrition, about 35% of children up to that age are stunted, about 15% are underweight, and about 8% are wasted. And we know that lack of proper nutrition also affects brain development. It would certainly appear that electronic gadgets are not among their greatest needs, and saying so is not a call to stop the "technological revolution".
In commenting whether the money could be better spent elsewhere, you told Abdulmote that:
That is a very peculiar argument. It assumes that the government has the money to do all that is required and has allocated accordingly. The government does not and routinely begs its "international partners" to help fill the gaps. Given that there is not enough money for everything, it must be assumed that any money spent anywhere could equally well be spent elsewhere. The question then becomes a matter of priorities, which is what Abdulmote's original comment was all about. Another peculiar argument. It is unclear what the claimed connections are between the impact of IT in business and learning by children starting primary school. What children at age should be learning is how to read, write, and do their sums. (We need not get into how exactly laptops will speed up such learning.) For those activities to be carried out properly, food in the stomach, a building to sit in, a desk, toilets and other necessities of basic hygiene are of more importance. Once they have those, then, by all means give them all the electronic gadgets in the world.
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Post by kamalet on Mar 20, 2014 17:59:32 GMT 3
Mmmmm...so now it is a case of priority?
Well just why would you think your idea of what should be a priority must also be the government's priority? Anyone is entitled to think and select their areas of priority! Should we worry about schools and forget about food security? Should we forego building the SGR and buy more cars for the police? Same thing here...should we dump the laptop project and ensure that toilets do not cave in on form two boys?
That in my mind is simplistic!
In 2012 5.9 million children were enrolled in primary schools in Kenya. How many of these did not have a roof in their classrooms? 50%? 40% or 10%? Perhaps the transition rate from primary to secondary school would a be a nice guide. 74% was the transition rate the government was reporting so it is easy to see the reason for the 26% which could be not too clever children or simply no facilities to enable one pass exams to qualify for secondary school. There is a reason for technology into schools - it increases accessibility with or without a roof, education materials are on the computer and reliance on availability of a text or exercise book which a parent has to buy including the pencil is removed - and this is quite a simplistic view!
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Post by OtishOtish on Mar 20, 2014 18:27:39 GMT 3
Mmmmm...so now it is a case of priority? It is, and it was from the start. This would be a good time for you to read and reflect on the title of this thread. Start now. Keep reading, keep reading, ... when you get to the end of the title, STOP!. See that word right there? There's your clue. It seems that you missed the whole point much earlier, but did you not notice when Abdulmote pointed out several things that were more demanding of money? That should have been a "hint". It is not a question of my "priority" being the same as the government's. It's whether the government's priorities are in line with the people's needs. My position is partly one of concern for the human beings of Kenya, who deserve a bit more, and also one of curiosity: why do African governments routinely choose to blow money on things that are not especially important and then go around begging when it comes to those that are? I am assume that Kenyans are normal people and so want of their government what normal people want of a government that taxes them. Of course, I could be wrong on that, but if I were in Kenya, I would be more concerned with some of the things Abdulmote noted:
For some things, we can reasonably assume that they are a priority for all human beings. Food is one example. I noted, with interest, certain statements made by Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture just a few weeks ago, when he warned about food problems this year should rains fail or whatever:
Koskei seeks support to boost food security
“We are targeting Galana and other irrigation schemes in the country as we expand and rehabilitate existing irrigation projects. This requires an inflow of about Sh40 billion per year,” Mr Koskei said.
The Cabinet Secretary disclosed that the government had allocated Sh12.8 billion this financial year and underscored the importance of development partners coming on board to bridge the financial gap.
mobile.nation.co.ke/news/Felix-Koskei-seeks-support-over-food-shortage/-/1950946/2220958/-/format/xhtml/-/krih7f/-/index.html
The amount to be begged from the "partners"---that's the taxpayers over here---is about Sh. 28 billion. Rather than focus on feeding its people, the government of Kenya prefers on spending about Sh 25 billion (to be an annual expenditure) on laptops for toddlers while seeking to put out the begging bowl, in the "standard" way. Perhaps the "partners" should, in turn, underscore the importance of priorities. Funnily enough, the statement came from the same Koskei fellow who, in his first presentation to the FAO painted a very gloomy picture:
"The number of chronically under-nourished people in the world has declined in the last five years but in Sub-Saharan Africa, the number continues to rise and now stands at 227 million constituting more than 30% of the population. This is not acceptable and African leaders must give priority to agriculture in their development agenda ..."
www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/bodies/Conference_2013/Statements/Kenya.pdf
That was last year. So how Kenya been "giving priority" when it comes to feeding its people? It will buy laptops for toddlers and then underscore the importance of "partners" coming up with about the same amount of money to finance agriculture.
Are Kenyans (and other Africans) ever tired of being on a treadmill that, like all treadmills, doesn't lead anywhere? Does it ever get humiliating to perpetually beg for even food, especially when that is accompanied with cries of "sovereign!" and "independent!", "we deserve and demand respect!"? All followed by "oops! for the 100th time, we forgot that rain etc. are not guaranteed, for the 100th time did not plan for contingencies, so please help your fellow humans before they starve to death!". Inevitably questions get asked about budgets, priorities, etc. The answer: "yes, after having begged and borrowed, we had some money; so we thought laptops for babies! all of them!". Is there, ever, any sense of self-respect in any of this?
Whenever I read Kenyan papers, I get no sense that people consider the laptops business to be a priority; to the extent that they are worked up about it, it seems to be only in so far as it is seen as yet another vehicle in the Eating business that is very damaging at every level and which is very damaging at every level.
No, don't stop any "revolution", but consider that, at the very least, well-fed and healthy people can "revolt" with greater energy. Even a bit of needful low-tech before all the high-tech wouldn't hurt. Latrines, for example, are very dull compared to shiny technology on the road, via Vision 3020, to being and industrialized country. But just from being able to poop right, Kenya could probably save enough for laptops or other things (and latrines also last longer than laptops). There is a great deal to be learned from the history of sanitation and basic hygiene in the "rich" countries that now hand out the "dole".
jukwaa.proboards.com/thread/8202/kenyan-essentials-rising-cost-shite?page=1&scrollTo=120323
You also state that:
which if course is very simplistic. But, hey, that's what you can come up with. We'll "accept" it for what it is, and, understanding that you have exhausted your stock, we shall leave it right there, without further comment.
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Post by OtishOtish on Apr 28, 2014 1:03:39 GMT 3
For some things, we can reasonably assume that they are a priority for all human beings. Food is one example. I noted, with interest, certain statements made by Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture just a few weeks ago, when he warned about food problems this year should rains fail or whatever: Koskei seeks support to boost food security“We are targeting Galana and other irrigation schemes in the country as we expand and rehabilitate existing irrigation projects. This requires an inflow of about Sh40 billion per year,” Mr Koskei said.The Cabinet Secretary disclosed that the government had allocated Sh12.8 billion this financial year and underscored the importance of development partners coming on board to bridge the financial gap.mobile.nation.co.ke/news/Felix-Koskei-seeks-support-over-food-shortage/-/1950946/2220958/-/format/xhtml/-/krih7f/-/index.htmlThe amount to be begged from the "partners"---that's the taxpayers over here---is about Sh. 28 billion. Rather than focus on feeding its people, the government of Kenya prefers on spending about Sh 25 billion (to be an annual expenditure) on laptops for toddlers while seeking to put out the begging bowl, in the "standard" way. As expected, not much is happening with the Galana thing. But one or two people are starting to use their heads, to help Kenyans get some food: One-million-acre irrigation scheme stalls" He proposed an emergency supplementary budget or diversion of the Sh25billion meant for the laptop project to salvage NIB programmes."www.nation.co.ke/business/One-million-acre-irrigation-scheme-stalls/-/996/2295284/-/wr2vagz/-/index.html
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Post by jakaswanga on Apr 28, 2014 19:59:30 GMT 3
For some things, we can reasonably assume that they are a priority for all human beings. Food is one example. I noted, with interest, certain statements made by Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture just a few weeks ago, when he warned about food problems this year should rains fail or whatever: Koskei seeks support to boost food security“We are targeting Galana and other irrigation schemes in the country as we expand and rehabilitate existing irrigation projects. This requires an inflow of about Sh40 billion per year,” Mr Koskei said.The Cabinet Secretary disclosed that the government had allocated Sh12.8 billion this financial year and underscored the importance of development partners coming on board to bridge the financial gap.mobile.nation.co.ke/news/Felix-Koskei-seeks-support-over-food-shortage/-/1950946/2220958/-/format/xhtml/-/krih7f/-/index.htmlThe amount to be begged from the "partners"---that's the taxpayers over here---is about Sh. 28 billion. Rather than focus on feeding its people, the government of Kenya prefers on spending about Sh 25 billion (to be an annual expenditure) on laptops for toddlers while seeking to put out the begging bowl, in the "standard" way. As expected, not much is happening with the Galana thing. But one or two people are starting to use their heads, to help Kenyans get some food: One-million-acre irrigation scheme stalls" He proposed an emergency supplementary budget or diversion of the Sh25billion meant for the laptop project to salvage NIB programmes."www.nation.co.ke/business/One-million-acre-irrigation-scheme-stalls/-/996/2295284/-/wr2vagz/-/index.htmlThe following excerpt is from 2010: who were in government then? Yes, the original idea was to seek a return of the funds, let alone not pay out! But the new AG has recommended a pay out. --And there is a stalled irrigation scheme to feed Kenyans. Starving Turkanas! it is quite a country, Kenya.
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Post by OtishOtish on Feb 17, 2015 22:53:01 GMT 3
See the last word in the title of this thread. Finally, reality knocks: " National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich has finally let out the truth about the once-hyped laptop project for primary schools. ... One, the economy is struggling under a heavy debt burden. Two, many more impactful, urgent and priority projects are grounded because of lack of resources.
For example, even if the focus was on education, priority would be on infrastructure and learning resources like classrooms, books and teachers rather than laptops. Three, some projects take too long to roll out and tie so much money yet never yield much returns.
Any sound economist knows that limited resources must be used prudently. Let the government prioritise resource allocation rather than push populist stunts that cannot pass muster." www.nation.co.ke/oped/Editorial/State-did-well-to-beat-a-retreat-on-laptops/-/440804/2627134/-/kd2opg/-/index.html
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