Connectivity Providers Database

From: shem@minster.york.ac.uk To: kenya-net@ftp.com CC: kci-net@sml1.ecs.umass.edu Date: 16 Jan 1992 21:36:09 GMT Hello Kenya-netters: 1) HISTORICAL NOTE [excerpts from Karanja Gakio's posting] "During the summer, we discussed how kenya-net could be of benefit to Kenya. Ideas such as consulting possibilities, helping identify job opportunities, donating and locating donating equipment for needy Kenyan organizations, and many more -- a discussion engineered by Shem, amongst other patriots. "Then along came an idea, why don't we just join the Kenya Computer Institute(KCI), an organization that sounded good, but of which we didn't know much. There was much debate here but we decided to defer until we had KCI's constitution so that we could see if this would be appropriate. The Chairman of KCI is very positive about our efforts." Observing that it was not true that "Some neters (might) fear that the discussions on KCI are bound to get rather too technical for their liking", it was nevertheless agreed to "create a sub-group that is interested in KCI affairs, where (its) efforts can be entirely devoted to KCI and ... handle practical projects such as journal publishing, organizing transfer of equipment and services eg e-mail, computers, etc." 2) MAILING ADDRESS & MEMBERSHIP There being no opposition to setting up this sub-group, a call was made by Shem for someone to volunteer to coordinate this sub-group formation. Bakuli volunteered and set up the facility for kci-net discussions, as per the following note: "You are receiving this note because you signed up to participate in KCI-* deliberations... I have set up a temporary facility to enable us (continue with) the pending discussions over KCI-*.... feel free to post your contributions to <kci-net@sml1.ecs.umass.edu>" I am glad to report that there was tremendous intereset among the netters, and within one week we had formed enough quorum to start deliberations. So far 29 kenya-netters have signed up for kci-net. Also, I believe there are other people who are interested but do not have e-mail facilities, when you include these ones, then we may have upwards of 35 people. 3) ELECTIONS Elections were conducted in November for the Steering Committee with the following officers elected unanimously: CHAIRMAN - Shem Ochuodho SECRETARY - Kinna Likimani TREASURER - Okumu Ouma "(due) to general concensus the remainder of the Comms/positions (were) filled by volunteering/nominating." STEERING COMMITTEE [Names in this and subsequent lists, including the sub-committee names, are in alphabetical order, and do NOT reflect any order of "seniority"]. Gakio, Karanja Likimani, Kinna MakOmamo, Oyunga Mwaniki, Peter Ochuodho, Shem Ouma, Okumu saBakuli, Luvisia waMakatiani, Ayisi 4) SUB-COMMITTEES After a round of discussions it was suggested and agreed that, "It may be helpful to form, (under the guidance of the Steering Commitee), sub-committees to deal with the more specialized/salient issues": The following sub-committees were proposed and members volunteered as indicated for each one of them: a) Conference Chessa, Sam -- Chairman Njeru, James Odondi, Maurice b) Constitution Nyanchama, Matunda -- Chairman Ouma, Okumu Otieno-Mabare saBakuli, Luvisia c) Consultancy Chessa, Sam Gachora, Mburu Gathegi, John (Prof) -- Chairman Ragama, Peter saBakuli, Luvisia d) Editorial Nyanchama, Matunda Ochuodho, Shem -- Chairman saBakuli, Luvisia e) Finance Gakio, Karanja Jarateng' O. Mbare Nganda, Ben Njage, Erastus (Prof) Nyanchama, Matunda Ouma, Okumu -- Chairman Ugunzi, Agesa waMakatiani, Ayisi f) Networking Mwaniki, Peter -- Chairman Musyoka, George g) Research & Development MakOmamo, Oyunga -- Chairman Wanguhu, Kamau Munyao, Kennedy h) Resource Gakio, Karanja -- Chairman MakOmamo, Oyunga Mwaniki, Peter Njeru, James Ronge, Christine Ugunzi, Agesa waMakatiani, Ayisi The Steering Committee Chairman has been invited to serve on several of these committees on an ex-officio basis. i) KENFRINET -- Ad Hoc An ad-hoc committee has also been formed both to formulate how KCI can co-operate in a joint venture with AFRINET, California State University, Digital, and Kenya Marine Fisheries, and to draw up a proposal to Digital, for its next phase of AFRINET. AFRINET seeks to electronically link up several African academic and research institutions, several of which are on Kenyan soil. This committee eleven volunteer kci-netters, a representative each for AFRINET and RECOSIX (KMFRI), and four other world-reknown Africans/ Africanists as "friends-of-the-court" (_Amicus Curae_). More members may be co-opted as and when is necessary. When it completes its agenda, the committee will disband, and any necessary follow-ups will be subsumed by the Consultancy Committee -- which even now continues to operate independently. Some of its functionalities may be transfered to the Networking and Resource Committees. Membership: Damji, Jules Gachora, Mburu Gakio, Karanja Gathegi, John (Prof) Mwaniki, Peter Njage, Erastus (Prof) Nyanchama, Matunda Ochuodho, Shem (Co-coordinator -- with Beryl) saBakuli, Luvisia Ugunzi, Agesa waMakatiani, Ayisi Bellman, Beryl (Prof, AFRINET/DEC/CARL_STATE) Pissierssens, Peter (RECOSCIX/KMFRI) Bush, Randy (invited) Ezigbalike, Dozie (Dr, invited) Lawrie, Mike (invited) Wilson, Dave (invited) For those of you who may be curious, you may wish to take special not that kci-net is already operating from where it (actually) belong -- beloved Kenya -- Pwani. Shortly, more sites (mainly based in Nairobi) will be featuring on kci-net. See you them there!! 5) ACTIVITIES OF THE SUB-COMMITTEES Updates by Sub-Committee Chairpersons will be made, at weekly intervals. Events seem to occur so fast that it becomes difficult to guarantee the "currency" of such information. What we can guarantee is that at any single point in time, the Committees will have done much more than may appear on the bulletin board. The reasons for deciding to post individual reports separately are: i) not to swam kenya-net with information, ii) to evenly spread the traffic volumes, and iii) to give "specialized" reports, should any netter wish to opt for a particular Committee. So, expect to hear from the first Committee in exactly a week's time. 6) OTHER ACTIVITIES a) AITEC CONFERENCE Shem attended an AITEC South conference in Harare, where he was not only able to put both Kenya-net and kci-net on the world map, but managed to get other Kenyans at home interested and offered to liase and help in our activities as well. Here is part of Shem's report: "I [] have lots of info on ongoing email work for UoN -- will update when time is available -- just as with a brief report on AITEC South. I found the trip useful -- but was sure concerned with the near 99% South African (that's, of course, white) domination. Of the over twenty speakers, only (aprox) 3 of us were black -- even then, mostly based outside Africa. The ratio was (understandably) perhaps worse last year (and in Kenya); am not sure how the Nigerians are going to react to this in February (knowing their stand on SA)! It was, however, well attended, and I was most pleased by the "strong desire to learn". I took my turn to emphasize that the current changes in SA could never have been any more welcome, and that we must ALL begin to pool our resources together as one big family. Our email session was well received -- indeed, it has (understandably) been decided that during the next Kenya event, there will be two days devoted to email. Mike, I and a couple of others have been approached to work out something -- but I still would like to see a few things sorted out -- details later." b) INFOSEM2. "A Seminar on Strengthening NGO Information Management & Communications in Africa" Matunda and Bakuli worked on a proposal on "Strengthening NGO Information Management and Communications in Africa". We have had further contacts since then, and will be presenting a paper to this conference which is being proposed for some time this year in yet an unnamed African country, possibly Senegal or Zimbabwe. c) AND MORE -- watch out for this space. Regards Luvisia Bakuli ======================= Mzee Bakuli, thanks for a job well done. All I can say is to extend a warm invitation to the other kenya-netters that they should not lay by as these great events happen. You need to be part of them -- for that is your responsibility. For the good Kenyan and Kenyan friends who have accepted this by-any-standard heavy and demanding responsibility, I salute you all. Long live Kenya. Africa. The International Community. Shem J. Ochuodho Chairman, International Branch Kenya Computer Institute