[APCPress] No embargo: ICT policy set to change in Kenya

[Karen Higgs]

NO EMBARGO

PRESS RELEASE


ICT policy set to change – Minister of Information and Communication 
backs change for the better

NAIROBI, KENYA -- Kenya's new Minister of Information and Communication, 
Hon. Raphael Tuju, has announced his support for the liberalisation and 
advancement of ICT policy in Kenya following a week-long ICT policy 
advocacy workshop in Nairobi.

The multi-stakeholder workshop – which ran from 19–23 July – brought 
together some of the most influential ICT policy stakeholders from civil 
society organisations (CSOs) the private sector and the media from nine 
African countries. These stakeholders worked together throughout the 
workshop to identify national ICT policy issues that affect them, and 
citizens in general.

The high cost of internet services and fixed line telephony was 
fore-grounded as one of the most important issues. Participants now feel 
they have the advocacy skills to lobby government for lower pricing and 
tariffs.

In Kenya, if the new Minister has his way, there may not be much 
lobbying to do. Invited to join the workshop, but unable to attend due 
to other commitments, the Minister joined participants for a closing 
cocktail event at which he announced the Ministry’s support for lower 
tariffs and for ICT policy advancement in general.

The Hon. Tuju noted that “In Kenya, I do realise that we have problems 
with our telephony connectivity and the snail’s pace in connectivity, as 
well as the high costs of international calls”, but assured participants 
and other guests that the Minister himself and the Ministry was 
dedicated to change and looking forward to action from all those 
involved in ICT policy.

The workshop, organised by the Association for Progressive 
Communications (APC),  Included representatives from civil society 
organisations (CSOs), the private sector, government, and the media, 
from Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, 
Ethiopia and Nigeria. They gathered in Nairobi to learn from each 
other’s advocacy challenges and came away from the week with practical 
action plans to advocate for change in their national ICT sector. The 
different stakeholder groups developed a much better understanding of 
one another – an essential basis from which to begin collaborating in 
policy advocacy.

The APC, through its Communications and Information Policy Programme, 
aims to contribute to more enabling ICT policy environments through 
promoting inclusive policy processes in which stakeholders are active 
participants.
Financial support

The workshop was supported by Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa 
(CATIA), a programme of the UK Department for International Development 
(DFID) http://www.catia.ws and the International Development Research 
Centre, Canada (IDRC/CRDI) http://www.idrc.ca.


ABOUT APC

The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is an international 
network of civil society organisations dedicated to empowering and 
supporting groups and individuals through the strategic use of 
information and communication technologies (ICTs), especially 
internet-related technologies. Founded in 1990, APC and members 
supported locally-managed email connectivity -especially in Africa- 
before internet services were available commercially. By 1992, APC 
networks were providing connections to the internet and/or email to 
organisations and individuals in 94 countries.

APC: http://www.apc.org
APC internet rights and ICT policy: http://rights.apc.org
APC Africa ICT policy monitor: http://africa.rights.apc.org
Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa: http://www.catia.ws


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Alice Munyua
APC CATIA Project Coordinator
alice at apc.org
Telefax: +254 020 4443424
PO Box 34299
00623, Nairobi, Kenya

Photos available: communications at apc.org


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