Weekly News Roundup - Africa January 21

Created By: Esther on 20-Jan-2008 11:36 PM

Kenya ICT Industry Estimates Losses to Chaos At Sh2.5 Billion
The information, communication and technology sector lost an estimated Sh2.5 billion in the post-election violence, industry insiders said.
The valuation came even as it emerged that the technology sector is still counting its losses with total extent of loss expected to be known at the end of the month.
"Skirmishes and violence will have adverse impact on future earnings. Damage to infrastructure, property and assets leads to unexpected and un-budgeted expenses that reduce earnings and ultimately profits," said Joshua Chepkwony, the chairman of the Telecommunications Network Operator Forum (TNOF).


RiiiT to establish ICT centre in Zambia
MYSORE: The city-based Raman International Institute of Information Technology (RiiiT), the first IT finishing school in the country, is set to make a mark internationally. It will establish an Information Communication Technology (ICT) centre in the Republic of Zambia.
This follows a high-level delegation from Zambia, led by its High Commissioner in India Keli Walubita and economic advisor Situmbeko Musokotwane visiting the RiiiT campus last week.

Uganda: ICT Sector Brought in Sh256b in 2007
THE information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector attracted projects worth sh256b ($150m) last year, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), has announced.
"Investment in the sector for the year 2007 was estimated at $150m and its contribution to the gross domestic product is approximately 9%," Patrick Masambu, the head of UCC, said last week.
Masambu was speaking at a function where MTN, uganda telecom and Celtel handed in a combined contribution of sh5.1b to the rural communication development the fund.


Kenya: Electronic Voting Will Greatly Enhance Democracy
The new Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Kenneth Marende, in his acceptance speech, said the voting process in Parliament would have been less tedious had the process been conducted electronically.
His remark has kept Kenyans thinking: can technology be used to enhance democracy? Will voting technology ensure transparency or will it be a conduit for flaws and fraud?
If used correctly, computer-based voting systems increase the integrity of an election while reducing costs. E-voting is easy and convenient and the results are instantaneous.

Nigeria: Combating the Danger of E-Waste in Nigeria
Efem Nkanga in this report writes about the challenges and health hazards posed by toxic electronics waste, called e-waste especially in the light of rising adoption of information communications technology in the country.
It is now an acknowledged fact that all over the world, the adoption of information communications technology brings a lot of desirable benefits that usher in development and helps in changing the standard of living of people especially in developing countries.
Technology has been used to perform medical, agricultural, economic and educational feats that transform how people live, work and play. But beyond the positive benefits lies its negative side. The flip side of the adoption of technology is the toxic aspects caused by the growing threat of hazardous electronics waste.

Microsoft's Faculty Connection to Empower Students in Nigeria
Teaching of science and computer technology in the nation's higher education space is set to be simplified and revolutionised with the introduction of an innovative new academic resource by Microsoft called Faculty Connection.
At the first ever Microsoft Academic Day held in Lagos, the company announced this major initiative as a part of the comprehensive education partnership and program of action to accelerate educational development in Nigeria.



Apple Introduces a One Inch Thick Computer
Computer maker Apple has unveiled its latest offering, the Macbook Air, that is being touted as the world's thinnest notebook.
Kenyan consumers will be able to buy the laptop - which is small enough to slip into an A4 envelope - in just over a month for an estimated Sh120,000.
"We are preparing for its arrival.
We shall have the MacBook Air in less than two weeks and offer it for sale by the end of February," said Riyaz Kurji, the managing director of Elite Digital Solutions.

ICT Competency Standards for Teachers
Within a sound education setting, teachers can enable students to use technology to become better information seekers, analysers, problem solvers and communicators.
Governments, experts and practitioners in the education sector increasingly recognize that information and communication technology (ICT) can play an important role in supporting educational improvement and reform.
UNESCO teamed up with Cisco, Intel and Microsoft, as well as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), to set up the ‘ICT Competency Standards for Teachers’ (CST) project. The goal of the CST project is to provide guidance on how to improve teachers’ practice through ICT.

 

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