Afromusing has a list of “Blogs to Watch” for the Barcamp Kenya event that is happening right now. I’m looking forward to reading some of the blog reviews when they get a chance to update. In the meantime, you can catch a lot of the updates and pictures on the Skunkworks Blog run by the organizers.

Here is a video of Dr. Kamau Gachigi speaking about “Equal Opportunity Manufacturing” at BarCamp Kenya (thanks Riyaz).

Riyaz Bachani presented a paper (originally by Richard Bell, 2002) called the Halfway Proposition that talks about the need for greater connectivity in Africa, and a plan to do it. (Download the PDF) An excerpt:

The Halfway Proposition is a strategy that borrows the experience of Asia and adapts it into a realistic strategy for Africa. The strategy is driven by two underlying philosophies: –

1. The need for Traffic Aggregation. IBSs have no interest in creating National or Regional IP networks in Africa. The size of our individual markets is too small to provide them with any real commercial incentives to do so. Indeed our aim is to strengthen AISPs and build our own infrastructure, not to encourage multinationals to gobble them up. Conversely what would attract IBPs is the ability to establish PoPs at “Key Traffic Aggregation Points” so that they can improve the quality of connectivity between their networks and Africa as a whole.
2. The need to create Digital Arteries. Africa requires massive investment into creating fibre optic digital infrastructure to carry traffic cost effectively;

As suspected, there are some top-notch thinkers at this event, and I’m sure we’ll see a number of actionable results.

[Pictures from this weekends event can be found at this link.]

After listening to Hon. Amos Kimunya speak, I can see why he is so electable. It’s rare that you find a politician who is so approachable and forthcoming in his dialogue. The presentation he gave was both informative and humerous.

Best quote:

“Compare the size of the windshield to the the size of the rearview mirror. Let that tell us what we should be paying attention to.”

Amos Kimunya’s presentation in images can be found here. [in PDF format]

[Note, you can view the presentations of the other speakers at Kenyans 4 Kenya.]

Session on NGO’s and Kenya’s Development, originally uploaded by whiteafrican.

Dr. Njere Marekia-Cleveland, University of Georgia, asks a question in one of the sessions on NGO’s role in Kenyan development.

View the whole set of pictures on Flickr.com by clicking here.

I’m at the Kenyan Investment Conference near Atlanta, Georgia called “the Role of the Kenyan Diaspora in Kenya’s Development”. Day 1 is almost over, and I can say that I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the speakers, the conversations and the conference management.

I’ll post more thoughts later, but here are the most compelling quotes and thoughts from today’s sessions:

“I’ve trained myself not to think of impediments, but to just figure out a way to get things done”

“The goal is to rise above afro-pessimism”

– Dr. Olubayi Olubayi, President of Global Literacy Project

“It doesn good for us (academics) to talk to each only each other at this conference, we must all be talking to the politicians and business leaders here from Kenya.”

– Dr. Fulbert Namwamba, Southern University

“We need to start thinking of creating a voice for Kenyans abroad, it’s time for a parliamentary seat for Kenyans in the diaspora.”

– Mukila Maitha, United Kenyans of Chicago

“3 Kenyans working at the grassroots level are more influential than a foreign organization with $1 million and an office in Geneva.”

– Dr. David Sperling, Strathmore University

“Media is the missing link between Kenyans in the diaspora and Kenya – no longer, Kenya Live TV now bridges that gap.”

– Peter Karanja, Kenya Live TV

Pictures