[UgaBYTES] Members of Parliament discuss telecentres

Wed Aug 29 09:03:36 GMT 2007

Dear Colleagues,

Allow me to thank Esther for making this conversation come through so that
we can have out take on the process. The thing about solar power is that it
is available and Inveneo has thrown a nice spanner in the works. 

The question that may still beg for an answer with or without Inveneo's
intervention is:

What happens to the communication infrastructure the switches, the routers,
the works?

My approach would be to retain the source for alternative energy to still be
an option and look at the potential for the value chain linkages in the
provision of energy.

As I have said before, I believe the Nakaseke initiative that I am involved
with are ready to bring to Luwero a straight vegetable oil generator which
will promote agriculture as it provides energy.

What does the straight vegetable oil generator offer?

1.      It offers a market for oil crops

2.      It offers potential for erection of energy kiosks that would be used
to charge solar powered lanterns, thereby dispensing with the need to use
fossil oil

3.      The processing of oil crops would create the necessary animal
foliage thereby promoting zero grazing and its expected impact on
smallholder outputs in agriculture and agribusiness

4.      It offers an opportunity to generate power the excess of which can
be injected to the national grid and therefore ensure energy self
sufficiency.

What we are saying here is that there is need to look at the alternative
sources of energy to drive the telecentres, but we must look at the
telecentre as a player in an integrated rural business environment.

We at VACID Africa www.vacidafrica.or.ke <http://www.vacidafrica.or.ke/>
are keen to work with communities and community initiatives that seek to
identify ways of creating Value Addition and Cottage Industries for Africa
and the developing world. We need as many regional showcases as possible and
if the Hon Members can seek for a more wholesome solution for the
development of Uganda, then we are up to the mark. 

Our interventions in Kenya led to the creation of the Constituency
Development Fund that has made a joke of donor funds in Kenya as drivers of
the economy. We believe our models work and can work anywhere.

Esther, take heart, there are solutions out here that can integrate the
gains so far made through solar to fortify the strengths and who knows can
provide an avenue for creating power sources through other sources than the
Owen Falls Dam.

The straight vegetable oils initiative is a joint initiative of VACID
Africa, local communities in Kenya with UNIDO in Kenya (we are not doing
away with donors after all!).

Kiringai Kamau 

-----Original Message-----
From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
[mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Esther Nasikye
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 10:55 AM
To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
Subject: [UgaBYTES] Members of Parliament discuss telecentres

Hi friends,

There has been an interesting conversation among some Ugandan members of

parliament about telecentres and alternative sources of power.

My thinking is that with the policy makers discussing some of the issues

that are pertinent to us, there might be some light at the end of the

tunnel in regard to telecentres and alternative power sources.

Read through these conversations and don't hesitate to share with us your

ideas as well

Cheers

Esther

...............................................

Hon. Nsubuga Nsambu, the minister of state for ICT writes

Greetings to you, Colleagues:

I am following the discussions over the Telecenters, mainly thrown on the

floor by our RCDF Manager at UCC. I become shocked to hear that there are

plans to buy generators for the telecenters. For the last couple of

months, I have been informing the public about the superb Solar/Battery

PCs by Inveneo. (hopefully more companies will come up with such

solutions) which is not only affordable (AT US $ 600) but also fast and

reliable. I think with the availability of such PCs, we will have no more

excuses why the rural people always lose out on access to these services

because of lack of power!

It also worries me when we think of generators which are not only

expensive to buy but also expensive to maintain (in terms of diesel, oil

and mechanics).

I suggest that we opt for solar powered equipment, if we really mean it

that we want to bring telecenters in the rural areas as well.

Thank you very much for your consideration on this issue...

Nsambu, MP

State Minister for ICT

Hon.Paula Turyamuhikayo (Rubabo county)

Dear Hon.Minister,

ICT and electricity are couples when we happen to be serious about

promoting the establishment of telecenters in rural areas.

In the recent workshop by UCC- on sector review, the executive director

was asked the same question and the status quo was standing as per his

response- the generators.

I truly contend that if the proposed solar powered computers are tested,

tried and trusted, they should be the best resort given the

unsustainability of generators.

We therefore need more analysis and study of the viable options with

regard to sources of energy to power computers.

Aluta continua!

Hon.Paula

MP,Rubabo county.

Hon. Sematiko Gordon wrote

Thank you Honourable Minister am totally behind you in the effort to avail

solar powered systems but we should also ensure that the quality is

manageable by our people. "Durability"

Hon. Sematiko Gordon

Source: WSIS mailinglist

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