Monday, June 30, 2008

Zimbabwe and a fallacy democracy

Whatever is happening to Zimbabwe is a timely reminder that mankind is been hoodwinked. Nelson Mandela was a terrorist. Democracy as some define it is effectively a flawed project. It is high time its alternative is sought. After spending 27 years of his prime in prison the US finally finally removed Nelson Mandela from its list of terrorisst as the terrorist against apartheid clocked 90 years. If Mandela was a terrorist, one wonders which list Mugabe is in.

The current situation in Zimbabwe is a reality of a needed reform seemingly corrupted, not so popular but which perspective the US, UK and cronies' wish to impose on the world can no longer go unquestioned. Mugabe should have shit some where but let the truth also be said, the UK stance is rather stupid as they know, the US' involvement being just pathetic. As long as the West and North enjoy the duopoly of deciding when it should be called a democracy as it suits their egoism in Sub Saharan Africa, portray what was forged for Iraq and call it democracy, Salam Taki is afraid the issue called democracy should be redefined as a government by the US for the US in Sub Saharan Africa. Please puke. Let us puke. Puke or else swallow a puke.

Mugabe: Zimbabwe's hero and also villain. You minute being in Zimbabwe and swine see you in a rat hole.

The UK, the coloniser: Don't you know the shit you left in Zimbabwe as regards land? See what you have now made of Mugabe.

The US, the so called international community and the crook: Your superpower is not arguable but that you are failing in leadership and peddling lies is a known reality. Please don't drag the world into rot.

Tsvangirai, not fit to lead Zimbabwe: For wishing to be made president of his motherland by foreign powers thereby failing to put up a spirited fight for his people, he rushed into the very comfort of Dutch hospitality, abandoned the solidarity and forgot he wasn't alone in the struggle. Please check into stye please.

For the people in Zimbabwe, deep sympathies from a naive soul down nile. You deserve better and a leadership.

To the rest of the world: Hopeless. Isn't it true that the US, and UK want to impose their own version of democracy and impose a puppet leader in Zimbabwe who should undo what Mugabe did with land before the people of Zimbabwe can sigh a relief?

When presented with matters as intertwined as the Africa-Mugabe-Zimbabwe-UK-US dragging the UN into believing mentality, the world should seek out purer conscience and solve such crisis without wasting anymore lives in military and economic wars for sanctions. With Salam Taki still digging into the heart of the matter but faced with an avalanche of misinformation, disinformation, and a corrupted mass media, the heart of the matter might as well be the reserve of stone beings. Heal Zimbabwe.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Khartoum MTN blocks Sim Card

It is not in business interest for any telecommunication corporation to the block sim cards of its hard earned customers. It is not just business in the face of competition. But in a case and by extension, believe that there is an ugly sheet in the Khartoum regime clamping down on its citizenery and people using telephony services registered in Sudan. All persons using mobile sim cards should register their personal details with service centers otherwise the service gets blocked. Salam calls this raping personal privacy.
Sorry, your account [Sim card] has been blocked. Please call our service center on 111. Thank you.
A service provider has complied and a people is angry. MTN Sudan has blocked a sim card this morning. The National Telecommunication Corporation being the supreme regulatory body in NIF's Sudan should be the accomplice arm in raping the privacies of telcom clientele on behalf of the Khartoum regime. National Islamic Front's current Khartoum regime, Sudan's National Telecommunication Corporation, and MTN Sudan in that order are the rapists.

It might not be ideal but many are exchanging their personal details , paying a surcharge of over US $2.o to unlock a sim card that was blocked for non registration in Sudan. Pay for the rape.? And for those who chose not to trade their personal details even as their sim cards remain blocked, an information society rights activist salutes your. Registering does not guarantee that a sim card may not be blocked for other reasons especially political. Salute to all the defenders of rights in the information society.

After defiling and molesting Sudanese in South Sudan, Darfur, Nuba Mountain, East Sudan and counting, the NIF regime is desperate. It has to clamp down on all oppositions, SPLM/A, JEM, SLA/M, and nemesises in Ugandans, Eritrea, Ethiopian and all those international community that disapprove of its retardation policies. The telecommunication industry is being used with an effect as Salam Taki rose up to a good morning with a telecommunication reality in the Sudan.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Khartoum telecom surveillance service

Hullo, this is customer care [Khartoum] shall you avail us your full names i.e the four names: your two names, your father's name and grand father's name. Please also avail your passport number, nationality and the block number or plot number of your residence. Thank you.

Persons in Juba are receiving similar calls, and demands as if the wonderful government of Khartoum was going to provide a service. Some have complied and others have refused to comply. This is yet another infringement on the rights of the citizens of the information society in the troubled Sudanl. Persons in Juba are receiving similar calls, demands and the failure to comply warrants blocking the blocking of services to you hard bought cell phone and simcard. Sudan is fast becoming a surveillance failed state. The customer centers have taken yet an ugly role.

A government that has terrorised its own citizens in South Sudan, Darfur, Blue Nile and in the Nuba mountains is attempting to secure you might know whom. The CPA, and the GoSS arrangement spelt a direct war ceasefire but the indirect war continues. The war not yet over. The telecom crackdown service is testimony to this. The following networks in Sudan (South Sudan) are affected: Sudani, and Mobitel (= Zain = Celtel). Gemtel might not be affected as of now since it uses the Uganda country code +256 although it is about to revert to the +249 country code of Uganda. With what is happening, Gemtel may as well rethink a position.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

South Sudan erazing New Sudan identity

Sudan suffered and continues to suffer an identity crisis. During Sudan's turbulent wars, many in and outside Sudan identified with the SPLM political party and its army, the SPLA's wars against marginalization. Though some parties disagreed and were not in the SPLM /A bandwagon, they truly shared the pain of the marginalized Sudanese and as such easily recognized symbolisms though SPLM /A in origin as being true of an our struggling in the Sudan and were one in solidarity. The marginalized Sudanese identified with related wars, icons, political party, army, flag, an ideology and a number plate. Anyanya 1 and 2, John Garang, SPLM / SPLA leadership, SPLM/A flag, New Sudan Vision and the NS number plate.

A symbolic flag of the John Garang - Salva Kiir concept of the New Sudan that has gone through two wars and two peace agreements sheltered many behind it for an alternative system of governance and hope. An NS number plate was being issued by the determined SPLM - SPLA administration and in solidarity, these number plates were plying East Africa freely because East Africa easily identified NS with the marginalized of the marginalized of the Sudan. Such symbolisms continued to identify and unite a people culturally diverse and spread over an area thrice the size of Uganda, facing many challenges, walking the tightest of a rope but in a solidarity towards comprehensive peaceful existence for socio-economic, political and technological development in the Sudan.

However, there is the ongoing destruction of an identity of a people with cultures so diverse - the NS number plate and this has some probable negative consequences and a political ill could be also be behind it. This is the focus of this post.
Speaking to Sudan Radio Service by phone from Juba on Tuesday, Southern Sudan Traffic Police Director, Major Gordon Micah Kur, explained how the new changes for car registration are being effected. “Each state has SS for southern Sudan then you have the two abbreviations for that state, for example, Jonglei state, we can say SS for southern Sudan then flag of southern Sudan then JS or Jonglei state, for Lakes state it will be SSLS, for Central Equatoria State, it will be SSCES."
Source: Gurtong.org
Salam Taki. Here it is:
Some states in southern Sudan say they will only allow cars with their state’s plates numbers to operate in their states. The Director of Traffic Police said that cars bearing a plate of another state are free to enter any of the 10 states of southern Sudan, but the owner should register his or her car in the state where they live. Source: Gurtong.com
Whereas the SPLM /A continue to hold the mantle to realizing the aforementioned aspirations, and whereas the police is supposed to create law and order, it is sad that in the face of the same SPLM /A - GoSS arrangement, the act of banishing the NS number plate and starting a meaning less numbering system during this trying moments could be laying a foundation for intra South Sudan states targeted violence, and it is a concerted erosion of the New Sudanese national conscious, common purpose and symbolic identity being orchestrated by and among Southern Sudanese, and against many Sudanese.

The efforts of the SPLM/A and the New Sudan response to a failing nation Sudan is as a result being discredited to the Sudanese, regionally, to the international community and even to the same South Sudanese. SPLM might want to reconsider such act because somebody somewhere and not so kind is being let off the hook. The CPA, and the GoSS arrangement spelt a direct war ceasefire but the indirect war continues. The revolution is yet to begin and there is a party that is an interested party to mischief for South Sudan but which non human symbolism will survive and continue to be a symbol of a people so alienated in their own Sudan?

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Ministry of ICT Uganda Website

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Uganda came into effect in the year 2006 BC. Two years down the lane, nothing positive and concrete can be credited to the ministry which is trying to find its standing among giants namely the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), the Ministry of Works, Housing and Communications, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Uganda Broadcasting Council, among others which were the erstwhile performing role that the ideal Minstry of ICT should be known for. Castigating the ministry in such light is not the purpose of the post though.

Here is the issue: From 2006 and today is 2008, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MoICT) in Uganda hasn't a web presence to boast of. Well one may claim that the ministry is still being setup, that the bureaucracies in civil governments could be taking its toll on the full of pace ministry, and many lamenesses for excuses. But look, the said ministry asked for not so little money and only used less than 20% of what it requested for. And with about US$ 800, 000, 0000 unspent, one is also unable to find a mere website for the ministry. Lets quote an allafrica.com article posted to the web 22 April 2008 and authored by one Mary Karugaba: Uganda: ICT Ministry fails to utilise Sh. 5bn
The ministry has generally under-performed. It raises question on underutilisation of resources and under staffing in the sector. [ICT] Committee Chairman, [Parliament of Uganda] [Hon.] Edward Baliddawa.
The MPs also demanded to know why the ministry had not recruited workers given that the Cabinet had approved the staffing structure in 2007.
Grace Tubwita (NRM) and Baliddawa also demanded to know who would take responsibility for the unspent funds.
Hon. Edward Baliddawa is one of the ICT champions ever in the Uganda august house. The other being Johnson Nkuuhe. Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MoICT) notable key staff are Dr. Ham Mulira, the Minister; Mr. Alintuma Nsambu, the State Minister and Mr. Albert Mugumya, the Undersecretary. ICTs should go beyond the hype and cash. The ministry needs to put its act right, give a website and it is service deserving of the establishment. For all the woes, Salam Taki continues to enjoy due internet traffic if not but the Salam Taki article with key words ICT, Information and Communication Technology, Minstry, Minster, Uganda. The URL of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Uganda is http: www.ict.go.ug

Thursday, June 05, 2008

ICT and development gates

Phew. Been evaluating tenders for an information system and did not know whether to cry or laugh, breakdown or loose the head, keep quiet or scream. It is good, but it is goof. The system promises lot only that they are merely promises. The reality could also be different.

Many developing world's information systems are funded by international donors or are they loans. Read an insightful evaluation here. Do it. Spend the money. It must be spent. You will pay the loan later. But it is good. But look, you have the money (albeit borrowed). Do it and it is yorkish, a shackle. Don't do it, and it is beyond you. So a system is copied and pasted. Copied from the first worlds and pasted in Uganda, Southern Sudan and Africa because, because it is good. World class.

Welcome June. When yours truly was lost in transliteration, what does my TechRepublic assistant tell me: Salam Taki, one of your unknowing mentors has post. It is an international conference. Doha Qatar. The famed Bill Gates is confirmed guest speaker. Call for papers. Could you respond to a call for a paper and write something which could spell the pungency in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)? Richard Heeks, PhD my mentor and ICT champion at ICTD 2009.
ICTD 2009 IEEE/ACM International Conference of Information and Communication Technologies and Development April 17 - 19, 2009 Carnegie Mellon University, Qatar Campus Education City, Doha, Qatar

Well. ICT and development. Finally the role of ICT shall be put to a scrutiny. I will scream, write, and at worst be in Doha in spirit, question gates, solutions heeks and kith, and attention governments, civil societies, and private sector. It is a wispher of a life time. The bank. The consultants. The corrupt. The rebranding as I stabbed a sky. Hoooooraaaaay