Mr Alex Gakuru, the chairman, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
Posted Friday, July 3 2009 at 00:00
Kenyan internet users will for the first time have their views presented at the highest internet governing body, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
This will enable the country to join the ranks of four other African states whose consumer rights are represented at the organization.
This follows lasts week’s admission, of the ICT consumer Association of Kenya into the civil society organisations Non-commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) as a the country’s consumer rights representative.
NCUC develops and supports Internet policies that favour non-commercial communication and activity on the internet and is a member of the worlds’ internet governing body, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
The criteria used to choose the consumer representative is that the organization must have a track record of fighting for ICT consumer rights and is not funded by either the government or the sector players.
Formed in November 2005, ICT consumer association has been at the forefront of championing consumer rights issues in the country.
Mr Alex Gakuru,the chairman of the organisation spoke with Business Daily about the impact of the organisation joining ICANN and what local internet users should expect.
What role will ICT Consumer Association of Kenya be playing?
Directly reporting on the real issues facing internet end users in Kenya.
These range from users’ online rights (working with Human Rights Civil Society), advocacy for a balance between “Intellectual Property” and access knowledge online, online safety, reliable infrastructure, migration to the new internet platform known as IPv6 so as to widen online expression, promoting online trust, among others, and in thinking globally and acting locally — actively engaging the government and regulator in safeguarding users’ internet rights.
What does this mean to the non-commercial organisations that need to register domain names in Kenya
They should expect a reduction in .or.ke domain prices in tandem with international .org domain pricing. At present .or.ke is charged at the same rate as commercial entities prices. We shall pressure KENIC on it the reduction.
Non-commercial entities, and all Kenyan end users, will be pleased to know that for the first time now we have a bona fide local voice representing consumers interests at the highest internet policy making process.
Thus far government, Internet business entities and “Intellectual Property” industry interests have dominated Internet policy making. NCUC elevates end users to Internet policy making global table.
How has the Kenyan domain registration body, KENIC, been handling the non-profit groups?
Kenic has deliberately refused to allow this group’s participation at local policy making. About four yeas ago, ICT Consumers Association of Kenya applied for a seat at KENIC Board.
That was never accepted and to-date that letter has never been replied to.
At KENIC’s AGM two years ago, I asked why that letter had not been replied to but I was not given an answer.
Does your joining NCUC mean that Kenya will have two bodies registering domain names and what are the pros and cons?
No, or at least not yet.
Firstly, the NCUC is not a domains registrations entity. The parallel drawn with KENIC (a domains registration entity) was simply to show that such companies projecting and “selling” themselves to the public as “non-profit” firms have deeply entrenched commercial interests on the Internet.
Therefore, their representation of end users interests at ICANN policy making processes is subject to first ensuring their own domain incomes levied on end users is safeguarded before anything else.
Will you need any approval from the regulator to register domains?
We do not need, and have never needed, any approval from the regulator or government to advance users’ rights, unless we decide to also apply for a low-priced .or.ke “Public Interest Registry” license, in which case KENIC would have to cease being the registry for .or.ke domains.
We do not need, and have never needed, any approval from the regulator or government to advance users’ rights, unless we decide to also apply for a low-priced .or.ke “Public Interest Registry” license, in which case KENIC would have to cease being the registry for .or.ke domains.
But this is not of immediate concern. But we have communicated the good news to government and the regulator as part of our “soft diplomacy” ahead of a “deep engagement”.
According to some IT experts , the current registration of domain names in Kenya is not only expensive but uncalled for, what is your take on this and how should it be done?
Their high domain price has been hurting Kenya’s internet growth. Prolonged calls for lowering of domain prices have gone unheeded.
At present, KENIC makes over Sh20 million on domains annually, in addition to sponsorship they receive from various local and international institutions.
And estimating at least doubling of .ke websites now that TEAMs cable is here, one expects domains could double in the next year thus they are likely to be making millions on their business - excluding annual international support.
The best way to arrive at the fair domain prices is to calculate how much KENIC needs to effectively run the domains registration service then compare that with registrations incomes.
The price should be just enough to cover expenses if they are truly a “non-profit” entity.
Therefore, KENIC needs to first and foremost justify how they spend Sh20 million annually. Kenic is paid Sh2,000 for each of the 10,401 generic domains and Sh500 for some of the restricted)
We would prefer to see KENIC involve us at Board level and voluntary lowering domain prices for the benefit of all end users and Kenyans internet growth.
What is the situation in other countries, especially in Africa?
This problem plagues many African countries. In some, individuals actually monopolise domain registrations. The registering entities or individuals end up answerable only to themselves
This problem plagues many African countries. In some, individuals actually monopolise domain registrations. The registering entities or individuals end up answerable only to themselves
In the case of South Africa, different entities register different country domains with Domain Names Authority http://www.zadna.org.za/ coordinating and overseeing all registering entities.
Their model is better than ours because it increases competition that lowers prices and establishes an oversight entity.
But this is not of immediate concern. But we have communicated the good news to government and the regulator as part of our “soft diplomacy” ahead of a “deep engagement”.
According to some IT experts , the current registration of domain names in Kenya is not only expensive but uncalled for, what is your take on this and how should it be done?
Their high domain price has been hurting Kenya’s internet growth. Prolonged calls for lowering of domain prices have gone unheeded.
At present, KENIC makes over Sh20 million on domains annually, in addition to sponsorship they receive from various local and international institutions.
And estimating at least doubling of .ke websites now that TEAMs cable is here, one expects domains could double in the next year thus they are likely to be making millions on their business - excluding annual international support.
The best way to arrive at the fair domain prices is to calculate how much KENIC needs to effectively run the domains registration service then compare that with registrations incomes.
The price should be just enough to cover expenses if they are truly a “non-profit” entity.
Therefore, KENIC needs to first and foremost justify how they spend Sh20 million annually. Kenic is paid Sh2,000 for each of the 10,401 generic domains and Sh500 for some of the restricted)
We would prefer to see KENIC involve us at Board level and voluntary lowering domain prices for the benefit of all end users and Kenyans internet growth.
What is the situation in other countries, especially in Africa?
This problem plagues many African countries. In some, individuals actually monopolise domain registrations. The registering entities or individuals end up answerable only to themselves
This problem plagues many African countries. In some, individuals actually monopolise domain registrations. The registering entities or individuals end up answerable only to themselves
In the case of South Africa, different entities register different country domains with Domain Names Authority http://www.zadna.org.za/ coordinating and overseeing all registering entities.
Their model is better than ours because it increases competition that lowers prices and establishes an oversight entity.
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