Business Daily (Nairobi)
Mwaura Kimani
15 May 2008
To be a referee during some of the most heated moments in the country's scrappy telecommunications industry is not an easy feat.
But in a sector finding its feet in a rapidly growing industry, the outgoing Director-General of the Communications Commission of Kenya, John Waweru, has managed to attract both the respect and approval of industry players.
This was the case even when "Engineer" (as colleagues like to call him) exhibited his trademark no-nonsense attitude.
In 2005, Waweru was posted from his former position as head of Telkom Kenya to lead the emergent CCK, which was tasked with steering the country's communication sector.
Even as industry players praise his cautious and deliberate approach, they are quick to mention the combative nature of Waweru. Most say he has earned high marks by quickly addressing some of the most pressing regulatory issues in the industry.
Focus is now shifting to the naming of a new CCK boss - a process now moving into high gear after the board proposed three names for appointment to Information minister Samuel Poghisio. He is expected to gazette the name this week.
In the parastatal pecking order, the CCK ranks among such elite regulators as the Kenya Revenue Authority and Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) and the Central Bank of Kenya, which have become some of the most lucrative employers in the country.
Late last week, Mr Waweru sat down with Mwaura Kimani to talk about his tenure at the CCK and the pressing issues ahead for the ICT sector as he takes his final bow.
BD: What are the highlights of your administration?
Waweru: Immediately I was appointed, I faced the biggest dilemma. Coming from Telkom (a State protected monopoly) and being aware of industry issues from an operational point of view, my first agenda was to make it easier for business to operate.
All my decisions had to be based on the happenings of the industry, which was looking for more balance. The regulator had to change from being a watchdog to an enabler.
One of my last projects at CCK will see the multitude of licences that were formally offered narrowed down to three under the unified licensing programme. That will come into force in July this year.
It's under my leadership that the fibre optic cable project 'The East African Marine System (TEAMS),' which will lay a fibre optic cable from the Middle East to East Africa, has become a reality and was initiated despite the teething problems it encountered.
I am also proud of the National Fibre Optic Backbone Initiative, which will boost Internet accessibility in rural areas.
The other project is the purchase of the Kenya College of Communication Technology (KCCT) from Telkom Kenya, a plan that was not in CCK's strategic plan.
What issues do you think will continue to engage the ICT sector in the near future and form the first assignments for your successor?
If you look at the ICT sector and the pricing issues, it is unfortunate for the economy as a whole that the rates are still high, but operators benefit from the pressure people feel.
Bringing the rates further down by allowing more operators, but keeping the number at a certain level to ensure quality, is very crucial.
It's very hard for me to imagine that if the economy could ever stagnate, Kenyans would not afford to make calls or surf the Internet.
I would like to see the KCCT fully operational since we have already recruited the top management team.
I also would have liked to see the development of several ICT parks, which would encourage foreign investment in the country.
I propose one to be located here at the CCK to supplement others such as the Athi River one.
My successor will also have to oversee the roll-out of Econet and Telkom Kenya's mobile services. Econet's September deadline will make it a pressing issue for the next director general.
The search for the Second National Operator will also be an issue for the future.
What are the biggest challenges you think the industry will face in the coming few years?
Even as the undersea cable becomes a reality next July, effectively bringing down the monthly cost of broadband to about US$500 per megabite per month from US$8,000, I am worried that we might not fully utilise them.
The industry also faces a shortage of engineers, which needs to be urgently addressed so that the entire industry can maximise use of the undersea cables.
I would say more than 800 engineers need to be trained annually to cope with the expected demand.
KCCT, which is now in the hands of CCK, is expected to spearhead this by offering degrees in partnership with local and international universities as well as providing consultancy services to the industry. But more players will also need to participate.
As CCK prepares to take on a larger role in the industry do you feel the Commission is prepared to tackle the changing times?
Without a doubt, the Commission already has enough talent to continue making gains in the industry. There exists a strategic plan for the CCK that covers the next three years.
In terms of continuity, the six directors all have adequate knowledge to push that agenda forward.
The preparation has been through giving them a chance to make decisions in their departments. Their roles at CCK have been very clear to them.
If I was to pick my successor from within that pool, the biggest task would be choosing on who among the six since all of them are capable.
What are some of your specific management attributes, which informed decisions during your tenure?
Most importantly, I'd say it was finding who our clientele was, maintaining balance as a regulator, understanding the specific operational attributes of each of the operators and not wasting our time trying to be all things to all the operators.
A D-G must be well informed on both local and international events. Having come from Telkom, this gave me a soft landing since I had a broad understanding of the industry dynamics.
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