MAL 50:22 | Page 12

A malicious individual can register a domain name that is similar to your company or brand name for cyber-squatting with the intent to profit from the good will of a trademark . KeNIC urges all companies and individuals to register and secure their brands on all . KE domain name extensions . based consultations and research facilitated by the Communications Commission of Kenya ( C . C . K ), since October 2001 , to achieve these objectives . As a result of several meetings held and wide range consultations , the Kenya Network Information Center , KENIC was born and registered under the Kenyan laws as company limited by guarantee ( a not-forprofit entity ) to manage the administration and technical operations of the Kenyan ccTLD .
CORPORATE SCENE

KeNIC

By Marketing Africa Crew
About KeNIC
Kenya Network Information Centre ( KeNIC ) is charged with the management and administration of the . KE domain , Kenya ’ s Country Code Top Level Domain . KeNIC ’ s mandate is to provide corporates , businesses and individuals with the opportunity to have an online presence , professional email addresses and websites on the . KE platform .
The History
Historically , Jonathan Bruce Postel , popularly known as “ Jon Postel ” in the Internet World , was an American computer scientist who made many significant contributions to the development of the Internet , particularly with respect to Standards . Until 1993 , Jon Postel was managing most of the Country Code Top Level Domain ( ccTLDs ), including the . KE ccTLD .
The Journey of forming KENIC then started in May 2000 , when a group of Kenyan Internet stakeholders and the Kenyan Government launched an initiative to form a participatory , community-based non-profit organization located in Kenya to manage both the administrative and technical aspects of the . KE ccTLD registry . The Kenyan Stakeholders included ; Communications Commission of Kenya ( CCK ), who was the Secretariat and resources provider ; Kenya Education Network ( KENET ); Kenya Information Society ( KIS ); National Taskforce on E-Commerce ( NTFeCom ); Telecommunication Service Providers Association of Kenya ( TESPOK ); East African Internet Association ( EAIA ) and Network Operators Association ( Telkom Kenya ).
The Kenyan Internet community and the Government appreciated the good work done by both the . ke ccTLD administrative contact Dr . Shem Ochuodho and the technical contact Mr . Randy Bush . However , the Kenyan Internet Community strongly felt that the task at hand had increasingly become too great for one person . A better suited organization which was representative of the local internet community needed to be established with the appropriate resources to move Kenya forward in the global world of the Internet with the full support of the Government .
Through the Internet stakeholders and the Government initiative , there were broad

A malicious individual can register a domain name that is similar to your company or brand name for cyber-squatting with the intent to profit from the good will of a trademark . KeNIC urges all companies and individuals to register and secure their brands on all . KE domain name extensions . based consultations and research facilitated by the Communications Commission of Kenya ( C . C . K ), since October 2001 , to achieve these objectives . As a result of several meetings held and wide range consultations , the Kenya Network Information Center , KENIC was born and registered under the Kenyan laws as company limited by guarantee ( a not-forprofit entity ) to manage the administration and technical operations of the Kenyan ccTLD .
In addition , the objective of KENIC is to promote , manage and operate the delegated . ke ccTLD in the interest of the Kenyan Internet Community and being mindful of the Global Internet community interest in consistent with Internet Corporation for Assigned Numbers and Names ( ICANN ) policies .
Currently , KeNIC is governed by an oversight Board made up of seven ( 7 ) members from the internet community in Kenya . Technology Service Providers of Kenya ( TESPOK ), Information and Communication Technology Authority ( ICTA ), Domain Registrars Association of Kenya ( DRAKE ) and Kenya Education Network Trust ( KENET ). The other Board members are independent and drawn from professional fields such as Legal , Human Resource and Finance . The Board operates through various sub-committees for the efficient discharge of its duties . Additional professionals are co-opted into the subcommittees to provide expert guidance and advice , but do not take part in decision-making .
The day-to-day operations of KeNIC are managed by a secretariat of fifteen ( 15 ) full time employees led by the Chief Executive Officer ( CEO ). A management team composed of four ( 4 ) functional heads assists the CEO . The organization has
12 MAL50 / 22 ISSUE