[rpd] [Last Call] Draft Policy Proposal - Hierarchical Names for New AS-SETs (AFPUB-2026-ASN-001-DRAFT02)

Mon Jul 20 15:20:12 UTC 2026

Thank you for the heads-up...I might have been coopted in a group or
faction unaware...

Please note this will be rectified so that I participate more objectively.
I am not on the discussion platform hence I do not see how the discussion
go... I am not on the mailing list or discussion platform.  Kindly allow me
on the platform for me to participate objectively....

Regards,

Dr. Nyasha Ndemo-Masimbarasi
(DPhil, MSc., BSc. Hon. Development Science and Policy)
Chairperson - Department of Development Programming and Management
Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University
1901 Barrassie Rd, Off Shamva Rd, Bindura
Zimbabwe
Landline: +263867 700 6136
Cell: +263 773226552
Email: nyashandemo at gmail.com

On Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 5:06 PM Omo Oaiya <omo.oaiya at wacren.net> wrote:

> Hi Ben,
>
> Some of the recent exchanges do suggest that some contributions may have
> been coordinated or based on common templates - and thanks adding
> “astroturfing" to my vocabulary :-)  Another problem along similar lines is
> organised bloc participation, but these issues are not new, in the AFRINIC
> community or elsewhere.
>
> We should be careful not to let the discussion become about the
> participants rather than the policy.   New voices should always be welcome,
> and the co-chairs can determine rough consensus by identifying and
> evaluating the distinct technical and policy issues raised, rather than the
> number of emails expressing them.
>
> Technically sound objections should be addressed on their merits
> regardless of who raises them - experienced operator or not -, and repeated
> assertions without additional evidence should not carry additional weight.
> In fact, co-chairs could ask participants to be more evidence-oriented,
> raising the quality bar without worrying too much about who the author is.
>
> I think this could preserve the openness of the PDP while making
> coordinated messaging largely ineffective.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Omo
>
> On 20 Jul 2026, at 10:45, ben.roberts--- via RPD <rpd at afrinic.net> wrote:
>
> Dr Nyasha,
>
> It appears you are in fact using a template? And forgot to delete the
> [name] placeholder ?
> Did you write the email yourself?
>
> Kind Regards,
>
> Ben
>
> Nyasha Ndemo wrote. >>>
>
> Regards,
> [Name]
>
> Dr. Nyasha Ndemo-Masimbarasi
> (DPhil, MSc., BSc. Hon. Development Science and Policy)
> Chairperson - Department of Development Programming and Management
>
>
> *From: *Nyasha Ndemo <nndemo at staff.zegu.ac.zw>
> *Date: *Monday, 20 July 2026 at 09:42
> *To: *rpd at afrinic.net <rpd at afrinic.net>
> *Cc: *rpd-owner at afrinic.net <rpd-owner at afrinic.net>
> *Subject: *[rpd] [Last Call] Draft Policy Proposal - Hierarchical Names
> for New AS-SETs (AFPUB-2026-ASN-001-DRAFT02)
>
> Get Outlook for Mac <https://aka.ms/GetOutlookForMac>
> Dear PDWG,
>
> The discussion is being diverted from the substance of the objections
> toward speculation about AI use, writing style, and how consensus should be
> counted.
>
> That does not answer the policy concerns raised.
>
> A problem statement does not prove that the proposed remedy is necessary,
> proportionate, or technically sufficient. Nor does the use of drafting
> assistance invalidate an argument. The relevant question is whether the
> objection is sound.
>
> The objections remain clear: the proposal improves naming attribution, but
> it does not validate AS-SET contents, eliminate incorrect customer-cone
> data, or demonstrate that mandatory registry enforcement is the minimum
> necessary response.
>
> If several participants raise the same concern, the proper response is to
> answer that concern on its merits. Similarity does not make it disappear,
> and unfamiliar participants do not count for less.
>
> Participation is evidence, not mandate. Consensus is not manufactured by
> dismissing dissenters or analysing their prose.
>
> I therefore remain opposed and ask that the discussion return to the
> unresolved technical and proportionality questions.
>
> Regards,
> [Name]
>
> Dr. Nyasha Ndemo-Masimbarasi
> (DPhil, MSc., BSc. Hon. Development Science and Policy)
> Chairperson - Department of Development Programming and Management
> Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University
> 1901 Barrassie Rd, Off Shamva Rd, Bindura
> Zimbabwe
> Landline: +263867 700 6136
> Cell: +263 773226552
> Email: nyashandemo at gmail.com
>
> On Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 9:35 AM <rpd-request at afrinic.net> wrote:
>
> Send RPD mailing list submissions to
>         rpd at afrinic.net
>
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>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. Subject: Re: [Last Call] Draft Policy Proposal ? Hierarchical
>       Names for New AS-SETs (AFPUB-2026-ASN-001-DRAFT02) (Thulisile
> Mazomba)
>    2. Re: [Last Call] Draft Policy Proposal ? Hierarchical Names
>       for New AS-SETs (AFPUB-2026-ASN-001-DRAFT02) (Tshepo Masuku)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2026 07:24:43 +0000
> From: Thulisile Mazomba <219280444 at mycput.ac.za>
> To: Frank Habicht <geier at geier.ne.tz>, "rpd at afrinic.net"
>         <rpd at afrinic.net>
> Cc: "rpd-owner at afrinic.ne" <rpd-owner at afrinic.ne>
> Subject: [rpd] Subject: Re: [Last Call] Draft Policy Proposal ?
>         Hierarchical Names for New AS-SETs (AFPUB-2026-ASN-001-DRAFT02)
> Message-ID:
>         <
> GVXPR04MB12291FB9551CD3D0ADB433FE6D1C32 at GVXPR04MB12291.eurprd04.prod.outlook.com
> >
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
>
> Hi Frank,
>
> An improvement is not automatically a justification for mandatory policy.
>
> The question is whether the benefit is significant enough, proven enough,
> and proportionate enough to place in the registry?s compulsory layer.
> Saying ?it helps? does not answer that.
>
> And no, raising those questions does not mean the objection came first. It
> means policy power should be tested before it is expanded.
>
> I remain opposed.
>
> Regards,
> Thulisile
> ________________________________
> From: Frank Habicht <geier at geier.ne.tz>
> Sent: Monday, 20 July 2026 06:36:00
> To: Thulisile Mazomba <219280444 at mycput.ac.za>; rpd at afrinic.net <
> rpd at afrinic.net>
> Cc: rpd-owner at afrinic.ne <rpd-owner at afrinic.ne>
> Subject: Re: [rpd] [Last Call] Draft Policy Proposal ? Hierarchical Names
> for New AS-SETs (AFPUB-2026-ASN-001-DRAFT02)
>
> Hi,
>
> On 7/19/2026 11:29 PM, Thulisile Mazomba wrote:
> >
> > Hi Frank,
> >
> > You appear to be treating your disagreement with an objection as proof
> > that no technical objection exists.
> >
> > The proposal prevents one naming collision. It does not establish the
> > correctness of the routing data attached to that name,
>
> The proposal does not fix *all* problems. and it doesn't claim to do so.
> It creates an improvement.
> I don't agree that it is ok to object just because this proposal does
> not fix *all* problems.
>
> Do you agree it provides improvements?
>
> > nor prove that
> > mandatory registry control is the only proportionate remedy.
>
> it's not intended to prove that.
>
> >
> > Those are technical and policy questions. Declaring them invalid does
> > not resolve them.
> They are not good reasons against the proposal.
>
> But some people maybe want to be against the proposal first and then are
> looking for "questions".
>
> Frank
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2026 07:34:21 +0000
> From: Tshepo Masuku <TshepoMasuku26 at hotmail.com>
> To: "rpd at afrinic.net" <rpd at afrinic.net>, "geier at geier.ne.tz"
>         <geier at geier.ne.tz>
> Subject: Re: [rpd] [Last Call] Draft Policy Proposal ? Hierarchical
>         Names for New AS-SETs (AFPUB-2026-ASN-001-DRAFT02)
> Message-ID:
>         <
> VI2PR04MB10545520811A7499ACFFB1239CAC32 at VI2PR04MB10545.eurprd04.prod.outlook.com
> >
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hi Frank,
>
> You keep positioning yourself as the referee of which objections count.
>
> That is not your role. Participants are allowed to question whether a
> useful change belongs in mandatory policy. Dismissing those concerns
> instead of answering them turns discussion into gatekeeping.
>
> A policy room may debate. It does not grant any participant authority to
> police dissent.
>
> I remain opposed.
>
> Regards,
> Tshepo
>
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> End of RPD Digest, Vol 222, Issue 81
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>
>
> Omo OAIYA
> Chief Strategy Officer/Directeur de la Stratégie | WACREN
> <https://www.wacren.net>
> m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987
>
>
>
>
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