from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya Bureau
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – KENYA has hailed a partnership with Huawei in empowering youth with the skills to thrive in the digital economy.
Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, was speaking as he and executives of the technology company saw off 12 Kenyan students who will compete at the Huawei ICT Competition Global Finals in Shenzhen, China, this week.
After departing this past weekend, they will compete alongside more than 2 000 participants from across the world at the event scheduled for June 2-5.
Mudavadi encouraged the team to fly the Kenyan flag high and continue pushing boundaries in technology, research and innovation, areas that remain critical to the East African country’s future competitiveness and economic transformation.
“I also commend Huawei Kenya for its continued partnership with the government in advancing digital skills, innovation and technology-driven opportunities for young people across the country,” he added.
Gavin Gao, Huawei Kenya Chief Executive Officer, also attended the event in Nairobi.
Huawei stated the students’ participation in the competition in China was a milestone reflecting Kenya’s growing digital talent and the power of innovation, learning and collaboration in shaping the future of information and communication technology.
“We wish Team Kenya success as they showcase the country’s brilliance on the global stage,” it added.
Launched in 2015, the Huawei ICT Competition is an annual global event for students and teachers from tertiary institutions.
It offers them a platform for competition and exchange, enabling participants to strengthen their ICT knowledge, improve practical skills and foster innovation using the latest technologies.
The 2025–2026 edition attracted more than 220 000 participants, narrowed down to the 2 000 who will be in China this week.
Huawei runs several flagship programmes to equip youth in Kenya with foundational and advanced digital skills.
Initiatives include the Huawei ICT Academy for university students, the DigiTruck for remote areas and the Presidential Digital Talent Programme.
– CAJ News