from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya Bureau
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) – KENYA is equipping its youth through the National Refurbishment, Assembly and e-Waste Management Programme, which aims to collect, refurbish and recycle obsolete information and communication technology (ICT) equipment to reduce environmental impact.
A total of 151 young people have graduated with the requisite skills at a ceremony held in Nandi County, in the North Rift region, following a training programme organised by the ICT Authority (ICTA).
ICTA Chief Executive Officer, Jessy Maruti, and Nandi Hills legislator Bernard Kitur presided over the graduation ceremony over the weekend.
The graduates completed a week-long ICTA-sponsored training programme covering the repair, refurbishment, reuse and e-waste management of mobile phones, laptops, computers and printers. The programme was implemented in partnership with key industry players.
“The programme is equipping young people with practical skills to create employment while promoting the responsible management of electronic waste and protecting the environment,” Maruti said.
Established in late 2023, the programme advances the broader goals of Kenya’s National E-Waste Management Strategy and the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy’s national frameworks.
The programme enhances environmental safety by ensuring hazardous and end-of-life electronic components are dismantled in partnership with stakeholders such as the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), thereby preventing toxic contamination.
To promote digital inclusion, some electronic devices are refurbished and redistributed to schools and community digital hubs.
The programme also engages technical interns and local workers, helping them develop practical skills in sustainable technology management.
Kenya, East Africa’s largest economy, faces an escalating e-waste crisis, driven by a surge in discarded electronic equipment that reached a record high of nearly 56 000 metric tonnes in 2025.
According to experts, less than 5 percent of Kenya’s e-waste is formally recycled, with the remainder handled by the informal sector, posing significant environmental, social and structural challenges across the country.
– CAJ News