Kenya is making significant strides towards digital access and inclusion with its plan to roll out one million locally assembled smartphones within the next two months.
The smartphones, priced at Ksh5,484 ($40) per unit, aim to address the issue of affordability that has hindered digital inclusion in the country.
Eliud Owalo, the ICT Cabinet Secretary, emphasized the importance of producing the devices locally to make them more accessible. The low-cost smartphones are being assembled at the Konza Technopolis in Machakos County, specifically in the town of Malili.
Owalo stated that feasibility studies have shown that smartphones can be locally assembled at a cost of approximately $40 per unit. The government has partnered with the private sector to ensure the timely rollout of the first consignment of these affordable smartphones.
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Recognizing the affordability challenges faced by citizens in accessing smart devices, Owalo highlighted the active engagement with stakeholders in the private and manufacturing sectors to produce low-cost smartphones.
By doing so, the government aims to unlock the full potential of the sector and enable more citizens to benefit from digital technologies.
The Konza City project, also known as the African Silicon Savannah, has been in progress since 2013. Several firms, including Safaricom, Wananchi Online, Huawei Technologies, Samsung, and Telemac, have shown interest in various stages of the project.
The recent partnership between Kenya and the Korean government through the Economic Innovation Partnership Program further supports the realization of the Konza City vision.
Efforts to gather information on the firms involved in the local assembly of smartphones were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
