Kenya To Launch Locally-Made Smartphones
The smartphones are being assembled at the Konza Technopolis in Malili, Machakos County, and are priced at about US$40, making them more affordable than most devices.
The Kenyan government says the country will unveil its first locally made and affordable smartphones in the next two months to increase the penetration of internet-enabled mobile phones.
Eliud Owalo, Kenya’s ICT Cabinet Secretary (CS), announced while he pointed out that smartphones are expensive in Kenya and that this has held back digital inclusion.
According to reports, the smartphones are being assembled at the Konza Technopolis in Malili, Machakos County, priced at about US$40, making them more affordable than most.
This has long been the government’s aim. In November last year, Kenyan President William Ruto stated his administration’s intention to manufacture Africa’s cheapest smartphone within the next 12 months. He noted that a low-cost device would ensure all Kenyans have digital access to government services and business platforms.
Locally made smartphones are not a new idea in Africa. It was back in 2019 that we reported that Rwanda’s Mara Group had launched two smartphones, which it described as the first Made in Africa models. However, at the time, the Mara Group suggested targeting customers willing to pay more for quality smartphones manufactured in Africa. The Kenyan devices will, it is hoped, be much cheaper.