Kenyan Team Wins First Prize in Global Huawei ICT Competition in China

26 May 2025
Capital FM (Nairobi)

May 26 - Team Kenya has clinched First Prize in the Computing category at the 2024-2025 Huawei ICT Global Competition held in Shenzhen, China--affirming the country's growing reputation as a hub of digital talent.

The winning team comprised Esther Guichaiya and Ephraim Shikanga from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), along with Mark Omaiko and Ian Omwenga from Machakos University.

Kenya had over 6,000 students register for the competition, but only 12 made it to the Global Finals in China.

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In its ninth edition, the Huawei ICT Competition--held under the theme "Connection, Glory, and Future"--attracted an overwhelming response, drawing more than 210,000 students and teachers from over 2,000 universities across 100+ countries and regions.

A strong Kenyan delegation accompanied the students, including Principal Secretary in the State Department for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy, Fikirini Katoi Kahindi, and Kenya's Ambassador to China, Willy Bett.

In addition to the First Prize win in the Computing track, Kenyan teams also earned top honours in other categories:

  • Second Prize in the Network Track: Teams from Machakos University, JKUAT, and the University of Nairobi.
  • Second Prize in the Cloud Track: JKUAT and Moi University.
  • Third Prize in the Innovation Track: The 'Silicon Savannah' team from Egerton University, recognised for their Smart Air Quality Monitoring System.

Students and universities from across Southern Africa were also celebrated, with teams from Cameroon, Ghana, Madagascar, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda winning multiple awards across various tracks, including Network, Cloud, Computing, and Innovation.

In his opening remarks, Ritchie Peng, Director of Huawei's ICT Strategy & Business Development Department, emphasised the competition's role in promoting practical learning and innovation.

"The Practice Competition aligns with our vision for an Intelligent World 2030. It empowers students with skills in cloud computing, big data, and AI, and challenges them to solve real-world problems in agriculture, healthcare, and education," he said.

Kenya's PS for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Fikirini Kahindi, praised the students' performance, saying their success showcased the country's potential to develop world-class digital talent.

The Kenyan delegation also included Huawei Kenya's Khadija Mohammed and Lutta Yeng, university staff Philip Oyier and Wairimu Gichaiya (JKUAT), Patricia Gitonga (UoN), and Franklin Mutisya (Machakos University).

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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