Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi poses for a photo with Huawei Global vice president Wang Ke and other senior officials after a meeting in Beijing on April 22, 2025/OPCSPrime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has expanded collaborations with Chinese tech giant Huawei to accelerate the country's digital transformation agenda.
Mudavadi said they are exploring new areas of working together to enhance rural connectivity, roll out advanced training programs for the youth, and support the implementation of the newly launched Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy.
“Huawei has been a key partner in Kenya's digital journey, and we are keen on further collaboration to expand our digital economy and create more opportunities for our young people,” he stated.
Mudavadi made the remarks Tuesday after a meeting with Huawei's Global Vice President Wang Ke in Beijing.
According to the PCS, they are building on Huawei's successful projects in the country to explore more ambitious partnerships.
These include connection of TVET institutions, schools, and hospitals, among other key areas.
Mudavadi is part of President William Ruto's delegation to a state visit to China.
Wang Ke on his part said they are ready to discuss their support for key government initiatives, digitising our economy and creating opportunities for the youth.
"Huawei is ready collaborate with the government's agenda including more rural connectivity, more training for Kenyan youth, and supporting implementation of the recently launched AI Strategy," he said.
He noted that Huawei has already exceeded its target 1 year early.
"By the end of October 2024, Huawei's ICT solutions had brought connectivity to 121 million people in rural areas of nearly 80 countries. Furthermore, 34 of those countries are on the UN's list of the world's 46 least developed countries," said Wang.
He said it was critical that all of the stakeholders continue to work together to make sure no one is left behind in the digital economy through a collaboration between government, and partners from the private sector in the future.
Mudavadi said 274 digital hubs have already been established in TVET institutions across the country.
The aim, he said, is to establish 1,450 hubs across the country under the pillar of digital superhighway and creative economy anchored on the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Huawei Technologies is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices.
Founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei in Shenzhen, China, Huawei has grown into one of the world’s largest tech companies, operating in over 170 countries.
Some of the key areas of the company's business are telecommunications equipment, where it is a major supplier of 5G networks, broadband systems, and cloud infrastructure.
It also deals in smartphones and consumer devices, cloud computing and AI, and enterprise and government solutions, where it provides digital transformation tools, cybersecurity, and smart city technologies.
It also offers training and skills development through initiatives like Huawei ICT Academy that train professionals in emerging tech fields.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi during the meeting with Huawei officials in Beijing on April 22, 2025/COURTESY In Kenya, it has been a key partner in the digital growth, supporting internet connectivity in schools, TVETs, and hospitals; the 5G rollout with Safaricom, ICT skills training for youth; and government digital projects.
Huawei’s continued investment in the country aligns with the government’s broader agenda to position the country as a regional tech hub.
The meeting by the PCS is part of plans by the government to leverage technology for economic growth, with a particular focus on bridging the digital divide and equipping the youth with cutting-edge skills in AI and other emerging fields.
Earlier on, Mudavadi held bilateral talks with Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance CEO Zhonging Wang.
During the discussions, they agreed on the need to break down barriers that limit trade within our 1.4 billion-strong continent, where intra-trade stands at just 16%.
