Kenya to release domestically produced smartphones

The first batch of government-backed affordable smartphones made in Kenya will be available to buy at the end of the month, as the East African country seeks to boost its connectivity.

Locally-assembled cell phones should appear in outlets on October 30 with a suggested retail price of $40, Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and the Digital Economy Eliud Owalo told the media last week.

“Yes, the release date is on October 30; that’s all for now,” Owalo told Business Daily. “We will release the rest of the details at the launch.”

The smartphones were initially scheduled for release in August, but Owalo said in July that the government had only just completed a feasibility study for the devices. According to the official, Kenya is determined to make smartphones affordable to everyone, regardless of their economic status.

The project is part of a government-led initiative to boost the country’s connectivity and access to digital devices. Smartphones are being assembled by a three-member consortium consisting of the Chinese wholesaler Shenzhen TeleOne Technology and Kenyan providers Safaricom and Jamii Telecommunications.

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