Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi has said Kenya is ready to lead Africa’s digital revolution.
Speaking during the inaugural Software and Artificial Intelligence Summit at Moi University’s Annex Campus in Eldoret on November 10, 2025, Mudavadi said the event marked a new chapter in Kenya’s digital transformation.
He conveyed President William Ruto’s message of support, describing the summit as a milestone toward making Kenya Africa’s digital powerhouse.
“Eldoret, with its legacy of excellence, resilience, and unyielding spirit, is the perfect birthplace for this summit,” he said.
“Just as our champions shatter records on the track, we are here to position Kenya as Africa’s coding champion.”
Mudavadi said the government is investing heavily in digital infrastructure and skills to prepare young people for the future.
He noted that 60 percent of Africa’s population is under 25, describing the youth as the continent’s greatest asset.
“Our youth are creative, ambitious, and globally connected. To secure Kenya’s place as a global digital powerhouse, we must turn their energy and creativity into engines of enterprise and job creation,” he said.
He highlighted Kenya’s achievements in innovation, including M-Pesa, the e-Citizen platform with over 22,000 services, and reforms in digital health and e-procurement.
He said these milestones demonstrate Kenya’s ability to pioneer transformative solutions.
The Prime CS said the software market is worth more than US$700 billion, while AI is expected to generate US$1.7 trillion in value in the next year.
“These are not abstract statistics,” he said. “They represent opportunities that Kenya and Africa must seize. In this new economy, software is power, AI is advantage, and talent is currency.”
He announced that Moi University will host a new Centre for Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things.
The facility will serve as a hub for research and innovation in partnership with the Ministry of ICT, the ICT Authority, and Konza Technopolis.
Mudavadi said the government’s initiatives — including Ajira, Jitume, and the Digital Hubs Programme — have trained more than 600,000 youth in coding, AI, and digital entrepreneurship.
The plan to establish 1,450 innovation hubs across the country aims to ensure equitable access to opportunities.
He also unveiled the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025–2030, which positions AI as a national superpower focused on ethical governance, skills, and research.
Mudavadi urged collaboration among government, academia, industry, and partners to drive the digital transformation agenda.
“Government alone cannot achieve this vision,” he said.
“The private sector must invest in innovation, and academia must prepare graduates for a digital-first economy.”
However, Mudavadi cautioned the youth to be responsible in the digital space.
“Your digital footprint is very important. It can either open or block your path to success. Some countries now review digital records before granting visas.”
He urged young people to use online platforms responsibly and uphold ethics and integrity.
“You can break the chains and gain freedom, but once you cut your roots, you die,” he said.
Mudavadi reiterated that Kenya is ready to build, ready to innovate, and ready to lead Africa’s digital transformation.
