Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Lenovo Group eye the Sh53b laptop project

By FELIX OLICK

KENYA: A consortium headed by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) is positioning itself to clinch tender for supply of laptops for Standard One pupils.

The group bringing together various institutions, including technology giants Samsung and Microsoft, is planning to kick off assembling laptops in October. Already, the consortium has developed a harmonised curriculum for teachers’ capacity development to be launched soon.

JKUAT vice-chancellor Mabel Imbuga said the university has the capacity to deliver the laptops, adding the consortium has already developed a long-term roadmap for the Jubilee government’s flagship project.

Link up

“We have the capacity to come up with indigenous and locally assembled laptops having built computers before. The benefits would be enormous. We have linked up with other partners and I can assure you, this is possible,” Prof Imbuga told The Standard. Already, a Chinese multinational technology firm is jostling for the tender that would cost the Government Sh53 billion at the end of the three phases.

Just two weeks ago, high-ranking figures from Lenovo Group, which sells personal computers, tablets and smartphones, were in the country for a ‘familiarisation’ tour, a move tied to the imminent business opportunity.

But speaking on Tuesday, Imbuga maintained that assembling the laptops locally would address the soaring unemployment of graduates.

“Why are we training people information technology and computer engineering if we can’t create jobs locally?” posed the director of the park Dr Suleiman Okech.