- Kenyan government-backed affordable smartphones to debut on October 30 at $40 retail price.
- The project was delayed by two months from its original August deadline.
- Phones are part of a digital inclusion initiative.
According to ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo, the first shipment of the government-backed locally produced cell phones will be made available for purchase on October 30 at a suggested retail price of $40 (about Ksh6,000).
In response to Business Daily’s (Kenyan business publication) questions on Wednesday, the CS denied providing specifics on the phone’s features and the quantity of the initial batch of phones.
“Yes, the release date is on October 30, that’s all for now. We will release the rest of the details at the launch,” the cabinet secretary relayed via a text response.
There are still few details available about the phone, like its brand name and how last-mile retail stores would be identified.
The first deadline, which Mr. Owalo said would occur in August before going dark and refusing to provide updates on the project despite persistent press queries, has been delayed by two months.
The mobile devices are a part of the government-led initiatives to promote digital access and inclusion in the nation and are being produced by a three-member partnership made up of the Chinese dealer Shenzhen TeleOne Technology, Safaricom, and Jamii Telecommunications in the smart city Konza Technopolis.
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Back in July, Business Insider Africa reported that the Kenyan government was gearing up to unleash a wave of affordable smartphones into the market, heralding a new era of digital inclusion for its citizens.
The president of Kenya, William Ruto originally made the production schedule public in December of last year as part of a larger initiative to transform the nation’s digital economy.
At the time, Dr. Ruto had a lofty goal: he would fulfill his promise of a low-cost smartphone within the next eight to twelve months. The concept has been hailed as a game changer if it is successful.