Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Dennis Itumbi has defended President William Ruto, who raised questions after saying that Kenya is now manufacturing phones.
On May 11, 2026, Itumbi, who took to social media to speak, said that the factory was launched through partnerships involving Safaricom, Jamii Telecom, and international manufacturers, with the capacity to assemble up to 3 million smartphones every year.
He alleged that the phones are already in the market and are among the most affordable 4G smartphones available to ordinary Kenyans.
According to Itumbi, the same journey is happening with laptops and digital devices.
“Kenya is now assembling ICT devices locally through partnerships tied to the Digital Superhighway and Buy Kenya, Build Kenya programmes. Some of these devices are already being supplied to schools and government institutions. What matters most is the human side of it. Young Kenyans are getting jobs. Technical skills are being transferred. Local industries are growing. And Kenya is taking gradual but important steps toward becoming a regional technology and manufacturing hub,” Dennis Itumbi said.
Meanwhile, President Ruto has called on Kenyans to take advantage of government initiatives put in place to help them generate wealth.
He affirmed that the government is working on ensuring that Kenyans across the country are connected to the internet.
We are also investing in digital infrastructure. We are now manufacturing phones and computers. We are also laying Fibrde optics in the country to make sure that every part of Kenya is in the loop.