By Mumo Judah, Shenzhen, June 3, 2026
A delegation of 12 elite Kenyan university students has arrived at Huawei’s global headquarters in Shenzhen, China, to participate in the 10th Huawei ICT Competition Global Final, one of the world’s largest student technology contests that brings together top talent in information and communications technology from across the globe.
The flagship international competition officially kicked off on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, with Kenya represented by three independently qualified teams drawn from a highly competitive selection process that saw them outperform thousands of students during the Southern Africa regional qualifiers.
This year’s global finals have attracted unprecedented participation, with more than 210,000 students from over 2,000 universities across 100 countries initially entering the competition. From this massive pool, only 131 elite teams representing over 40 nations have advanced to the final stage, underscoring the level of competition facing the Kenyan delegation.
Participants are being evaluated across six core disciplines: Practice, Innovation, Programming, Teaching, Challenge, and Entrepreneurship, with each category designed to test both theoretical understanding and practical application of advanced ICT skills.
Kenya’s team is competing in three main technical tracks: the Network Track, which focuses on data communication systems, wireless networking, routing architectures and cybersecurity; the Cloud Track, which evaluates cloud computing, IoT integration, AI systems and cloud-native engineering; and the Computing Track, which tests expertise in open-source technologies including openEuler operating systems, openGauss databases and Kunpeng application development.
The Kenyan delegation includes standout students from several leading institutions. Among them are Robert Wambua from Kenyatta University, Joy Wairimu from the Co-operative University of Kenya, Denzel Ninga from Multimedia University of Kenya, and a group from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) comprising Melane Minayo, Joan Kinoti, Faith Chepkoech and Catherine Atieno. Others include Salem Lumumba from Machakos University and Brian Kamau from Mount Kenya University.
The team was officially flagged off prior to departure on Saturday, May 30, by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who praised their selection as a reflection of genuine technical ability and academic excellence rather than chance.
Beyond global recognition, the competition also offers significant career opportunities, with finalists often securing internships and potential employment within Huawei or its wider global partner ecosystem, giving participants a direct pathway into the international technology industry.
As the competition progresses in Shenzhen, Kenya’s representatives are expected to showcase their skills against some of the brightest emerging tech minds worldwide, with hopes of strengthening the country’s reputation in digital innovation and ICT talent development on the global stage.
