By Eddah Waithaka
Huawei, in partnership with the Konza Technopolis Development Authority, today unveiled a cutting-edge contact center software platform at the Siaya Community Digital Hub, empowering local youth to deliver Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services to a global market.
The launch took place during the Siaya Digital Summit 2026 at Bondo Township Primary School Grounds, an event themed “Empowering Siaya’s Future: Digital Connectivity, Skills, Jobs, and Creative Economy for Sustainable Growth.”
This initiative marks a Kenyan first: a community digital hub equipped with a fully operational BPO. The AI-powered platform, provided by Huawei, enables trained agents to intelligently handle customer service cases across messaging, web, and phone channels.
Twenty local youth have already completed training on the system, positioning them to serve clients ranging from local counties and businesses to international corporations.
“This initiative reflects the power of technology to transform communities,” said Ruth Mokaya, Cloud Solutions Engineer at Huawei. “When young people are equipped with the right skills, they improve their own livelihoods while uplifting entire communities.”
She added that the project falls under Huawei’s global #Tech4All Initiative, aligning with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda by bringing digital literacy to rural areas.
Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, H.E. William Kabogo Gitau, who spoke at the summit, praised the model for democratizing economic opportunity.
“The success of Kenya’s digital transformation will ultimately be measured by how widely opportunities are shared,” said CS Kabogo.
“Talent exists everywhere, and our responsibility as government is to ensure that young people, regardless of where they live, have access to the infrastructure, skills, and platforms needed to participate in the digital economy.”
He highlighted the synergy of the partnership, “This innovative partnership combines the capabilities of a tech leader such as Huawei and Konza’s Data Center with the infrastructure of the Digital Hubs, which have high-speed broadband and devices, to directly create jobs across the country. It also shows how AI can assist and support our youth to deliver online services at a globally competitive level.”
The AI software supports agents by suggesting responses, automatically logging interactions, analyzing case records, and maximizing productivity, enabling the hub to compete internationally.
Huawei and Konza plan to replicate this BPO model in other digital hubs nationwide.Beyond the BPO launch, Huawei conducted a practical training session for 100 youth as part of the globally recognized Huawei Certified ICT Associate (HCIA) program.
Participants gained hands-on skills in networking, cabling, and ICT infrastructure management—expertise critical to maintaining Kenya’s expanding Digital Superhighway, which now includes over 100,000 km of fiber optic cable.
CS Kabogo emphasized the job creation inherent in the infrastructure rollout. “Rolling-out 100,000 km of fibre is creating jobs for our youth. This partnership between the Ministry of ICDE and Huawei taking place at the Siaya Community Digital Hub is exactly what the Hubs are intended to be for – collaborative capacity building at the grassroots.”
John Paul Okwiri, CEO of Konza Technopolis Development Authority, underscored the hubs’ role in a larger digital ecosystem.
“Digital hubs such as this one play a critical role in nurturing innovation and providing young people with access to infrastructure, mentorship, and collaborative spaces. They are part of a broader ecosystem, including initiatives like Konza Digital Media City, designed to empower creators, developers, and digital professionals with world-class opportunities.”
Olivier Ogawa, one of the 20 BPO trainees, shared his personal transformation. “Through the training, I gained practical skills in digital communication and customer support systems that can be applied in the BPO industry and other online work opportunities. These skills give us the confidence to compete for digital jobs and generate income from wherever we are.”
The Siaya hub is part of the government’s broader Jitume Digital Hubs programme, which aims to establish similar centers in all 1,450 administrative wards. To date, 290 hubs have opened, serving over 400,000 young people.
“With over 75% of Kenya’s population under the age of 35, empowering youth with digital skills has become central to economic transformation,” noted Mokaya.
“The Siaya Community Digital Hub will serve as a collaborative space where youth can access connectivity, acquire practical digital skills, and explore opportunities in remote work, freelancing, digital content creation, and business process outsourcing.”
The summit concluded with a unified call for continued collaboration to ensure digital advancements create tangible, local opportunities.
“Kenya’s digital future will be built not only in our major cities but in counties across the country where young people are ready to innovate, create, and lead,” CS Kabogo said.
