Machakos University’s Huawei ICT Competition Global Champions Receive Presidential Recognition at State House

Machakos University’s continued excellence in innovation and digital skills development has received national recognition following a prestigious invitation for its Huawei ICT Competition Global Champions to meet His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, at State House, Nairobi.

The delegation comprised the students who represented Kenya at the Huawei ICT Competition 2025–2026 Global Finals held in Shenzhen, China, where they emerged as Global Grand Prize winners in the Cloud Track—one of the competition’s highest honours. Accompanying the students were their mentors, led by Mr. Franklin Mutisya, Huawei ICT Academy Instructor and mentor, whose guidance and unwavering commitment played a pivotal role in preparing the team for success on the global stage.

Leading the victorious Cloud Track team was Mr. Salem Kim Lumumba, whose outstanding technical expertise, leadership, and teamwork were instrumental in securing the Global Grand Prize. The achievement marked a historic milestone for both Machakos University and Kenya, affirming the University’s position among Africa’s leading institutions in ICT education and innovation. During the engagement at State House, President William Ruto congratulated the students on their exceptional accomplishment and commended them for flying the Kenyan flag high on the international stage. He noted that their success exemplifies the immense potential of Kenyan youth and underscores the importance of investing in digital skills, innovation, and emerging technologies to drive the country’s socio-economic transformation.

The discussions focused on empowering young innovators, strengthening collaboration between academia, government, and industry, and creating more opportunities for Kenyan students to compete and excel in the global digital economy. Following the meeting, the delegation was accorded the rare privilege of a guided VIP tour of State House, Nairobi, providing the students with a unique opportunity to appreciate one of the nation’s most significant institutions and further inspiring them to pursue excellence, leadership, and service.

The Huawei ICT Competition is one of the world’s premier ICT talent development programmes, attracting hundreds of thousands of students from universities across more than 100 countries and regions. Winning the Global Grand Prize places Machakos University among an elite group of institutions producing globally competitive ICT professionals.

This remarkable achievement reflects Machakos University’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence, innovation, research, and strategic industry partnerships through initiatives such as the Huawei ICT Academy. The University continues to equip students with internationally recognised skills, practical industry exposure, and opportunities to compete at the highest levels of global technological innovation. Machakos University extends its sincere appreciation to the Government of Kenya, Huawei Kenya, Huawei Technologies, the University Council, Management, faculty, and all stakeholders whose continued support has made this achievement possible.

The University congratulates Mr. Salem Kim Lumumba, the Global Grand Prize-winning Cloud Track Team Lead, his fellow team members, and their mentor, Mr. Franklin Mutisya, for their dedication, resilience, and outstanding representation of Machakos University and the Republic of Kenya. Their success serves as an inspiration to the entire University community and reaffirms Machakos University’s commitment to nurturing world-class ICT professionals, innovators, and leaders capable of shaping the future of Kenya and beyond