MKU Shines on Global Stage with Major Wins in China and the United States

Catherine Atieno of JKUAT, Salim Kim of Machakos University , Brian Ngugi of Mount Kenya University and their instructor Kevin Tuei beat more than 220,000 students from around the world to win the Huawei global award.

Mount Kenya University (MKU) has achieved three major international milestones, reinforcing Kenya’s growing reputation as a hub for technology, innovation and globally competitive talent.

The achievements include a historic victory at the Huawei ICT Competition Global Finals in China, a finalist award at the prestigious Wege Prize 2026 in the United States and a landmark international partnership that will see MKU offer globally accredited programmes in emerging technologies.

The successes come at a time when Kenya is increasingly positioning itself as a leader in digital transformation, innovation and skills development across Africa.

In what has been described as a landmark moment for East Africa, a Kenyan team that included Brian Ngugi of Mount Kenya University, alongside Catherine Atieno of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and Salem Kim of Machakos University, won the Grand Prize at the Huawei ICT Competition Global Finals held in Shenzhen, China.

Guided by instructor Kevin Tuei, the team outperformed more than 220,000 students and lecturers from over 2,000 institutions across more than 100 countries and regions, making it one of the most competitive editions in the competition’s history.

The victory marks the first time a Kenyan team has secured the overall grand prize, after years of participation and regional success.

Organised annually by Huawei in collaboration with universities worldwide and UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education (UNESCO-IBE), the competition is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious global platforms for emerging technology talent. Participants are tested on practical and theoretical skills in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, networking, cybersecurity and 5G technologies.

Industry leaders and education stakeholders have hailed the achievement as proof that Kenyan students can compete and excel at the highest international level.

“This achievement demonstrates the immense potential of young Africans in shaping the future of technology and innovation,” said education stakeholders who attended the event.

A Chinese team participates at the Huawei ICT global award finals held in Shenzhen,  China.

Speaking during the closing ceremony, Ritchie (Honghua) Peng, President of Huawei’s ICT Strategy and Business Development Department, said the competition continues to demonstrate how technology can be used to address real-world challenges.

“The Innovation Competition has shown the value of learning through competition. Participants demonstrated curiosity, technical excellence and a commitment to solving real-world problems through technology,” Peng said.

He also announced the introduction of a new Ascend AI Operator Development Track in future editions of the competition to provide students with greater exposure to cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies.

Meanwhile, Dr. Shafika Isaacs, Director of Artificial Intelligence at UNESCO’s Institute for Information Technologies in Education, praised participants for their innovation and collaborative spirit.

“Students in this year's Huawei ICT Competition demonstrated their ability to tackle real-world challenges across cultural boundaries by applying emerging technologies. They showed creativity, responsibility and the true purpose of education,” she said.

Dr. Isaacs emphasised that the future of artificial intelligence will require stronger collaboration between governments, universities, international organisations and industry players.

In another significant achievement, a team of four MKU students earned international recognition after securing a Finalist Award at the Wege Prize 2026 held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

The team walked away with $2,500 (approximately KES. 323,650) for developing EcoScrubber, an innovative hybrid emission-control and carbon-capture system that converts toxic industrial pollutants into usable construction materials.

The prestigious Wege Prize, organized by Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD), challenges students from around the world to develop sustainable solutions based on circular economy principles.

MKU students and their instructor at the School of Computing and Informatics.

This year's competition attracted 87 teams from more than 30 countries, representing nearly 200 academic disciplines.

The MKU team comprising Wesley Njenga, Franklin Mwendwa, Elijah Maina and Ejike Chinyere, all from the School of Public Health, emerged among only five teams worldwide invited to pitch their innovations in the United States.

The idea behind EcoScrubber was born from a simple but powerful observation. While travelling in Thika, the students witnessed a truck emitting thick black smoke as pedestrians struggled to breathe.

That experience inspired a critical question: Could harmful emissions be captured and transformed into something useful rather than being released into the atmosphere?

The team took the idea to MKU’s Innovation and Incubation Centre, where it was refined into a practical solution aimed at reducing pollution while generating environmentally friendly construction materials.

Speaking after receiving the award, team leader Wesley Njenga expressed gratitude to the university for supporting their journey.

“We were honoured to showcase home-grown solutions like EcoScrubber and compete with some of the brightest innovators from around the world,” he said.

The team was accompanied by Donatus Njoroge, Head of Innovation, Intellectual Property and Community Engagement at MKU.

“We are proud of the progress our students have made. We will continue providing technical support, mentorship and international exposure as they work towards commercializing their innovation,” Njoroge said.

MKU students sharing their experiences using a laptop in the campus. 

As students continued to shine internationally, MKU also strengthened its global academic footprint through a major partnership in China.

In Nanjing, the university signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nanjing Vocational College of Information Technology (NJCIT) and Nanjing Zhongxing Xinyanda Information Technology Co. Ltd.

The agreement will enable MKU to offer internationally recognized and Xinyanda-accredited programmes in emerging technologies, expanding opportunities for Kenyan students to acquire globally competitive skills.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, NJCIT Principal Prof. Kong Jie said the partnership would deepen China-Africa collaboration in technical and vocational education while promoting cultural exchange and innovation.

“This partnership represents an important step in strengthening vocational education cooperation between China and Africa while nurturing globally competitive talent,” he said.

MKU Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Research Affairs Dr. Mercyline Kamande described the collaboration as a transformative opportunity for the institution.

“The partnership will significantly enhance our institutional capacity, particularly through Artificial Intelligence Training of Trainers programmes that will equip our faculty with advanced skills and global exposure,” she said.

In recognition of MKU’s contribution to applied education, NJCIT awarded Visiting Professor titles to MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi and Prof. Peter Wanderi.

The trio of achievements highlights Kenya’s growing influence in the global technology ecosystem.

The Huawei victory demonstrates the country's ability to produce world-class ICT talent, while the Wege Prize recognition showcases Kenyan innovation in addressing environmental challenges. The new China partnership, meanwhile, opens additional pathways for advanced skills training and international collaboration.

Together, these milestones signal a transformative period for higher education in Kenya and underscore the country's commitment to preparing learners for a rapidly evolving digital economy.

As MKU continues expanding its global partnerships and Kenyan students increasingly excel on the world stage, the university is helping position Kenya as a leading African centre for technology education, innovation, artificial intelligence and digital transformation.