23 August 2019

Kenya has joined South Africa in throwing its weight behind embattled Chinese tech giant despite the ongoing US-China trade war.

Speaking in late July, Kenyan telecom minister Joseph Mucheru made it clear that Kenya would not be influenced by what was going on in Washington.

“Our policies are not driven by US policies as far as technology is concerned […]. We pick what is best for us,” he said. “We are not going to be tied to what other people say, but we are going to make sure we get value for money for our citizens.” 

Huawei, which is currently the leader of 5G, but considered by the US and its allies as a threat to the security of digital networks and systems.

Adam Lane, Huawei’s senior director for public affairs in Kenya, said the restrictions imposed by the US would not affect its business in Africa. “We will continue working with suppliers around the world and diversifying our supply chain to prepare for all scenarios,” he added.

According to reports, Huawei was working with Google to produce a Google Assistant-powered smart speaker, before the plans came to a halt following the US ban in May this year. The details come from an anonymous Huawei employee confirming the impact that the stand-off with US has had. The Trump administration has accused Huawei of using its technology to spy for China.