Government project brings together vendors and universities to produce and assemble low-cost computers The Kenyan government is launching a project to start assembling low-cost computers that will be sold to many African countries, according to officials.Lenovo Group, Sahara Computers, and Mecer PC have been appointed by the Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) to assemble the first 150 computers in the Madaraka line by Feb. 7, according to Kenyan Ministry of Information and Communication Permanent Secretary Bitenge Ndemo. Ndemo spoke last week at a signing event to commemorate the project, which is being launched with initial funding of about $300,000.The first computers are acting as a proof of concept for the project and will be displayed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Conference center in Kenya. The PCs are expected to be priced at $450. The project will adhere to a manufacturing model pioneered in Taiwan, where enterprises will be encouraged to produce machines to guideline specifications with certifications given before export.University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, and Strathmore University will act as incubators of the project. Once the first 150 PCs are assembled by the three vendors, students at the universities will be trained to assemble them.“Basically, Sahara Computers will have to supply a full set of components to the three universities, and they will assemble the computers,” said Sahara Computers Marketing Supervisor Peter Bremner. The computers will have an Intel Celeron 2.8GHz processor, 256MB of RAM, an 80GBe hard disk, and a 15-inch TFT screen, according to Bremner.The Kenyan government has already removed duties and value-added tax (VAT) on all imported computers and computer parts to encourage more Kenyans to embrace PC technology.The Kenyan Technical Training College (KTTC) will oversee the whole project, Ndemo said. The idea is that the universities will train people who would then be able to assemble the computers on a long-term basis. If all goes as planned, Kenya will become the first country in the eastern and southern Africa to set up a PC assembly plant. Technology Industry