By Robert Mutasi 
Eldoret-based technology innovator and Eldohub founder Magdeline Chepkemoi has been appointed to the board of the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), marking a significant recognition of her contribution to technology, entrepreneurship and youth empowerment.
Chepkemoi is among four individuals appointed to the agency’s board through Gazette Notice No. 14419 issued under the Science, Technology and Innovation Act.
The appointment was made under section 28(3) of the Act by the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
According to the Gazette Notice, Chepkemoi was appointed alongside Ali Nilfat Kassim, Yienga Julius and Abass Jihan Faisal under paragraph (e), while Avedi Evans Kituzi was appointed under paragraph (a).
Her appointment adds a strong grassroots innovation perspective to the national agency, given her work in supporting young people and women through technology, digital skills and entrepreneurship programmes.
Chepkemoi is the founder of Eldohub, an innovation hub based in Eldoret that has been involved in programmes aimed at equipping young people with skills to participate in the digital economy.
She is also a recipient of the Head of State Commendation (HSC) and previously served as chairperson of the Association of Countrywide Innovation Hubs.
Through her work, Chepkemoi has reportedly helped empower more than 25,000 young people and women in Eldoret and other parts of the country through digital skills training, entrepreneurship initiatives and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes.
Her experience in working directly with young innovators and entrepreneurs is expected to bring practical insights to discussions around Kenya’s innovation ecosystem.
The Kenya National Innovation Agency is mandated to promote and coordinate innovation in the country and support the development and commercialisation of innovations.
Chepkemoi’s appointment comes at a time when Kenya is seeking to strengthen its technology and innovation sector, particularly by creating more opportunities for young people to develop ideas, businesses and solutions to social and economic challenges.
Her background in community-based innovation programmes could also provide an important link between national innovation policies and young innovators operating outside major technology centres such as Nairobi.
The appointment has attracted attention in Eldoret, where Eldohub has become associated with programmes focused on digital transformation, entrepreneurship and skills development.
Her inclusion on the national board gives the North Rift region representation in discussions surrounding Kenya’s innovation agenda and could create opportunities for innovators from the region to have greater visibility.
The Gazette Notice formally establishes Chepkemoi’s new role and places her among the individuals expected to contribute to the governance and advancement of the national innovation framework.
For the Eldohub founder, the appointment represents a new national platform from which her experience in technology, youth empowerment and grassroots innovation can contribute to Kenya’s broader efforts to build a knowledge-driven economy.