Uhuru directs students' innovations be patented free of charge ▷ Kenya News

- The president ordered relevant state agencies to put in place a mechanism to secure intellectual property rights for young innovators

- He removed trademark fees with respect to all innovations that have emanated from Young Scientists exhibitions since 2018

- Directive comes a few days after a 19-year-old girl alleged government stole concept she presented during Young Scientists Kenya exhibition in 2018

- Mercy Kimani claimed she and her friend came up with an idea similar to the Huduma Namba technology at Naivasha Girls High School

President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed that innovative projects and concepts mooted by Kenyan youths will henceforth be patented free of charge.

This comes a few days after a 19-year-old girl accused the government of stealing her contempt which she and her friend presented during the Young Scientists Kenya (YSK) exhibition in July 2018.

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President Uhuru Kenyatta listening as one of the students presented science project during opening of Young Scientists Kenya National and Technology Exhibition at KICC. Photo: State House Kenya.
Source: Facebook

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The president who was presiding over official opening of second Young Scientists Kenya (YSK) exhibition at KICC on Saturday, August 3, directed relevant state agencies to secure intellectual property rights for young innovators.

He said the country’s future lies in scientific innovations and called for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to ensure that transformative innovations are adequately safeguarded.

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The Young Scientist Kenya a joint project by the ministry of education and the government of Ireland and it is aimed at promoting innovations by young scientists.

A statement from State House revealed this year's YSK exhibition attracted 235 entries and was attended by over 45,000 participants among them students from across the country.

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A similar event was held at the same venue in 2018 during which two female students, Mercy Kimani and Lorraine Ouma, from Naivasha Girls High School presented a concept resembling Huduma Namba technology rolled out by the government in in May 2019.

Speaking to one of the local TV stations, Kimani claimed they were the first to come up with the social security card idea in Kenya and could not help but notice the government's Huduma Namba project was very similar to theirs.

Source: Tuko