This archive report was first published on 4 August 2019.
On August 3, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the official opening of the second Young Scientists Kenya (YSK) exhibition at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
During the event, the President directed relevant state agencies to secure intellectual property rights for young innovators, emphasizing that the country's future lies in scientific innovations.
He also announced that trademark fees would be waived for all innovations that have emanated from the Young Scientists exhibitions since 2018.
The directive comes in the wake of a 19-year-old girl, Mercy Kimani, accusing the government of stealing her concept, which she presented during the Young Scientists Kenya exhibition in July 2018. Kimani claimed that she and her friend came up with an idea similar to the Huduma Namba technology at Naivasha Girls High School.
State House revealed that this year's YSK exhibition attracted 235 entries and was attended by over 45,000 participants, including students from across the country.
