Egerton and Zetech universities have emerged top winners in the just concluded Inter-University Hackathon competitions held at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Zetech University was crowned the overall winner while Egerton University settled on second position in the competition that brought together 28 higher learning institutions from across the country.
At the high-stakes competition Zetech’s champion project, MinerAI, a cutting-edge solution for detecting illegal mining using AI and satellite analytics, secured the top position under the Governance track.
According to the students, MinerAI is dedicated to confronting one of the region’s most destructive challenges: illegal mining, which results in billions of dollars in lost revenue, severe land degradation, ecosystem loss, and harmful toxic emissions that endanger communities and the environment.
Through advanced artificial intelligence, satellite analytics, and precision mapping, MinerAI provides data intelligence and real-time insights that enhance transparency in mining activities, support responsible operations, and strengthen environmental protection.
The solution directly aligns with SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions), reinforcing its global relevance.
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The team was led by Kelvin Muriithi, the team leader, Abdullahi Ismail, studying the Bachelor of Software Engineering, Alois Gitau and Levian Amos, studying Bachelor of Computer Science impressed judges with their technical mastery and the realworld applicability of their innovation.
Speaking after the win, Muriithi stated: “This victory is a statement, that Kenyan innovators can build world-class solutions. MinerAI represents countless hours of hard work and belief in what technology can do for governance and environmental protection.” He said
This year’s hackathon focused on the theme: “Strengthening the Innovation Ecosystem for Sustainable Development Using Ethical AI-Powered Solutions.”
The hackathon sponsors included; Kenya Airports Parking Services (KAPS) Limited, Adapt IT, Oracle, Microsoft, The Garage East Africa, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and JKUAT.
By John Kamau
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