President William Ruto's claim that Silicon Valley behemoth Apple employs 23,000 Kenyans has drawn skepticism on social media, with many Kenyans challenging the implausible claim.
The President stated that 23,000 Kenyans are employed by Apple, all of whom are based in Nairobi, during his speech at the World Governments Summit held in Dubai on February 13.
While visiting the US in September 2023, he informed the delegates that Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, informed him that the tech company employs roughly 23,000 Kenyans.
"The digital economy is delivering attractive opportunities for young people, to work for employers scattered across the world without having to leave their homes in Kenya," Ruto noted.
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"When I visited Silicon Valley last year, Apple's Tim Cook informed me that his company now employs about 23,000 Kenyans, all working from Nairobi."
Shortly after the President made the assertion, Kenyans strongly disagreed, questioning how he came at the number in light of the verifiable data on Apple employees across the globe.
Some went so far as to tag Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, on X to alert him to the claim and request confirmation.
Several Kenyans, including tech analyst Kachwanya, refuted Ruto's assertion by offering concrete evidence to refute the President.
He wrote: "Imagine that Apple employees in China where the iPhones are made are about 12,000 in 22 Chinese offices and 46 Apple Stores....Kenya does not have an Apple office, or a single Apple official store, just some dealers, in fact Apple does not have an office in Africa as a whole, leave alone that, they do not have any verified Apple store in Africa."
"CCS Insight predicted that Apple will open its "first verified Apple store in an African country by 2026. Anyway, here we have a whole President of a Republic saying that Tim Cook told him that Apple has employed about 23,000 Kenyans, roughly 14% of Apple work force!"
On her part, Carol Nyaga said, "Utter bollocks! Apple employs 22,000 ACROSS THE WHOLE OF EUROPE but somehow, 23,000 of its 164,000 staff are in Kenya?"
