Safaricom Selects Startups & Mombasa Partners with Bolt Amid Report on Youth Protests - October 2025

Safaricom announced the 10 startups selected for the second cohort of its Spark Accelerator Program, an initiative with M-PESA Africa and Sumitomo Corporation to foster growth in tech startups. Separately, the Mombasa County Government has partnered with ride-hailing company Bolt to create employment opportunities for youth and enhance safety in the mobility sector. These developments occur as a new Statista report reveals that Kenya is one of 10 countries to experience large-scale, youth-led protests in 2024 and 2025. The report notes that young people are protesting against issues including economic exclusion, corruption, and political mismanagement, using social media to organize.