How Kenya's First Claude Code Meetup Happened
It started with a simple idea: what if Kenyan developers could experience Claude Code together, in person?
On January 25, 2026, that idea became reality. Over 50 developers from across Nairobi packed into iHiT Events Space in Westlands for what would become a historic afternoon — Kenya's very first Claude Code meetup.
The Setup
We didn't know what to expect. Would people show up? Would they care about Claude Code? We booked the venue, set up the projector, and hoped for the best.
By 2:00 PM, the room was full. Developers of all backgrounds — from university students to senior engineers, from solo freelancers to startup CTOs — all curious about this new way of building software.
The Demo That Changed Everything
The centerpiece of the event was a live demo: building a full-stack application from scratch using Claude Code. No slides, no theory — just a terminal, Claude Code, and a real project taking shape in real-time.
The audience watched as a complete Next.js application materialized through natural language conversations with Claude. Features were added, bugs were fixed, and the codebase grew — all through the terminal.
The energy in the room was electric. Developers who had been skeptical walked away as believers.
Mulinga: A Real-World Showcase
We also showcased Mulinga, a farm management system built entirely with Claude Code. This wasn't a toy project — it manages over 26,000 coffee plants across multiple farms in Kenya, tracking growth cycles, harvest yields, and worker assignments.
Seeing a production system built with Claude Code — solving a real African problem — inspired the room. This wasn't just about technology; it was about possibility.
What Happened Next
By the end of the meetup, three things had happened:
- 1.A Discord community was born — we launched the Claude Community Kenya Discord server, and members started joining before the event even ended.
- 1.Collaborations sparked — developers exchanged contacts, formed project teams, and started planning what they'd build together.
- 1.A movement began — Claude Community Kenya wasn't just an event anymore. It was a community with momentum, ambition, and a shared vision for AI development in East Africa.
Looking Forward
That first meetup taught us something important: Kenyan developers are hungry for AI tools that actually help them build. Claude Code isn't just another AI product — it's a paradigm shift in how software gets made.
We're now planning monthly meetups in Nairobi, expanding to Mombasa, and building partnerships with universities across Kenya. The first meetup was just the beginning.
If you missed it, don't worry. The next one is coming soon. Join our Discord to stay in the loop.
Kenya's developer community is ready for AI. We're just getting started.
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