WhatsApp Rolling Out Channels To Users in Kenya

Last month, Meta announced that it is rolling out a new feature on WhatsApp called Channels. Channels,  Meta said is a “one-way broadcast tool for admins to send text, photos, videos, stickers and polls,”

The service has only been available in Singapore and Colombia and Meta now expanding it to Egypt, Chile, Malaysia, Morocco, Ukraine, Kenya, and Peru, bringing the total up to nine countries.

WhatsApp made this announcement on Tuesday on Twitter (now X).

”WhatsApp Channels is now rolling out for you. Find, share and follow Channels that interest you” the company said.

Channels, the Meta says is a “one-way broadcast tool for admins to send text, photos, videos, stickers and polls,”. This is just similar to what we do with Telegram groups

Channels messages will show up in a new tab called Updates where users will find Status and channels they choose to follow – separate from their chats with family, friends, and communities.

👋 hey friends in 🇪🇬 🇨🇱 🇲🇾 🇲🇦 🇺🇦 🇰🇪 🇵🇪

WhatsApp Channels is now rolling out for you. Find, share and follow Channels that interest you 📲

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) July 24, 2023

How to access WhatsApp Channels

WhatsApp Channels can be found under the “Updates” tab within the app. Users can join the WhatsApp channels from invite links sent in chats, e-mails, or posted online.

At the same time, to help users select channels to follow, Meta has also built a searchable directory where users can find their hobbies, sports teams, updates from local officials, and more.

Meta says as a WhatsApp channel admin, your phone number and profile photo won’t be shown to followers. Likewise, following a channel won’t reveal your phone number to the admin or other followers. Who you decide to follow is your choice and it’s private. 

Well, the current rollout is just a limited test as WhatsApp prepares to roll our channels to other parts of the world. For now only people currently living in those nine countries are able to use the service.