The Linux Professional Institute (LPI), the world's premier Linux certification organization (http://www.lpi.org), announced a new affiliate in Africa: LPI-East Africa. LPI-East Africa will promote LPI programs and certifications in the nations of Kenya Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and South Sudan. "In 2010, the percentage growth of LPI exams was significant in Africa. This increase in testing demonstrates the active and progressive adoption of Linux and Open Source technologies on the continent.  The emergence of LPI-East Africa is a further indication of this trend and we welcome this new affiliate into our network of global partners promoting Linux and Open Source professionalism," said Jim Lacey, president and CEO of the Linux Professional Institute. LPI-East Africa will be managed by Evans Ikua, a long time advocate of Linux and Open Source solutions in Kenya and other nations throughout East Africa.  Mr. Ikua is also the FOSS Certification Manager for ict@innovation--a joint project of FOSSFA - The Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA: http://www.fossfa.net/) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (http://www.giz.de). Mr. Ikua was the founding chairman of the Linux Professional Association of Kenya and provides Linux and Open Source web solutions and training programs through his consulting company, LANet Consulting. "The formation of the Linux Professional Institute of East Africa marks a major milestone in the development of the open source community in East Africa. As a master affiliate for the LPI in this region, we are now positioned strategically to offer better leadership on all open source matters.  We are now entering into an exciting new realm where we will not only have the capacity to promote the use of open source, but we will also have the backing of a globally respected brand. This truly goes to confirm that LPI is a community driven professional body," said Evans Ikua, executive director, LPI-East Africa.