Construction work of the first phase of Konza Technology City, incorporating the construction of a 4.2 km access road, installation of power lines and the construction of water and sewage system within Konza Technopolis has begun.
The initial phase, which involves infrastructure development will take 4 years. The project is being overseen by Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA).
Mr. John Ngumi, the KoTDA Board Chairman says the road infrastructure development is an important cog of the City’s Master plan as it will open up the area for construction of Phase 1 of the project.
Konza Technology City is a key Vision 2030 project that is expected to position the country as a leading ICT destination by leveraging and expanding Kenya’s technology focused industries.
The US$ 14.5bn was launched by former President Mwai Kibaki in 2013 and is located 60 kilometers from Nairobi on the border of Makueni and Machakos counties. It will be constructed on a 5,000 acres piece of land. Construction of Phase 1 will cover 410 acres and is expected to create about 17,000 direct jobs upon completion.
Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of ICT Fred Matiang’i, says the benefits of building Konza City far outweigh the inherent risks and perceived challenges.
Significant milestones that have been achieved so far by KoTDA include hiring of the Master Delivery Partner 2 (MDP2), completion of the cadastral survey, drilling and equipping of 7 boreholes, and installation of power lines.
Other achievements include the approval by the Attorney General of the Draft KoTDA Bill to expand the mandate of the Authority and approval design drawings for the construction of an iconic Sales Pavilion by the Directorate of Public Works.
Konza development puts the private sector at the center of its execution with the government providing land, legal backing and approving architectural plans. The government is also expected to build primary infrastructure leading to and within the technopolis.
The Technopolis will host various amenities including research centres, a university complex, offices, commercial and residential houses and parks.
It will also be home to several foreign and local business process outsourcing companies, a science park, a convention centre, hotels, shopping malls, international schools and health facilities.
