Konza City is pursuing local investors as interest grows

According to Chief Executive Officer John Tanui, investors have acquired 72% of the land available for Konza City’s Phase 1 development.

Tanui said 106 of 147 properties demarcated for investor acceptance have already been allocated in phase one, which includes 1,703 acres of land including wildlife and natural parks.

This comes as the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) expects horizontal infrastructure development to be completed by the end of this year.

Konza Technopolis, also known as Silicon Savannah, will include a science park, convention center, shopping malls, hotels, international schools and a healthcare facility.

The completion of the work, which includes roadway construction and drainage works, paves the way for the vertical civil works to be carried out by the private sector.

According to Tanui, the agency is now focused on completing the horizontal infrastructure, which includes providing the property with key amenities.

“We expect horizontal infrastructure to move this year and reach over 95%, with the remaining scope of work being the development of verticals including a police command center, fire station, reception center, security shelter for vehicle screening and a Electricity distribution train station and Konza furnished apartments. In 2021, we saw over 70% completion and our focus is on completing that while accelerating investor adoption,” said Tanui.

Tanui, speaking to Mombasa Business Community in Mombasa County, said the government has created incentives in Konza Technopolis to attract all kinds of investments to the techno city.

The CEO of KoTDA said the government provided land, clean water and high-voltage electricity connection to the city as an incentive to attract investors and show commitment to the development of Konza Technopolis.

The first phase of the Konza City project is designed as a mixed-use community that includes commercial, residential, public and hospitality facilities. Upon completion, phase one is expected to attract 30,000 residents, 7,500 knowledge workers and 16,700 other workers.

As part of its strategic priorities under the Second Strategic Plan (2021-2025), the Konza Technopolis Development Authority is actively engaging with local and international investors.

Private sector actors also take advantage of the Konza National Data Center, which offers cloud computing services to both private and public organizations.

Konza Technopolis is a key flagship project of Kenya‘s Vision 2030 economic development portfolio. The technology city is supported by a thriving information, communication and technology (ICT) sector, superior reliable infrastructure and business-friendly governance systems.

It is estimated that approximately 20,000 direct jobs will be created upon completion of Phase 1, while 12,000 housing units will be constructed.