Investors take up 72pc of Konza City's phase one land

KoTDA Chairman Arch. Dr. Reuben Mutiso (right) and KoTDA CEO, Eng John Tanui (left - pointing a finger) together with investors during a tour at Konza Technopolis. [James Wanzala, Standard]

More than 72 per cent of land available for investment in the first phase of the Konza Technopolis project has been taken up by investors.

This represents 106 out of 147 land parcels demarcated for uptake by investors in phase one, which comprises 1,703 acres of land including wildlife and nature parks.

The development of the techno city phase one’s horizontal infrastructure is set to be completed by the end of the year.

The completion of the works, which entail the construction of streetscapes and drainage works, paves the way for the vertical construction works to be undertaken by the private sector.

Konza Technopolis Development Authority Chief Executive John Tanui (second left) said the horizontal infrastructure entails servicing the land parcels with key amenities.

“We expect within this year to move and reach more than 95 per cent with the remaining scope of work being the development of verticals among them a police command centre, fire station, welcome centre, safety shelter for screening vehicles and power distribution station as well as Konza furnished apartments,” said Tanui during an investor’s tour at Konza Technopolis.

“In 2021, we recorded more than 70 per cent completion and our focus is to complete this as we accelerate investor’s uptake.”

He said they expect the entire land parcels available to be taken up by June this year and are in talks with the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning to demarcate more land for manufacturing since the parcels were set aside have been fully taken up,” he said.

Phase one of the Konza Technopolis project is designed as a mixed-use community, comprising commercial, residential, public, and hospitality amenities.

Upon completion, it is expected to attract 30,000 residents, 7,500 knowledge workers and 16,700 other workers.

Director at Odessey International Ltd Mohammed Omar and Mbugua Kamau, a real estate developer, lauded the progress of the technopolis, terming the ongoing works as a reflection of the dream of a smart city in Kenya.

“What I have seen here proves that as a nation, we are moving forward and this is how countries like South Korea were built,” said Omar.

The authority has been wooing local and international investors to take up space at the facility. Private sector players are also taking up the offerings of Konza National Data Centre, which offers cloud computing services to private and public organisations.