Konza City-The African Silicon Savannah
A lot of hype has since emerged ever since the Government of Kenya approved plans to build Konza City; a city that has been perceived by many to be the “African Silicon Savannah” and the first of its kind in Africa.
The Konza City hype also brings with it critics who have named the project nothing more than a wild ambition on the part of the government. Time will however tell if it’s the critics who are right or the “ambitious” Government Of Kenya that is right 🙂
However, despite all the criticisms, several local companies have shown their support and are enthusiastic about the African Silicon Savannah and one such company is Safaricom; Kenya’s leading mobile network operator.
Nzioka Waita, Safaricom’s director of Corporate Affairs said, “We support the concept that an ICT centric development could help spur economic growth and position Kenya as a top 10 ICT investment hub globally, particularly if the area is designated as a special economic zone that provides major economic incentives”.
Announcing that Safaricom’s investment in the Konza City project will be dependent on the final investment model adopted by the government in making the land accessible to investors, Nzioka went on to say “We are pushing for taxation and other financial incentives that would make the option of Konza City more attractive than other investment opportunities that we may have,”
Other companies that the Ministry of Information and Communication says have expressed interest in the Konza City development include:
- Seven seas Technologies
- Express Automation
- Computer Pride
- Chandaria Group
- Tea Board of Kenya
- Nairobi Hospital
- University Of Nairobi
- South Eastern University College
Bitange Ndemo, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Comminication has been enthusiastic about the Konza City project that is expected to improve Kenya’s international visibility especially to ICT investors.
Kenya’s vision 2030 CEO, Mugo Kibati is recorded as saying the Konza City project has now been labeled “Kwa Ndemo” because of the dedication PS Bitange Ndemo has shown in publicizing Konza City to local and international investors.
So, Just what is Konza City?
Konza City, a Technology Park, can be regarded to as a technological hub similar to the US Silicon Valley where startups and other great innovations will be incubated.
The 5,000 acre Konza City that will cost Sh. 2 trillion will be located 60km from the heart of Nairobi (Kenya’s capital city), 50Km from Jomo Kenyatta international airport, 500Km from Mombasa and its ports and the railway within 4Km. It’s set to be one of the most technologically advanced cities in Africa competing with the best cities in the world.
Konza City which is planned to attract some of the best brains around the world has been set to include business centers, hotels, schools, universities, hospitals and residential premises more than capable of hosting local and global businesses.
The land where Konza City will be constructed is located in Machakos County and has already been marked as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
Konza City-The Opportunity
Since Konza City is set to be one of the most technologically advanced cities in Africa and in the world, it offers both local and international investors one of the best opportunities to get a substantial Return On Investment.
Aside from the obvious investment opportunities, Konza City will also provide businesses with a great working environment as it offers one of the best locations to do business in Africa.
Konza City-The Masterplan
The masterplan for the 5,000 acre Konza City is based on successful urban projects around the world that has been put together by an international team of experts.
The Konza City masterplan draws its inspiration from some of the most technologically advanced countries around the world e.g. UK and China.
Konza City- The Phasing Plans
Konza City will be constructed in 4 phases. This is in a move to ensure that social amenities and infrastructure growth keep up with the growing population requirements.
Konza City (Konza ICT Centre) can be compared to Tatu City, Cairo’s Smart Village, Mauritius’ Ebene Cyber City but on a much bigger scale.
According to PS Bitange Ndemo (The former PS before the new constitution was adopted), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) which is the project’s adviser, chief consultant and chief financier, is still working on the process of getting a Master Developer after it completed developing the concept Master Plan.
PS Bitange went on to remark that the project will be carried out in various phases which will span over 20 years with the first phase expected to be complete in the next five years. The Ministry of Information and Communication has already spent roughly Sh40 million on Konza City advertisements targeted at potential investors over the past months.
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