Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) has embarked on the implementation of its Second Strategic Plan aimed at accelerating the impact of Konza Technopolis (KT) by 2025.
The Second Strategic Plan is envisioned to propel KT to become an emerging global Technopolis and innovation hub under the theme leveraging the gains so far made in infrastructure development and onboarding of investors.
The Strategic Plan is premised on three pillars which are critical to the attainment of the aspirations of the Konza Technopolis – Business Development, Knowledge Economy and Innovation and Smart City Services.
Speaking during the launch of the Second Strategic Plan in Nairobi, the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, Mr. Joe Mucheru hailed the achievements that have been made over the last five years of the implementation of the flagship project, adding that the project is moving in the right direction.
“Konza has made very serious strides in moving forward. We have built a solid foundation at Konza Technopolis. The world-class infrastructure that has been laid at Konza is critical to generating the digital jobs that Kenya requires for its youth,” said CS Mucheru.
His remarks come against the backdrop of research findings indicating that 5 per cent of the adult population in Kenya are digital workers, which translates to 1.2 million Kenyans. Most of the digital workers are working on Freelancer, Writer Access and Up work platforms.
While noting that the digital jobs market is worth US dollars 2 trillion, Mucheru said Konza Technopolis has the potential to transform Kenya into the freelancing headquarters of the world in keeping with the goal to transform Kenya into a Knowledge based and Innovation economy by 2025 noting that over 1.2 million jobs have been created online.
“Konza Technopolis is a vision for the whole country that can be replicated beyond the physical location of the Technopolis. Let’s work together to harness the innovations across the country. Our role as the Government is to provide the backbone infrastructure to make it happen,” said the CS.
Commenting on KoTDA’s Second Strategic Plan, KoTDA CEO Eng. John Tanui said the Strategic Plan will steer the Authority in the fulfilment of its core mandate which is to develop Konza Technopolis as a globally competitive smart city by creating an enabling environment through utilization of ICT for socio-economic development.
Eng. Tanui said, “The foundations we envisioned in the first strategic plan are in place. Among the strategic projects that are currently being implemented at the Konza Technopolis include the National data Centre, Konza conference facility and hotel, the Konza Technopolis security command Centre and Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), which is a graduate-only university that focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).”
The KoTDA CEO said the second phase of the project will see the establishment of a Digital Media City, Smart Vaccine Manufacturing initiative, a Science and Technology Park in partnership with the Ministry of Education, and Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Co-operation.
In May, the Authority announced an early bird incentive to investors taking up land for development at Konza Technopolis (KT). The stand premium is discounted to early off takers committing to paying the stand premium on or before December 31, 2021 and ready to start the construction before December 2022.
The 660 acres of Phase One of the project have attracted more than 40 per cent uptake by investors with an additional 1,040 acres of the Technopolis having been reserved for wildlife.
By Alice Gworo
