UK fund DVK Group is eyeing Konza City, Lamu Port deals

DVK Group, a UK-based private equity fund, has shown interest to invest in two of Kenya’s most ambitious development projects – the proposed Konza ICT Centre and the port of Lamu.

Although the group is yet to announce the nature and size of investment in the two multi-billion shilling projects, it has rated them as viable and capable of yielding good returns.

The fund has a Sh18 billion annual kitty for investments in Africa mostly in low-cost housing projects, infrastructure and agriculture. The kitty is administered from the group’s South African office.

DVK Group chairman Deepak Kuntawala told a recent media briefing that the PE fund was keen to invest in the Konza ICT Park and it was eying other investment opportunities in technology, infrastructure, solar energy and agriculture.

“We have a great interest in Konza (Technology Park) and we are planning a visit to the site as we look into the details,” said Kuntawala adding that DVK Group could also be excited by the proposed Lamu Port.

The ground breaking ceremony for Konza City is scheduled early this year, with the first phase expected to be complete by 2015.

The project was proposed in 2010 as one of the key drivers of the achievement of vision 2030 – Kenya’s development blueprint covering the period 2008 to 2030.

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