Artist’s impression of the proposed ICT Park at Konza
The groundbreaking for the proposed Konza City, which has been postponed several times since last year, will be delayed even further, Information PS Bitange Ndemo has said.
Dr Ndemo told reporters that the groundbreaking for the project touted as Africa’s Silicon Savannah will be in ‘July or thereabout’ after the physical planning steering committee completes its task and hands over its recommendations.
“There are other works from Lands, Roads, Environment and Water ministries that must be done before we break ground. If they (the ministries) succeed to do it, then we can break ground in July or thereabout,” he said.
Located just 50km from the capital Nairobi the proposed Sh900 billion Konza City, which is likened to the US’ Silicon Valley, is being spearhead by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as the project adviser and dozens of consultants.
The project involves construction of ultra modern business centres, hospitals, schools, colleges and universities as well as residential spaces capable of hosting international and local companies on a 5,000 acre piece of land near Machakos town.
The project will be carried out in several phases spanning 20 years with the initial phase expected to be completed in five years.
The city is expected to raise Kenya’s profile as an international destination of choice for technological innovation, research and business incubation.
“IFC is currently in the process of getting a master builder after it completed developing the concept master plan,” said Dr Ndemo.
The master plan comprises four generic housing densities including the very high density at 110 dph (dwellings per hectare), high density at 80 dph, medium density at 40 dph and low density at 25 dph.
Konza City construction was expected to commence in April 2012, but the groundbreaking was postponed after the Lands ministry invoked the physical planning act that seeks for consultation and gazetted the start of consultation further delaying the project.
When will this master plan committee completes it work since it holding constructions on the buffer zone where am situated? This is due to the notice supplied to the public on June 26.