Konza Techno City is a BPO project that is being marketed by the Kenyan government through Kenya ICT Board. It is dubbed "where African silicon savannah begins".
The park is set to host business process outsourcing (BPO) ventures, a science park, a convention centre, shopping malls, hotels, international schools, and health facilities.
The project was allowed by the Parliament Account Committee and endorsed by the Kenyan Government. The city will be located in Konza, Machakos county formerly Machakos District, in Eastern Province. It will be built in 5000 acres of land 64km south of Nairobi.
The project is estimated to cost Kshs 1.2 trillion (approx US$14.5b). The project is marketed as key driver of Kenya Vision 2030. The official launch and groundbreaking ceremony of the project took place on the 23rd January 2013, headed by Kenyan president, Mwai Kibaki.
The initial feasibility and concept master plan was prepared jointly by Deloitte and Pell Frischmann, a UK based design consultancy and funded by the International Finance Corporation. At that stage, the project brief was limited to a Technology Park of 700 acres with BPO/ IT businesses at its core. During the feasibility study, Pell Frischmann proposed a city – Konza Technopolis to make the technology park a more viable destination. The Kenyan government agreed and commissioned a new master plan for a city of 5000 acres that was completed by Pell Frischmann. World class infrastructure, sustainability and inclusive growth were the key drivers of this master-plan. The brand identity of Konza Technopolis as “the Silicon Savannah” and supporting promotional materials by Pell Frischmann and Urban Graphics, crystallised the Kenyan Government’s vision of creating a world class city, powered by a thriving IT sector and generating 100,000 jobs by 2030.
