Members of the National Assembly on Tuesday, November 19, passed the Technopolis Bill that sought to establish the Technopolis Development Authority, which will govern all technopolis hubs in the country including Konza City.
The bill, which was sponsored by Dagoretti South Member of Parliament John Kiarie, is expected to be signed into law and will ensure more hubs like Konza City will be developed across the country. Konza Technopolis was born during former President Mwai Kibaki's tenure.
"As we speak today, Konza remains the only Technopolis in Kenya but with this Bill. We can pave the way for similar hubs across the country. From Wajir to Mandera, Kisii to Tharaka, if the land allows, we can establish these innovation hubs to drive technological growth and economic development," stated MP Kiarie.
With the establishment of the new authority, the Konza Technopolis Development Authority will be scrapped and integrated into the 65 clauses of the bill.
"This is about turning a good idea into an even better one. By removing 'Konza' from the title, we open the door for the establishment of other Technopolises beyond Konza," Kiarie explained
The body will oversee the planning, development, and governance of all Technopolises in Kenya.
The establishment of more technopolises in the country will not only offer more opportunities for citizens looking to work in tech but will also address several urban challenges faced in Kenyan towns.
"This Bill provides a legal framework to establish, manage, and develop Technopolises across the country, addressing the urban challenges we face. No longer will everyone need to flock to Konza for opportunities. We can bring the opportunities to them," Nominated MP Irene Mawaka stated.
As it stands, more Konza City-like metropolitans are in the process of being established across the country with Embakasi South MP Juliua Mawathe stating that
"We are bringing three ICT hubs to my constituency this year alone, and the youth will benefit greatly. We have to support the infrastructure and policies needed to make Kenya a leader in the IT sector in East and Central Africa. This authority will help guide us in preparing for technological advancements like AI," Mawathe stated.
The government of Kenya approved the development of Konza City technological city as a flagship project of Vision 2030 in 2008.
This new bill seeks to transition the country into a knowledge-based economy and will align with the dream of former President Mwai Kibaki’s administration of placing Kenya as a global competitor with high quality of life by 2030.
In 2012, the former President issued the Konza Technopolis Development Authority Order which outlined regulations to govern the smart city whose phase one construction was completed in 2019.
That order has now been done away with to give way to the new Technopolis Development Authority that will govern all future tech hubs in the country.
