The construction of Kenya’s first smart city, Konza, is expected to start in earnest this month following the award of a Sh40 billion infrastructure design and building contract to an Italian company. Impresa Construzioni Guiseppe Maltauro (ICM) has been chosen as the general contractor to design the infrastructure for phase one of the project as well as procure the necessary material and equipment.
As the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPCF) contractor, ICM will oversee the building of roads, water and sewerage infrastructure within the 400-acre phase one of Konza.
“Construction starts in July and ICM is expected to build horizontal infrastructure as well as all the basic amenities,” said Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KOTDA) chief executive, John Tanui. The EPCF contractor will oversee building 40 kilometres of landscaped streets, landscape the parks and set up water distribution, sewage collection and treatment facilities.ICM beat three other Chinese companies to win the project — Central Electrical International; China CAMC; and Zhongmei Gibb.
Konza is part of Kenya’s ambition to become East Africa’s technology hub, but lack of funding has delayed construction for years. The renewed interest in the plan began last year in the wake of the South Korean government’s Sh10 billion commitment to build a technology institute in the city. Konza last week advertised for investors to bid for 150 parcels of land in the 400-acre phase one. Private investors will build schools, a petrol station, business process outsourcing (BPO) campuses and tech incubation hubs.
Vicenza-based ICM group of companies was founded in 1922 and has maintained a strong interest in the construction of roads; hydraulic and infrastructural works as well as civil engineering.
