Kenya’s national Government has announced that it will not issue any permits for developers within a 10 Km radius of the Konza Technopolis, known as the “Konza Planning Zone” for the next 90 days.
The announcement was made by the nter-County Joint Physical and Land Use Planning Committee which covers lower county governments of Machakos, Makueni and Kajiado.
The committee says the suspension will allow for development of an Inter-County Physical and Land Use Development Plan to provide guidelines and standards for regulation of land use practices and general development within the zone.
Speaking in a meeting bringing together governors from the three counties Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Dr. Fred Matiang’í indicated that there is need for governments to work together in protecting the ecosystem around Konza Technopolis so as to deliver value to investors and properties around the Special Planning Zone.
“Konza is now evidence of what happens when Government leaders at all levels work together and focus on things that matter. What matters is delivering this project to the people of Kenya,” said Dr Matiang’i.
CS. Matiangi, Governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana, Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua, Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, ICT Cabinet Secretary Joseph Mucheru, Lands and Physical Planning CS Farida Karoney resolved to complete the buffer zone plan within three months before lifting the suspension 1st July.
“The plan will provide basic guidelines and standards for regulation of land use practices and general development while controlling activities for the respective counties bordering the Technopolis. It will also guide developers and property owners on acceptable standards,” said the committee.
Machakos, Kajiado and Makueni in consultation with the national government are also expected to provide a mutually agreed spatial development framework or symbiotic and sustainable co-existence between the Konza Technopolis and the adjacent areas falling within the jurisdiction of the three counties.
In addition, the three counties in consultation with the national government will provide a mutually agreed spatial development framework for symbiotic and sustainable co-existence between the Konza Technopolis and the adjacent areas falling within the jurisdiction of the three counties.
The formulation of the Inter-County Physical and Land Use Development Plan will largely entail the review of the Approved Development Plan No. 03 (Konza Techno City Buffer Zoning Plan Ref. No. 2564/2013/01) and will adopt a highly participatory and consultative process.
The committee was constituted pursuant to the provisions of Section 29 of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019.
The buffer zone physical planning and development control will become part of the work of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee (NDICCC ).
