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"speaker_name": "Dagoretti South, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. John Kiarie",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move: THAT, the Technopolis Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 6 of 2024), be now read a Second Time. I want to take this time to commend the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, which applied itself fully in the processing of this Bill. It even took time to not only prosecute what was presented by the Ministry, but also its own input into the Bill. This Committee took its time to travel all the way to Konza to see the one existing Technopolis in the making, the Konza Technopolis, where the idea of this Bill stemmed from. As you are aware, Vision 2030 was very intent on transitioning Kenya into a knowledge-based economy. To achieve that goal, it is crucial to establish a seamless flow of information and knowledge between academia, the enterprise and the corporate sectors. This Government recognises the need to take leadership in creating an environment that fosters knowledge. The Konza Technopolis is a Kenya Vision 2030 flagship project under an economic pillar whose goal is to improve the lives of all Kenyans by achieving an average of 10 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate per annum and sustaining the same until the year 2030. The project aims to develop Konza Technopolis into a globally competitive smart city by creating an enabling environment through the utilisation of information, communication and technology for social and economic development. This House may recall that there was a legal notice No.23 of 5th April 2012 that established the Konza Technopolis Development Authority, also known as KOTDA. It was tasked to coordinate the planning and development of the Konza Technopolis in a 5,000-acre piece of land at Konza. Konza sits right between the three counties of Kajiado, Machakos, and Makueni. It is on that 5,000-acre piece of land at Konza that Konza Technopolis sits. It is intended to integrate infrastructural facilities, administer and manage the Technopolis operations, regulate and approve investment activities, and lease land in the area. The Konza Technopolis Development Authority, in its form as it was presented, went into headwinds when we realised that KOTDA had a life of 10 years. However, when it leases land, the land lease goes up to 90 years. That sets a problem for KOTDA in the form and manner in which it exists. As you are aware, the Government, through its Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), recognises the crucial role that the digital economy plays in accelerating the country's economic transformation agenda. So, this Bill proposes the The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}