Industrial Park to Foster Industrialization

http://www.jkuat.ac.ke/article.php?id=481

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has become the first institution in the east African region to host an industrial park designed to contribute to Kenya’s growth to a newly industrialized economy within the broad framework of Vision 2030. The multi-million shilling Nairobi Industrial and Technology Park to be located at JKUAT whose construction works is expected to commence in June 2012 will act as an incubator for knowledge based high growth oriented enterprise with the potential to grow to medium level sizes within short periods.

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Industralization Ps Dr Kibicho Karanja (Center) exchange MoU papers with JKUAT VC Prof Mabel Imbuga. Looking on is JKUAT Council chair Eng Julius Riungu

Dr Karanja speaking during the occasion said his Ministry had committed a total of Shs. 2.2 billion to the project that he said would be instrumental in the wealth creation agenda under the government’s Vision 2030 plan. Engineer Karanja argued that Kenya had to embrace the culture of industrialization and manufacturing in particular if it hoped to confront poverty and unemployment. “There is no country that can develop without a vibrant manufacturing sector”. The establishment of the Park he said will provide solutions to the many challenges inhibiting the growth of Kenya’s industrial sector.

Dr Karanja said the country last year imported goods and services worth Shs. 900 billion against the country’s export of Shs.400 billion, a situation he lamented that created a trade deficit of Shs. 500 billion. Most of the trade deficit he said was as a result of Kenya’s fixation of exporting raw materials with no value addition. ‘It is only in Kenya where we harvest and export raw tea in sacks. We can reduce the huge trade deficit by adding value to our raw materials through manufacturing’

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At the site

Council Chairman, Eng. Julius Riungu welcomed the establishment of the facility and pledged his Council’s full support saying his board had already set aside 32 acres of land where the park will be constructed.

From the Daily Nation 14th February 2012,it says :

The Park will house a state of the art business incubator complex ,a student venture park ,small manufacturing houses ,a technology museum ,commercial laboratories and other support services such as a modern conference center .Nairobi Industrial and Technology Park will not only be a “green’ Park but it will also be the largest of its kind in the region.

The Park will act as an incubator for knowledge based growth oriented enterprises that will have a potential to grow to medium level sizes within fairly short periods. The park will, therefore host enterprises for periods of three to six years after which the already developed medium sized enterprises will exit the park and pave way for new entrants. The Park will also house a state of the art technology museum that will showcase the evolution of various technologies. This will act as an attraction for students, entrepreneurs and the general public bringing in some additional revenue to the park.
The Park will be situated in Juja along the Thika Superhighway.

It is expected that the park will adequately bridge the gap between research and knowledge bases, on one hand, and industry on the other by opening up research transfer and commercialization opportunities .Particularly, the Park will attract potential entrepreneurs and offer them incubation platform. It will provide incubated entrepreneurs with technical , financial, management and marketing support(Business Development Services) in order to fast-track their growth to medium size firms. Mature firms are expected to “spin off” within periods of three to five years.

The Park will offer various services to incubated firms including research and Development support, serviced space and infrastructure (roads, water, energy, premises, technical Support, management Support, marketing support and linkages to financial services. Other support facilities that will be found in the Park are financial services (banks, restaurants, threaters and a shopping mall and a modern conference facility. The Park will, also, house a state of the art technology museum which will showcase the evolution of various technologies, and a student venture park.

The Park will be a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) project. As such numerous opportunities exist for investors and firms that would want to be part of the development or to simply operate within this transformational Park.

The park will also link these firms to markets both locally and internationally.

Excellent news.

Good initiative

Great stuff

I agree with ya'all....way to go!

Great stuff

i love it, :cheers::cheers:

Posted it in the Kiambu county section as well. Yet another jewel for the crown.:)

Other support facilities that will be found in the Park are financial services (banks, restaurants, threaters and a shopping mall and a modern conference facility. http://www.nling.info/g.gif