This archive report was first published on 7 May 2021.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has been at the forefront of technology-driven initiatives during his presidency, with a focus on meeting his Big 4 Agenda and securing his legacy. One of the key areas of focus has been the development of technology-oriented projects, which are crucial for keeping Kenya competitive in the current technology-driven world.
Some of the notable projects launched by the President include the Semi-Conductors Technologies factory, the KIRDI techno-centre, and the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Konza City.
On April 26, 2021, President Kenyatta officially opened the Semi-Conductors Technologies factory at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology. The factory is a public-private partnership between the university and American nanotechnology firm 4Wave Inc. and is set to manufacture integrated circuits and sensors as raw materials in the electronic gadgets manufacturing industry.
The KIRDI techno-centre, located at the Junction of Lusaka Road and Dunga Road in South 'B', Nairobi, is a Vision 2030 development project that will host a number of technology projects undertaken by the institution. The project is being undertaken under the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) umbrella and is set to line Nairobi's Skyline once complete.
Additionally, the government has announced plans to build a Ksh10 billion Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Konza City. The institution is expected to have a significant impact on the attainment of Vision 2030 and will one of a kind in the East African region. The university will transform Kenya into a middle-income country through the promotion of science, technology, and innovation for national economic growth.
President Kenyatta has also been at the forefront of digitizing land records in Kenya. In 2019, he announced that the government had updated 75 topographical maps, drawn six full county maps, and digitized the cadastral plans for Nairobi County. The development was a milestone in the country's urban development and will facilitate quality physical planning, spur increased revenue collection, and promote environmental conservation.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Lands launched the National Land Information Management System, Ardhisasa, in April 2021. The platform will speed up land transactions and enable the common mwananchi to access all services offered at the Lands ministry through the digital platform.
President Kenyatta has also launched a Ksh4 Billion small arms factory in Ruiru, Kiambu County, as part of a broad multi-agency national security industries strategy. The factory will lower the cost of acquiring weapons for Kenya's security agencies and establish a sustainable national security industrial base that provides jobs for the Kenyan youth.
