Hi people, The below option 'sounds great' This would be optimum but from little experiences with Technoparks I know that: 1. Nobody lives in the ICT city. People live in the city and drive down. The good thing, generally, is that they drive 'anti traffic wise' in the morning. 2. Most of the ones I have visited/worked with do have generous grounds, greens and eco-friendly spaces. But I have found out that the greater reason is neither eco nor tourism, but creating a suitable environment for intellectually-intensive brain work. 3. If you want to depend on govt to provide a Master Plan of location, fine, but certainly not the content and the sustainability plan 4. The important roles that govt can play, as have been mentioned in earlier posts will be that of land allocation, tax relief, security and basic infrastructure. 5. The bloodline of Technoparks is with the private sector. Companies that do business there, initiatives and innovations that can take off there, international giants that can plant their regional/national reps there, IT and Telecoms folks who are happy to install because they can find qualified folks not too far from there and the strong message that the park sends out that 'any of your techno problem will get a solution here'. 6. In as much as educational institutions are important, they do not necessarily need to be neighbours with the parks. Even if a university is offering IT training, the students can come in from a distance.. the most important thing is that the ICT industry keeps a channel and a partnership ongoing. 7. The one reason why the park needs University partnership is not for "social responsibility" as some may want to think. Companies need to make sure that prospective employees are getting knowledge that will make them resourceful when their training is done. 8. The idea of a network of technoparks is a good one.. but so far, I have seen more politics at play than technical collaboration. I do not have a very good handle on the situation in KE, Just adding a few cents Happy New Year Nnenna
I second the need for a clean break from Nairobi. A new city....somewhere between Nairobi & Mombasa. How does Mtitu Andei sound?....start the infrastructure from scratch
*Lots of cheap land *Petroleum pipeline *Available power *Proximity to Mombasa seaport & airport *Proximity to Nairobi & JKIA *Mutually reinforcing with The Tsavo (tourism) *Less prone to "watu wetu" politics of PNU&ODM (''Nairobi'' vs. Nyanza vs. Rift Valley etc) *Virgin territory ready for a "Dubai" idealistic set-up.
Other ICT parks would come up elsewhere....nyanza, central rift etc..
Any takers?
-- Nnenna Nwakanma Director, nnenna.org Consultants on Information, Communications, Technology and Events for Development (RCCM - CI-ABJ-2008-A-3.768) Tel: +225 225 271 44 Fax: +225 224 264 71 Cel: +225 07 416 820 nnenna@nnenna.org http://www.nnenna.org http://nnennaorg.blogspot.com