Quiet plans for a new 199-hectare Tech City in Nakuru emerge – New Konza City?

Kenya’s “Silicon Savannah” ambitions could soon expand deep into the Rift Valley. According to project planning documents first shared by business and tech outlet Pesawall, the Rift Valley Development Trust (RVDT) is quietly laying the groundwork for a massive Special Economic Zone (SEZ) dubbed the RVDT Tech City in Nakuru County. If finalized, this ambitious hub will join Kenya’s flagship, purpose-built technological ecosystem, Konza Technopolis.

While official details remain shallow at the moment, the unearthing of the project’s master plan and preliminary environmental blueprints suggests significant momentum is building behind the scenes.

According to the documents shared by Pesawall, the proposed RVDT Tech City will span approximately 199.4 hectares (nearly 500 acres) of land. The project site is designated as Land Reference Nakuru Municipality Block 40/2 (formerly L.R. NO. 22771/3) within Nakuru West Sub-County, situated roughly 4 kilometers from Nakuru City center. Positioned to the north-west of Lake Nakuru, the proposed hub already boasts strong infrastructural connectivity, accessible via a tarmac link branching directly off the primary A104 Nakuru–Eldoret Highway and Njoro Road, part of the document reads.

An analysis of the leaked master plan map reveals a comprehensively zoned, integrated technology and innovation city. The colour-coded layout details distinct plots dedicated to commercial technological spaces, industrial infrastructure, residential housing, and modern internal transit networks. The proponents envision the hub as a vehicle for regional digital transformation, skills development, and localized employment creation, aligning with national policies focused on decentralizing economic growth away from Nairobi.

However, substantial question marks remain. There has been no formal, public-facing launch from the Rift Valley Development Trust, nor has a definitive investment budget or construction timeline been disclosed. The lack of an active public digital footprint indicates the project is likely traversing its early regulatory and planning phases, potentially awaiting formal public participation windows from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) or final approvals from the Nakuru County Government’s physical planning department.

For tech industry watchers and local residents, the prospect of a dedicated SEZ tech hub in Nakuru is a major development. While the project is currently operating in the shadows, its scale suggests it could fundamentally alter the economic landscape of the region, marking Nakuru as Kenya’s next critical frontier for digital infrastructure. We’ll continue to track this developing story as more official disclosures emerge.