Tatu City is a 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) special economic zone (SEZ) located 20 kilometres (12 mi) North of Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) in the Ruiru Municipality area[1][2] of Kiambu County. It sits within the greater Nairobi Metropolitan region and is a flagship project of the Kenya Vision 2030 blueprint.[3][4] Investors currently on record include the Njiiri School Alumni, with 35% shareholding. The current Kiambu County Governor, Wamatangi is currently engaged with its management to grab over 200 hectares of the private property. Wamatangi is currently on Interpol's Most Wanted radar on allegations of fraud.[citation needed]
Tatu City | |
|---|---|
City | |
  Tatu City | |
| Coordinates: 1°09′32″S 36°54′25″E / 1.158751°S 36.907054°E | |
| Country |  Kenya |
| District | Thika District |
| Locality | Ruiru – Kamiti Road |
| Division | Ruiru |
| Constituency | Ruiru |
| Established | 2011 |
| Founded by | Rendeavor |
| Website | Official website |
Administration
editTatu City is designated as a project of special importance by the Government of Kenya through The Physical Land Use Planning (Classification of Strategic and Inter-county Projects) Regulations of 2019 via the Kenya Gazette Vol.CXXI-No.73 (2019) under Gazette Notice 4975.[5] It was also, in 2017, declared a Special Economic Zone under Gazette Notice 4892 published under the Kenya Gazette Vol. CXLX-No 66 of 22 May 2017. According to the Kenyan law, projects located within a Special Economic Zone context benefit from government-issued tax incentives among other benefits.[6]
Project Progress
edit
As of 2022 the Tatu City Zone was home to more than 60 business entities[7] two international schools namely Nova Pioneer and Crawford International.[8] The city was (as of 2022) also home to various completed, ongoing, and proposed housing projects among them Kijani Ridge,[9] Unity Homes,[10] Karibu Homes,[11] Tatu Waters,[12] and Mchana Estates.[13]
Some of the companies with a presence in the Tatu City Industrial Park by 2022 included Dormans, Kenya Wine (KWAL), Unilever, Copia, Bidco, Davis & Shirtliff, Coopers, Chandaria Industries, Gallagher, Tianlong, and Kim-Fay among others.[14]
History
editThe land on which Tatu City sits was originally part of the Belgian Socfinaf coffee farm previously known as Tatu Estate before being acquired by Rendeavour in 2010.[15] This is the same case with Northlands City and Kahawa Sukari tracts of land also in Ruiru which were originally owned by Socfinaf prior to being sold to new owners in the post-colonial era.[16]
Location
editTatu City can be accessed via Thika Road, Nairobi Eastern Bypass Highway, Nairobi Northern Bypass Highway, and the Kamiti Road. It is 30 minutes away from the Nairobi CBD, 40 minutes from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, 10 minutes from the Kasarani International Stadium, 5 Minutes from Kamiti Prisons. The city is in close proximity to the Kenya Prisons Staff Training College (PSTC), Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital (KUTRRH), Kamiti Maximum Security Prisons. It touches the Nairobi County boundary at its southerly-most tip at Kamiti River.
Environment and parks
editTatu City lies within the relatively green side of Nairobi which is part of the greater Aberdare ecosystem. Thirty percent of the land is allocated to green spaces among them nature parks, forests, coffee farms (to preserve the heritage of the place), and public amenities.
Controversy
editThe project was in the middle of a long court battle due to shareholder wars in the period between 2013 and 2018.[17] The matter was a major part of public discourse in the country and even attracted the attention of the Lands Committee of the National Assembly of Kenya which then absolved Tatu City of any wrongdoing.[18][19]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ September 23, 2021, Thursday (2021-09-22). "Tatu, Konza City form lobby to seek foreign investment". Business Daily. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Amadala, Victor. "Slow dream to Kenya's technocities, Tatu City taking shape". The Star. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
- ^ Correspondent, B. T. (2017-10-16). "Vision 2030 Delivery Board to support Tatu City – Business Today Kenya". Retrieved 2022-07-07.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ City, Tatu. "Vision 2030 Delivery Board commits to support growth of Tatu". www.tatucity.com. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
- ^ "Kenya Law | Kenya Gazette". kenyalaw.org. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
- ^ CORRESPONDENT (2021-12-22). "Special Economic Zones Authority Board lauds Kenya's first 'One-Stop Shop' at Tatu City". Capital Business. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Tatu City flies Kenyan diaspora home from anywhere in the world". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
- ^ "Tatu City scores big with new schools". The Star. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
- ^ CORRESPONDENT (2021-11-23). "Tatu city appoints Stecol to complete Kijani ridge". Capital Business. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ CORRESPONDENT (2021-11-03). "Unity homes launches construction of 640 affordable units". Capital Business. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Karibu Homes to build 1,000 units in Tatu City, 22 November 2018, retrieved 2022-07-07
- ^ April 19, 2017, Wednesday (2020-12-12). "Tatu City to build Sh35bn houses in Ruiru, Kiambu". Business Daily. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Progress of the Project" (PDF). www.nema.go.ke. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ CORRESPONDENT (2019-05-21). "Tatu Industrial Park hits 50 company milestone". Capital Business. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Africa buzzing as next frontier for coffee drinkers". Financial Times. 2015-10-14. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
- ^ "The War for Tatu City". 14 October 2016.
- ^ "Kenya city shareholders refuse to pay foreign investors". Financial Times. 9 July 2018.
- ^ "Statement on Parliamentary hearing | Tatu Tribune".
- ^ "MPS clash over Tatu City probe » Capital News". 16 August 2018.