Perception of ICT Firms in Kenya Towards Proposed Konza ICT City

Abstract

Kenya has a development plan which will help achieve its Millennium Development Goals called “Vision 2030”. One of its flag ship projects is setting up a science and technology park at Konza which will also be a hub for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES). Developing countries are adopting the concept of BPO and ITES as a way creating jobs to eradicate poverty. The objective of this study was to establish level and form of involvement, perceptions and opportunities of ICT firms in Kenya towards Konza ICT city project. The study was modeled on a mixed research design of descriptive cross-sectional and indepth interviews with four key informants. Both studies were carried out simultaneously, and triangulation was used to combine both qualitative and quantitative findings which complement each other. The population for the quantitative study was all ICT firms in Kenya and the sampling frame was acquired from Soft Kenya directory (Soft Kenya) which comprised of 550 ICT firms. Data collected was analyzed using content analysis techniques for qualitative study, and for the quantitative studies, analysis was done for each of the objectives using Excel’s add-ins as a statistical analysis tool and to provide descriptive statistics and charts. The study established that the perception of Kenyan ICT firms indicated that the government needs to do a lot more on ICT infrastructure, water and sanitation and the transport network. The government also needs to improve on involvement of Kenyan ICT firms in Konza. The study also indicated a need to improve on existing ICT policies and that Kenyan ICT firms were quite optimistic about taking up ICT related opportunities at Konza which they deemed as strategically located. Incentives by the government would also see improved participation by both local and foreign investors. The study also recommended faster ICT policy review and recommended further studies after completion of Konza project, and on perceptions of research and development institutions as well as universities towards Konza ICT city proposed project.