KWS Registers New Conservancy for Konza Smart City

KWS Registers New Conservancy for Konza Smart City

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has given Konza Technopolis Wildlife Conservancy preliminary registration.

This makes the smart city project Africa’s first and only purpose-built smart city with a certified wildlife conservancy.

The statement on Wednesday, June 10, indicated that the registration status will apply to approximately 404 hectares of protected property within the Konza Technopolis.

According to information supplied by the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA), the protected area is part of a larger plan that includes designating around 1,000 acres of the Smart City’s 5,000-acre development area as a wildlife corridor.

“In a landmark achievement for sustainable urban development in Africa, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has officially granted provisional registration of the Konza Technopolis Wildlife Conservancy, covering 404.69 hectares of protected land,” the authority announced.

Konza Technopolis is officially a wildlife conservancy!

In a landmark achievement for sustainable urban development in Africa, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has officially granted provisional registration of the Konza Technopolis Wildlife Conservancy, covering 404.69… pic.twitter.com/rjrEfxWJxP— Technopolis Development Authority (@konzatech) June 10, 2026

“The registration of the protected area forms a critical component of Konza Technopolis’ master plan, as 1,000 acres of the Smart City’s total 5,000-acre development is dedicated to a wildlife corridor, fostering biodiversity, and allowing nature to coexist with urban technology,” it added.

According to the authority, the corridor is intended to maintain ecological connectivity and allow wildlife to coexist with urban development as Konza continues to attract technology firms, research institutions, businesses, and residents.

The newly registered conservancy forms part of the wider Athi-Kapiti Ecosystem, one of Kenya’s most important wildlife landscapes outside formally protected national parks.

The area supports a range of wildlife species, including the Grey Crowned Crane, Rüppell’s Griffon Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Maasai Ostrich, Maasai Giraffe, Zebra, and Gazelles.

Following the registration, the conservancy will be maintained for a minimum of 15 years in compliance with KWS regulations.

The initiative will also be guided by a wildlife conservancy management plan that has already been developed to support habitat protection and biodiversity management, KoTDA announced.

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Beyond conservation, the authority says the designation could unlock several economic opportunities linked to sustainable development.

These include the growth of eco-tourism and nature-based tourism activities, wildlife and biodiversity research, carbon-credit and climate-finance initiatives, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)-aligned investments, environmental education programmes, and nature-based recreational facilities.

The registration comes as Konza Technopolis continues to expand infrastructure and position itself as a regional hub for science, technology, innovation and knowledge-based industries.

Located approximately 65 kilometres southeast of Nairobi, the master-planned city is one of the flagship projects under Kenya’s Vision 2030 development blueprint.

It is expected to contribute significantly to economic growth through technology-driven investment and innovation.

KWS Registers New Conservancy for Konza Smart City