County Government of Laikipia

Kalalu Smart Town Project in Umande Ward is scheduled to receive a major boost in terms of town upgrade after the contractor and the government signed a contract for the commencement of restructuring.

May 31, 2022, marked the day of authorization to upgrade the new market center to a modern town by Wild Lion Investments, funded by the infrastructure bond.

The project's scope entails the construction of 0.95 Km of Asphalt paved roads around Kalalu Shopping Centre complete with storm water drains and structures, 1.7Km of pedestrian cabro walkways, and 80 parking spaces.

Some transformations expected include: street lights installation, market development, construction of modern housing for town dwellers, titling of the plot owners to understand how the physical infrastructure contributes to economic and social development, and setting up manufacturing industries, supermarkets, and agro-processing industries. This will in turn lead to increased incomes and job creation.

The town will also be connected with internet fiber to enable ICT for businesses, and also improvement of street car parking areas and town water and sewage network.

Motive

The smart city will provide an urban environment that delivers a high quality of life to residents of Umande Ward while also generating economic growth. This means delivering a suite of joined-up services to citizens with reduced infrastructure costs.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics national housing and population census 2019, Kalalu has a population of 7,099 people.

The population is expected to further increase after the town upgrade with more investors flocking in as there is an already market.

Job creation from the industries that will be established while other businesses will expand will be accommodated within the town as well.

Residents will also benefit from having various products from a small area, and thus not be moving to Nanyuki to get the same commodities.

The town project improvements also will provide new value from existing infrastructure while creating new revenue streams and operational efficiencies to help save money for governments and citizens alike.

The smart town projects' smartness will be determined using a set of characteristics, including an infrastructure based around technology, environmental initiatives, effective and highly functional public transportation, confident and progressive city plans, people able to live and work within the town, using its resources.