Inside Tana River's Sh39b organic city plan

The county government of Tana River is set to get an organic city after Governor Dhadho Godana handed over 500 acres of land to a Canadian investor.

The investor is putting up a Sh39 billion city in Areri, Abakiki village in Madogo, Bangale sub-county. An organic city represents a sustainable, eco-friendly urban model designed to function like a living organism, balancing high-density living with ecological regeneration.

Such cities prioritise green spaces, walkable low-carbon lifestyles and self-sufficiency. Other key characteristics of an organic city include organic planning and design, where designs often follow natural topographies, similar to historical cities of the world.

The Areri Organic City project is being undertaken by Conkrite Capital of Canada, integrating eco-homes, vocational training centres, regenerative agriculture and renewable energy. The new smart city organic project is hailed as a model for Africa’s sustainable urban future that saves energy, conserves resources and improves urban living quality.

Environmental sustainability

Conkrite Capital has declared Tana River the ‘Garden of Eden of Africa’ due to the region’s high level of biodiversity, with the project designed to be a model for sustainable urban development in Africa.

The initiative aims to merge urban development with environmental sustainability, reducing carbon footprints and promoting a healthier, greener and more self-sustaining lifestyle.

The organic city is a major regenerative, agro-urban development project aiming at transforming a rural area into a sustainable, eco-friendly city for the 21st century.

The project is set to create about 2000 jobs and transform lives in the once sleepy, dusty, remote village of Abakiki and Tana River County into a global sustainable climate-smart rural-urban economic hub.

Governor Dhadho said the county leadership and residents had approved the project, which is already ongoing on a 20-acre pilot phase.

He says the devolved government is wooing domestic and foreign investors to create jobs and spur economic growth. “We need investors to unlock prosperity, create jobs, modernise infrastructure and drive inclusive growth,” he said.

“We are showcasing Tana River as a preferred destination for investment and a bustling hub of opportunities for local and international investors.”

Dhadho welcomed the multibillion-shilling investment as one that will open up Tana River, which he said has remained a hidden treasure for far too long.

The governor said the investment signifies a strategic shift from a history of underdevelopment and marginalisation towards a proactive, future-oriented development model. He said the joint effort by the county and the private investor is part of a broader ‘new Tana River’ agenda focusing on sustainable development.

The county boss said his administration had a long list of partners and investors waiting to set up camp in Tana River, assuring them of total support from the devolved government.

The project targets 25,000 modern housing units for residents, agribusiness and renewable energy projects and many socio-economic components for the local people.

“We want to take Tana River to the next level. Our county is disaster-prone, suffering from perpetual drought, floods, insecurity, diseases and alarming rates of poverty. We want to change this narrative now through rural urbanisation, like this organic city where all needs – education, health, electricity, clean water, roads and modern life – can be enjoyed by all,” he added.

Dhadho said Tana River County was blessed with land and abundant natural resources, stressing that the county had no reason to remain stuck in poverty.

The Conkrite Company Director, Nicolas Val Delle, said the project will be a living ecosystem, a model community city and the first of its kind in the East African region.

“When you build people, people build cities; this is not just a construction but a civilisation reborn,” he said, adding that they are building an eco-friendly city from the ground up. He said the project will incorporate residential, commercial and agricultural zones designed to operate as a self-sustaining community with the eco-homes, vocational training centres, renewable energy facilities, regenerative farms, an airstrip and other infrastructure.

Delle noted that the project will be executed in phases for 12 years. It will transform the area into a competitive tourism and investment destination through an eco-friendly, vibrant, smart city.

“This is just the beginning, as the story of the organic city will be the story of the next 500 years, as it is laying the foundation for a new kind of civilisation, one that empowers people, restores the planet and redefines prosperity,” he said.

Delle said the project sets the stage for the Tana River to become a future centre of agro-industrial and climate-smart growth.