Kenya aims to become a leading technology hub in East Africa. To achieve this goal, the country has secured investment from Poland for its ongoing smart city project, which began in 2012. 

Farada Group, a Polish company specializing in unmanned aerial systems (UAS), has announced that it has obtained all necessary documents from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to set up a manufacturing plant in Konza Technopolis, Kenya. The goal is to make the country its main hub to serve the African market.

Speaking on the matter, Adam Cudny, President of Farada Group, stated: “We plan to acquire a plot of land here in Konza Technopolis to establish a drone manufacturing company for Kenya and the whole of Africa. [...] We have all the necessary approvals and we have set up a local company to implement the project.”

This Polish investment is part of the state visit of Polish President Andrzej Duda to Kenya in February. The two countries decided to collaborate in various sectors, and Farada Group's leaders, present during the visit, established connections with Kenyan authorities. On this occasion, they donated a drone to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to help monitor the country’s national parks.

The drones manufactured by the Polish company are used for wildlife surveillance, monitoring power lines, responding to natural disasters (such as floods and wildfires), and delivering essential goods like medical supplies. Additionally, earlier this month, the Korea Eximbank signed two agreements with Kenyan authorities to invest $238 million in Konza Technopolis. The project, once abandoned, has regained momentum in recent years and is central to Kenya’s national development plan, Vision 2030.

Adoni Conrad Quenum