The Diaspora University Town (DUT) sign board at the Voi - Taveta roadside reads, “By Diaspora Kenyans, Ndara B Community & Partners.” Dan Kamau, the DUT Project Director, presented the project partnership opportunities to Comply Industries, a producer and supplier of timber products; Bamburi Cement; Sicaa Construction Company; and owners of micro and small businesses in Voi who visited DUT. He outlined four budgets that will increase the revenue of companies that become DUT partners.
Regarding partnerships in building materials, Dan said the DUT design-build budget is currently estimated at Ksh 39.5 billion, with about 65% allocated to the purchase of building materials. He said the budget will construct and deliver about 3,700 buildings and structures, 60 km of roads, and an infrastructure network by 2030.
To illustrate how the DUT partnership will work, Dan used Comply Industries, a manufacturer of doors. He said the DUT design-build budget for the 3,500 townhouses and 3,200 apartments includes 12 internal doors and three external doors per townhouse, for a total of 52,500 doors for townhouses and another 15,000 for the 3,200 apartments. He said that, as a partner, Comply could plan to supply 30,000 doors. Based on the DUT Design-Build production plan, the 30,000 doors can be produced and delivered through a 300-door biweekly supply over 4 years. Mr. Satvinder Singh, the Comply Industries sales manager, said he understood the project and opportunity.
Mukesh Bharadha, of Sicaa Construction, was interested in the Construction Contracts. He was informed that the DUT Design-Build plan will be implemented over 260 weeks through 300 production contracts at varying prices, totaling about Ksh 39.5 billion. That each Contract will have a set number of weeks to be completed within the 260-week (5-year) period. Mukesh was informed that once he joins DUT, he will be assured of some contracts among the 300, and his company, based on the Contracts executed, will achieve revenue from the Ksh 39.5 billion budget.
Answering who the financier of the construction will be, Dan said that two financing plans will be applied. The first is the construction finance plan that Diaspora University Trust is arranging for the Construction. The second is property finance, which will finance 3,700 properties upon completion. This finance will come from the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC) through banks and SACCOs, as well as from other sources. Dan showed how US banks' assets have grown to $21.1 trillion, saying that these assets finance the property.
To those looking to set up MSMEs, Dan said that about Ksh 20 billion from the DUT budgets will flow into the pockets of the 20,000 persons who will take up jobs, and part of this money will become revenue for MSMEs. In addition to the KSh 39.5 billion, he presented the following budgets: Diaspora University's 4-year budget of Ksh 7.45 billion; Diaspora University Medical Hospital's 5-year budget of approximately Ksh 6.9 billion; and Diaspora University Town's 5-year budget of approximately Ksh 2.4 billion.
Referencing the Comply products on the website, Dan said the Comply partnership could reach Ksh 1 billion in sales of the diverse Comply products to the DUT. The products include: Plywood, Chipboard, Ceiling boards, Fibreboard, Blockboard, Shutterply, Flush Doors, Moulded Doors, Hardwood Doors, Deco Floor, Living Room Couches, Dining Tables, Chairs, Beds, Kitchen cabinets, Executive Office furniture, Office Workstations, Bedroom wardrobes, Storage cabinets, Boardroom tables, Panels, and others.
The next question was, “How do I join DUT to achieve the sales revenue for my Company?” Dan said that one joins by becoming a townhouse developer through a document called THIDA. Using Comply, which has about 6,000 workers, he said, “Some of your workers can become DUT townhouse developers by borrowing personal loans from banks, and once Comply supplies the Ksh 1 billion, the employees can pay their loans as they grow their wealth.” Mr. Singh said that Comply Industries' staff have started a SACCO, and the SACCO could lend.
Dan says DUT is in the final stage of onboarding partners who will execute and benefit from the project. Once the partners are on board the 60 month, 2030 plan will start and achieve the following: a town with 25,000 residents, 15,000 jobs and 300 MSMEs/Organizations; a university with 5,000 students enrolled; 3,600 properties with 3,700 building erected that are owned by diverse individuals and financed by banks; 60 km road and infrastructure network, a clean and healthy environment, a 5 million a day clean water supply and waste water management system; and, over 200,000 trees.
