Cabinet approves construction of Bomas International Convention Centre in Nairobi

President William Ruto.[Standard,file]

President William Ruto's Cabinet has given approval for the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC) to be built in Nairobi.

The announcement was made on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, during a Cabinet meeting held at the Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County. The meeting was chaired by President William Ruto.

According to the Cabinet, BICC will transform the Bomas of Kenya into a modern conference hub.

The BICC will include advanced facilities like a conference centre, a presidential pavilion, and at least five hotels.

"To position Kenya as the destination of choice for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism, and to cement her place as a diplomatic and commercial hub, Cabinet approved the establishment of the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC)," the dispatch from the Cabinet read.

"This State initiative, fifty years after the start of Kenya's first international convention centre (KICC), is expected to promote the growth of conference tourism, hospitality, and event and aviation industries,” adds the statement.

At the moment, the Bomas of Kenya is a cultural center in Langata that features traditional villages from various Kenyan tribes.

The facility houses one of Africa's largest auditoriums, which has been used as the National Tallying Centre for presidential elections since 2013.