NAIROBI, Kenya – The Bomas International Convention Complex (BICC), which is named after the Swahili word “Boma”, which means a traditional homestead or community, is fusing modernity and culture to establish itself as a top international business travel destination.

Acting Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Okidiang recounted the history of the Bomas of Kenya and the ongoing renovation and rebranding initiatives, stating that the establishment is embracing contemporary technologies while preserving some of its historic elements.

For example, he stated that BICC is digitising its culture and heritage centre and providing tourists with a virtual tour of the facilities so they may understand the rich cultural history of the nation.

“We all understand from our cultural background that BOMA is a house. The facilities that existed where we have the convention complex itself had been developed to depict the BOMA, which was a hut,” said Okidiang.

Despite the ongoing overhaul and the transformation rolling out, Okidiang said some features of the traditional Kenyan village will be retained for cultural preservation. 

“BOMAS has reinvented its mandate; we are going to develop a digital cultural and heritage centre where we will proceed with showcasing our mandate to Kenyans and to delegates who will be visiting the BICC for purposes of holding their events,” he stated.

How will the BICC project change Nairobi’s skyline?

One of President William Ruto’s top initiatives, the BICC is a massive undertaking with 3000 employees working day and night shifts.

Nairobi will become one of the world’s leading conference cities, alongside Singapore, London, New York, Tokyo, and Dubai, thanks to the initiative.

It will surpass several of Africa’s leading convention centres, including the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda, the Cape Town International Convention Centre, and the Durban International Convention Centre in South Africa.

“We are now moving from the old to the new convention centre that has a capacity to hold 11,000 people at a sitting,” Okidiang said, adding, “This is a game changer for this country regionally and in the world.”

“In Africa, we have very few facilities of this nature, and for us, the journey to Singapore starts with the strategic direction that the government took to build such a mega facility, which gives us the direction of where we are headed in terms of modernity,” he affirmed.

A long-term, sustainable, and cost-effective project

Taking the press through the architectural model, Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrida Amondi stated that the facility is equipped with modern technology, including solar power and other state-of-the-art features. 

“It is a green building. It has solar panels on top. It is a three-storey building with a basement. So, its capacity is 11,000. It’s supposed to host large conventions.”

“We have a convention hall of about 5,000 capacity, an auditorium of 3,500, a ballroom of 2,500 and many meeting rooms,” said Lt Col Amondi. 

“This convention centre is supposed to be state-of-the-art. It’s going to host many heads of state from the region, from Africa and from the rest of the world. Another feature of the BICC campus is the BOMAS ring,” she added.

Why was the Bomas International Convention Complex project established?

The effort to maintain the BICC “green” by preserving the surrounding ecosystem, such as the forest and streams, is another important aspect, she noted. “We want to maintain the campus as green as we can. We don’t have much parking for cars, as you can see,” she said.

BICC was created to provide visitors with a first-world experience, according to Lt Col Amondi, who also mentioned that it has upscale business centres and VVIP lodging options.  

“You can live in the area, and you can access commercial spaces, shop, and go for entertainment in the sports arena. So it’s a campus that is going to completely change convention centres, not only within Nairobi but within the region,” she added.

President Ruto has identified Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) as key drivers of the economy in his quest to transform Kenya into a first-world country. 

“I am very confident that with the infrastructure we are building and the creativity we are putting around our tourism products, we can now reengineer our product as Kenya so that it speaks to the holistic offerings that we have,” President Ruto averred.