The Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) was established under the Tourism Act, 2011 No. 28 of 2011 that came into operation on 1^st September 2012. The name of centre was changed from “Kenyatta International Conference Centre to Kenyatta International Convention Centre with the objective and purpose of promoting business of Meetings, Incentive travel, Conferences and exhibitions (MICE). Before then, the KICC as a state Corporation, was established via legal notice No. 77/2004

The legal notice

• Promote and market conference tourism both locally and internationally
• Monitor the quality and standards of all conference facilities and advice both private and public investors on improvement of such facilities
• Plan and implement the expansion and modernization of existing conference facilities and develop new ones and
• Carry out any other activity relevant to its principal mandate

Whereas KICC is known as a ‘meetings’ venue in Nairobi, its mandate is national in nature i.e. to promote Kenya as a destination for Business Events also known as business and conference tourism. Business Events remains the fastest growing tourism subsector globally, is a multi-billion dollar industry in developed destinations and compliments other forms of tourism such as beach and wild life. It has been recognized as one of the four key products to be developed under the Kenya Vision 2030.

KICC as a State Corporation is housed in a building whose construction was completed in 1973, with the opening ceremony occurring in September 1973 presided over by the late President Jomo Kenyatta. The building consists of a podium, main tower and Plenary. The Convention Centre is the only state-owned purpose-built convention facility in the country at the moment and the leading MICE venue in the region. The thirty storeys building in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) is a land mark of Kenya’s skyline.

The main object and purpose of KICC, therefore as explained above, is to promote the business of Meetings, incentives travel, Conventions and Exhibitions also known as MICE. However, it is a unique building in the sense that it houses a permanent office of the president which in one way or the other affects operations of the centre in terms of the type of conferences, meetings and events hosted there. This also elevates the centre as one of the buildings in the country which experiences security threats. As a result, the Corporation needs sophisticated security surveillance and gadgets for manning the entrances and exits. The Centre also hosts a gazetted police station which also justifies or further explains the strategic importance of the building.

A unique feature about KICC building that makes it different from other state owned buildings, is that, within it, it houses an exclusive office for the President and another one for the Deputy President. The presence of the two offices, create a need for direct liaison between KICC and Statehouse. This is more so, when the Head of State or the Deputy Head of state is using the office. This makes it necessary for staff and management of KICC to acquaint themselves with the protocols and standards applicable to the offices.

To maintain the required standards of the two offices, KICC is required to have sufficient budget and support of other auxiliary relevant government agencies for surveillance and security. This has been more amplified with the latest conviction of a terrorist Victor Odede Bwire who was sentenced to 20 years in Jail for the offence of plotting to Bomb KICC.

In the effort to mainstream the standards, security and any other necessary intervention, KICC is requesting Parliamentary committee of tourism to assist in having the two offices gazetted as office of the President and the Deputy. This will automatically trigger the rest of the relevant government agencies to align and bridge any gap that might be there.