On August 8, Eldoret, President William Ruto’s hometown and the headquarters of Uasin Gishu County, is set to become Kenya’s fifth city after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru.
The award of the city charter by Dr Ruto will be a culmination of a series of tests and inspections that have been going on over the last two years as the former headquarters of the former Rift Valley Province sought to join the big-town club.
Eldoret’s march to city status began in May 2021 when the Eldoret Municipality Board applied to the Cabinet for consideration. Consequently, the Cabinet issued standards that the municipality was required to meet under the Urban Areas and Cities Act, Article 184 of the Constitution which provides for the classification, governance and management of urban areas and cities.
According to the Act, before classification as a city, urban areas must have infrastructural facilities like roads, street lighting, markets, fire stations, waste disposal and disaster management capacity.
And for the last three years, the county government under the leadership of then governor, now Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, and his successor Jonathan Bii has been working to meet the set standards.
The report released by the Senate Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee late last year indicated that the town has finally passed the city-status exam.
Among the requirements the devolved unit in conjunction with the Eldoret municipality meet the conferment of the town to city status include accessibility to the international airport, proper infrastructural development, effective waste management system, sufficient learning facilities (universities-public and private), provision of quality health services, standardisation of the hospitality and hotel industry and population factor among other issues.
A street in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County on May 25, 2023.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
According to the Urban Areas and Cities Act 2011, to qualify as a city, an urban area must have a population of at least 250,000 based on the last census.
As per the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, Eldoret is the country’s fifth most populous urban area after Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Ruiru.
With a population of approximately 500,000 people, Eldoret is ranked as the fastest growing Town in the country and acts as a link to East and Central African countries.
The Uasin Gishu County has over the years witnessed rapid urbanisation to be rated among the top five fast growing towns in the country.
Eldoret town hosts several government agencies such as the Energy Regulatory Authority (Epra), Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA), and that of the auditor-general.
A town must also have integrated development plans and demonstrate capacity to generate sufficient revenue to sustain operations for it to be elevated to city status.
In the last financial year, Uasin Gishu County achieved Sh1.4 billion in terms of Own Source Revenue (OSR) and targets to raise Sh2.1 billion next Financial Year against the potential of Sh2.8 billion after it mapped out its sources of revenue and improved its revenue management system.
“For the first time ever, we have achieved Sh1.4 billion in own source revenue. We owe this remarkable milestone to our hardworking residents who have dutifully paid their taxes. This significant boost will enhance the provision of quality service,” said Governor Bii.
Other requirements include a demonstrable good system and records of prudent management and capacity to effectively and efficiently deliver essential services to residents.
The county government through the Municipality of Eldoret, has prioritised delivery of improved infrastructure and quality services delivery to woo local and international investors to set up businesses in the Town that is the gateway to East and Central Africa.
The Municipality has undertaken several programmes to enhance the growth of businesses and service delivery.
It has fixed the road infrastructure, storm water drainages, erection of high masts, paving of Central Business District (CBD) services, back lanes and putting up Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) services.
The NMT project is funded by the World Bank and offers clean and safe walk paths along highways for safety of pedestrians.
"We have to make sure that there are mechanisms and programmes that support economic growth and development in our town. Promoting development of requisite infrastructure and services, and sorting out traffic is among them,” said Governor Bii.
As for infrastructural facilities like roads as part of preconditions of classification as a city, the construction of the Sh5 billion 32 kilometers Eldoret Southern Bypass aims to ease traffic snarl-ups in Eldoret Town and enhance cross-border trade with East and Central African countries.
The projects link the Town to Eldoret International Airport and neigbouring counties of Western Kenya.
The bypass connects Cheplaskei and Maili Tisa through Kapseret and Simat on the outskirts of Eldoret Town.
The project was funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) with the government paying Sh4.2 billion to the 987 landowners displaced to pave way for construction of the bypass.
“The project has decongested Eldoret Town by diverting traffic – including long-distance trucks – from the Uganda highway which cuts across the town centre. This will create multiplier effect-growth and expansion of business as the Town uplifts to city category,” said Michael Maina, interviewed long truck driver.
The 6,500-kilometer-long Trans-African Highway cuts through the Eldoret, creating road linkages and expansion of investment and market opportunities for entrepreneurs who set up businesses as the Town upgrades to city status.
Eldoret is centrally placed with direct flights to cities in the country through Eldoret International Airport that operates cargo and passenger flights.
Among expansion plans for the airport include extension of the runway from 3.5 kilometers to 4.1 kilometers, put up a jet fuel station and install more cold rooms and safety facilities to handle more cargo flights and meet international aviation regulations.
Counties operating under the North Rift Economic Bloc (Noreb) and Horticultural Crops Development Authority (HCDA) have launched an aggressive marketing strategy to utilise the airport to export horticultural crops for the export market.
Kenyan flowers account for 40 percent of the cut flowers in the European market, with an estimated four million Kenyans relying on the flower industry. Flower farms in the North Rift region are forced to transport the produce by road to Nairobi, but the elevation of Eldoret to city status is expected to turn around the utilisation of the facility.
Eldoret Town is also linked to the railway line, offering efficient transport services linking the East and Central African countries.
"The Kenya Informal Settlements Improvements Programmes, and Kenya Urban Support Programme have been key transformational projects in Uasin Gishu. We now have clear road connectivity, footpaths and enhanced security through street lighting and provision of high masts in areas previously deemed insecure positioning the town for the city status.” Said Governor Bii.
The Town hosts several public and private universities among other technical and vocational institutions which are among requisites for city status.
The Kesses-based Moi University, the University of Eldoret, Catholic University of East Africa, Koitaleel University, a constituent of University of Nairobi, Baraton University among other institutions of higher learning surround Eldoret Town.
Students walk outside the Moi University administration block in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County on February 8, 2024.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), the second referral hospital in the county among other host of health facilities with state of the art facilities are found in Eldoret Town. They serve patients from East and Central Africa.
The county in collaboration with Central Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency through Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company (Eldowas), is undertaking a Sh400 million major project dubbed the last mile connectivity of extension of sewer lengths up to 45,857m in Elgon view/Upper Elgon view, Kipkorgot, Annex, Sugunanga, Hillside, Kenmosa, Eldoret ASK Showground, Racecourse and Plateau.
Eldowas is also expanding its sewerage systems to prepare for population growth and expansion of the municipality to meet the need for waste management systems.
The municipality has been racing against time to fix the street lights and expand the sewerage system and garbage dump site to meet the growing population.
It plans to expand and upgrade the streets and roads to decongest the town and increase the water supply to cope with the fast-growing population.
“Currently we have major water channels with high-pressure pipes while street lights have been installed in Central Business District, residential areas among other areas,” said Julius Kitur, the Municipal Board Chairman.
In the road map to city status, Eldoret municipality was required to Construct Kilometer Zero Monument to be unveiled by the President during the conferment of the city status planned for August 8, 2024.
They were further expected to implement a Traffic Management Plan to ease the traffic flow within the town centre, reduce the sizes of roundabouts and property owners to paint all buildings.
According to Eldoret Municipality Manager Tito Koiyet arrangements have been put in place for the ceremony of conferment to a city status.
“Among the activities include award of Charters to Municipalities – Kamagut, Tarakwa, Cheptiret and Kapkures and Investment Symposium/Conference – Theme Eldoret our City,” said Mr Koiyet.
It has been a beehive of activity as the devolved unit put in place arrangements for the conferment of the city status including planting of trees as part of beautification of the Town.
Governor Jonathan Bii on Tuesday held a meeting with administrations from the Noreb and lawmakers from the region to plan for the elevation of Eldoret to city status.
“I am delighted to inform the residents of Uasin Gishu and the entire North Rift region that the town will finally receive the charter after a five-year wait,” said Bii who was accompanied by the chairman of North Rift Economic Block and Nandi Governor Stephen Sang.
The meeting was also attended by Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich, Kesses MP Julius Ruto, his Marakwet East counterpart Bowen Kangogo and Kenya Airport Authority Board Chairman Caleb Kositany among others.
But it is emerging that the Town is still faced with some challenges that might slow down its uplifting to city prominence. They include the transport and sewage system that need to be upgraded.
“Sewerage system is still a big challenge. There is still a discharge of raw wastes to River Sosiani that cuts across the town. Some of the residential areas especially informal ones are not connected to the sewage system. These are some of the issues that need to be fixed before the town attains city status,” said David Maina, environmental expert, and planner.
Previous administrators, including the immediate former Governor and now Senator Jackson Mandago pledged to fix the problem but in vain.
Governor Bii’s administration is struggling with the challenge of garbage collection despite relocating to the new site in the Kipkenyo area.
“The central business district still is littered with garbage. There is a lot to be done in weeding out hawkers and clearing street urchins, an issue the current needs to prioritize,” said Mary Kemboi, one of the entrepreneurs.
According to interviewed residents, the town lacks ample recreational facilities including public parks and arboretums.
“The recreational facilities need to be rehabilitated and upgraded to promote the tourism sector and enable the devolved unit to generate additional revenue as it remodels to city status,” said Wilson Kosgei, an investor in the hotel and hospitality industry.
Some of the dilapidated facilities including the Nandi Park have been transformed into model recreational facilities for the public to relax.
Other activities that need to be done by the county government in collaboration with other stakeholders include painting buildings for aesthetic appeal, marketing cultural memorabilia to promote heritage, climate change through reforestation, and providing more space for expansion from side lanes to provide spaces for business establishment.
Investors in real estate want the devolved unit to enter into a public-private partnership to offer affordable housing facilities equating to city status.
Governor Bii has revealed that the county government is working with other stakeholders, including the national government and the private sector, to develop housing plans to address the problem of informal settlements.
