An aerial view of a section of Eldoret City in Uasin Gishu County.
The Eldoret City management has admitted to facing challenges in meeting several remaining benchmarks, a year after the “Home of Champions” was awarded a charter to become the country’s fifth city.
Among the pending obligatory conditions are proper solid waste management and an improved sewage system, beautification of streets and highways, provision of adequate social amenities, pedestrian-friendly pavements, implementation of a Traffic Management Plan and the establishment and operationalisation of a national museum.
“We have developed a road map that will guide our policies in fixing the benchmarks that will see the city emerge as one of the best on the continent,” said Eldoret City Manager Elzeba Busienei, noting that most of the conditions for city status have already been met.
Pedestrians cross a street in Eldoret city after the county government's partial launch of traffic lights on some street lights in the city on June 11, 2025.
“Currently, we have made much progress in undertaking solid waste management, but our infrastructure development master plan will ensure there is a closed drainage system, effective solid waste management and recycling to generate manure,” added Ms Busienei.
President William Ruto, while awarding Eldoret its charter on August 15, 2024, cautioned the leadership to prepare for the challenges that come with delivering services befitting city status.
“As the city of champions, it is essential that Eldoret focuses on the greater opportunities and significant challenges ahead, because it has what it takes to emerge as the ultimate city of the future,” President Ruto said on that occasion.
According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, Eldoret is the fifth most populated urban area in Kenya after Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Ruiru.
The Urban Areas and Cities Act (2011) requires a minimum population of 250,000 for an urban area to qualify for city status.
Ms Busienei said beautification efforts—including planting trees and flowers—are underway in the Central Business District and along highways as part of the city’s greening initiative. She added that stakeholders will be engaged to ensure accountability and maintenance of green spaces.
A busy street in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on April 21, 2025.
Property owners have also been instructed to construct ramps to ease access for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), install CCTV cameras to boost security, and ensure part of their land has tree cover.
“The buildings must be properly lit and have ramps to facilitate ease of entry by PWDs and the elderly. Installation of CCTV cameras is encouraged to improve security, and all existing and proposed developments must ensure a portion of their land is under tree cover within the next six months,” Ms Busienei said.
Residents, however, have raised concerns about delays in operationalising the national museum built at the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) arboretum as part of the city’s mandatory benchmarks.
“We fail to understand why the museum has remained closed since it was constructed. It was meant to benefit residents as one of the benchmarks for city status,” said Leah Jepkorir, a resident.
The municipality and county government are also expected to implement a Traffic Management Plan to ease congestion. Traffic lights have been installed along the main Eldoret–Uganda highway and other strategic points.
Uasin Gishu County Governor Jonathan Bii.
“We want to ensure smooth flow of traffic, and awareness campaigns will be carried out by national and county governments on how drivers should observe the new traffic regulations,” said Governor Jonathan Bii.
He directed long-distance vehicles to use the Southern Bypass to ease snarl-ups along the Northern Corridor, which cuts through Eldoret City.
The 32-kilometre bypass, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) at Sh5 billion, has remained underutilisd more than two years after the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) designated it a transit route under the East African Community Customs Management Act (2004).
Elevation to city status
Eldoret City management is now seeking to ban trucks from using the Trans-Africa Highway (commonly known as the Nairobi–Malaba road), which passes through the CBD, to further reduce congestion.
“There are plans to operationalise a new policy requiring all trucks and transit vehicles to make maximum use of the Southern Bypass to minimise traffic jams and attract investment for economic growth,” Ms Busienei said.
Long-distance trucks in a traffic jam in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on September 15, 2025.
A gazette notice dated December 16, 2022, formally declared the bypass a transit route under Section 12 of the East African Community Customs Management Act (2004). The route—Cheplaskei–Kapseret–Lemook Swamp Bridge–Sosiani River Bridge–Maili Tisa—serves long-haul trucks linking the port of Mombasa to East and Central Africa.
Eldoret City Manager Julius Kitur has petitioned the County Assembly to pass legislation restricting heavy commercial vehicles from entering the CBD.
“We need to regulate traffic in our city by enacting regulations barring heavy commercial vehicles from operating within the city,” he said.
Residents are also feeling the financial pressures that accompany city status. The Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company (Eldowas) has increased water tariffs by 300 percent following a legal tussle.
Three months ago, the Environment and Land Court in Eldoret struck out a petition challenging the new tariffs, ruling that the matter fell outside its jurisdiction under the Water Act. Justice Emmanuel Washe lifted earlier suspension orders issued on March 25, 2025, allowing Eldowas to implement the new charges.
Residents—through petitioners Kipkorir Menjo and David Chebet—have appealed the ruling, terming it unwarranted and an abuse of the law.
“As much as residents rejoiced in the elevation to city status, they must now be ready to fund service provision through increased taxes and levies that come with such prestigious rankings,” said resident Mary Chepkwony.
Eldowas announced the new tariffs in October 2024, citing approval from the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB). The utility said the review would help raise over Sh2.2 billion for infrastructure development.
“We will proceed with implementation in line with WASREB’s guidelines and customer notification procedures,” said Eldowas Managing Director Dr Lawrence Tanui.
Commercial buildings under construction in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on April 22, 2025.
The company continues to lose an estimated 18 billion litres of water daily due to illegal connections, translating to losses of between Sh500 million and Sh1 billion every month.
Business permit fees, land rates, and the cost of essential commodities—including food—have also risen, posing challenges to residents of Kenya’s newest city.
“No pain, no gain. City residents should be ready to meet the costs that come with the prestigious city status,” Ms Busienei said.
Eldoret City hosts several government agencies, including the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), and the Office of the Auditor-General, among others.
