Eldoret Town may soon become the country’s fifth city should a petition filed before the Senate by the Uasin Gishu County Assembly to have the town elevated to a city status is adopted and passed.
Uasin Gishu County wants senators to consider a report it passed last week calling for the elevation of the town to a city status after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru.
The MCAs in their report, argue that Eldoret, just like the four other cities, had met all the requirements needed for its elevation, a move they say will help open the town up for investment and other opportunities.
The report is currently before the Senate Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations chaired by Wajir Senator Abbas Mohamed, which is expected to investigate and establish whether indeed the town had met the threshold to become a city.
The Senate Committee report, once adopted by the whole House, will then be forwarded to President William Ruto who will either approve or reject the request to elevate the town to a city status.
The Uasin Gishu County Assembly had agreed with a report prepared and tabled by an ad-hoc committee which argued that Eldoret Municipality had met the requirements needed for its elevation, such as population and infrastructure development.
The Committee noted that as at the 2019 population census, Eldoret municipality had a population of 475,716 people, surpassing the required criteria that a city must have a population of at least 250,000 people.
The town also has two public universities and a national polytechnic and hosts several public and private university constituent colleges.
On health, there are at least 53 health facilities spread across the county, including Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), that serves the entire north rift and western counties. The county also hosts the Eldoret International Airport.
The Committee also noted that the town had met the threshold of having an integrated urban area or city development plan and demonstrated capacity to generate sufficient revenue to sustain its operation
The Assembly cited several benefits the County is set to enjoy when they achieve a city status.
“If Eldoret Municipality is elevated to city status there are enormous benefits which include growth in infrastructural development and it will also lead to economic growth through establishment of new businesses,” says the report.
The Assembly also believes that elevation of Eldoret into a city will lead to an increase in revenue streams as well as an efficient and diversification of Services due to increase in services that will be offered by the city.
The report states that there will be an increased revenue allocation since the City will be able to access loans, grants and donations and improved and effective planning of transport, education and waste management.
Eldoret Town is set to host the 8th Devolution conference on 15th-19th August.
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