Eldoret’s journey to City status begins

A team tasked with elevating Eldoret has embarked on an upgrade plan of the North Rift town and commercial hub into a city.

The Eldoret Municipality Board, working in collaboration with the county government, has for the last two weeks been holding public meetings as it seeks views on how to elevate the town.

The board, which was inaugurated in May, six months after Eldoret received a municipality charter, is meeting residents and the business community in a bid to get approval of a raft of measures, including improved infrastructure, security and environmental management.

Board chair Julius Kitur said the planned upgrade of the town projects included beautification, increased water supply, security, waste management and improvement of walkways.

"We are holding citizen forums to discuss ways of improving Eldoret municipality through ongoing projects. Most of the projects are in the CBD," the board chair said yesterday.

Kitur said residents and business community had given views on ways of making the agricultural town attractive to investors.

Nelson Maritim, the Uasin Gishu County Executive Committee Member in charge of Lands, Housing, Physical Planning and Urban Development, said parts of Eldoret would be renamed in the elevation.

Municipality projects

Mr Maritim urged residents living in the town’s estates to participate in giving proposals and ideas for implementation of municipality projects.

"Eldoret residents will decide the activities and projects that will be implemented. We will also adopt the "nyumba kumi" system of administration," said Maritim.

The CEC also asked Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) to train public transport operators in a bid to restore order in picking and dropping passengers.

He said Sosiani River, which passes through the town, would be rehabilitated in an ambitious beautification plan.

Kenneth Mbeka, the Chief Officer of Physical Planning and Urban Development, said the county was undertaking street lighting, expansion of Langas road, creation of storm water drainage and provision of non-motorised transport infrastructure at Chepkoilel route.

Last December, Governor Jackson Mandago signed the charter making Eldoret a municipality, paving the way for increased funding towards achievement of the status.

Tito Koiyet, the municipal manager, said there was need to ensure zoning regulations were adhered to.

North Rift KNCCI Chairman Willy Kenei said traders had agreed to install CCTV cameras within business premises to boost security.