Eldoret town, the major business hub in the North Region, may become a city early in the next year, according to a Senate Committee.
After a recent visit, the committee recommended the county of Uasin Gishu to improve its sewer infrastructure and requested the federal government to hasten the building of the Eldoret Eastern bypass.
Critical facilities required for the town’s elevation to city status were inspected by the Senate Committee on Devolution.
The committee, led by Senator Sheikh Abbas of Wajir, expressed confidence that Eldoret will meet the requirements for city status within the following 6 months.
Eldoret would join Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru as the fifth city in Kenya if the proposal to elevate this well-known sports town—often referred to as the city of champions—is approved by the parliament. Eldoret is known for producing elite athletes.
According to the committee, Eldoret has a good emergency response system, established healthcare facilities, and even one of the biggest airports in the country, the Eldoret International Airport, along with other amenities.
Eldoret’s rich sporting history was also emphasized as a key element in determining the town’s fitness for elevation to city status.
“We have conducted an inspection of the facilities required before granting city status to a town in Eldoret. The ongoing expansion of Eldoret International Airport is part of this process. The town needs to demonstrate its ability to facilitate trade once it obtains city status,” Senator Abbas remarked.
He said his committee was impressed with road network projects and added that most of the transport infrastructural projects were complete.
