Eldoret town conferred city status

Eldoret, 

Thursday, 15 August, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

President William has issued a City charter conferring Eldoret Municipality into a City during a public even on Thursday, 15 August, 2024 held at the Eldoret Sports club in Uasin Gishu County. 

"I kipchirchir William Ruto, President of the republic of Kenya and commander in chief of Kenya's defense forces, do hereby ordain, declare and direct that the Municipality of Eldoret has been conferred with City status." The President proclaimed. 

"Now henceforth, by this charter may it be known to all that Eldoret Municipality shall have the status of a city together with all such rank powers and responsibilities as are incidental to a city under law and it's name is decreed to be the city of Eldoret. "The President added. 

The proclamation will now be issued under the hands of the president and the public seal. 

Eldoret town now joins Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru as Kenya's fifth city, an elevation that will benefit residents through improved services and an increase in investment opportunities. 

Over the years, Eldoret has experienced growth in its population, infrastructure, health services, education, trade and industries among others. 

The City is also a rich agricultural region producing tea, maize and milk products.It also stages Kenya's biggest textile factory, Rivatex. 

The president encouraged the residents to stop land fragmentation in order to save more land for agriculture and promote food security. 

Ruto noted that Eldoret is a rich agricultural city which was built by agriculture and residents should embrace sustainable agricultural practices to ensure the City thrives. 

The conferment positions Eldoret as a hub for growth and urbanisation in the region. 

For a town to be granted city status, the Senate Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations is required to give the green light. 

According to the Urban Areas and Cities (Amendment) Act, 2019, on the criteria for classifying a town as a city, the urban area must have a population of at least 250,000 residents in line with the final gazetted results of the last population census.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Population and Housing Census of 2019 estimated Eldoret population as 475,716, surpassing the threshold. 

The town must have an integrated urban area or city development plan, demonstrate good system and records of effective management and must have an effective waste disposal system. 

The town is required to have the capacity to effectively deliver essential services to its resident and must actively engage its residents in the management of its affairs. 

Other requirements include proper infrastructure including roads, street lighting, markets and fire stations and adequate facilities in the event a disaster occurs.  

In a separate event held on the same day at the State Lounge Eldoret, The President alongside his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, received the Kenya Athletics Champions, who just returned home with a haul of medals from the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The team who's most athletes hail from the Greater Rift Valley region, proudly raised the Kenyan flag high, topping Africa in the scooped medals.