Senate standing committee approval for Eldoret city status welcomed

Eldoret,

Friday September 22, 2023,

KNA by Kiptanui Cherono

Uasin Gishu governor Jonathan Bii has welcomed a decision by the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations to give the green light to have Eldoret municipality elevated to City Status.

The approval by the standing committee, the Governor said, was a significant milestone marking the beginning of a promising future.

Bii urged the residents to prepare to take advantage and reap the rewards and opportunities that come with city status.

“It is important to note that elevating Eldoret to city status serves as a catalyst for job creation especially through expansion of industries,” said the county boss adding that his government was actively involved in the establishment of an export processing zone at Cherunya that is expected to be launched by Trade Cabinet secretary in the next two weeks.

Nominated MP Joseph Wainaina also lauded the Senate standing committee for approving the elevation of Eldoret to city status, saying this would come with more business opportunities for the locals as well as prospective investors.

They were speaking at Langas during the commemoration of the International Day of Peace which was also attended by Uasin Gishu county commissioner, Dr Edyson Nyale.

Governor Bii promised that his administration would strive to ensure that there is adequate lighting in all major streets and estates so that the people can adopt a 24-hour economy.

The Senate committee observed that among other key indicators is the ability of Eldoret Municipality to adhere to the best practice of management such as planning, organizing, directing, and controlling resources towards the achievement of service delivery to its people.

The Municipality of Eldoret has infrastructural facilities including roads, street lighting, an airport and airstrip, fire stations, and adequate capacity for disaster management. 

It was also noted that Eldoret can generate sufficient revenue to sustain its operation and that the population of Eldoret is also a key indicator as it exceeds the requirement of having at least 250,000 People. Eldoret's town currently has an estimated population of 475,716 people.

Once the report is adopted, it will be forwarded to the President for ratification before the municipality is awarded the charter to become a city.

Meanwhile Governor Bii has dismissed recent polls that ranked his county as the last among the 47 counties terming the poll a political witch-hunt.

Bii claimed the pollsters demanded bribes to rank the county favourably claiming some of his political rivals whom they competed for the governor’s seat in 2022 were behind the negative publicity the county has been receiving recently.

“I declined to bribe some of those doing the polling, and to punish me they ranked Uasin Gishu at position 47, how can a county that just hosted one of the most successful devolution conference be ranked last, we have some of the best-improved development programmes, yet the pollsters did not see this,” fumed Bii and advised those whom he defeated to accept defeat and move on.

“Some of my competitors are in denial and need to seek counselling and accept that ‘Koti moja’ is now the governor,” he added.

Courtesy; KNA