Senate Committee Approves Eldoret’s Bid for Fifth Kenyan City Status
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On Wednesday, the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations granted approval to Eldoret’s aspiration of becoming Kenya’s fifth city.
The committee’s report affirmed that Eldoret had fulfilled all the requisite conditions for city status, as stipulated in Section 5 and the First Schedule of the Urban Areas and Cities Act of 2011.
Eldoret, which serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County and is the residence of President William Ruto, now awaits Ruto’s endorsement to officially join the ranks of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru as a city. Nakuru achieved city status in 2021.
Governor Jonathan Bii of Uasin Gishu expressed his anticipation, stating, “We are eagerly awaiting the charter that will formally designate us as the fifth city.”
During the evaluation of Eldoret, the Senate Committee engaged with the leadership of Uasin Gishu County, the National Government, and Senate leadership under Speaker Amason Kingi.
Additionally, they conducted public participation sessions with Eldoret residents to gather their opinions on the town’s elevation to city status.
Meeting the criteria for city status necessitates a population of over 250,000 residents. According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Eldoret boasts a population of 475,716 individuals.
“The municipality has the potential to generate ample revenue to sustain its operations, with a revenue potential of Sh2.5 billion and the highest actual collection of Sh900 million in the last fiscal year,” added the Committee.
As outlined in the Urban Areas and Cities Act of 2011, the President may, with the Senate’s resolution, confer city status on a municipality meeting the established criteria through the issuance of a charter in the prescribed format.
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