Wycliff Kipsang @wsang08 

Eldoret town is still faced with an uphill battle to attain city status. This is because the Uasin Gishu county headquarters is still grappling with a myriad of challenges that include poor drainage, which has resulted in destruction of businesses during rainy seasons. 

A spot check by People Daily has also revealed that the town is also battling garbage collection with huge piles being spotted in back streets.

Governor Jackson Mandago yesterday acknowledged that his administration faces some challenges, but expressed optimism that the town will be elevated by the end of this year.

Mandago said they were on course to attaining the city status due to improved roads and other infrastructural development.

“For us to be given the city status, there are basic minimum conditions we are supposed to meet like an improved sewer-line.

We are supposed to ensure that storm waters are controlled and flooding doesn’t occur  in the town. We are addressing this,” said the Governor.

He added: “We have attained majority of these requirements and within one and a half years we are hopeful that we will be able to qualify to become a city.”

The county boss said in collaboration with the National Government, the county has  set aside land towards construction of affordable housing units as part Jubilee’s Big Four Agenda.

Devolved unit

Mandago also observed that the devolved unit had attained most of the minimum requirement for a town to be upgraded to a city status.

A charter granting Eldoret Town to a municipality status has already been gazetted after approval by the County Assembly and assented to by Mandago.

In August last year, Eldoret Municipal Board was unveiled to ensure the town attains a city status.

In 2017, Cabinet made the move to amend the Urban Areas and Cities Act to provide for five cities, up from the current three.

It approved to have the amendment Bill submitted to Parliament for scrutiny and approval.

Though the brief did not specify the targeted towns, Nakuru and Eldoret are likely to be elevated to cities, joining the exclusive club of Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2019, Eldoret town recorded 475,716 while Nakuru town recorded 590,674. Both  are angling to join the leagues of cities.