Bungoma town eyes city status by 2022

An aerial view of Bungoma town as at July 2019. [Micah Sali, Standard]

The county government has started an ambitious plan of developing the infrastructure of Bungoma town so that it can attain city status by 2022.

Lands, Housing and Urban Planning Executive Bramwel Murgor said they had received a Sh340 million grant from the World Bank for an urban support development programme, to improve roads and water connectivity in Bungoma municipality.

Mr Murgor said the money would also be used for solid waste management, construction of modern markets and bus parks.

Murgor also said that the county government is committed at ensuring that the 6.5km Musikoma-Kanduyi dual carriageway is completed within 24 months. The dual carriageway is being constructed at a cost of Sh1.38billion.

“With the completion of the dual carriageway, locals will be able to access social amenities with ease and also make the county attractive both to local and foreign investors. The facelift of the town will make us earn city status like Kakamega and Nakuru counties by 2022,” said Mr Murgor.

He said the county is constructing affordable eight housing units as a way of helping the national government achieve the Big Four Agenda on affordable housing. “We have a 10 – acre parcel of land in Bungoma town for construction of more houses with the help of an investor,”

“We are have already built 84 houses and we are going to build quality habitable permanent units for the poor in every ward. This will go a long way in addressing the perennial housing problem in the county,” said Murgor.

He said Chwele and Webuye towns will be upgraded to Municipal status soon.

The projects, he added, are expected to be complete by 2021.