Focus shifts to boosting sports tourism, bagging new investments

President William Ruto installs the public seal of the Republic of Kenya for the conferment of City status to Eldoret Municipality at the Eldoret Sports Club in Uasin Gishu County. [PCS]

Elevation to a city has put a town nestled in expansive farms in a strategic position in the Rift Valley.

From the need to have room for expansion for new investors, to different style of management and new rules, Eldoret is set for a trajectory that will confirm its status as a city of champions.

Yesterday, President William  Ruto awarded the town a city status, making it the fifth city after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru.

The city status, according to top officials, is set to be capitalised in the promotion of sports tourism.

But excited residents of the agricultural city were yesterday looking forward to a new experience.

Governor Jonathan Bii said he is optimistic that the town’s favourable climate and being the host to hundreds of athletes would make the new city a favourite destination for investors.

“Athletes and investors from across like Eldoret because we have the best climate in the world,” the governor said.

According to the Urban Areas and Cities Act, granting of city status requires a population of at least 500,000 residents, an integrated city development plan and demonstrable capacity to generate sufficient revenue to sustain its operations.

The Act lists a demonstration of a good system and records of prudent management and capacity to effectively and efficiently deliver essential services to its residents as provided in the First Schedule and infrastructural facilities.

These include roads, street lighting, markets and fire stations, and an adequate capacity for disaster management as other yardsticks for granting a town city status.

Eldoret has had a municipality board for the last five years as it prepared to attain city status.

The municipality board has been running the affairs of Eldoret, and setting out the rules and plans targeted at elevating the town’s status.

“A board or town committee shall, within the first year of its election, adopt a single, inclusive strategic plan for the development of the city or urban area for which it is responsible.

“An integrated development plan adopted by a board may be reviewed and amended during the term of the board or committee and shall remain in force until a new integrated urban area or city development plan is adopted by the succeeding board or town committee,” the Act reads in part.

Eldoret Municipality manager Tito Koiyet said the town's spatial plan will be changed to accommodate skyscrapers as proposed by the Senate Devolution Committee last year.

"The planning of the town will be horizontal and vertical. It will encourage tall buildings so that we don't expand to agricultural areas and lose our status as an agricultural hub," says Koiyet.

Eldoret is now the second town in Rift Valley to attain city status after Nakuru.

Nakuru, which was granted city charter in 2021 had a projected population of over 500,000 had witnessed increased investments. Reports show Nakuru‘s metro urban area is the third largest in Kenya after Nairobi and Mombasa. 

Later, Nakuru City was designated as a UNESCO Creative City under the Craft and folk arts category in November.