Nakuru City's dream of elevating to the city status is now inching closer to reality.
This is after the Senate, in a special sitting on Thursday, June 3, conferred the status on the town that had been working towards achieving the feat for years.
All Senators who were present during the debate supported the motion to elevate the town into a city.
After the approval, the report is expected to be handed over to President Uhuru Kenyatta for further approval after which Nakuru will be the bonafide fourth city in the republic of Kenya in line with the Urban Areas and Cities Act.
Nakuru is the administrative capital of Rift Valley and one of the fastest-growing urban centres. Other cities in Kenya are Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
The report asking the Senate to elevate the town was tabled by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ after a thorough scrutiny by Senate Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee.
“After scrutiny, the committee has approved the application by Nakuru County to have Nakuru Municipality given city status," Kajwang urged the house during the submission.
Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui had campaigned for the elevation noting that Nakuru is the second-highest contributor to the value of goods produced countrywide.
He also argued that the town was strategically located to link major urban centers.
"The municipality also has an approved Integrated Strategic Urban Development Plan (2014-2034) that is currently in force. The county has also put in place measures to optimally collect more revenue.
"Nakuru has the conference facilities capable of hosting a large delegation. The county headquarters and Nakuru High School also have conference facilities," noted Kinyanjui
Eldoret Town, in Uasin Gishu, had made an attempt at seeking the city status in January 2021 but the plans were derailed by infrastructural challenges.
The town's infrastructure is struggling as administrators seek to attain the infrastructure needed for a city.
Business operations have faced disruption resulting from poor drainage experienced in rainy seasons in the Uasin Gichu county headquarters.
