Members of the Uasin Gishu county assembly have approved all the nine nominees of Governor Jackson Mandago to Eldoret Municipal Board.
The MCAs, who had earlier questioned the integrity of some of the nominees, said the choices were qualified to manage all affairs of the town.
Speaker David Kiplagat presided over the session which approved Walter Keya of the Jua Kali Uasin Gishu Association, Geoffrey Kirui (Uasin Gishu Urban Forum), Winny Chelagat (Kenya Private Sector Association), Richard Omunyala (Kenya Alliance of Residents Association) and Job Kipkurgat Ngetich (Association of Professional Societies in East Africa).
The others are Evelyn Mitei, Julius Kitur, Peter Mwangi and Beatrice Githui. They will be formally appointed by Mandago. Their inauguration will follow two weeks later.
Soy MCA Nicholas Tallam, who moved the motion of adoption, said the nominees were seasoned professionals who would steer Eldoret to greater heights.
David Keitany (Sergoit) commended Mandago for ensuring gender parity and youth representation as required by the law.
“The nominees meet all requirements in chapter six of the Constitution on integrity and all of them were candid during the vetting,” Cheptiret-Kipchamo's Gilbert Tenai said.
He said the Eldoret Municipal Board would help to unlock millions in funding from the World Bank and other donors so that the town is upgraded to city status.
Some of the MCAs had, during the vetting, faulted the governor for nominating people of "questionable integrity".
“One of those nominated has a questionable past in relation to the post-election violence. We wonder how such a person can serve people in Eldoret with such a bad record,” Huruma's Peter Chomba had said.
Chomba and Francis Muya (Langas) were not convinced of nominee Kitur's suitability to serve the cosmopolitan town fairly. Kitur has in the past vied for Turbo parliamentary seat.
Eldoret is among the towns listed for upgrading to city status. The town has received Sh2 billion from the French government for health and sanitation facilities. The projects include the construction of 112km sewer line.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
