Nakuru town is close to becoming the fourth city in the country after a Senate committee recommended its elevation.
The Senate Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee recommended the house approve a request by the county government to promote the fast-growing town to a city.
“After scrutiny, the committee has approved the application by Nakuru county to have Nakuru Municipality given city status,” committee chairman Moses Kajwang' (Homa Bay) said while tabling the report in the house on Tuesday.
Approval means the whole house will debate the report next week before voting whether the county will be elevated.
If it passes, it will be handed over to President Uhuru Kenyatta for approval, paving the way for Nakuru to become a city in line with the provisions of the Urban Areas and Cities Act. The other cities are Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
The Senate received the request from Nakuru county on November 21, 2020. Then the municipality had to prove that it qualifies in terms of population, finance, transport, health, education and other factors.
City status means an urban area qualifies for more benefits, grants, national staff and attracts more people and investment. It must meet conditions established in the Urban Areas and Cities Act.
The Devolution committee held seven sittings on the matter. It established the population of Nakuru Municipality is 367,183, exceeding the required city population of 250,000 people.
The committee confirmed Nakuru has generated sufficient revenue in the past three financial years, demonstrating its capacity to sustain it.
“The elevation of Nakuru to city status should be beneficial to the residents’ social and economic well-being," the Devolution committee said.
The city status request was opposed by Senator Susan Kihika as the political rivalry between her and the governor played out. In 2019, Kihika led a section of county leaders in opposing elevation, saying Nakuru needed at least 10 more years to prepare adequately before becoming a city.
The leaders cited at least 10 conditions that should first be met. They demanded better planning of the town, improved garbage disposal, more housing, streetlights, improved roads and infrastructure and eco-friendly amenities.
(Edited by V. Graham)
