Nakuru town is now a step away from becoming a city after senators voted to elevate its status.
The lawmakers approved a report by the House Devolution Committee that had recommended the conferment of city status.
The committee, chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, had found that the town met all the conditions for elevation.
The President will now be required to grant a charter to graduate the town.
Section 7 of the Urban Areas and Cities Act states, "The President may, on the resolution of the Senate, confer the status of a city on a municipality that meets the criteria set out in section 5, by grant of a charter in the prescribed form."
In May, 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,” Kajwang' said then.
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.
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.
