Governor for Uasin Gishu Jonathan Bii speaking at Moi Girls High School in Eldoret/HANDOUTThe almost complete over 10,000 affordable housing units in Eldoret is set to transform the city and could trigger significant population growth, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii has said.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the 98th Kenya Music and Cultural Festival at Moi Girls High School, Bii noted that more than 100,000 people are expected to move into Eldoret, particularly those purchasing homes in Kidiwa, Pioneer and other parts of the city.
While the new housing promises growth, the governor cautioned that the influx of residents could strain resources, particularly water.
“That is why we are requesting the national government to help us develop new water projects that will serve the expanding city,” he said.
The event was graced by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who highlighted the government’s ongoing shift toward privatisation and public-private partnerships as a way to finance development while easing the burden on taxpayers.
Kindiki said the approach is accelerating infrastructure projects nationwide, including the dualing of the Rironi-Mau Summit highway, and will see the Mombasa Road dualing commissioned by President William Ruto in February under the same funding model.
The Deputy President also outlined broader development initiatives, including the modernisation of JKIA to increase passenger traffic from 10 million to over 100 million annually, the tarmacking of 22,000km of roads and the construction of 50 mega dams to expand water access.
Kindiki emphasised that national development must go beyond physical infrastructure, or “hardware,” to include the “software” of the nation: building cohesion, patriotism and respect for culture and traditions.
“Ethics and values are as important as roads and dams. We must have Kenyans love their country, their culture and traditions to create a society that can withstand shocks, whether political or climate-related,” he said.
He noted that music, language and culture play a critical role in shaping unity, warning that social media has eroded respect for traditions and elders.
“Language and culture are stronger pillars for national unity than education. We must deliberately invest in building morals among our children and youth,” he said.
The festival, which brought together over 22 counties and 20,000 guests, showcased Kenya’s rich cultural diversity while providing a platform for national dialogue on development, unity and the future of Eldoret as it embraces rapid growth.
