Eldoret is on the verge of becoming Kenya's fifth city after Uasin Gishu MCAs approved a report on the town's elevation.
Kenya currently has Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru as its only cities. Eldoret is the county headquarters for Uasin Gishu.
The report on Eldoret's elevation to city status was prepared by an ad-hoc committee chaired by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman in the region Willy Kenei.
It had been forwarded to the assembly by Governor Jonathan Bii after he received it from the ad-hoc committee a month ago.
The report on the conferment of Eldoret to city status now paves the way for the town to be elevated.
As required by law the report has now been forwarded to the Senate where if approved it will be forwarded to President William Ruto for final assent.
Deputy speaker Sarah Malel presided over the session at the county assembly and said the committee had done a thorough job by collecting views from all stakeholders as required by law.
“We have agreed with recommendations in the report that Eldoret meets all the requirements to be elevated into a city and the same has been endorsed by residents through public participation meetings,” Malel said.
The motion to approve the report at the assembly was moved by Racecourse ward MCA Amos Kiptanui.
"We have looked at the report and we are satisfied that Eldoret is ripe for city status. If elevated it transforms the economy of the entire North Rift Region," he said.
Soy MCA Isaac Chirchir while seconding the motion said that Eldoret has exceeded all the legal requirements for elevation.
During two weeks of hearing by the ad-hoc committee in Eldoret, more than 209 stakeholders presented their views as 99 per cent approved the elevation.
Governor Bii while receiving the report said the town which has a population of more than a million people had all the required facilities to be elevated to city status.
"We have all the necessary infrastructure and if appraised we will attract more investors to our town and create jobs for our youth," Bii said.
The governor hopes Eldoret will be awarded the charter for city status by President Ruto in August when the town will host this year's devolution conference.
Eldoret is Ruto's hometown and is a key transit point in the East African region
(Edited by Tabnacha O)