Governors in North Rift have expressed excitement over the planned elevation of Eldoret to city status on August 8.
President William Ruto will be in Eldoret to hand over the city charter to the Governor of Uasin Gishu Jonathan Bii.
The governors from the region are meeting in Eldoret to prepare ahead of the event and have declared that they would work jointly to make the town a great city.
Bii hosted the county chiefs including Stephen Sang of Nandi who is also chairman of the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB).
Others present are Governor Wisley Rotich of Elgeyo Marakwet and Jeremiah Lomurukai of Turkana. Senator for Uasin Gishu Jackson Mandago and MPs from all counties in the region are also present.
“We are excited and ready to host the President and all visitors as we celebrate the new city of Eldoret," Bii said.
He said the county had set in motion all preparations ahead of August 8 and all residents and the business community along with leaders would be involved.
“We have waived for 10 days all related charges to help the business community in the beautification of the town to prepare for the big day," Bii said.
Building owners have been asked to repaint all their premises as the county works to put in place all other arrangements.
Sang said Eldoret was a regional hub and the elevation of the town to a city would benefit the entire region.
“As a region, we expect to reap big with major developments in infrastructure and other sectors. Within five years we will witness a major transformation of the region," Sang said.
Sang said neighbouring towns like Kapsabet, Kitale and Iten would also benefit from the growth of Eldoret City.
He said the city's status would come with many investors to help create job opportunities for residents of the region.
The Nandi county boss said the planned expansion of the Eldoret International Airport would be an additional plus for the city
Eldoret will be Kenya’s fifth city after Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa and Nakuru
Mandago said the new city of Eldoret was abundantly blessed with a rich heritage and it would be a major destination for tourism.
He said the town had all the required facilities for city status.
