The eagerly awaited ceremony to mark the elevation of Eldoret to city status has been postponed, Uasin Gishu County officials announced on Monday, August 5, 2024.
Initially set for August 8, 2024, the ceremony will now take place on August 15, 2024, following instructions from the Office of the President.
Jonathan Bii, the Governor of Uasin Gishu, made the announcement during a press conference, expressing regret over the change of plans.
“Following the communication from the Office of the President, the conferment of city status to Eldoret municipality has been postponed for a week from August 8 to August 15,” he said.
The postponement comes as a disappointment to many in the county, who had eagerly anticipated the original date.
The county had vigorously promoted the August 8 event with the slogan “nane nane kabla ya saa nane,” reflecting a strong sense of local pride and anticipation.
“The publicity that we made was so strong and so enormous that everybody has been looking forward to 8/8 and then our clarion statement ‘nane nane kabla ya saa nane,’ now we will change it,” Bii lamented.
Despite the delay, Governor Bii highlighted the symbolic significance of the number five for the county.
Eldoret will become Kenya’s fifth city, and the nation’s fifth president, William Ruto, hails from Uasin Gishu.
Bii urged residents to create a new slogan for the revised date, suggesting ‘tano tano kumi na tano baada ya saa tano’ to maintain the celebratory spirit.
“I don’t know the people who can really give another phrase ‘tano tano kumi na tano baada ya saa tano’ and you will go think now because tulikua tumezoea nane nane but now we have the 5th president, 5th city, tarehe kumi na tano alafu itakua baada ya saa tano,” Bii said.
5 cities
The conferment of city status on Eldoret marks a significant milestone in the urban development of Kenya.
Upon joining Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru, Eldoret will need to formulate a comprehensive city development plan as required by Section 5 of the Urban Areas and Cities Act.
This plan will involve substantial investments in infrastructure, including paved streets, street lighting, markets, improved roads, and waste management services.
These upgrades will necessitate swift adjustments by residents and businesses to comply with new regulations designed to enhance the city’s infrastructure.
Governor Bii called upon the people of Uasin Gishu to support the county government in making the event historic.
“I call upon the great people of Uasin Gishu to continue working with the county government towards making the great and historic event,” he said.
The revised date of August 15 is now anticipated with renewed excitement and the hope that Eldoret’s transformation into a city will herald a new era of growth and development for the region.