Welcome, Eldoret Kenya’s 5th City

Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu county has been elevated to a city status and the country’s fifth.

President Dr William Ruto signed the charter and pended the government seal conferring Eldoret to a city. The conferment ceremony was held in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, on Thursday, August 15, 2024.

“I, Kipchirchir William Samoei Ruto, president of the Republic of Kenya and Commander in Chief of Kenya’s Defence Forces do hereby ordain, declare and direct that the municipality of Eldoret has been conferred with city status,” Ruto declared.

Ruto elevated Eldoret from a municipality following the successful application process and approval by the Senate.

The City of Eldoret now becomes the fifth one after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru

“We are excited about the elevation of our town to city status and the hard work begins to ensure that we build the town to levels where it will be a major hub in the country and beyond,” Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii said.

The town has met all the requirements for elevation but with a population of more than one million people much work is needed to expand the infrastructure and other facilities including schools and hospitals.

 “All due procedures have been followed to the letter and as the city grows residents will play a bigger role in how it’s managed,” he said.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii will appoint a nine-member board to run it. The board had seven members but the law requires that a city board be managed by nine.

The county has adopted its current logo, used by the municipality of Eldoret since 1964 and which was designed by white settler Derric Stab.

There has been a raging debate in the town over the logo, with some residents rejecting that it has questionable features that go against their religious beliefs.

The logo’s main colour is green and its features include the rising sun, a cow, a maize cob, a ribbon, a Nubian giraffe, ploughed land and maize leaves.

Eldoret municipal board CEO Tito Koiyet defended the logo, saying it has been used for the town since Independence and has nothing sinister about it.

“The majority of residents were Kalenjins at the time the logo was designed. The local community has great reverence for the sun because it represents God’s omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience,” he said.

He said the inclusion of a cow on the logo is in line with the beliefs of the local community. Cows are highly valued in the region because they provide the people with food and represent life.

“There is nothing sinister about the logo because it has been around for more than 60 years and has on it features rooted in the Christian foundation and represents the economic and social practices of our people and all communities in this town,” he said.

Koiyet said with the elevation to city status, Eldoret will bring new opportunities for Kenyans living in the region. The county has hosted a series of activities including a cultural festival to welcome the new city.