Silverio Omari
Kenya’s fifth city, Eldoret, will be officially unveiled on Thursday, with Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii appointing a nine-member board to manage it. President William Ruto will be in town to present the city charter to Governor Bii, elevating Eldoret to city status, joining Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru as the country’s major urban centers.
The ceremony will include a brief visit to the county headquarters, followed by a procession through the town, culminating in a declaration event at the Eldoret Sports Club. Governor Bii expressed excitement about the town’s elevation and emphasized the importance of further developing infrastructure, schools, and hospitals to accommodate the growing population, which now exceeds one million.
Governor Bii highlighted that the town has met all the necessary requirements for elevation, and he called on residents to play an active role in managing the city. The new city board will consist of nine members, in accordance with legal requirements, replacing the previous seven-member board of the Koiyet municipality.
The county has retained the current logo, which has been in use since 1964 and was designed by white settler Derric Stab. Despite some controversy over the logo, which features elements such as the rising sun, a cow, a maize cob, and a Nubian giraffe, Governor Bii defended it as a symbol deeply rooted in the local community’s cultural and religious beliefs.
He explained that the sun represents God’s omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, while the cow is a valued symbol of life and sustenance in the region. Governor Bii assured residents that the logo reflects the Christian foundation and the economic and social practices of all communities in Eldoret.
The elevation to city status is expected to bring new opportunities to the region, with the county hosting a series of cultural activities to celebrate the new city.
Dj Vnyash
