President William Ruto outlined investments and benchmarks needed to upgrade Kericho, including housing, health, sports, a special economic zone and utility connections tied to the town's bid for city status.
Government committed more than Ksh12 billion to projects in Kericho tied to city elevation.
Ksh5.6 billion will fund the first 2,200 of 5,000 affordable housing units planned for Kericho.
Major allocations include a Ksh1 billion medical school, Ksh2.1 billion for two stadiums, and Ksh1.6 billion for county electricity connections.
President William Ruto has announced government plans to elevate Kericho town to city status and listed specific investments the state says must be delivered before the upgrade can happen. The commitments cover housing, health, infrastructure, utilities, sports facilities and the establishment of a Special Economic Zone.
The government has committed more than Ksh12 billion to projects in Kericho County connected to the city bid. The announced allocations include:
Why these investments matter for city status
Kericho joins other towns pursuing city status, including Thika and Meru. Thika's elevation is reportedly at advanced stages after the Senate approved a proposal to confer city status. Kenya currently has five cities: Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret, the latter of which received city status in 2024.
Follow-up items that will determine the pace and success of the elevation include the actual construction timelines for the housing units and medical school, operationalization of the SEZ, progress on electricity connections and road works, and official population and revenue assessments. Formal city designation will depend on meeting legal thresholds and administrative approvals.
The president framed the package of investments as prerequisites for Kericho's bid to become Kenya's next city. The announced spending targets key service and infrastructure gaps that the law requires towns to fill before they can be upgraded, but monitoring delivery and measuring outcomes will determine whether Kericho meets the formal criteria for city status.
Ruto said the government would establish several stations along the route to make it easier for residents to use the railway to transport their goods.
Over the last four years, key national holidays have been held outside the capital city of Nairobi as parts of efforts to promote diversity and encourage nationalism.
The project has been long-awaited, and discussions about its enhancement have been ongoing for over 15 years.
[Capital FM] Nairobi -- President William Ruto has hailed Nairobi's selection to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, saying the country is investing in sports infrastructure as it prepares to stage the global competition.
Preparations for the Ksh2.2 trillion Lamu project are gathering pace ahead of the planned September 30 groundbreaking ceremony.
RAIS William Ruto anazidi kugeuza maeneo ya ujenzi kuwa majukwaa ya kisiasa, akizunguka nchini kuzindua, kukagua na kukamilisha miradi ambayo imekuwa msingi wa ajenda yake ya maendeleo. Rais ameweka mabilioni ya fedha katika miradi ya maendeleo akielekea uchaguzi wa 2027, akitegemea barabara, reli, nyumba, masoko, mira
Loading more related stories...
Open the app view to save this story, compare related coverage, and continue from the same source.