Business
Uasin Gishu Governor County Dr. Jonathan Bii presided over the opening of this year’s Town and County Planning Association of Kenya (TCPAK) conference in Eldoret as the metropolis awaits conferment of city status on 15th August this year.
Addressing the conference, Governor Bii expressed his gratitude to the leadership of TCPAK for considering Uasin Gishu County as the ideal place for this event. “Urbanization is a global phenomenon, and Kenya is no exception to this trend with a rapidly growing population, urban areas are becoming increasingly vital in shaping the nation’s present and future and Eldoret falls into this category,” he noted.
“Your roles as planners are critical to our forthcoming fifth city and you have contributed immensely towards our elevation and recognition,” he said. Bii said his administration was determined to ensure that all urban areas are well planned, and that all planning proposals are implemented while borrowing heavily on the economic benefits that come with it.
“My administration is currently seeking views from stakeholders through ad hoc committees to ascertain suitability of six towns set to be upgraded to municipalities and as planners, you have a responsibility and an opportunity to build into that future that will be historical 20 years from now,” he said.
Bii noted that the residents are conscious of the needs that directly affect them such as urban planning, waste management, citizen service delivery and development of functions closer to them. “The growth of urban areas is one of the economic strengths and I challenge my fellow governors to invest heavily on sustainable urban planning, infrastructure development, and environmental conservation,” said Bii.
“The end result will be pegged on a more livable and sustainable future for our residents who hold us responsible for every decision we make on their behalf,” he added. “As we move forward, I challenge our planners present here to ensure that our county of champions remains a centre of progress that ensures both urban and rural areas thrive,” noted the governor.
“Besides our city upgrade, in collaboration with the national government, we are putting plans towards commencement of Eldoret Railway City. I want to report that the city master plan is complete, and we are keen on its total implementation in order to pave the way for the construction of affordable housing,” he confirmed.
“This project is in line with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) besides creating employment opportunities for over 3000 youth in our county and at the same time providing the much-needed housing units for Eldoret City,” noted the county boss.
“As we focus on this important component, there is an urgent need to address urban sprawl which is affecting our agricultural production as an administration; we are developing a policy to address land fragmentation and reversing the effects of land fragmentation and this policy will be instrumental in protecting our agricultural land,” he added.
He further added that his administration will firm up development control both at urban level and County level to ensure urban space is properly and sustainably used. “We are also working with development partners such as Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP) in providing critical infrastructure to informal settlements like Shauri, Maili Nne and Kipkaren thereby upgrading them to formal settlements,” noted Bii.
“We also take cognizant of the danger of land fragmentation to food security. We are at the tail end in preparing a Land Use Regulations which will determine which minimum land size is permissible for different zones,” he said. “Going into the future, I envision a sustainable smart city of Eldoret where order takes precedence, supported by proper sewerage, road network, green and 24-hour economy and you all have an obligation to make this a reality,” he said.
“I am committed to ensure that Eldoret City is prepared to play its role in the international platform, and I appreciate the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) 2025 conference that has chosen Eldoret as its host,” noted Bii.
He disclosed that Uasin Gishu is the fastest rising region under the North Rift Economic Bloc and an ideal place to invest, settle and enhance agricultural and planning activities.