The Eldoret Municipality has appealed to Members of the Uasin Gishu County Assembly to help ensure the transfer of its functions from the county executive is hastened.
Municipality Manager Tito Koiyet and board chairperson Julius Kitur on Monday told MCAs that the county executive is yet to transfer management of urban planning to them. This is despite the municipality charter mandating them to be in charge of approving all development projects and land subdivisions.
“We need to be in charge of all development within the municipality, land subdivision and mutation. As a municipality, we need to be on top of things,” Koiyet told members of the joint committee on lands and physical planning and housing and urban development.
The committee is probing construction on a claimed road reserve within Eldoret town.
“Municipality has very few functions and as we transition into a city, what are we transitioning? We need more order and we look up to this house to support the process of becoming a city and empowering the municipality to provide services to the people,” the Municipal Manager added.
Similar sentiments were shared by the municipality board chairperson who assured that if they are allowed to deliver on their entire mandate, cases of illegal acquisition and land and constructions on land reserves among others will be a thing of the past.
Only one function transferred
The charter allocates at least 17 functions to the Eldoret Municipality but currently only one has been fully handed over by the county executive which is solid waste management.
“The municipality, if given functions to perform as per the charter, issues of illegal land acquisitions and buildings on sewerage lines we will deal with it. We need a just city; we have to make sure any illegality is dealt with,” Kitur said.
The two were appearing before the MCAs over the ongoing probe into the suspected illegal structure on a property around the FIMS area in Eldoret.
They said they were not involved in the approval of the construction works.
But as Eldoret gears towards the city status, Koiyet insists the municipality must be fully empowered and allowed to perform its mandated functions.
He noted that all indications are that Senators will adopt a report to grant a city charter to Eldoret.
“Eldoret is soon becoming a city and some of the things we would like to do is to ensure the link roads and drainages are intact. We request this house to pick up from here and go further,” Koiyet said.
“We need to come to terms with our past, make corrections and move forward as a modern city,” he added.
