Gilgil elevated to municipality, raising hopes for greater investment

Gilgil town has received a major boost after being awarded a municipality charter.

Speaking at the event, Governor Lee Kinyanjui said the charter would help attract more investors, who would create jobs for locals.

He said county services would be brought closer to residents who used to travel to Naivasha and Nakuru city for them.

Infrastructure will be improved as Gilgil will start receiving money for roads planning through the Kenya Urban Road Authority, and more roads will be tarmacked, he said.

He said the county will start by zoning the town to avoid a mix-up if the government initiates development projects there in future. There will be space for single homes and high-density houses, as well as commercial and industrial areas.

“We will start by having a good planning of the town. We won’t allow it to remain like a village. We want investors to be attracted to invest here. We also want in future to attract even national events, and to achieve this, it needs good planning,” he said.

He said a municipal manager will be appointed to oversee development and to ensure county regulations are followed.

He urged professionals to apply for municipal board vacancies while challenging them not to become professional critics who shy away when the opportunity comes to make their town or village better.

The county, he pledged, will set aside Sh100 million yearly as municipal grants to enhance developments in its three municipalities.

“We want in the next five years all our roads to be tarmacked so that our farmers can benefit by supplying fresh produce to the market, the drainage menace to be a thing of the past and the stadiums to be upgraded,” he said

“We have a programme under the African Development Bank which ensures there are sewer systems in the upcoming urban areas and now that the town has been awarded the charter we now qualify for the funds.”

Area MP Martha Wangari said the charter brings relief to residents, who had to endure travelling long costly distances to access services in major towns.

She lauded the governor for the milestone, saying it will now qualify for funds to bring development closer to the people. 

She said the upgrading will attract investors to the constituency who will in turn create employment for young people in the area.

"We are looking forward to drainage system problems becoming a thing of the past now that we have become a municipality. We also want cabro blocks to be installed on designated roads to end dust so that traders may do their businesses in peace," said Ms Wangari 

According to the Urban Areas and Cities Act of 2011, for a township to qualify for a municipality charter, it must have a population of at least 70,000-249,000 residents.

It must also have an integrated urban area or city development plan and a demonstrable capacity to generate sufficient revenue to sustain its operations and to effectively and efficiently deliver essential services to its residents as provided for in the First Schedule to the Urban Areas and Cities Act.

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