Street traders and hawkers want elevation of Nakuru to city held back for 8 years

Members of the Nakuru Street Traders and Hawkers Association-NSTHA have opposed the elevation of Nakuru Municipality to City status.

Through a memorandum presented on Monday to the Ad Hoc Committee on elevation of Nakuru to city status, the NSTHA members led by their chairman Simon Ole Nasieku they are a worried lot that the cost implications of city will entrench poverty and unemployment syndrome.

The members have also raised an issue of fearing eviction from their current business operation areas.

They cited the county government report LHPP/DCU/VOL 1 2018 on mushrooming of kiosks/stalls and car wash in Nakuru town.

According to the traders, the report that was prepared by Stephen Mucheru Chege committtee and commissioned by Governor Lee Kinyanjui bears witness to their worries.

“To date no alternative venues have been established to accommodate the victims of the Stephen Mucheru Chege county report commissioned in 2018 by Governor Kinyanjui” read part of the memorandum.

The Memorandum of opposition also cites unpreparedness in the planning of Nakuru in terms of infrastructure , street lighting and security, solid waste management, storm water drainage Plan,housing,lack of own land for future development of the city with cemetery being full.

It is due to the above concerns that the members of the Nakuru Street Traders and Hawkers Association want the clamour on Nakuru City status held back for 8 years to usher in acceptable and affordable avenues for the victims of the implementation of the Stephen Mucheru Chege county report.

The memorandum presented to John Kitilit-led committee further calls for more sensitization and awareness on the City status which according to the members there has been none and the Nakuru residents are still in darkness.

“There has not been any public sensitization on the city status” said Nasieku.

Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria who attended the public forum challenging the Ad Hoc Committee on elevation of Nakuru to city status to ensure that they conduct the sittings at grass root level to get real issues from the locals.

The legislator also proposing the extension of the timeline for the committee arguing that the current one month is not adequate for them to get views from the locals.

“As we even do the public participation, let us also go to the grass root where we can get the real views. I propose that we also have an extension timelines for the committee” said Gikaria.

The John Kitilit-led Ad Hoc Committee on elevation of Nakuru to city status was constituted and mandated to collect public views.The committee will then write a report with recommendations that will then be tabled in the county assembly.

Speaking after receiving the Memorandum from Nakuru Street Traders and Hawkers Association-NSTHA, Kitilit stated that theirs is to write a report based on the views collected.

Earlier in the day the Ad Hoc Committee had received views from Nakuru transport stakeholders called for the de congestion of the town and ensure conducive bus terminus and parking.

PHOTO/Pristone Mambili:Nakuru Street Traders and Hawkers Association-NSTHA chairman Simon Ole Nasieku at the County chamber presenting a memorandum of opposition to the elevation of Nakuru Municipality to City status.

Why you should invest in Nakuru

Nakuru County is banking on cheap and reliable geothermal energy, geographical centrality and availability of large chunks of land to woo local and international investors.

Recently, the World Bank ranked Nakuru as the third county with the highest GDP in Kenya after Nairobi and Kiambu.

Governor Lee Kinyanjui says the county government is working on investment incentives to attract and cushion investors to realize the Big 4 Agenda.

The governor was speaking when he met envoys and foreign trade officers at a briefing on the upcoming Nakuru International Investment Conference at the end of the month.

Investment PS Ms Betty Maina said the national government is working with counties to create awareness on economic zones as well as create policies.

Professor Paul Kimurto, Senior Lecturer and Professor in Crop Physiology and Breeding, Egerton University said the Egerton Agri-Park will major on value addition and SMEs to enhance food security.

The Oserian 2 Lakes general manager Mr Woods Roberts cited the existence of ample arable land in Oserian, Naivasha for all manner of investment.

Among the guests present include Honorary Consul of Republic of Estonia Kadri Humal Ayal, Ireland Ambassador Dr Vincent O’Neil and representatives from Israeli, Slovak, Russian, Hungary, India embassies.

PHOTO/Reuben Kimani:An aerial view of Nakuru.

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