Kitengela town has been elevated to a municipality status.
The occasion for issuing of the charter to the town was held at the D.O grounds, Kitengela and was graced by former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku.
Governor Joseph ole Lenku said the new Kitengela Town status will provide a platform for it to get better infrastructure, water service provision, boost self-employment and employment opportunities for residents besides ushering in solid and liquid waste management.
“We shall introduce very competitive incentives which will include giving tax waivers to investors whose establishments will offer at least twenty job opportunities to local residents,” Lenku said.
He said a framework will be established to identify the types of county levies and tax waivers that can be extended to investors.
The new urban status will also ensure creation of special economic zones, which will make Kitengela vibrant.
“The zoning plan prepared by the Nairobi Metropolitan shall be implemented. Zones identified as investment zones shall be set up. Areas like the National Park edge designated to conferencing investments shall be assisted to take off immediately,” said Lenku.
Ole Lenku also noted that the municipality will be enlisted immediately with the State Department of Urban and Metropolitan Development and agencies such as, Kenya Urban Roads Authority(KURA) and Kenya Urban Support Development Program(KUSDP) funded by the World Bank to ensure immediate benefits from road improvement programs.
The governor further revealed that feeder roads leading to the new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) station shall be upgraded to ease movement to the station and encourage use of the SGR.
Kitengela town with a population of 230,000 people will now bid goodbye to perennial water shortages and poor waste management as it adapts its new status.
Cyrus Mbisi, the chairperson of the Town Planners chapter of the Architectural Association of Kenya lauded the step Kajiado government has taken and urged other county governments to upgrade the towns that have acquired the threshold to be municipalities.
Kitengela Municipality Chairman, Julius ole Ntayia, promised to work together with Kitengela residents to ensure that they reap full benefits from the municipality.
“As the chairman of the municipality, I would like to thank all those who made this possible, especially the governor. We will meet with Kitengela residents and establish their needs and priorities to ensure they benefit,” said Ole Ntayia.
Kitengela becomes the third town in Kajiado County to be elevated to a municipality after Kajiado and Ngong’.
By Diana Meneto and Vivian Mbinya
