Governor Lee Kinyanjui has strongly hit out at those criticizing the elevation of Nakuru town to a city.
Speaking on Tuesday when he presided over the signing of contracts by three new Chief Officers, the governor said established cities like Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu still grapple with challenges, hence Nakuru should not be criticized over few challenges.
He vowed that political unwillingness will not derail the quest of Nakuru town to become a city.
“I am surprised that some of our leaders who should be on the forefront to fight for city status are now politicizing the issue and saying they are not ready for city. If there are problems then we are ready to sort them out,” Kinyanjui said.
He said the city status milestone will unlock Nakuru’s economic potential, adding that no leader should oppose the move just for the sake of it.
He challenged leaders opposed to Nakuru's elevation to a city to tell residents openly which other towns they want to be upgraded.
“If they have other towns that they feel we should nominate for the city status let them tell us,” he noted.
Governor Kinyanjui urged Nakuru residents to stay focused on development projects in the county, and keep off 2022 and other divisive politics.
“When you see us silent on politics of 2022, it does not mean we do not understand but we believe this is not time to politic but to work, and when 2022 comes, we shall come out fully,” he said.