President William Ruto on Thursday promised to elevate Meru to city status, as he unveiled a raft of major development projects for the County, promising multi-billion-shilling investments in roads, health and urban infrastructure aimed at transforming the region’s economy and improving residents’ quality of life.

Ruto said plans are already underway, and the government had already committed resources toward transforming Meru into a modern urban hub.

Speaking after presiding over the NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital disbursement event at Kinoru Stadium, in Meru, the President said Sh3 billion had been earmarked for construction of a bypass to decongest Meru town.

According to the President, the contractors are expected to begin work once outstanding issues are resolved.

“I will come back to Meru for development purposes. We have agreed that the next city of the Republic of Kenya will be Meru. We have agreed that we shall build a Hospital in Meru and also ease traffic by building a bypass because we have Sh3 billion for that. We are waiting for contractors to sort out a few issues, then we are set,” the President said.

Ruto said that the administration would upgrade key public amenities and ease traffic congestion to support the envisioned city.

He added that work on the Nithi Bridge, a Sh7 billion project along the Tharaka-Nithi–Meru border, would commence in February 2026.

The bridge is intended to reduce fatal accidents along the busy corridor and improve regional connectivity.

Ruto further committed to elevating Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital to a Level VI facility to strengthen the county’s healthcare capacity and enable more specialised treatment.

“We are changing the face of Meru and turning the town into a modern city through the construction of a Sh3 billion bypass development that will reduce congestion in the town. In addition, the construction of Nithi Bridge will commence in February 2026, an investment worth Sh7 billion that will ease the incidents of fatal accidents along the Tharaka-Nithi-Meru border,” he added.

“We have also committed to elevating Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital to a Level VI facility to guarantee quality, accessible and affordable medical care to the residents of the county and the region.”

He said the projects form part of his administration’s broader agenda to drive grassroots development, enhance public safety and expand access to essential services across the country.

Path to city status

The process for upgrading a town to city status in Kenya is governed by the Urban Areas and Cities Act, 2011. A municipality must meet specific criteria, including:

Population: A minimum population of 250,000 residents, according to the latest census.

Revenue: Demonstrable capacity to generate enough revenue to sustain its operations.

Planning: A functioning integrated development plan.

Infrastructure: Proper infrastructure, such as transport networks, utilities, public institutions, and waste disposal systems.

Public participation: A process that includes public engagement and hearings.

The Urban Areas and Cities (General) Regulations, 2022 also outline a procedure involving a request from the County Governor, evaluation by an ad hoc committee, and approval by the County Assembly and Senate before the president grants a city charter.