Ruto backs plan to make Meru Kenya’s next city
While addressing residents on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at the ASK Grounds in Meru County during the 10th Annual Dairy Farmers Field Day, the president revealed that his administration had already begun laying the groundwork for the town’s elevation.
President William Ruto has pledged that Meru will be the next town in the country to attain city status, following similar commitments made to Bungoma and Homa Bay.
While addressing residents on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at the ASK Grounds in Meru County during the 10th Annual Dairy Farmers Field Day, the president revealed that his administration had already begun laying the groundwork for the town’s elevation.
“You’ve heard the governor mention your wish for Meru to become Kenya’s next city. And yes—I already anticipated that,” said Ruto.
“We’ve made prior plans, because I know Meru is ready for this transformation.”
The declaration places Meru in line after Bungoma and Homa Bay, both of which Ruto previously singled out for city status during recent visits.
Just three weeks earlier, while launching the Homa Bay Pier on May 30, Ruto had promised locals that Homa Bay would be elevated to a city, becoming the second in the Nyanza region after Kisumu.
“We had agreed, didn’t we? That Homa Bay would transition from a town to a city,” he told the crowd at the time.
Likewise, during Madaraka Day celebrations in Bungoma in 2024, the president gave similar assurances to Bungoma residents about city elevation plans.
The announcement in Meru comes as county leaders and residents push for increased investment and national recognition, citing Meru’s emerging role as an economic hub in the Mt Kenya region.
To support the town’s urban growth, Ruto announced a Sh1 billion allocation to construct a modern market at Gakoromone and revealed that 16 other markets would be developed across the county.
“In total, we’re investing nearly Sh2 billion in Meru’s market infrastructure. Our goal is to ensure your farm produce gets to market efficiently, with every constituency getting a decent facility,” he said.
The president’s promise comes at a time of heightened political activity in Meru, where opposition figures have also begun holding public rallies.
Nonetheless, Ruto urged locals to rise above political divisions and concentrate on the county’s development agenda.
