Laikipia headquaters to shift from Nanyuki to Rumuruti
Laikipia County government will shift its headquarters from Nanyuki to Rumuruti, following the completion of Sh60 million offices in the town.
Governor Ndiritu Muriithi has said the devolved unit would operate it’s new offices from January next year in Rumuruti, in Laikipia West Sub-County.
Rumuruti is the gazetted county headquarters but the devolved government has been operating from Nanyuki in Laikipia East.
Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said moving the county’s headquarters would take services closer to the people.
In February, 2014, the County Assembly passed a motion to shift the devolved government headquarters to Rumuruti.
The motion was supporting the gazettement of Rumuruti as the headquarters of the county.
The decision by the National government in Laikipia county has been opposed by businesses in Nanyuki who argue that the town is already developed and that it would cost the county government a lot of money to put the necessary infrastructure in Nanyuki.
Six Nanyuki businesspeople even filed a case, accusing the then governor Joshua Irungu and the county assembly of taking the decision without consulting the public.The business people said the shift was a waste of public funds.
Githaga Ward Representative Peter Thomi who is the assembly majority leader, and his nominated counterpart Irene Wachuka welcomed the decision, saying residents of Laikipia West and parts of Laikipia North constituencies have been neglected for long as some travelled for more than 100 kilometres to seek services.
Two months ago, Rumuruti was elevated to a municipality. It will be a beneficiary of a Sh50 million grant for the Kenya Urban Support Programme.
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