(MERU, KENYA) – A sharp dispute over plans to build a state lodge, airstrip and golf course inside Imenti Forest has drawn national attention to Meru County. Yet the town had already been working towards a much larger goal: becoming Kenya’s sixth city, joining Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret.
Governor Isaac Mutuma is pressing ahead with the projects despite strong objections from opposition leaders and environmental campaigners. He argues the developments will lift Meru’s economic standing and support its city bid. “With these projects, we have the opportunity to take Meru to the next level. Look at the billions in investments that will come here. Even a golf course is a green project that promotes conservation. Let’s think about Meru City,” the governor said recently.
Meru’s economy is built mainly on farming, including tea, coffee, macadamia, miraa and avocados. The county ranks fifth in Kenya for its contribution to national wealth, behind Nairobi, Nakuru, Kiambu and Mombasa. For many who have watched the town change, the talk of city status brings back memories of a very different place.
Before 2010, residents recall Meru as little more than a large village. Local jokes described muddy streets where banana plants could have grown during the rainy season. As recently as 2018, traders at Gakoromone open air market sold vegetables on bare earth. Customers often asked for cabbages, carrots and sukuma wiki to be washed before they bought them.
“It was terrible,” said Mr Joshua Mungania, a longtime resident and businessman who chairs the Meru Municipal Board. He has seen Meru change from a rural trading centre into a growing urban area.
The real change started after devolution. County governments led by former Governors Peter Munya and Kiraitu Murungi pushed through major renewal projects. Cabro paving, street lights and better planning reshaped the town’s appearance.
Meru’s formal history dates to 13 May 1911, when colonial officer Edward Butler Horne set out a township within a one mile radius of a British flag near the Kathita River. Settlers later built the Pig and Whistle, an English style hotel that stood for decades before it was pulled down to make way for Greenwood Mall, now a busy commercial centre.
For many years after independence, growth was slow. Between the 1970s and 1990s, the town hardly expanded beyond its original centre. That changed sharply over the last 15 years as a property boom took hold. Modern malls, office blocks and branded shops signalled Meru’s arrival as a serious urban player.
Today, almost every major bank has a branch in the town, supported by a Central Bank of Kenya office. Mr Mungania said the population has grown significantly. “Within 15 years, we have seen massive investments. The population has grown from under 150,000 to more than 250,000. This is phenomenal for a town once known mainly for miraa trade,” he said.
Figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics put Meru municipality’s population at 240,900 in 2021. Projections show that the five wards set aside for city status – Municipality, Nyaki West, Nyaki East, Ntima East and Ntima West – have now passed the 250,000 mark required for elevation.
Beyond population, city status demands proper roads, street lighting, waste management, access for people with disabilities, CCTV coverage and traffic systems. Governor Mutuma insists Meru is on track. The county has prepared a cabinet paper for the County Assembly. A public participation committee has been formed and its report will later go to the Senate. The whole process is expected to take about a year, with city status targeted for early 2027.
“I assure residents that Meru stands to benefit immensely from city status, including increased investor confidence,” the governor said. He pointed to large infrastructure projects such as the Sh100 billion (approximately $775 million) Isiolo to Mandera road, part of the LAPSSET corridor. About 70 kilometres of the highway runs through Meru and is already attracting investor attention. Other projects include the Sh1.2 billion ($9.3 million) Gakoromone market now under construction and the planned upgrade of Meru Level Five Hospital to a Level Six referral centre at a cost of Sh1 billion ($7.75 million).
Mr Mungania said the town is steadily meeting infrastructure targets. About 4,200 kilometres of roads have been tarmacked within the proposed city area, against a target of 5,000 kilometres. The Eastern and Western bypasses, finished in 2019, have reduced congestion. A planned 13 kilometre dual carriageway from Gikumene to Gitoro is expected to improve traffic flow further.
A Sh1.2 billion ($9.3 million) sewerage system serving the five wards is about 70 per cent complete and should be ready by the end of the year. Water services, waste collection and street lighting are also being expanded under Meru Water and Sewerage Company. “Mewasco already covers about 70 per cent of the area, and we are expanding to reach full coverage,” Mr Mungania said. He added that the town can host more than 10,000 visitors at once, a capacity shown during national events such as drama festivals.
Not everyone is convinced the city push is purely about development. Some residents suspect political motives and worry about higher taxes and service charges. “We know this is partly political. Service rates will rise like in Eldoret. I am not sure we are ready for that,” said Mr Jackson Kirimi, a trader at Gakoromone market.
Supporters say any rise in costs will be balanced by better services. “With city status comes better infrastructure, more investment and more jobs. We must look at the bigger picture,” Mr Mungania said. Former Nyaki East MCA Martin Mworia believes Meru is positioning itself as the economic centre of the Mt Kenya East region. “With improved infrastructure, Meru will connect northern, eastern and central Kenya. It will become a preferred destination for investment and tourism,” he said.
At Makutano junction, Meru’s informal round the clock business zone, the mood is hopeful. As the central business district goes quiet at night, Makutano comes alive with restaurants, bars and entertainment spots. “By 9pm, town is quiet, but Makutano wakes up. We are excited about city status because it will bring more visibility and business,” said Brian Kaberia, a local entrepreneur.