By Staff Reporter

GARISSA, Kenya — The Garissa County Department of Lands, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development has conducted a public participation forum in Hulugho Town as part of a proposal to elevate the town to municipality status.

The exercise gave residents and stakeholders an opportunity to review the proposal, express their views and submit recommendations in line with constitutional requirements on public participation before any decision is made.

County officials said the consultations are part of Governor Nathif Jama’s broader plan to transform key urban centres into fully fledged municipalities to improve service delivery and enhance access to resources.

“Residents and stakeholders were given an opportunity to review the proposal, express their views, and make recommendations in line with constitutional principles of public participation,” the department said in a statement

Residents who addressed the forum welcomed the proposal saying municipality status could help address growing demand for improved infrastructure, markets, water supply and better urban planning as Hulugho expands.

The department said the views collected during the meeting would be compiled and submitted for consideration as the municipality elevation process advances to the next stage.

The public participation forum was attended by the County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Mohamed H. Mohamed, the Director of Urban Development, the Director of Public Participation and other government officials and stakeholders.

Hulugho, located near the Kenya-Somalia border, has experienced gradual population growth and increasing demand for public services in recent years.