By Wasike Elvis 

 Eldoret City has stepped up its smart city ambitions with the rollout of a digital street addressing system designed to transform navigation, service delivery and urban management.

Eldoret City Manager Elzeba Busienei on Friday supervised the ongoing digital street addressing exercise, describing the initiative as a major step towards creating a modern and efficiently managed urban centre.

The system will provide standardized and easily identifiable locations for streets, buildings, businesses and other properties across the city, making it easier for residents, businesses and service providers to locate and access different destinations.

“Our interest has been to make this city a smart urban centre with clear and efficient logistical and positioning systems,” Busienei said.

The digital addressing technology is expected to go beyond navigation, supporting emergency response, delivery services, urban planning, property management, data collection and efficient service delivery.

As part of the system, QR codes are being mounted on buildings to provide global positioning information and geographical coordinates for specific locations.

According to Busienei, the technology will improve communication and coordination by enabling authorities and service providers to accurately identify buildings and other facilities within the city.

The initiative is also expected to generate reliable location-based data that will help the city administration in urban planning and evidence-based decision-making, while strengthening coordination between government agencies, businesses and residents.

For the city administration, one of the key benefits will be improved identification of businesses and properties, providing a more accurate basis for revenue mapping and administration.

Busienei said the programme forms part of Eldoret's broader efforts to embrace technology and modernise urban management as the city continues to grow.

The digital addressing system is expected to lay the groundwork for a more connected, efficient and technology-driven Eldoret, reinforcing the city's ambition to evolve into a smart city.

Meanwhile, Busienei urged landlords and property owners to paint and improve the appearance of their buildings, noting that the city administration has provided a waiver on painting requirements.

She said the waiver will remain in place until November, giving property owners time to comply without incurring the usual charges.

The city manager said the digital addressing project is therefore not merely about assigning locations to streets and buildings, but about establishing a modern urban system capable of supporting efficient service delivery, business growth and better city management.