Several cities in the Eastern Africa region have been twinned with other cities abroad with a view of using twinning to learn from and share experiences from counterparts. Through Sister City relationships, cities abroad (at times) support/fund projects in African Sister Cities. A good example of the benefits of twinning is Eldoret- Mineapolis Sister City relationship which began in the year 2000 after an MOU was signed between the city leaders of the two cities.

The Sister City Relationship with Minneapolis has greatly helped Eldoret Municipal Council to be more effective in dealing with disasters within the municipality. This was after a team of professional Fire Fighter personnel traveled to Eldoret in 2011 to do fire emergency training focused on the Minneapolis Fire Pumper Truck sent to Eldoret in January, 2010. The team reviewed the city’s fire response system and emergency medical services along with assessment of Eldoret’s clinics, schools and hospital system.

According to Mr. Johnston Kotut, Eldoret- Mineapolis Sister City’s Public Relations Officer, the friends of Eldoret in Minneapolis have donated two firefighting engines to the municipal (one already in use and another still on the way).

Alina Medical Services based in Mineapolis also donated an ambulance to Eldoret Municipality to assist in dealing with emergency within and outside the municipality. This was after the  leadership in Eldoret presented their main challenges as disaster preparedness and health when they visited Minneapolis in 2008.

“A Sister city relationship requires commitment, clear communication, prioritization and mutual value addition assessment,” says Mr. Kotut.

St. Paul’s Academy is the U.S. has also donated sports equipment to a school in Eldoret to improve sports and nurture talent.  The Sister City has also aided Moi Marula Primary School to put up improved learning facilities. By now, two new classroom blocks have been completed and their hope is to have electricity and the fiber optic cable installed by January 2013.

Twinning beween Eldoret and Mineapolis has opened opportunities for friendship and widened networking and investment opportunities for the residents of the two cities. It has further led to cultural exchanges and tourism. According to Mr. Kotut, visitors from Minneapolis have been visiting homes of the locals where they learn more about the practices and activities of the locals. The twinning has offered an opportunity for the people of Minneapolis to see and experience how the athlethes train in Eldoret to become champions, a sport which has branded “Eldoret as the Home of Champions.”

To strengthen this Sister City relationship, Eldoret - Minneapolis Sister Cities has been working closely with different stakeholders in the city such as, farmers, athletes, schools, hospitals to foster the relationship and make it sustainable. Their plan is to have different organizations and institutions twinned to organizations in Minneapolis. In fact, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital  is  already engaged in a formal partnership with Minnesota School of Medicine.

Like any other sister city, Eldoret- Mineapolis Sister City relationship has experienced some challenges which made the sister city relationship not to be active in the first years until the year 2008. The challenges include political interference, expectations that are too high, inadequate resources to facilitate visits, poor communication and change of political regimes.

Mr Kotut is however optimistic that such challenges can be addressed if  sister cities  know each other well and identify their interest before engagement. He also underscores the importance of Sister Cities branding their respective cities to attract tourists and creating interest to the twinning partner. Mr Kotut finally advises that city residents be allowed to drive the twinning initiative.

By Raymond Kiptum

Program Manager, Eastern Africa Sister Cities.