Lack of legal structure stalled regional bloc, governors say

North Rift Economic Block members address the press after signing a cooperation agreement at the Uasin Gishu County government headquarters in Eldoret town. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

North Rift Economic Bloc (Noreb) governors on Friday defended the outfit against a slow take-off that has seen it not start any project since its launch nine years ago.

Noreb blamed the defunct Ministry of Devolution for failing to enact laws that would legalise county economic blocs established by founding governors.

On Friday Noreb said the lack of a legal framework would have set the stage for joint projects among its counties of Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Turkana, Baringo and Samburu.

Member governors signed a cooperation agreement and a proposed bill expected to legalise joint projects while addressing incessant banditry attacks bedevilling pastoralist counties such as West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Turkana and Samburu.

Noreb chairman, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, said the proposed bill is set to be approved by the eight-county executive committees ahead of ratification by MCAs before the end of next month.

Governor Sang said Noreb decided to legalise the bloc through its county executives and assemblies instead of waiting for the national government to begin the process of establishing a legal framework.

Without a law guiding inter-county operations, economic entities formed by the devolved units comprising the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), Jumuia Ya Kaunti Za Pwani, South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc and Mt Kenya and Aberdares Region Economic Bloc cannot appropriate money for joint initiatives in the respective regions.

Governor Sang, his West Pokot counterpart Simon Kachapin, George Natembeya (Trans Nzoia), Jeremiah Lomorukai (Turkana) and Wisley Rotich (Elgeyo Marakwet), as well as representatives from Uasin Gishu, Baringo and Samburu signed the cooperation pact at a ceremony in Eldoret.

"For the last nine years, we have had no national legislation that defines the operations of economic blocs. The former Devolution Ministry promised to make laws but did not, making the blocs inactive," said Sang.

Governor Sang, who was elected chairman replacing former Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, also cited transition in counties for the failure of Noreb to start joint projects in its nine years of existence.

The bloc said it will hold its major peace and security summit in Trans Nzoia on June 8 and 9 where localised intervention on the Kerio Valley banditry menace will be discussed.

The peace summit will be chaired by Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.

"We have had no legal standing, but despite that, we have to find a solution to the cattle rustling problem as a bloc," said Natembeya.

"We can't have an economic bloc without peace in the region. We have five counties declared as disturbed and a security operation is underway," he added.