Governors under the North Rift Economic Bloc (Noreb) have embarked on efforts to revive the moribund organisation.

In a meeting in Eldoret town on Saturday, Jonathan Bii (Uasin Gishu), George Natembeya (Trans Nzoia), Stephen Sang (Nandi), Wisley Rotich (Elgeyo Marakwet) and Jeremiah Lomurkai (Turkana) and deputy governors Felix Kipng’ok (Baringo) and Robert Achaule (West Pokot) yesterday pledged to revamp the bloc to focus on development.

Among other measures, they are pledging to fast track the ratification of a legal framework for the grouping in their Assemblies within the next one month.

According to Governor Sang who was elected the interim chairman to take over from former Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, they are planning to implement multibillion-shilling joint projects with support of the national government.

“Several counties in the former Rift Valley Province have expressed interest in joining the bloc and are expected to formally announce the move by the end of November,” Sang said.

Among the counties interested in joining Noreb, Sang said, include Kericho, Bomet, Nakuru, Kajiado, Lakipia and Narok. Bii said the North Rift is endorsed with enormous resources, which are yet to be fully utilised.

“As a region we want to bring cohesiveness in undertaking projects and programmes. We ought to put in place structures for our people to benefit from this unity,” said Bii.

Come back

The fate of many projects under the bloc have been hanging in the balance after pioneer governors in the region left office.

Other than Mandago, others who have left office are Alex Tolgos (Elgeyo Marakwet), Josphat Nanok (Turkana) and Patrick Khaemba (Trans Nzoia) who served their maximum two terms in office.

It is only Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi who made a comeback after he regained the seat he lost to Stanley Kiptis in 2017 and is Simon Kachapin who trounced John Lonyangapuo to also make a comeback.

The bloc is aimed at wooing local and international investors to tap business opportunities in the agriculturally rich region.

Noreb brings together Uasin Gishu, Samburu, Baringo, Turkana, Nandi, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.

Marginalised counties

Some devolved units like Nandi County have joined the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) launched four years ago.

“We are still in Noreb because of the common investments in terms of agriculture and dairy production, but LREB is our main market for such products,” said Governor Sang.

The county has teamed up with Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Trans Nzoia and Vihiga counties in promoting socio-economic integration and cross-border trade among communities residing in the region.

Elgeyo Marakwet County has joined the Frontier Development Council (FDC) that brings together marginalised counties.

Other members are Samburu, West Pokot, Lamu, Tana River, Turkana, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit and Isiolo counties. “We fail to understand why Noreb has not involved other stakeholders in shaping investment policies for its members. This has forced some of the counties to join other economic blocs,” Wilson Too, an entrepreneur in Eldoret town, told People Daily.