Four counties join forces to spur growth in South Rift

Former Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso

Photo credit: File

What you need to know:

  • Areas the governors have already agreed to harmonise include improvement of the agriculture sector.
  • Dr Laboso said the economic bloc will open up the South Rift to investment.

Governors of four South Rift counties are making efforts to form an economic bloc with which to transform the region into an investment hub.

The South Rift Economic Bloc will comprise Narok, Kajiado, Bomet and Kericho counties.

Governors of the four devolved units are working towards blending their taxation and investment laws to woo investors and achieve economic transformation.

COUNTY ASSEMBLIES

The idea to form the bloc was mooted during election campaigns and confirmed during the inauguration ceremony of Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, which was attended by his counterparts Joyce Laboso (Bomet) and Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), as well as Kajiado Deputy Governor Martin Moshisho.

In an interview with the Nation, Mr Tunai said a legal framework for the formation of the economic bloc will be presented to the respective county assemblies for enactment into law by the end of 2017.
Livestock production

Areas the governors have already agreed to harmonise include improvement of the agriculture sector to increase exports to African countries and abroad, livestock production, wildlife and cultural tourism, minerals, the environment and conferencing.

The county bosses feel the region should be under one economic bloc for it to develop faster.

INVESTMENT

Since the governors belong to one political party, Jubilee, they feel it will be easy for their county governments to exploit their good working relations.

Dr Laboso said the economic bloc will open up the South Rift to investment.

“As leaders of the South Rift region, we want to start a journey of uniting our people and forming a formidable financial base that will help in changing their lives,” she said.

Mr Tunai said the four South Rift governors had shown commitment to supporting economic growth in the region through harmonised legislation, as opposed to cases where each county developed its own laws.

“A framework is being worked out and several teams in different counties are drafting a work plan and we shall soon meet to chart the way forward,” said Mr Tunai.