Ukambani leaders on Friday met in Machakos to discuss the path towards reviving the stalled South Eastern Economic Bloc (SEKEB).
Governors Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni), Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Speakers and Majority and Minority Leaders from the three counties attended the meeting.
Elders from the three counties were also present at the forum hosted at
ABC Bomani church in Machakos town.
The forum was convened by the clergy under the leadership of NCCK national chairman Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki.
Ngilu said as Ukambani governors, they have come together to jumpstart SEKEB that was launched in the region in 2016.
She said the initiative was intended to unite leaders from the counties and ensure that resources from the region are put to good use for the benefit of residents.
"We have lots of resources in Ukambani region, we are looking into how we will mobilise our people to put our resources together," Ngilu said.
The governor said if the the three counties utilise the resources well, poverty will be a thing of the past in the Eastern region.
Ngilu said leaders from the region including Senators, MCAs and locals will be incorporated in the initiative to build a unitary force to ensure the set goals are met.
She said the initiative is not political.
Kibwana echoed Ngilu's sentiments saying the mobilisation of resources by the three counties will ensure the initiative succeeds.
He said this will be a model bloc in the entire country.
"We do not want this to be a political movement. Economic blocs have been in other places but failed due to politics," Kibwana said.
"This is an economic bloc with a difference since it is all inclusive," he said, adding that the bloc offers the region better economic buoyancy.
"We want to make this organization vibrant, some development partners do not fund counties but economic blocs like this," Kibwana said.
He urged the three county governments to initiate varied projects so as to promote each county's products in terms of market demand.
Ngilu urged the other two counties to buy school uniforms from the newly unveiled garment factory in her county.