• The governors met in Eldoret under the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) and agreed to host the peace summit in Trans Nzoia on June 8th and 9th 2023.
• Noreb chairman Stephen Sang, the Nandi governor, said the summit will complement ongoing KDF-backed security operation in five counties declared disturbed.
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI
Eight North Rift governors have planned a peace summit to discuss the ongoing security operation against banditry in the region.
The governors met in Eldoret on Friday, May 12, under the North Rift Economic Bloc (Noreb) and agreed to host the peace summit in Trans Nzoia on June 8 and 9.
Noreb chairman Stephen Sang, who is also governor for Nandi, said the peace summit will complement the ongoing KDF-backed security operation in five counties declared as disturbed.
"We have agreed the peace summit will bring on board all stakeholders, including religious leaders. so we agree on long-lasting peace in the region," Sang said.
He said the ongoing security operation had achieved great success and that the peace summit would come up with further measures to strengthen peace and unity.
Sang said they had been keenly following the security operation in the five North Rift counties classified as disturbed since March so they can take a complementary approach.
The counties include West Pokot, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and Samburu.
“The peace summit will convene political leaders, community leaders and development actors to develop and agree on a common approach ensuring long-term peace in the region,” Sang said.
The governors said they had talked to partners, including religious organisations. They said the peace summit would come up with a raft of ideas about more localised interventions in security issues aimed at achieving sustainable peace.
“The summit will propose a structure offering a different platform informed by the understanding of the region, the communities and the underlying causes of the conflict," Sang said.
The governors signed a cooperation agreement and Noreb Bill, which will be tabled at county assemblies to legalise Noreb operations. Sang said the bloc had not undertaken any meaningful activities for lack of a legal framework to operate.
"Now that we have signed the cooperation pact and the Noreb Bill, we will be more vibrant as we seek to jointly improve the economy of our region," Sang said.
Also present were governors Wisley Rotich of Elgeyo Marakwet, Simon Kachapin of West Pokot and George Natembeya of Trans Nzoia. Governor for Turkana Jeremiah Lomurkai and Uasin Gishu DG Joseph Barorot were also present.
Noreb has been in existence for more than five years without a legal framework and Sang said they had come up with a Noreb Bill-2023 that will be adopted and ratified by county governments.
“Our bloc seeks to build on the competitive advantages of the differing economies of our counties through fostering intra-regional trade as well as taking advantage of economies of scale from the counties,” he said.
The region is known for pastoralism, tourism, agriculture, logistics, education, health, sports, ICT and natural resources.
County chiefs said NOREB was set to strengthen partnerships through trade and joint investments.
They want the bloc to act as a one-stop shop for investors seeking opportunities in the region.
(Edited by V. Graham)