By Our Reporter
Worth Noting:
- CEREB’s national contribution through agriculture, Kenya’s main economic activity, stands at 35 per cent, the highest than any other bloc in the country.
- The Bloc’s leadership is headed by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga with his Meru counterpart Kawira Mwangaza, deputising him. Nyandarua Governor Dr Kiarie Badilisha is the Secretary with Laikipia’s Joshua Irungu being the Chief Whip. This team has been harnessing their counterparts with the goal being to improve the economic status through enhancing production and productivity in the agricultural sector, promoting regional industrial and manufacturing investments, as well as developing an infrastructure network to facilitate the socio-economic development of the region that contributes to Sh 1.12 trillion annually which is over 26 % of the total National GDP.
Central Region Economic Bloc (CEREB) is a forum consisting of 10 member counties namely: Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Murang’a, Kiambu and Nakuru.
Its broad objective is influencing economies of scale in joint development projects and activities with the mission being to promote sustainable regional socio-economic development for the welfare of citizens for its ten member counties.
The regional bloc, formed in a very natural manner due to shared background and heritage has borders which are practically nonexistent; which means that decisions made in one County directly or indirectly affects another county.
As such, it behoves the leaders of the devolved units to come together and find solutions that will benefit all member counties and most importantly the citizenry.
CEREB’s place in Kenya’s economy and contribution to the GDP, stands at 26.3 per cent, and this should help leverage its national position and propel it to accelerated development.
CEREB’s national contribution through agriculture, Kenya’s main economic activity, stands at 35 per cent, the highest than any other bloc in the country.
The Bloc’s leadership is headed by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga with his Meru counterpart Kawira Mwangaza, deputising him. Nyandarua Governor Dr Kiarie Badilisha is the Secretary with Laikipia’s Joshua Irungu being the Chief Whip. This team has been harnessing their counterparts with the goal being to improve the economic status through enhancing production and productivity in the agricultural sector, promoting regional industrial and manufacturing investments, as well as developing an infrastructure network to facilitate the socio-economic development of the region that contributes to Sh 1.12 trillion annually which is over 26 % of the total National GDP.
The members have also agreed on the need to share resources, such as Mt. Kenya and the Aberdares, to improve the livelihoods of people in these counties. The Bloc is also keen on creating key partnerships, linkages and relationships with key stakeholders and donors for the mutual benefit of the counties that will help it be sustainable and self-sufficient.
The Bloc is at the advanced stages of developing a one-market protocol and recently launched its first-ever statistical abstract to allow investors to make informed choices.
The counties will also be amending their finance bills to align, reduce, harmonise and even scrap some levies like distribution licences to spur manufacturing and lower the distribution cost. This move will ensure people benefit through free trade treaties in coffee, tea, milk and other cash crops following the creation of an enabling atmosphere by the National Government. Through the Bloc’s cohesion, Nyeri and Laikipia formed joint committees to harmonise cross-border issues on revenue collection and shared services.
The ten-county governments, through development partners and the national government, are helping mitigate economic difficulties facing the residents, small businesses and societies. With the help of the partners, this will open up opportunities for collaboration across such sectors as food security, trade, manufacturing, tourism and health care.
According to the CEREB Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hon. Ndirangu Gachunia, regional economic blocs belong to the people and are solely intended to uplift the well-being of the people within the region.
The time to actualize the Bloc’s objectives, and implement the plan, is now. Thankfully, resources from the national government and external partners are available; and our place in the country’s economy gives us better leverage to negotiate and create synergy.
CEREB recently signed an MOUs with many development partners that has seen counties benefit greatly.
Some of these partners are like Central Kenya Development Network (CKDN) , Amref, Kenya Aids Control Council (KANCO), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) are among the most recent partners to sign up.
Other achievements so far include, three counties benefiting in the health sector with Oxygen Plants worth 50M each, courtesy of AmREF and CKDN.
Under the chairmanship of governor Kahiga CEREB delivered a memorandum on Coffee subsector to the Deputy President that supported the Prof Keya led coffee reforms. This position has been adopted as the official position of government
The CEREB counties have started given waivers on distribution costs on manufactured goods within the region to spur growth in the sector. Nakuru and Laikipia are on the lead in this segment.
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