Kakamega County Assembly has passed The Lake Region Economic Bloc Bill, 2018 making it the first County Assembly among the bloc’s 14 member Counties to ratify the Bill.
The Bill, which is sponsored by 14 member county governments under the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) seeks to develop policies and programs aimed at widening and enhancing cooperation among the member counties in economy, industry, social technologies and research fields, for their mutual benefits.
It will also provide a legal framework for member counties through agreements to establish institutions that will strengthen industrial, commercial, social, technological and other relations to realise accelerated, harmonious and balanced development and sustained expansion of economic activities in the region.
The Bill, shall become an Act and operational upon signing and ratification of the Lake Regions Economic Bloc (LREB) Agreement by the member counties and the enactment of concurrent legislation by at least a third of the Bloc County Assemblies.
Members of the Bloc are: Kakamega, Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Trans-Nzoia and Vihiga Counties.
Kakamega County Assembly Speaker Hon. Morris Buluma thanked the legislators for unanimously passing the Bill without amendment.
He said the Bill was exceptional and standardized and called on all County Assemblies in the LREB to ratify it to enable the bloc be operational. “We cannot make substantive amendments on the Bill because of its nature and uniqueness. Should members make amendments on the Bill, we will forward a memorandum containing the amendments to the Secretariat of the bloc,” he said.
Members of applauded governors in the region for coming up with the idea of forming the bloc saying the objectives will transform socio-economic landscape of member counties.
KAKAMEGA, Siaya and Bungoma counties in conjunction with Bukura Agricultural College (BAC) will on 02, 08, 2018, jointly host the 2018 Youths in Agribusiness Conference at Bukura Agricultural College at Butsotso South ward, Lurambi sub county, Kakamega County. The conference dubbed “Kilimo Biashara kwa Vijana” is expected to bring together 800 rural youths from the Western Region and other players in the agricultural sector from both the county and national governments, development partners, financial institutions and universities among other important partners.
Speaking during a brief to the media today afternoon, Kakamega County Deputy Governor who is also the CECM incharge of Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation, Fisheries and Co-operatives H.E. Prof. Philip Museve Kutima said the county government has supported youths programmes in the county to encourage youths to take up agriculture as an income generating venture. He called on the youths to view agriculture as a source of livelihood and challenged them to improve their involvement in the sector. “This conference will provide a platform for our youths to engage with us and exchange information and ideas on the successful approaches and projects in agribusiness,” he said. Prof. Kutima said the county government is on course with the implementation of the Sugarcane, Horticulture and Dairy sectors’ task force reports as recommended by the committees of experts.
Chief Officer Mr. Jeremiah Namunyu urged youths from Kakamega County and the region as a whole to use the opportunity to learn from each other as a way of sharpening their skills in agribusiness. The conference has been organised with support from German Development Cooperation (GIZ) an important partner of the county government in agriculture programmes.
Also present was Siaya County CECM in charge of Agriculture, Food, Livestock and Fisheries Charles Ogada, Youth Advisor in the Office of the Governor Mr. Moffat Mandela, Bukura ATC Principal Dr. Richard Wekesa, Mr. Luke Otipo, Adminstrator in the Deputy Governor’s office and GIZ food security coordinator Mr. Kenda Mwenja among others.