Governor Badilisha calls for enactment of regional blocs legislation

Nyandarua Governor Moses Kiarie Badilisha before the Senate's County Public Account’s Committee at Bunge Towers, Nairobi. June 16, 2025. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha has urged the Senate to pass the County Resources Development Bill to operationalise regional economic blocs in the country.

This, he said, will enhance their credibility and attract sustainable funding from development partners and financial institutions.

During a media briefing following a courtesy visit from officials of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Badilisha said despite the Central Region Economic Bloc (CEREB) making progress in fostering collaboration among counties, its operations remain largely informal and lack the legal foundation necessary for long-term impact.

"Only laws will make this a significant achievement. Our development partners will feel more comfortable funding us,” said the Governor, who also serves as the Secretary of CEREB.

He reaffirmed Nyandarua’s commitment to inter-county cooperation and regional partnerships that deliver tangible socio-economic benefits to citizens.

Additionally, Governor Badilisha noted that formalising economic blocs would create opportunities to jointly attract investment in critical sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, agro-processing, value addition, and industrialisation, which are key drivers of economic growth and employment creation.

NEPAD officials, led by Hassan Bashir, echoed the Governor’s sentiments and pledged to work closely with county governments to build institutional capacity and align regional initiatives with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.