Ukambani Governors, Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni), Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and Alfred Mutua (Machakos) took part in the historic signing of the South Eastern Kenya Economic Block (SEKEB) trade agreement.
The three governors had gathered at Governor Mutua'a Machakos office on Saturday to bring to fruition a journey that had started several months ago.
”Today is a historic day in the fight against poverty in Ukambani. The signing of this South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc agreement provides us, the three Governors a chance to jointly provide rapid, result based leadership for the great people of Ukambani,” Mutua asserted during his address.
Governor Mutua went on to affirm that the agreement was aimed at combating poverty in Ukambani as well as providing the people with a stable platform from which to trade as well as a wider market.
"We want to empower our people and ensure that they have money in their pockets in our bid to improve the quality of their lives," he divulged.
Ngilu reiterated her counterparts sentiments, adding that trade with other counties would henceforth be a sort of barter trade in which both parties ended up benefit leaving none short-changed.
"We will do a sort of barter trade whereby if we getting milk from Mwangi wa iria's Muranga County, he will then have to get Uniform and other Garments from Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) or Kitui Honey," she disclosed.
On his part, Governor Kibwana acknowledged mistakes made in the past, but with a keen eye on marking a new chapter in the well being of the people of Ukambani following the trade agreement.
"Along the way, we lost this progress due to poor leadership. We hope the new awakening through a synchronized regional development will restore this forgotten history," the governor asserted.
Ngilu affirmed that the next joint cabinet meeting would be held in on top of Nzambani rock (a heritage site celebrated in Kitui where one allegedly gets to change his/her sex after going around it seven times).
" I will be hosting the next one in Kitui and probably at the top of Nzambani Rock, where if you might be tired of your gender, that will be an opportune time to change your Gender," the Kitui governor tweeted lightheartedly.
