Wavinya Ndeti’s SEKEB Leadership Under Fire as Regional Bloc Grinds to Standstill

The South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc has become virtually dormant under Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti’s chairmanship, with sources within the organization painting a damning picture of a once-promising regional alliance now teetering on the brink of irrelevance.

SEKEB, which brings together the counties of Machakos, Kitui and Makueni, was designed to be a powerful vehicle for economic transformation and cultural development across the lower Eastern region. However, insiders claim that since Ndeti took over the helm in March 2024, the bloc has failed to undertake a single meaningful engagement, activity or event.

“It’s a complete shame,” a source within SEKEB told The Star on condition of anonymity. “The organization has become moribund. There’s been absolutely nothing happening. No initiatives, no projects, no visible leadership.”

The criticism comes barely two years after Ndeti assumed the chairmanship from Kitui Governor Julius Malombe in what was meant to herald a new era of regional cooperation. Instead, observers say the bloc has receded into obscurity.

According to sources, Ndeti’s leadership deficiencies stem from an apparent inability to drive innovation and creativity, qualities deemed essential for attracting development opportunities to a region grappling with water scarcity, poor infrastructure and limited economic diversification.

The allegations have raised eyebrows, particularly given that her fellow governors, Malombe and Makueni’s Mutula Kilonzo Junior, are widely regarded as sharp, focused and professional leaders. Critics question why the two have allowed SEKEB to languish under what they describe as ineffective stewardship.

“These are governors who have demonstrated competence in their own counties,” another source said. “It’s puzzling that they would stand by and watch this critical regional body collapse.”

SEKEB’s mandate extends beyond mere political symbolism. The bloc is meant to spearhead joint infrastructure projects, coordinate water resource management, promote trade and tourism, and present a unified political voice for the Ukambani region in dealings with the national government.

When it was operationalized, SEKEB had ambitious plans including the completion of the Thwake Multipurpose Dam, establishment of specialized healthcare units across the three counties, development of aggregation centers for farmers, and lobbying for equitable revenue sharing from national parks within the region.

The 3rd SEKEB Summit held in March 2024, where Ndeti took over leadership, saw the governors receive an Economic Blueprint and Investment Plan from consultants. They committed to implementing the first phase within three years. However, critics now claim this blueprint has gathered dust.

Ndeti’s troubles extend beyond SEKEB. In October 2023, she was replaced as chairperson of the Council of Governors’ Trade and Cooperatives Committee, with the position going to Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika. At the time, there were whispers that governors had threatened to exit the committee if Ndeti remained at the helm, though these claims were never officially confirmed.

Her removal from that position has now been cited by critics as evidence of a broader leadership crisis.

“If governors had no confidence in her ability to lead a CoG committee, what made anyone think she could successfully chair a complex regional economic bloc?” one county official asked.

The concerns come at a particularly sensitive time for devolution in Kenya. County governments are already battling funding delays from the National Treasury, constitutional tensions over resource allocation, and persistent questions about their capacity to deliver services efficiently.

Regional economic blocs like SEKEB were envisioned as mechanisms to pool resources, leverage economies of scale, and amplify the voice of smaller counties in national policy debates. Their failure represents a significant setback for the devolution agenda.

Ndeti, who made history as the first woman elected to represent Kathiani Constituency in parliament and went on to become Machakos governor in 2022 after two unsuccessful attempts, has faced scrutiny throughout her political career.

In her defense, supporters point to initiatives she has launched within Machakos County, including youth empowerment programs, healthcare infrastructure improvements, and efforts to combat drug abuse. They argue that managing a county and chairing a multi-county bloc require different skill sets and that unfair criticism risks undermining women in leadership.

When reached for comment, SEKEB secretariat officials declined to respond to the allegations, stating only that the bloc’s activities are guided by summit resolutions and that the next major engagement would be communicated in due course.

Efforts to reach Governor Ndeti for comment were unsuccessful by the time of going to press.

However, the allegations have sparked debate about the effectiveness of regional economic blocs across Kenya. While some, like the Lake Region Economic Bloc and the North Rift Economic Bloc, have made visible strides in joint projects and political coordination, others have struggled with infighting, lack of resources, and unclear mandates.

For the people of Machakos, Kitui and Makueni, the stakes could not be higher. The three counties share common challenges: chronic water shortages exacerbated by climate change, limited industrial development, high youth unemployment, and inadequate transport infrastructure.

A functional SEKEB could marshal collective bargaining power to secure national government support for mega-projects like the Thwake Dam, push for better terms in mining contracts, coordinate tourism marketing around shared assets like Tsavo National Park, and create a unified labor market for skilled workers.

Its failure, on the other hand, leaves each county to fight alone for national attention and resources, a battle that smaller counties rarely win.

As pressure mounts on Ndeti’s leadership, some observers are now calling for either a change in chairmanship or a complete restructuring of SEKEB’s governance model to ensure accountability and results.

“What the people of lower Eastern need is not talk, but tangible action,” a Kitui-based economist said. “If the current leadership cannot deliver, then perhaps it’s time for a rethink before this bloc becomes completely irrelevant.”

The coming months will be critical in determining whether SEKEB can be revived or whether it will join the long list of regional initiatives that promised much but delivered little.