Month: January 2018

Makueni and Nandi Deputy Governors being shown around inside the Kalamba factory by the chief officer in charge of Agriculture Mary Muteti

Makueni County Deputy Governor Hon. Adelina Mwau today lead her Nandi County counterpart Hon. Dr. Yulita Cheruiyot on a development tour to the Kalamba fruit processing plant among other sectors of development in the County.

The team was impressed by the development projects initiated by the Makueni County government to it’s people. Dr. Yulita commented on Kivutha Kibwana’s leadership,saying that he has truly defined devolution by the many life changing projects already in use. By the end of this Mangoe season, Kalamba  fruit processing plant is projected to process 2100 metric tonnes of raw mango from across the country, producing 4,000 drums of mango puree.

The plant will curb 40 percent of post-harvest fruit waste that farmers used to grapple with in the past. With value addition, curbed waste and stabilised prices, the value of the mango sector in Makueni is projected to increase immensely from the current KES 3 Billion. Later in the day the Nandi team, will also visit Kikima Dairy Plant before ending their development tour to Makueni. “It has been a pleasure hosting Her Excellency Dr.Yulita in our great county and I hope that she will take home some good lessons from us.” Adelina noted.

Nandi deputy governor Hon.Dr Yulita Cheruiyot sips a glass of Mango puree at Kalamba Fruit processing plant.Seated next is Makueni deputy governor

The Government of Makueni County is set to partner with GIZ in green energy development as it implements its 2018-2022 County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). The partnership will involve exploration of conservation measures and renewable energy in order to reduce defforestation especially that which is linked to charcoal burning. A detailed partnership plan was discussed today when the Deputy Governor, H.E. Adelina Mwau, hosted representatives from GIZ in her office. In the plan GIZ will train women and the youth at the ward level on green energy development.

Both partners will develop the green energy sector in the County in order to stimulate development and contribute to the well-being of the society. Makueni schools and hospitals among other institutions will be encouraged to shun traditional cooking methods that use charcoal and firewood and embrace green energy in cooking and lighting. This will entail the use of solar lamps, Jiko Kisasa and solar water pumps among other products.

‘By training the youth,  women and persons with disability who will later sell the green energy products to the community, we will have created an income to them’, affirmed H.E. Adelina Mwau as she reflected on the employment opportunities and immense job creation potential the partnership has for the youth and unemployed. It is envisaged that the partnership in green energy development will address climate change and will lead to an increase in the forest cover in the County and contribute to meeting the national goal for 10% forest cover.