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Year: 2019

Kaunguni residents urge government to prioritize water projects

Over 500 Residents of Kaunguni – Muuni Sub- Ward in Nguumo Ward have unanimously prioritized and proposed  a mega Water project in a bid to enhance agricultural and livestock productivity for improved livelihoods in their area.

In a public participation forum on Thursday presided by Makueni Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau and attended by Gender and Trade  Executives Godfrey Makau and Sebastian Kyoni respectively and a section of Makueni County Assembly members led by MCA Alfred Mutuku, the residents identified water scarcity as the major challenge.

They said if the right interventions are put in place then the problem would be resolved and water network widened to reach  many who lack access today.

Further they lauded the department of health services as the best performing in the county for implementation of the universal health care that has seen the county citizenry access medical services at no cost.

“The department of health is leading in the county because we are being treated for free in our facilities. We urge the other department to step so that we can grow together in every sector in our county, ” said Mutua Masai, a representative from Kaunguni-East cluster.

The DG said: “Like I have said in other forums, we are focusing on mega projects that can impact a larger population. This is what we are calling the paradigm shift.”

Budget 2019 Public Participation

[vc_row][vc_column][ult_buttons btn_title=”Contribute on the Budget Portal” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makueni.go.ke%2F2019-budget%2F|title:2019%20Budget%20Portal||” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#116cb2″ btn_hover=”ubtn-center-hz-bg” btn_anim_effect=”ulta-skew” btn_bg_color_hover=”#3f83bf” btn_title_color_hover=”#e8cc51″ icon_size=”32″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_font_family=”font_family:Open Sans Condensed|font_call:Open+Sans+Condensed|variant:700″ btn_font_style=”font-weight:700;” btn_font_size=”desktop:20px;”][vc_column_text]2019 Public Participation Schedule[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

International Partnerships

Governor Kivutha Kibwana on Monday hosted a delegation of German parliamentarians who were in Kenya to learn more about the Country’s Devolution system of governance.

The delegation, led by Christoph PloB, a member of the German Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, said they chose Makueni because of the tangible successes in devolution implementation.

Kibwana, accompanied by the County Executive for Agriculture Lawrence Nzunga and Devolution Chief Officer Julius Musyoka discussed several development strategies with the delegation, which can be borrowed to improve entrenchment of a people-centred governance in both Kenya and German.

Among the key areas of interest discussed include youth empowerment and active participation in development, Health, Performance management, Agricultural Value Addiction and Climate Change management.

Other areas included education and political driven development especially from German’s Christian Democratic Union Party of Chancellor Angela Merkel which for the last 16 years has steered the country to be Europe’s biggest economy.

  • February 5, 2019 in News

Makindu residents endorse Ziwani township Plan

Makindu residents have endorsed an urban development plan for Ziwani area in the outskirts of Makindu town.

This paves way for approval by the County Executive Committee and the assembly before allocation of plots.

The plan, covering 81 acres of land curved from Kiboko B settlement Scheme and earmarked for a proposed trading centre, was drawn by the County Government’s Lands department following a request by the National Lands Commission.

The residents accredited the plan on Monday during a public participation forum on the same led by governor Kivutha Kibwana and NLC Commissioner Rose Musyoka.

The plan has identified 288 plots for Commercial, residential and office space, while 30 plots have been earmarked for Public utilities among them a school, health facility, cemetery, sporting facility among others.

The latest development will allow plot allottees access title deeds and subsequently development of the area which has been idle and prone to grabbing by land cartels.

Kibwana and the NLC commissioner also ordered for the planning of an earmarked  67 acre trading centre at Ikoyo, between Makindu and Kiboko, which has witnessed incessant controversies by people claiming illegal ownership of part of the public land.

Three Ukambani Deputy Governors pledge to support development collaborations championed by their County Bosses

Deputy Governors Adelina Mwau, Eng Francis Maliti and Dr Wathe Nzau have pledged their unequivocal support for the Poverty Eradication Movement formed by the three Ukambani governors saying it is the only sure way to better the lives of their citizenry as well as accelerate the intentions of South Eastern Economic Bloc (SEKEB).

The three Ukambani DGs on Monday when they addressed the press at Maliti’s office in Machakos noted that the three counties share a lot in common but genuine unity to solve their unique challenges have been missing.

In a joint statement, the DGs further observed that it is only through the unity of purpose that the people of Ukambani can realize the goldmines they have been sitting on over the years and urged the three governors to soldier on.

“We are talking of building into each other’s efforts. For example, we are talking of Kalamba fruit processing plant in Makueni and we can have all Ukambani fruits processed there. We have a lot to learn about the Kitui Ndengu revolution. We are not duplicating but building on each other’s comparative advantages,” Mwau said.

“The initiatives through SEKEB the three governors have come up with are very good. We must change the way we used to do things if we are to expect different results. We also support the religious leaders who are trying to bring the leaders together. We need leaders who can bring our people together for politics of development,” said Nzau.

The deputy governors have lauded their bosses for choosing a direction away from the status quo and for reviving SEKEB which they said will concentrate on the following issues;

  • Development of key infrastructures such as roads, mega dams and factories,
  • Establishment of regional bank to support the economy of the region,
  • Promote agriculture,
  • Develop a policy on Universal Health Coverage where health insurance can be used across all the facilities in the 3 counties,
  • Jointly to exploit common natural resources and come up with a framework on how the people will directly benefit,
  • Provide conducive environment to both local and international investors and market the region an investment and tourist destination and,
  • Revive and value add cotton and leather industries whose raw materials are readily available in the region.

Application for Ajira Digital Program

The Department of Education, Youth, Sports and ICT has collaborated with the national government through the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (MoICT) to implement Ajira Digital Program. The initiative seeks to promote online work in Makueni County. Interested participants should apply by filling the form below. A registration fee of Ksh. 500 will be payable upon selection.

For more details, visit https://www.makueni.go.ke/ajira-digital-program

  • February 4, 2019 in ICT

Makueni set to partner with the National Government on youth and women empowerment

The Government of Makueni County is set to partner with the National government through the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs on initiatives geared towards empowering the youth and women in the county.

This was agreed after Governor Kivutha Kibwana and his cabinet on Friday held lengthy discussions with Chief Administrative Secretary for the state ministry, Rachael Shebesh on behalf of her Cabinet secretary Margaret Kobia and identified a number of possible initiatives and programs to partner on.

Shebesh, while lauding Makueni for its outstanding performance in various areas expressed her interest specifically on partnership that impacts the lives of young people citing low uptake of the Youth Enterprise Fund in the county.

“I am interested in seeing that we touch the lives of our young people through the youth fund. It will be a win-win situation for both governments. We have the capacity to fund to even  a tune of Sh 10 million in a month to the youths through the fund,” Shebesh said.

Governor Kibwana said that his government will be more proactive in creating awareness to women and youth on the opportunities available for their empowerment including the funds adding that signing of a Memorandum of Understanding will be ripe after areas of priorities are refined by the two teams.

He Said: “We want to be very active in reaching out to our youth and women so that we increase the uptake of the youth and women funds in the County. Once the two teams on the ground refine on the areas of priority, then we will be ready to sign an MoU.”

Later in the day, CAS Shebesh together with Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau issued Women Enterprise Fund cheques worth Sh 2.9 million to 100 women at Wote.

Community stakeholders inducted on development best practices

At least 2000 development stakeholders from across the county on Thursday were inducted on development best practices geared towards mindset change for sustainable development.

According to Governor Kibwana who presided over the event at ATC-Kwakathoka, the paradigm shift in development will entail moving from doing small projects everywhere with little impact to medium and mega projects and programmes with bigger impact.

This is aimed at intensifying the trickledown effect of projects and programmes and achieving economies of scale. This will be coupled with the value for money principle.

Kibwana further noted that it makes economic sense when projects and programmes are jointly funded in regions that experience the same development needs and have both similar geographic and demographic characteristics.

This involves moving from ward or Sub-County specific kind of development to inter-ward or inter-sub-county development implementation.

One of the key objectives of this development paradigm shift is moving from focusing on the completeness of a project to the utility and benefits accruing to the citizens.

“We are not only interested in the completeness of projects but their impacts. We must make our programmes and projects meet the needs of our citizens, it is a commitment we have resolved to deliver,” said Kibwana.

The event was also graced by deputy governor Adelina Mwau, Makueni MP Daniel Maanzo, members of the County Executive Committee and the County Assembly.

CJ Maraga unveils new Makindu Court Block

Chief Justice David Maraga on Thursday unveiled a newly build Court block at Makindu to enhance access to judicial services.

Maraga promised to post a new magistrate to the court station to expedite cases before the court especially those touching on land cases which are overwhelming.

The CJ was joined by governor Kivutha Kibwana, MPs Patrick Musimba (Kibwezi West), Daniel Maanzo (Makueni) and County MP Rose Museo among other Judicial services.

Maraga said the Judiciary is working hard to devolve as many courts as possible. In Makueni alone, he said Tawa Law Courts building is 99 percent complete while Makueni High Court building is 30 percent complete.

The new Makindu Law Courts block

Governor Kibwana urged the Courts to expedite resolution of the numerous land, environmental and sexual offences cases that are so prevalent across the county.

He also called for a review of the current procurement law which makes purchases by government and its agencies so expensive in relation to prevailing market prices.

  • January 31, 2019 in News

Makueni set to reap big from proposed digital media city project at Konza technopolis

Makueni county, and especially the youth, is set to reap big from aproposed Konza Digital Media City (DMC) to be established at the Konza Technopolis.

The media city will be modelled after the Sangam Digital Media City in Seoul and other similar cities in Korea.

According to Jaehoon Lee, a lead pre-feasibility research consultant of the proposed project and lecturer at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Korea, the Digital Media City Project will mainly incorporate gaming, animation, filming, photography and entertainment centres as one of the sectors under the Knowledge Economy and Innovation pillar of Konza Technopolis Project.

Lee is leading a team of Korean researchers and ICT experts in a six month feasibility study of the proposed project and subsequently development of a Masterplan and Implementation of the Digital Media City.

On Wednesday, the Korean delegation held a consultative forum at Makueni’s Nairobi Liaison office with governor Kivutha Kibwana and KotDA Chief Executive Officer John Tanui to agree on how to partner through information and logistics sharing during the feasibility and implementation of the project.

Tanui said the Konza Digital Media City (K-DMC) is proposed to provide an excellent digital media and entertainment ecosystem for research, training, propagation of new technologies, innovation and production of content with the African themes and perspectives for the global markets. 

He said the proposed project will leverage on a robust smart city infrastructure to attract leading global investors in the sector, thereby creating employment and boosting the national economy.

K-DMC project objectives

When complete, the project is expected to create over 50,000 direct jobs to the youth, with Makueni taking up a substantial chunk of these offers.

The project is proposed to host among other segments of the industry:

World class film and music production studios; Production studios for Photography, Advertisements, Cinema and TV Industry; Animation and Computer gaming industries; A film/multi-media campus; Theme Parks
; Specialized photography and filming facilities; Modern sound production studios and film labs
; Sound design studios and color correction facilities.

Governor Kibwana said his administration will work closely with the implementers of this project for the benefit of the Makueni youth. 

Kibwana also pledged to lobby his colleague governors Charity Ngilu, Alfred Mutua and Joseph Ole Lenku to take key roles so the region can benefit from this project under the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB) framework.

Eng. Tanui has said the  Media City project has the potential to go into the pipeline for projects with funding consideration by Korea Exim Bank