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Year: 2020

Kibwana Commits his Executive Committee Members to Performance Contracts

Governor Kivutha Kibwana has for the third year running committed members of his county executive to performance contracts for the 2020/2021 Financial Year.

“Today is yet again another opportunity I have to preside over the signing of performance contracts as we continue to institutionalize the performance management process. This is the third consecutive year we are signing performance contracts. As we have indicated in the past, performance management continues to be an integral part of our service delivery and project implementation,” said governor Kibwana when he presided over the exercise at his offices on Friday  

governor Kibwana challenged the departments to work hard to ensure service delivery is given to the people of Makueni to the highest possible quality and that their work is changing the lives of the people they serve for the better.

In view of the COVID-19 challenges and emerging trends, Kibwana has directed all county departments to explore modalities of automating as many of their services as is practically possible. This will ensure continuity of service delivery even during such challenges. It will also help in cutting costs associated with traveling and meetings and direct such savings to development projects for our people.

Investing in Sports for Wealth Creation

The department of Sports and ICT in Makueni has given out 1,020 balls and 120 sets of uniforms to different county teams to promote sporting activities once the ministry of sports announces re-opening of the sports calendar.

Deputy governor Adelina Mwau who flagged off the equipment on Tuesday at the County administration offices said 35 teams across the various disciplines will benefit.

She said the county is investing heavily in a community based sports programme dubbed Ligi Mashinani as a way of keeping young people busy and draw them from antisocial behaviors.

The deputy governor said the long-term goal of this initiative is sharpening sporting talents so that young people can earn and create wealth as career sportsmen and women.

15 out of 30 wards had set aside Sh12 Million in the 2019/2020 financial year to support sports development at the community level. This will also aid in purchase of more sports gear.

The county government will in the current financial year train 2,340 coaches for different disciplines to improve the quality of sports coaching and eventually sports skills.

Communication from Makueni County Coronavirus Emergency Response Committee

Corona virus pandemic has continued to spread around the globe.

In terms of preparedness, the county has achieved the following:

a) Established and operationalized covid19 treatment centers at Makindu and Makueni County Referral Hospitals. Currently we have a bed capacity of over 312 beds at our treatment centers

b) Trained our health workers and equipped health facilities with PPEs to respond to covid-19

c) Trained opinion leaders, community health volunteers, community resource volunteers, area development committee members and youth groups all totaling to over 50,000 persons

d) Created awareness on coronavirus through various channels including radio, TV and community level campaigns

e) Continued with cross border surveillance where we’ve screened 189,559 at border entry point at Mtito Andei and Kibwezi

Turning to the covid19 situation in Makueni we wish to highlight the following

a) The county has as at today recorded 11 positive cases.

b) We have been able to successfully treat and discharge 1(one) confirmed positive patient and 18 of his contacts who had been quarantined in our Makindu quarantine/isolation facility

c) Currently there are 10 active cases of confirmed covid19 cases currently admitted at the covid19 treatment centre at Makueni County referral hospital. All the ten cases are people working in the hotel industry (1 from Kilome, 2 from Kibwezi East and 7 from Kibwezi West).

d) We have traced 150 people who are contacts of the 10 positive cases and the process of transferring them to the isolation facility in Makindu is ongoing

e) Regrettably, 6 people of Makueni origin have succumbed to the disease while being managed in facilities outside the county but their burials have been conducted under supervision of our public health officers. We wish to convey our message of condolence to the affected families

The County Coronavirus Emergency Response Committee has noted with concern some people are disregarding the laid down protocols and regulations and wishes to reiterate the following:

1. No eatery or hotel/restaurant will be allowed to operate without full adherence to the guidelines from the Ministry of Health. To date only 30 restaurants and eateries have met the set requirements. All those flouting the guidelines will be arrested, charged and have their licenses revoked. All vendors are reminded that no one is above the law and should at all times adhere to the strict guidelines attached to licensure

2. Bars and sale of liquor is banned as per previous county and national government pronouncements. Those found in contravention of the law will be charged and have their licenses revoked

3. Places of worship remain closed and digital content transmission is only allowed under issued guidelines

4. All forms of gatherings including political and social gatherings remain banned until otherwise guided. We remind members of the public that burials and weddings are restricted to a maximum of 15 close family members observing physical and social distancing

5. Hawking remains banned. All vendors found hawking especially to trucks along Mombasa road will be apprehended

6. No truck driver will be allowed into Makueni County unless they possess a covid19 free certificate. All those without this certificate will be turned back to their point of origin. We wish to remind all truck drivers and transport companies that drivers are required to take the covid19 test at their point of origin, 48 hours before they commence their journeys and in any case, have their certificates as at the time of commencement of journey

7. We continue to remind our people that movement into and out of Mombasa and Nairobi is restricted and therefore those sneaking into the county from these places will be dealt with as per the law.

H. E. Prof. Kivutha Kibwana
Governor
MAKUENI COUNTY

 

M. A. Maalim,
County Commissioner
MAKUENI COUNTY

New County Secretary Sworn into Office

Makueni now has a new County Secretary.

Mr. Benjamin Mutie took oath of office on Friday morning as the new CS.

Mr. Mutie holds a Master’s and Bachelor degree of Arts from the University of Nairobi.

Mr. Benjamin Mutie taking oath of office as the new CS
Mr. Benjamin Mutie taking oath of office as the new CS

He brings to the table a wealth of experience in administration, having previously worked as: Chairperson Makueni County Public Service Board; Director of Programmes, Kenya Institute of Social Work, a leading Institution of Social Work and Community Development in Kenya. He has also worked with several Community Based Development Organizations in Kenya and within the Eastern Region as a Trainer and a Consultant.

The swearing in was witnessed by governor Kivutha Kibwana in his office and several members of his cabinet.

Two members of the County Public Service Board were also sworn into office in the same event.

The two are Isaac Savali Sila who takes over as the Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the board and Margaret Musyoka, a member to the board.

  • April 17, 2020 in News

Press Statement: Resolutions of Makueni County Emergency Response Committee

PRESS STATEMENT

RESOLUTIONS OF MAKUENI COUNTY EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMITTEE

1.Suspend all market days with immediate effect

2.Immediate suspension of night club operation hours; all liquor licensed outlets to operate 5pm-11pm including weekends.

3.All social gatherings such as sporting, leisure, muguka & miraa chewing joints etc are suspended with immediate effect

4.Public transport to observe hygiene – no touting, use hand washing facilities with preferably liquid soap or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers at the stages.

5.Boda boda riders to have hand washing facilities with preferably liquid soap or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers at the various stages

6.All public places to have hand washing facilities with preferably liquid soap or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers – markets, shops, hotels, supermarkets, malls, places of work, public gyms, etc

7.Minimize gatherings –weddings, religious gathering, trainings, meetings, workshops, AGMs, seminars etc

8.We encourage funeral attendance to be limited to close family members and other relatives.

9.Learning is suspended in all institutions (including ECDEs and CTTIs) from:
Day institutions – Monday 16th
Boarding – Wednesday 18th
Tertiary by Friday 20th

10.Enhance sanitation especially along Mombasa road stop overs with hand washing facilities with preferably liquid soap or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

11.Purchase of masks necessary when prescribed by healthcare workers

12.Emphasis on hand washing facilities with preferably liquid soap as well as alcohol-based hand sanitizers at our homes.

13.Hospital visits to be limited to designated visitors.

14.Community engagement on education and sanitation will be provided

15.Continuous communication through media to be undertaken – updates, health talks.

16.Traders to observe consumer protection by maintaining fair prices.

17.Members of public are encouraged to avoid panic buying of consumer goods.

County preparedness:

a. Continuous training of health workers

b. Identification and preparation of isolation centers in all sub counties

c. Routine health talks will be undertaken

d. Continuous disease surveillance

e. Availability of personal protective equipment in our health facilities.

f. Availability of adequate supplies to handle all illnesses

g. Availability of psychosocial support services

h. Training of community health volunteers to deal with the pandemic

i. Availability of county operational command centre with ambulance services and dedicated hotline: 0790 777 756.

Makueni gets World Bank nod on Credit Worthiness

Makueni county has been given a through pass by the World Bank on credit worthiness through a rating survey conducted by Global Credit Rating Agency, under the County Credit-Worthiness Initiative.

The County Credit Worthiness Initiative is a collaboration between the National Treasury, Commission on Revenue Allocation, Capital Markets Authority and County Governments Supported by the World Bank Group.

The initiative aims at building the capacity of county governments to access long-term development financing from the capital markets to fund capital intensive infrastructure growth, which would otherwise have take years to achieve through the equitable revenue share financing.

Makueni alongside Bungoma and Kisumu were chosen for piloting of this initiative after agreeing to institute strengthened financial management systems, fiscal structures that support responsible borrowing and institutionalized framework that can oversee sustainable county government borrowing.

The three had their Credit Ratings unveiled in public by CRA on Wednesday in Nairobi, in an event attended by respective governors; Kivutha Kibwana, Wycliffe Wangamati, Anyang’ Nyong’o and Officials from World Bank, National Treasury and CMA.

By Financial Year 2020/2021, the counties will be able to access credit financing from the capital markets through County bonds, Infrastructure bonds, Corporate bonds or securitization of receivables such as own source revenue.

Some of the Key funding sources for this financing plan include pension schemes, insurance companies, SACCOs, diaspora and Collective Investment Schemes.

  • March 11, 2020 in News

Makueni’s Tourism Sector set for Revenue Boom

The tourism sector in Makueni is set for a major overhaul with plans a foot to make the county a hub of tourist attraction, and the sector a major revenue generator for both county and the country.

With support from the National Museums of Kenya, the county government is embarking on an ambitious exercise of documentation, conservation, management, promotion and restoration of heritage sites in the county.

The management of heritage will include the construction of heritage centers and museums, the re-landscaping of open cultural and natural sites, construction of botanical gardens, organizing cultural festivals and fairs, the identification, documentation, mapping and gazettement of important heritage sites.

Some of the important heritage sites for conservation and restoration include religious sites such as Kalamba, threatened biodiversity areas such as Chyulu and Nzaui hills among others.

This revolutionary raft of measures was announced Wednesday by Governor Kivutha Kibwana and the National Museums of Kenya Director General Mzalendo Kibunjia when they signed a partnership agreement in Nairobi.

In the same breath, governor Kibwana signed a working relationship with Global Communities-Kenya, a Non-Governmental Organization, to revamp the cooperative movement in Makueni.

The parties to this agreement will co-operate to:

Develop county co-operative policy and legislation through a participatory approach; 

Build the capacity of the cooperatives officials; to offer business advisory services to the cooperatives including trainings on their needs; and

Design interventions that will enhance access to markets, finance, technical knowledge and relevant information.

The deal was also signed by USAID/ Cooperative Leadership, Engagement, Advocacy and research(CLEAR) program- Chief of Party Kristin Wilcox Feldman in Nairobi.

The County cooperative movement has grown to 230 registered cooperative societies since 2016 which cover activities such as produce marketing, savings and credit SACCOs and housing.

Co-operative Bank seeks Makueni Partnership in Support of Devolution

The Co-operative Bank of Kenya wants to support devolution locally by supporting Makueni towards realizing its general development agenda to the residents.

This was disclosed by the Bank’s Head of Government and Public Sector Banking Silvance Nono on Tuesday when he led a team of representatives from the bank for a breakfast meeting with Governor Kivutha Kibwana to discuss possible areas of partnership.

According to Nono, the bank fits into the key aspirations of Makueni county in the following areas;

Agriculture and Food Security; to provide wide range agribusiness support for major valued horticultural crops in the county;

Water and Irrigation; to support the various initiatives for water harvesting as well as revenue collection for Wote Water and Sewerage Company;

Youth and women support; to provide banking solutions geared towards economic empowerment;

Quality and Accessible Health services; to provide revenue collection solutions for the county’s health facilities;

Quality Education; through provision of cash management services for the ECDE centers and TVETs; and

Economic Empowerment; through integration of co-operatives to encourage cohesion and self-reliance through pooled savings and training on financial awareness through the Co-op Bank Consultancy arm.

The Bank is supporting the county in the scholarships program and has so far sponsored 30 bright students from needy backgrounds in the County.

A technical team drawn from the parties will meet next week to finalise on the specific joint framework of working together.

Partnership sees more NCDs patients seek medical attention

Over 6000 hypertension and diabetes patients across the county have been screened, with 2000 of them already enrolled to digital-health enabled mode of care in a bid to provide an integrated end-to -end solution for Non-Communicable Diseases burden in Makueni.
 
This is as a result of a 2-year public private partnership that was signed 7 months ago by the County government of Makueni, Novartis Social Business, Medtronic Labs and Management Sciences for Health geared towards combating NCDs in the county.
 
Several community health workers and volunteers, as part of capacity building and strengthening of the health system, have been trained on Ministry of Health’s NCD clinical training as well as using the Empower Health System, a digital platform for managing and monitoring patients.
 
During a review meeting on the implementation status of the MoU, chaired by Makueni county Governor Kivutha Kibwana and attended by representatives from the parties on Tuesday in Wote, the County health department reported nine out of ten initially planned health facilities are operational with Empower Health system.
 
The facilities include Makindu, Matiliku, Mukuyuni, Kibwezi, Kisau, Mbooni, Tawa, Sultan-Hamud and Mtito-Andei Sub-County hospitals.
 
According to the County Health Director Medical Services Dr. Stephen Ndolo, plans are underway to connect the Makueni County Referral and Kambu Sub-County Hospitals to the digital care platform.
 
The parties are working to scaling up the program to reach out to more people and reduce on the hospital deaths caused by NCDs.