Departments

KYANDUU INTEGRATED WATER PROJECT BRINGS CLEAN WATER CLOSER TO KEE WARD RESIDENTS

Residents of Kee Ward are set to benefit from improved access to clean and reliable water following the completion of the Kyanduu Integrated Water Project, a KSh 15 million investment by the Makueni County Government.

The project was implemented under the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Programme and forms part of the county’s broader commitment to locally led climate initiatives aimed at strengthening community resilience and improving livelihoods.

Designed as an integrated intervention, the project combines water, agriculture, and environmental conservation measures to address chronic water scarcity while enhancing climate resilience. Key components include the desilting and expansion of Kyanduu earth dam, installation of a solar-powered pumping system, construction of distribution pipelines, masonry storage tanks, and four water kiosks.

Once fully operational, the project will benefit more than 1,775 residents of Mbakoni, Kavyuni, and Saki villages, providing sustainable water access for domestic use and irrigation, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and supporting environmental conservation.

The initiative also bolsters Makueni County’s Last Mile Water Connectivity Programme spearheaded by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., which seeks to reduce the distance to water sources to less than 2km by 2027.

MAKUENI TOPS NATIONAL RANKINGS IN GENDER AND DISABILITY INCLUSION.

Makueni County has once again been named the top-performing county in Gender and Disability Mainstreaming for 2025, cementing its reputation as a leader in inclusive and equitable development.

The award, received by Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili during a gala dinner held on Thursday evening in Nairobi, recognises institutions that deliberately integrate gender equality and disability inclusion into planning, service delivery and decision-making processes to ensure no one is left behind.

In her keynote address, Mulili said the recognition reflects Makueni’s unwavering commitment to building a society where inclusion is not an afterthought but a foundation for sustainable development.

She noted that the county has prioritised deliberate interventions that empower women, youth and persons with disabilities to participate meaningfully in economic, social and governance processes.

Gender and Disability Directorate Council Executive Director Dr Richard Nasong’o commended the Government of Kenya for making notable progress in policy development and legislation aimed at safeguarding the rights of women and persons with disabilities.

Also in attendance was the County Executive Committee Member for Gender, Youth, Children, Sports and Social Services, Eng. Sebastian Kyoni.

MAKUENI RESIDENTS CELEBRATE AS HIGH MAST SOLAR FLOODLIGHTS TRANSFORM LOCAL MARKETS

Residents of Makueni County are celebrating improved security and longer business hours following the installation of high mast solar floodlights in key markets.

At Ngutwa Market in Muvau/Kikuumini Ward, traders say a newly erected 20-metre solar-powered floodlight has transformed the trading centre by lighting up previously dark areas. The improved illumination has boosted trader confidence, allowing businesses to operate into the evening and attract more customers.

Similar gains have been reported at Senda Market, where traders describe the project as a major boost to night-time business and public safety.

The installations are part of a partnership between the Makueni County Government and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC).

Other beneficiaries include Kinyambu, Makutano/Kyumani, Kona, Kithoni, Kitunduani, Kithuki and Kitise markets, as well as Kinguutheni Primary School.

County officials say more projects are underway to expand clean energy access, enhance security and stimulate local economies.

MAKUENI BETS BIG ON POULTRY FARMING

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili on Monday led the launch of the “Mifugo ni Mali project” at the Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) in Kwakathoka, marking a major boost for poultry farming in Makueni County.

The initiative, implemented in partnership with the KCB Foundation, is designed to strengthen poultry production through rigorous farmer training, coaching and mentoring, alongside regular farm inspections to ensure quality and sustainability.

At the launch, 17 farmers including women, youth and persons with disabilities, each received 300 vaccinated one-day-old chicks to kick-start and expand their enterprises.

The programme is anchored on an MOU between the County Government of Makueni and the KCB Foundation, under which the foundation supports the growth of small and medium enterprises through business development, with the aim of creating wealth and employment, particularly among women and young people.

Under the partnership, the county government will provide continuous extension services, veterinary support and access to existing cold chain and vaccine-handling infrastructure to participating farmers, strengthening production and disease control at the grassroots.

According to Mulili, Poultry farming remains the most widespread livestock enterprise in Makueni, with about 85 per cent of farmers rearing poultry. Mulili further notes that the County statistical abstract data validated in 2023 indicates that the poultry subsector was valued at KSh 3.77 billion in 2022, supported by an estimated 1.57 million birds.

This, she says, reflects a growth of 55 per cent since 2013, underscoring the sector’s rising contribution to household incomes and food and nutrition security.

The County Executive Committee Member in charge of Agriculture Elizabeth Muli noted that the department has also been intensifying efforts to transform poultry production, including increasing the productivity of local chicken from an average of 45–60 eggs per hen per year to between 120 and 180 eggs.

According to Muli, More than 240 incubators are currently operational across the county, producing between 100 and 1,056 chicks per cycle, while 476 village-level vaccination service providers have been trained and equipped to strengthen disease control.

Through the collaboration with the KCB Foundation, the county aims to stimulate further growth in the poultry value chain, improve linkages in input supply and markets, and enhance incomes and livelihoods for farming households across Makueni.

KCB Human Resource Manager Kenya, Cleophas Ambira and the area MCA Elizabeth Mutinda graced the occasion.

TAWA HOSPITAL PERFORMS FIRST C-SECTION AFTER EQUIPMENT UPGRADE

Residents of Tawa and its surrounding areas can now breathe a sigh of relief following the installation of a new anaesthesia machine at Tawa Sub County Hospital by the county government.

The modern equipment was procured after the hospital’s previous machine broke down, a setback that had limited the facility’s capacity to handle critical procedures.

Its impact was felt almost immediately. On Sunday, doctors at the hospital conducted their first successful caesarean section since the installation, marking a major milestone for the facility.

Health Services Chief Officer Dr. Harvey Mulei said the upgrade has significantly eased healthcare delivery in the region, noting that patients in need of specialised services will no longer be forced to travel long distances to the county referral hospital.

MAKUENI GOVERNOR TOUTS MAJOR WATER GAINS, SECURES KSH 150M FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Makueni Governor used Jamhuri Day celebrations at Kikima Secondary School to highlight sweeping gains in water access and environmental restoration, calling them the backbone of a “humane government that dignifies its people.”

He announced that Makueni is among only three counties selected for the KSh130 million K-WASH programme after developing a county water and sanitation strategy. Kibwezi–Makindu Water Company also qualified for an additional KSh37 million and was recognized for financial reporting excellence.

The governor cited major projects now delivering clean water to households, including the KSh68 million Athi–Kilema–Tunguni system serving 42,500 homes, the nearly complete Kalawa AKWASH project, and the ongoing Kiboko–Twaandu line targeting 1,000 more households. He said partnerships with World Vision and WHH are rehabilitating old water schemes and extending supply to underserved villages.

In a fresh environmental push, Makueni has secured KSh150 million from the World Bank under the Kenya Watershed Services Improvement Programme (KEWASIP) to restore degraded landscapes, strengthen water security and build climate resilience.

The governor urged residents, youth and community leaders to join restoration efforts, saying, “Together we shall build a Makueni where no child goes thirsty and where nature and people thrive in harmony.”

MAKUENI KICKS OFF KIUNDUANI MARKET PHYSICAL AND LAND USE PLANNING

The Department of Lands, Urban Planning & Development has kicked off the preparation of the Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan for Kiunduani Market, marking a major step toward structured growth and sustainable urban development.

During a stakeholders’ public participation forum on Tuesday, residents, traders, community leaders, and technical officers were taken through the County’s Land Information Management System and the urban planning process. The engagement aimed to ensure that Kiunduani develops in line with national and county planning laws. The session also provided an opportunity for the public to highlight existing challenges to inform the planning process.

County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Dr. Paul Musila, who led the process, noted that the proposed plan will guide land use, improve road networks, protect public land, enhance investment opportunities, and support future infrastructure development such as markets, water systems, and other public amenities.

He added that the plan will also form the basis for cadastral surveys, increase land value, and strengthen land administration to support orderly growth.

HEALTH CECM LEADS MATERNAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN IN KIBWEZI EAST.

Women in Kibwezi East have been urged to deliver in health facilities to reduce the risk of postpartum hemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal complications.

The call was made during a meeting at Kibwezi East Sub-County Hospital, which brought together more than 300 women for a maternal health sensitization forum.

Health CECM Joyce Mutua emphasized the importance of skilled birth attendance and cautioned mothers against the harmful practice of gum cutting on infants.

She further encouraged women to embrace modern contraceptives to support healthy spacing, safer pregnancies, and improved outcomes for both mothers and babies.

Mutua also announced an upcoming maternity block at the facility which will significantly expand maternal and newborn care capacity, ease congestion, and enhance access to quality services for mothers in Kibwezi East and surrounding areas.

The hospital also hosted over 100 bodaboda riders as part of a “men in maternity” engagement, urging them to actively support pregnant women, particularly by facilitating timely transport to health facilities.

The riders later led members of the public to a blood donation drive organized by the hospital to help bolster blood supplies for women experiencing postpartum hemorrhage.

Masongaleni Ward MCA Brian Nzoka noted the critical role bodaboda operators play in maternal health and called for their continued involvement in community health initiatives.

TIMBUKTOO ALUMNI ANNUAL GATHERING AT KONZA

Konza Technopolis, in partnership with timbuktoo Africa and UNDP Kenya, hosted the 2025 Timbuktoo Alumni Annual Gathering, marking one year since the launch of the Timbuktoo GreenTech Hub. The event brought together over 50 Kenyan founders who have participated in timbuktoo programmes across the continent, celebrating the growing wave of climate-smart, youth-driven innovation in Africa.

The gathering was graced by the UNDP Administrator, Alexander De Croo, who emphasized the importance of innovation and partnerships in accelerating sustainable development, noting that Africa’s youthful talent and green solutions are key to shaping a more resilient and inclusive future.

COUNTY MOVES TO ENHANCE SURGICAL SAFETY WITH NEW EQUIPMENT

Tawa Sub-County Hospital on Tuesday received a new anesthesia machine, a boost expected to strengthen surgical and critical care services at the facility.

The equipment replaces an aging unit that had broken down, a setback that had limited theatre operations.

Speaking at Tawa Sub County Hospital, Dr. Harvey Mulei who delivered the new machine on behalf of governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. noted that it anticipates to enhance the safety and efficiency of surgical procedures, ensuring uninterrupted access to quality anesthesia services for patients in Tawa Sub-County and neighboring areas.

Dr. Mulei also took the opportunity to introduce the hospital’s medical supretendant.

In a related effort to improve healthcare delivery across the county, Kilungu Sub-County Hospital has already installed a similar anesthesia machine, which is now fully operational and supporting theatre services.

The investment reflects an ongoing drive to equip facilities with modern medical technology that enhances patient outcomes and reduces the need for referrals to higher-level hospitals.