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Environment

MAKUENI, NAIROBI RIVERS COMMISSION SCALE UP WATER PROTECTION EFFORTS

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili on Friday hosted the Nairobi Rivers Commission (NRC) led by chairperson Dr. Pamela Olet for a discussion on joint efforts to safeguard Nairobi river basin water resources against pollution.

Mulili affirmed the county government’s commitment to environmental sustainability while insisting on the importance of inter-county partnerships in tackling contamination of water sources especially through industrial effluents and untreated sewerage.

Makueni is among counties bearing the brunt of water contamination from the upstream of River Athi.

MAKUENI EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER (EOC) REPORT.

In light of recent developments, an urgent update from the situation room reveals that the heavy rainfall last night has resulted in the flooding of Muooni River. Unsupervised concerned community members have initiated search and recovery efforts for the four missing bodies as early as 5:00 am.

It is imperative to swiftly notify all individuals along the riverbanks downstream to immediately halt their activities, as substantial water volumes have been detected from along Matiliku to Emali bridge.

An early warning system has been activated downstream to ensure swift action and safety measures are taken as our County response teams take charge.

The National Assembly Water Committee on Friday made a courtesy call on Governor

The National Assembly Water Committee on Friday made a courtesy call on Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr to discuss concerns surrounding the slow pace of Thwake Dam construction and pollution of River Athi, the main source of the dam when complete.

Governor Mutula sugggeted creation of Thwake Dam Authority and a Water Policing Unit to enforce compliance of non-pollution of Athi River.

Environment CS, Governor Mutula commission Tree Growing Campaign

Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Soipan Tuya together with Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Friday led hundreds of residents in a tree growing exercise at Kiu Wetland in Makindu Ward.

The exercise precedes celebration of the National Tree Growing Day to be hosted in the site and graced by President William Ruto on Monday 13th. 100,000 tree seedlings will be planted at the wetland on the same day.

Makueni targets to grow 344 million trees by 2032, with 34 million grown each year. In the current October-November-December rain season, the county will grow 10 million trees.

Makueni County Establishes Climate Change Stakeholders Coalition for Unified Adaptation Efforts

The Department of Lands, Urban Planning & Development, Environment, and Climate Change in Makueni has officially launched a Climate Change Stakeholders coalition with the aim of orchestrating concerted efforts in climate change adaptation.

This coalition unites various stakeholders, including government entities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), Academia, and environmental advocates. Its primary objective is to facilitate collaboration among these entities and formulate a comprehensive strategy for coordinated climate change adaptation within the county.

The inaugural event took place on Tuesday in Wote, presided over by Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili. It was graced by the presence of County Executive Committee Member Sonia Nzilani, Chief Officer Japheth Kiminza, and members of the Makueni Climate Change Fund Management Board.

COPPER, MANGANESE, IRON ORE DISCOVERED IN MAKUENI

A National Aerial Geological Survey has discovered deposits of Copper, Iron ore, Manganese and Graphite in Makueni County. 
 
Cabinet Secretary for Mining Salim Mvurya announced this discovery at Kyunyu village, Kathonzweni, when he toured one of the sites said to harbour copper deposits on Wednesday 13th, September, 2023, in the company of Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr and sector technocrats from both levels of government. 
This discovery opens a wide range of opportunities for job creation for locals while putting Kenya on a firm pedestal for economic growth, and a diversification from dependence on agriculture as the key economic driver.
The CS has ordered geological experts from the ministry to conduct a ground truthing exercise to verify the mineralization patterns and commercial viability of the deposits for exploitation.
 
Mvurya and Governor Mutula also closed illegal mining activities by unscrupulous and unlicensed miners who had already moved in at the Kathonzweni copper-rich area. 
Governor Mutula cautioned residents against selling their land saying they stood to reap huge financial benefits through compensation when mining begins.
 
The team also toured Kathekani in Mtito Andei said to contain graphite deposits, and where artisan mining activities are being undertaken.

70,000M3 Kaiti sand dam targeting 1,200 rural and town households under construction

H.E Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr inspects kaiti sand dam at kwa kitungu, outskirts of Wote town where the County is engaging over 150 people daily in the construction works.
Once complete, the sand dam which has a
Capacity of 70,000 cubic meters, 3metres high and 85 metres long is expected to serve a rural capacity of 1200 Households and also Wote town residents.

The sprawling Wote landfill rehabilitation into proper dumpsite ongoing.

The process of rehabilitating the existing Wote landfill into a proper dumpsite is at tail stages with all efforts put in place to ensure the site’s waste is disposed in an environmentally friendly manner.
Some of the works underway include: garbage control, controlling water erosion through the dump, levelling of the site, fencing of the land to avoid encroachment and beautification through tree planting.
H.E Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr on Thursday evening paid a visit to the ever smoking Wote landfill to assess the remediation exercise that will also mitigate possible contamination from the site into Kaiti River.
 
 

Governor Mutula hosts President Ruto, roots for water and road infrastructure

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Thursday hosted President William Samoei Ruto at the Konza Technopolis in Kilome sub county during the award of charter to Open University of Kenya.
Open Univeristy of Kenya will offer virtual learning in Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, Bachelor of Science in Data Science, Bachelor of Science in Economics and Statistics among other courses.
The president accompanied by the governor among other senior government officials toured the Konza data centre and a water reclamation facility at the technopolis.
In his remarks, the governor petitioned the president to tarmac Emali-Ukia road saying the road will connect the lower Eastern to the Northern Frontier Counties.
Mutula Junior said the Namanga-Kajiado-Emali-Ukia-Garissa road is the only economic corridor in the region and would spur growth in Kajiado, Makueni,Machakos and Garissa counties.
He also called for the extension of the national fibre optic cable from the county commissioner’s office headquarters to other offices.
The governor also sought intervention of the president in the extension of the new proposed Nolturesh water line from Kajiado county through Konza to other parts of Makueni for the benefit of residents.