Finance

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Thursday unveiled the County Statistical Abstract 2025 and the County Development Profiles, two key government documents designed to measure progress, track service delivery and anchor decision-making on reliable, up-to-date data.

Speaking during the launch, the Governor reported strong growth in own-source revenue, which rose from Sh891 million in the 2022/23 financial year to Sh1.29 billion in the last financial year, an increase of nearly 45 per cent. He attributed the growth to improved technology, efficiency and public trust.

Over the same period, the county consistently allocated more than Sh3.2 billion annually to development expenditure, ensuring resources were translated into services and infrastructure that directly improve livelihoods.

According to the County Development Profile, 1,430 projects valued at approximately Sh10.26 billion were implemented across all wards and sub-counties.

In the water sector, the county increased water storage by 900,000 cubic metres through flagship earth dams, benefiting more than 225,000 residents and 45,000 households. This investment reduced the average distance to water sources from five kilometres to four kilometres and raised household access to potable water to 44.6 per cent.

The Governor further noted that through partnerships, his administration mobilized over Sh592 million, including climate financing under the FLLoCA programme.

During the review period, the county opened 2,327 kilometres of new roads and maintained 5,160 kilometres, expanded rural electrification to more than 2,100 households, and installed solar systems in health facilities and public institutions.

The Governor was accompanied by his deputy Lucy Mulili, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Senior Manager for National Statistical Systems John Bore, County Assembly Speaker, several MCAs, Finance CECM Damaris Kavoi, and other county government officials.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. is currently unveiling the Makueni County Statistical Abstract 2025 alongside the County Development Profiles at MIVEC, two flagship government publications designed to strengthen evidence-based planning and accountability.

The documents will serve as key instruments for measuring development progress, tracking service delivery and anchoring decision-making on reliable, up-to-date data.

The Statistical Abstract presents credible, verified and disaggregated data on population dynamics, socio-economic indicators, service delivery and development trends across the county.

Complementing it, the County Development Profiles translate this data into clear, tangible outcomes, detailing the resources invested, where they were deployed and the impact they have delivered to the people of Makueni.

Together, the publications are expected to provide policymakers, development partners and the public with a clear picture of the county’s development trajectory and priorities.

Did you know that data can define the development path of a community? And did you also know that Makueni has been quietly steering its decisions using a robust, people-driven data system that begins at the cluster level, a model widely celebrated as participatory budgeting?

Annually, the Department of Finance has deployed teams to clusters across the county to collect data directly from the public and county staff working at the grassroots. These sessions capture real community priorities, challenges, and insights that ultimately shape key development blue prints including the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP).

In partnership with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the county compiles and analyzes this data before subjecting it to validation by data producers from county departments and semi-autonomous government agencies. The validated findings are then refined into the County Statistical Abstract, an official publication launched annually as the county’s authoritative data resource.

This data is instrumental in tracking progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), monitoring county performance, and informing the next phase of development planning. It provides a clear picture of what is working, what needs improvement, and where resources should be directed.

According to Acting Director in charge of Socio-Economic Planning, Stanlaus Matheka, the Statistical Abstract also supports the domestication of national data from KNBS.

In 2024, Makueni was recognized as the best-performing devolved unit in implementing the SDGs, a prestigious title the county has held for six consecutive years.

As the conversation around development deepens, next week,we will explore what sustainable Development Goals really mean for communities and why every resident should care about them.

Before then,tell us, how many SDGs do you know and which ones matter to you?

Makueni County once again captured national attention on Tuesday after demonstrating an innovative data collection & utilization model that informs participatory planning and budgeting from the sub-ward level through to wards, sub-counties, and the county headquarters.

The model impressed delegates attending the 2025 National Statistics Conference in Nairobi.

Chief Officer for Socio-Planning, Budget and Revenue, Mutua Boniface, highlighted how the county statistical system has strengthened the county’s ability to gather and manage accurate data.

He addressed delegates as a panelist, among them Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and permanent Secretary the State Department for Planning, Dr.Bonface Makhoha outlining how technology is transforming decision-making processes within counties.

Mutua emphasized the importance of integrating digital tools including automation and digitization in county processes.

Makueni has been recognized by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics as a model county in preparing annual County Stastical Abstracts (CSAs) as well as disaggregated data from the ward level upwards.

The two-day conference is themed “Leveraging Innovations in Data and Statistics to Promote a Just, Peaceful, Inclusive, and Prosperous Society for Africans.”

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior has earned praise from Senators for his county’s sound and transparent financial management and investment.

The Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds Tuesday commended Makueni County for its exemplary stewardship of public finances, particular special funds and investments.

Appearing before the committee, the Governor outlined measures his administration has implemented to maintain a record of zero non-performing loans.

Senators reviewed and discussed all matters presented before the committee, describing Makueni’s financial policies and management practices as progressive and accountable.

Governor Kilonzo said the recognition and commendation inspires the county government to continue managing public resources responsibly for the benefit of residents.

Committee Chair Godfrey Osotsi, who also serves as the Senator for Vihiga County, said Makueni County stands out as a model of effective funds governance for other devolved units.

Wote Municipality is setting its sights higher this financial Year, determined to go past revenue records and write a new chapter of growth.

The municipality has rolled out bold strategies, including peer-to-peer learning from Kenya’s top-performing municipalities, tightening revenue stream tracking, and recruiting more street parking attendants to boost collections including enforcement team.

In the 2022/23 financial year, Wote set a revenue target of Sh100 million but managed only Sh83 million. The following year, 2023/24, the municipality not only met its Sh120 million target but exceeded it, pulling in Sh123 million.

In 2024/25, the bar was raised to Sh130 million, and once again the municipality outdid itself, collecting Sh141 million.

For the current financial year, Wote has set its sights on Sh150 million. According to the Municipality Manager, Evelyn Mutua, the team is not just aiming to hit the target,they plan to surpass it.

In this spirit, a team of revenue, enforcement, sanitation and environment officers from Wote visited Thika Municipality for a peer-to-peer learning program on revenue collection and modern waste management.

Thika Municipal Manager, Gathii Kanyi, revealed that his municipality raked in Sh1.3 billion last year and is now chasing an even more ambitious Sh1.8 billion this year.

The Wote team was introduced to the Fukuoka Method of solid waste management, a semi-aerobic landfill technology first piloted in Africa by Kiambu County in 2016.

The Fukuoka system uses fermentation heat and natural thermal convection to introduce air into landfills, accelerating aerobic decomposition and drastically cutting harmful methane emissions.

Wote Municipality is also eyeing the establishment of a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to tackle waste segregation, recycling, and resource recovery.

According to Mutua, the project is in line with Governor Mutula Kilonzo’s vision of sustainable waste management, a critical step as the municipality’s population is projected to swell from the current 161,996 to 186,900 by 2030.

Makueni County has entered into a strategic partnership with Kenya Commercial Bank to streamline and enhance revenue collection, targeting Ksh 1.5 billion in Own- source Revenue for the 2024/2025 financial year.

The KCB team on Tuesday held talks with County Secretary, Dr. Justin Kyambi and County Executive Committee Member, Finance and Socio-Economic Planning, Damaris Kavoi.

The KCB team was led by David Nyamu, General Manager, Sovereign and Public Sector during the official launch at the Governor’s Office in Wote.

As part of the initiative, the County launched a five-day public awareness campaign to educate businesses and landowners on the importance of paying land rates, renewing business permits and settling other County dues.

To encourage timely compliance, the county is offering discounts for early payments:

10% discount on unpaid bills of up to Ksh 10,000 and 5% discount on unpaid bills exceeding Ksh 10,000.

Boniface Mutua, Chief Officer for Finance and Socio-Economic Planning, also attended the event.