Finance

Makueni County has been ranked the best-performing county in Kenya in the County Budget Transparency Survey (CBTS) 2025, scoring an impressive 89 out of 100 points, the highest among all 47 counties.

The county also emerged as the biggest winner during the survey’s launch in Nairobi, taking home five prestigious awards, more than any other county.

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili represented Makueni at the event, which was organized by Bajeti Hub under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Abraham Rugo Muriu.

The awards recognized Makueni as the most transparent county overall, the best-performing county in the timely publication of budget documents, and the county with the most comprehensive Quarterly Budget Implementation Report, County Fiscal Strategy Paper, and Finance Act.

The achievement underscores the county’s strong performance across all stages of the budget cycle.The latest recognition marks five consecutive years of sustained improvement in budget transparency.

Makueni’s score has steadily risen from 55 points in 2021 to 89 points in 2025, recording progress in every round of the survey during the five-year period.

Speaking on behalf of Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., Mulili attributed the achievement to visionary leadership, robust public participation, and the county’s unwavering commitment to grassroots development.

She noted that 70 per cent of the county’s development budget is allocated to projects at the community level, with each project overseen by a Project Management Committee (PMC) to enhance accountability and eliminate the possibility of ghost projects.

County delegations attending the event congratulated Makueni on the achievement, with many describing the county as a benchmark for transparency and accountability in Kenya’s devolved system of governance.

Makueni’s performance reflects Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s vision that openness and transparency in public finance management are essential pillars for effective service delivery and sustainable development.

The award ceremony was attended by Finance CECM Damaris Kavoi and Acting Chief Officer for Planning Geoffrey Ngovi Muthoka, among other county officials and stakeholders.

The GIZ Regional Advisor Maurice Owaka, has applauded Makueni County for demonstrating strong governance and accountability, attributes that earned the county recognition from the Office of the Auditor -General through a clean audit report in the last financial year.

Owaka commended the county for the achievement, underscoring the importance of the ongoing mid term review in assessing development progress and generating recommendations aimed at improving the implementation of the county Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) for the remaining period.

He spoke while addressing sector Working groups currently undertaking the mid term review for the (CIDP 111) covering the period between 2023 and 2027.

County Treasury CECM Damaris Kavoi urged the team to sustain the momentum, emphasizing that performance management and the CIDP are closely linked. She noted that the CIDP serves as the county’s main development blueprint, while performance management measures whether departments are delivering on the commitments outlined in the plan.

Kavoi said the ongoing review exercise provides Makueni County with an opportunity to assess not only completed projects, but also the effectiveness of performance contracting, monitoring systems, accountability structures and overall service delivery outcomes across departments.

The exercise is being supported by GIZ, with the aim of enhancing service delivery and promoting transparency in governance.

The Department of Finance on Monday launched a countywide tax discount roadshow aimed at encouraging traders to comply with tax obligations and enhance revenue collection across the county.

The initiative includes a tax discount programme running from March 9, 2026, targeting small-scale traders who form the majority of taxpayers in the county.

Under the programme, traders paying less than KSh 10,000 will receive a 10 percent discount, while those paying above KSh 10,000 will benefit from a five percent discount.

Speaking while flagging off the campaign at Wote Bus Park, County Executive Committee Member for Finance and Economic Planning Damaris Kavoi emphasized the critical role of taxes in driving development across the county.

Kavoi also highlighted the benefits of the digitized tax payment systems, noting that residents can now conveniently access services without the need to travel long distances.

The five-day roadshow began on Monday and covered several areas including Wote, Kilala, Mukuyuni, Kikima, Kalawani, Tawa and Mbumbuni, as part of efforts to reach traders directly and sensitize them on the tax discount initiative.

The second round of public participation forums began Tuesday across the county, drawing large crowds to ward-level meetings aimed at harmonising sub-ward proposals into unified ward development priorities.

In Kisau Kiteta Ward, more than 200 residents gathered for the day-long session, where they consolidated projects valued at KSh 33 million. Similar exercises are underway in all wards, with the engagements scheduled to run through Thursday.

Finance CECM Damaris Kavoi, who attended the Kisau Kiteta forum, praised the strong turnout, noting the active involvement of retired civil servants. She described their participation as a demonstration that citizens remain vital contributors to local development even after leaving public service.

Kavoi also commended residents for consistently ensuring that the voices of persons living with disabilities are included in the discussions, saying inclusive participation is key to equitable budgeting.

She further lauded Public Management Committees for their continued oversight of county projects and encouraged residents to utilise services offered by extension officers and other county staff stationed in the wards.

Participants in the ward, additionally prioritised development needs for Mbooni Kee Municipality.

Ward forums continue Wednesday, with special interest group sessions scheduled for Thursday. The Youth Public Participation forum will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., while the Diaspora forum is slated for 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., both via Zoom.

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.”