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Lands

GOVERNOR MUTULA LAUNCHES ONE-STOP DIGITAL LAND SERVICES SYSTEM

Makueni County has gone digital in its land services bringing all land related services under one digital roof—Makueni Ardhi System— accessible from any part of the globe at the click of a button.

The self-service portal launched by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Tuesday is modelled after the national government’s Ardhisasa, and guarantees users 24/7 convenient access of land services such as:

• Payment of property rates and rent,

• Plot searches,

• Application of construction permits, clearance certificates and other development permissions,

• Property owners are provided with flexible payment options where they are able to make partial payments on property rent and rates.

• The system is configured to give users feedback through SMSs and email and promoting paperless transactions.

The system has onboarded 32,332 plots, from 27,000 plots before development of Ardhi Makueni. From this number, Makueni targets to raise Ksh 170 million in Own Source Revenue from land-based revenue streams in the 2024/2025 Financial Year.

The system while increasing efficiency in land resources management will weed out malpractices such public land grabbing and or encroachment.

Log onto https://lims.makueni.go.ke to access these digital services.

GOVERNOR MUTULA CHAIRS STAKEHOLDERS MEETING TO PLAN NGAI NDETHYA SETTLEMENT

Makueni County, in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), has initiated plans to draw a Land Management Plan for Ngai Ndethya Game Reserve, geared towards excising 13,000 hectares for human settlement and conservancies.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Tuesday chaired a consultative forum in his office, which was attended by KWS Wildlife and Community Service Director Prof. Charles Musyoki, several conservancy leaders, and executive committee members among other stakeholders.

The forum aimed to set the stage for the development of a Land Use and Management Plan for the 21,000-hectare Ngai Ndethya Game Reserve. This plan would allow the county government to excise 13,000 hectares off the protected area and pave way for issuance of title deeds.

To spearhead the process, a multi-sectoral team has been established and tasked with drafting the management plan within six months.

MAKUENI AND KWS CHARTS A NEW PATH FOR CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. met with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Prof. Erastus Kanga on Tuesday to discuss critical issues affecting Makueni County.

Top in the discussion was the regularization of the Ngai Ndethya settlement scheme, which is currently a national reserve. It was resolved that the county government will initiate a management plan for excision to allocate 13,860 hectares for human settlement and 7,279 hectares for wildlife conservancy.

It was agreed that the conservancy would remain public land and be designated as a game reserve, to be managed collaboratively by the County Government of Makueni and the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Prof. Kanga emphasized the importance of wildlife conservation for biodiversity and sustaining life, as highlighted by UNESCO.

During the meeting, Governor Kilonzo committed to establishing a resource centre with offices for the County Game Warden and Liaison Officer. In turn, KWS pledged to improve road access in Mtito Andei town to enhance connectivity.

Further, he noted that the collaboration would boost revenue by positioning Mtito Andei as a key tourist destination. “This partnership is a win for conservation, development, and the people of Makueni.” Kilonzo remarked

Additionally, the meeting addressed the urgent need for concerted mitigation of human-wildlife conflict in the county with the completion of 20 Kilometre electric fence from Wandei to Gaza set before the end of February 2025. KWS was urged to implement swift intervention measures and expedite compensation for affected residents.

The Governor was accompanied by CEC Members Japheth Mang’oka (Lands), Nicholas Nzioka (Devolution), Eng. Peter Nyamai (Transport), and Chief Officers Eng. Naomi Nthambi (Energy), Dr. Geoffrey Ngovi (Environment), and Daudi Kyalo (Lands and Urban Planning).

BUILDING A WATER SECURE MAKUENI

In an endeavor to enhance water access to residents of Makueni, through the Last Mile Water Connectivity program, County Executive Member for Finance Damaris Kavoi on Monday launched Mulima dam phase 2 distribution works, on behalf of Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.

This project aims to enhance the pumping system of Mulima’s treated water to Syiluni hill and distribution through the existing pipeline to residents of Mbooni and Tulimani wards.

The launch was witnessed by CECs John Kieti (Water), Japheth Mang’oka (Lands), Nicholas Nzioka (Devolution) and area MCA Alexander Mulemba.

MAKUENI KICKS OFF CAMPAIGN TO GROW 1 MILLION TREES

The Department of Lands through the Directorate of Environment has launched a campaign to grow 1 million trees in the October-November-December rain season.

The exercise is part of a greater initiative by the County Government of Makueni to plant and grow 344M trees by the year 2032 to restore degraded landscapes and forests.

The exercise was launched by County Executive Committee Member Japheth Mang’oka flanked by Chief Officer Geoffrey Muthoka, representatives of Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Forest Research Institute and Community Forest Association at Kalumbi Forest in Mbitini Ward, Makueni Sub-county.

Acting Director Climate Change Jackline Kamusa says a greater percentage of the trees are fruit trees, to be given to farmers to ensure food resilience in the wake of climate change.

To weed out the menacing illegal felling of trees for charcoal and timber, Mang’oka said the county government has enlisted the support of Community Forest Associations for policing and intelligence sharing on the perpetrators of this environmental destruction.

MAKUENI INTENSIFIES LANDSCAPE RESTORATION OF DEGRADED LANDS

Makueni’s Department of Lands, in partnership with FAO and the European Union under the Digital Land Governance Programme, has completed a two-day capacity building workshop for Muambwani and Kalumbi Community Forests restoration stakeholders.

The training is geared towards equipping the stakeholders, among them the community, with necessary information for participatory forest management planning, build synergies among the different stakeholders and carry out monitoring and evaluation of the Muambwani-Kalumbi Community Forest restoration progress.

The training brought together community members, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service and ICRAF representatives.

County Chief Officer in charge of Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change Geoffrey Muthoka reiterated Makueni’s determination to restore degraded landscapes while encouraging the planting of high-value trees in both public and private farmlands.

GOVERNOR MUTULA KILONZO JR ON TUESDAY MORNING HOSTED A DELEGATION OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM NEPAL.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Tuesday morning hosted a delegation of government officials from Nepal for a peer-to-peer learning on Makueni’s Devolved Climate Financing. Makueni has implemented a robust community driven climate change resilience building strategy where the community identifies climate risks and resilience action plans.

900 community members who form the ward climate change planning committees act as ambassadors of climate change at the community level.

WIN FOR MAKUENI COUNTY IN MTITO ANDEI RATES CASE.

The Court of Appeal has stayed orders which had been issued by a Mombasa Court stopping makueni county from collecting revenue at Mtito Andei town.

The order by the Court of Appeal authorises Makueni County to collect revenue in Mtito Andei and quashes the earlier court order authorising Taita Taveta to collect revenue in Mtito Andei. It also suspends notices issued by Okiya Omtata and Taita Taveta County directing business owners at Mtito Andei to pay rates and permits to Taita Taveta County.

In an appeal, Makueni County argued that the orders from the mombasa court violated the constitution by requiring County government to open commercial account for collecting revenue instead of the County Revenue Fund.

This reprieve which has been welcomed by residents of Mtito Andei comes after National Land Commission had written to the Mombasa Court informing it that Mtito Andei is squarely within Makueni County.

3400 RESIDENTS TO RECEIVE TITLE DEEDS

August 26, 2024

Over 3,400 landowners in Kaunguni and Kinyoo settlement schemes in Kibwezi-West Sub-County will soon secure their title deeds set to be issued next month.

This milestone follows a consultative meeting held in Nairobi on Monday between Makueni County Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr and Ministry of Lands Cabinet Secretary Hon. Alice Wahome .The discussions centered on the issuance of titles and other key land matters in Makueni County.

The county government is actively collaborating with the Ministry of Lands to expedite the adjudication process and the issuance of title deeds in all pending settlement schemes and sections such as Kai B, Kathekani B and Syumile among others.

It was also agreed that the erroneous land records for Malili and Aimi Ma Kilungu Ranches, currently housed in Machakos, be transferred to Makueni to ensure accuracy and accessibility.

Also in attendance at the meeting were Lands CECM Nicholas Nzioka and Chief Officer Jackson Daudi.