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Office of the Governor

GOVERNOR MUTULA CALLS FOR UNIFIED APPROACH TO NAVCDP IMPLEMENTATION IN MAKUENI

May 17, 2024

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. has directed the Department of Agriculture and Livestock to embrace a unified governmental approach in implementing the National Agriculture Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) for sustainable development in Makueni.

Governor Mutula said adopting a cohesive approach would facilitate integration and bolster capacity, thus ensuring that the project’s intended impact is effectively felt by grassroots citizens.

NAVCDP, a five-year initiative, aims to boost market participation and value addition within the mango, dairy, poultry, tomato, and apiculture value chains across all 30 wards in the county.

The County Assembly has also undergone sensitization sessions to ensure smooth implementation. These forums serve as a precursor for the project’s introduction into the communities scheduled for next week.

The governor spoke on Friday during the Cabinet sensitization meeting on NAVCDP, organized by the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the County Project Coordination Unit.

MAKUENI EYES SH 1.2B IN OWN SOURCE REVENUE THROUGH COLLECTION PARTNERSHIP WITH KCB.

Makueni and Kenya Commercial Bank have partnered to enhance the county’s Own Source Revenue collection with a target of Sh 1.2 Billion in the 2023/2024 Financial Year.

On Thursday, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr  and a delegation of KCB managers held a review of the ongoing Market Outreach Last Mile revenue collection which has so far netted Sh 887M.

The team also flagged an accelerated campaign towards the Sh 1.2B mark which also entails a joint coaching of business people on developing bankable ideas, loan and insurance products. 

Governor Mutula said the partnership will be scaled to support the agricultural value chain especially in marketing of mangoes, pixies and green grams.

GOVERNOR MUTULA UNVEILS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN MASONGALENI, PROMISING BETTER HEALTH, WATER, AND EDUCATION FOR RESIDENTS.

During a working tour of Masongaleni Ward on Wednesday, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr and deputy Lucy Mulili unveiled a series of development goodies geared towards improving the quality of life for residents.

In Ngwata Location, Governor Mutula inspected Ngwata Health Centre maternity wing meant to enhance maternal and neonatal services.

In Kativani, the two commissioned a KIBMAWASCO pipeline extension water point which will benefit 1,800 residents.

At Yikitaa, Governor Mutula launched desilting of Uyi earth dam set to benefit 20 villages and modern ECDE Center.

Later in the day, they commissioned Ulilinzi Stock Yard before addressing wananchi.

20 VILLAGES IN MASONGALENI TO BENEFIT FROM UYI DAM.

20 villages in Masongaleni Ward are poised to benefit with clean water from Uyi earthdam desilted by the county government in partnership with the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Wednesday launched the Sh 50M rehabilitation works of the dam during a development tour of Masongaleni Ward.

The dam is a reprieve to hundreds of residents who have to travel long distances to fetch water from River Athi, sometimes risking attacks by crocodiles and hippos.

Some of the targeted villages include Yikitaa, Ngomano, Kyuasini, Maiani, Yimuange, Ngukuni, Nguumo, Kiliani, Makuuni, Yinguvu, Utini, Yimboo, Sokomoto, Ngomeni and Yimavui. Three schools, two market centres and a dispensary will also benefit.

GOVERNOR MUTULA UNVEILS DIGITAL PROJECTS MONITORING AND TRACKING SYSTEM

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has unveiled one-of-a-kind digital projects monitoring and tracking system which will give residents and other stakeholders real time information about the status of development in the county.

The web-based portal dubbed Makueni Projects Monitoring and Tracking System (PMTS), launched on Tuesday, will showcase progress of projects at each stage from Cabinet Paper approval by the governor, allocated budget, procurement, contract award, completion and location of the projects.

Governor Mutula said this system will entrench transparency in development and weed out the problems of unexplained pending bills which have plagued counties, as well as conflict of interests in award of tenders.

The system has been scaled for easy access both on web and android devices. It also features an engagement platform to provide both general and project-based feedback from the public.

The portal can be accessed via https://pmts.makueni.go.ke

KITUI COUNTY BENCHMARKS ON MAKUENI’S SYSTEMS AUTOMATION

Kitui County Deputy Governor Wambua Kanani is leading a delegation of county officials on a two-day benchmarking tour in Makueni on automated cashless revenue collection and the automated system of supply and distribution of medical supplies to health facilities.

Makueni has embraced a cashless payment regime in an effort to minimize corruption risks, instill customer confidence and enhance accountability.

The delegation from Kitui was received in Makueni by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr and Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili on Thursday.

SEKEB GOVERNORS PUSH FOR INCREASED COUNTY FUNDING.

On Thursday, the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc Summit held an Extraordinary meeting attended by commissioners from the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA) on consultation of the fourth basis of revenue sharing.

During the meeting, the three governors Mutula Kilonzo Jr (Makueni), Julius Malombe (Kitui), and Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos) urged that county allocations be adjusted upwards. This will enable the devolved units ably address the myriad of challenges affecting wananchi.

“…The CRA must acknowledge that funds must follow functions, and that the revenue sharing formula must take into consideration the additional risks and pressure on the healthcare that the Bloc faces owing to accidents occurring along the transnational Nairobi-Mombasa Highway…”, read a press statement in part.

The governors resolved to lobby Members of the National Assembly and Senators from the SEKEB Bloc to for a unity of purpose to defend Devolution and champion the SEKEB position when the CRA revenue sharing formula is tabled in Parliament.

MAKUENI AND BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION EXPLORE PARTNERSHIP FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY IN MAKUENI COUNTY.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Tuesday hosted  a British High Commission delegation led by Daniel Wilcox, the Economic Counsellor at the High Commission, who paid him a courtesy call in Makueni 

The team discussed modalities of joint resource mobilization to promote innovative renewable energy technologies and the transition from grid-powered to solar-powered systems within Makueni County.

One of the identified areas of partnership is setting up a state-of-the-art County Energy Center in Kisingo Technical Training Institute to serve the county and country at large.

The UK PACT team, county officials for Energy & Environment visited Makueni County Referral Hospital to inspect ongoing installation of solar panels that will enable 100% reliance on solar power. This project which is jointly funded by the UK in collaboration with the county government will generate 200 kilowatts and is expected to save power costs for the hospital by Sh 7 million annually.

GOVERNOR MUTULA KILONZO JR ON MONDAY APPEARED BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR COUNTY PUBLIC INVESTMENTS AND SPECIAL FUNDS.

Meeting with the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds on Issues Raised by the Auditor General Report on Financial Statements of Makueni County Emergency Fund, Youth, Persons with Disabilities and Table Banking, Groups Empowerment Fund and the Makueni Bursary Fund for the Financial years ending 30th June 2019/20,2020/2021and 2021/2022

  1. Emergency Fund
    The issue raised was Purchase of a Generator by the Executive for Wote Water and sewerage Company (WOWASCO) in the financial year 2021/2022.

The intervention was done during the second wave of Covid 19 and just before the Devolution Conference.

  1. Bursary Fund
    The issues raised here were mainly on lack of proper legislation and unclear guidelines on bursaries and Scholarships in the years under consideration

The County is in the process of enacting the Bursaries and Scholarships Legislation which has been submitted to the County Assembly awaiting enactment.
The regulations have also been reviewed to give clear guideline on the criteria to be used in Bursaries and Scholarships issuance.

  1. The Makueni Empowerment Fund
    The fund had faced high default rate on the loan advanced, had a skewed Memorandum of Understanding with the Bank and operated under a manual system leading to questions whether it is a going concern.

There major interventions after exiting the skewed memorandum.
a) The partnership with World Food Programme has seen the reconstruction of the lending structural aspects of the fund through capacity building.
b) The Fund, in partnership with Safaricom, has set out to co-create a system aimed at digitizing the whole lending experience
c) The Fund through the Department has partnered with Village Enterprise to develop The Makueni County Ultra-Poor Graduation Policy.
d) Enactment of an Empowerment Fund Act
e) Unutilised funds have been put on an interest earning account