Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. appoints Cosmas J. Maweu as Chair, County Housing Committee, alongside members Jacinta Mwikali Mbilo, Peterson Mwiu Kimweli and Purity Mwikali Mutisya, following County Assembly approval.
The committee will oversee housing policies and projects and ensure affordable and sustainable housing development in the County.
Makueni County has a diabetes prevalence rate of 3.7%, translating to approximately 4 out of every 100 residents living with the condition, according to statistics shared by Health Services Chief Officer Dr. Stephen Ndolo.
Speaking during an event at Mutulani Market to mark World Diabetes Day on Friday, Dr. Ndolo emphasized the urgency of adopting modern strategies to enhance diabetes prevention, diagnosis, and management.
He praised community health promoters for their dedication to conducting door-to-door diabetes screenings, noting that such proactive measures are instrumental in improving the overall health of Makueni residents.
Dr. Ndolo also encouraged residents to embrace healthy lifestyles, including balanced diets, regular physical activity, and routine health screenings, as effective ways to combat the growing burden of diabetes in the county.
Makueni County is exploring the financial markets to fund capital-intensive projects with huge development ripple effect.
With the help of Financial Sector Deepening- Kenya (FSD), an independent network that works to improve financial systems, the county is working with Price Waterhouse Cooper to develop bankable proposals for funding under the green finances program.
In a meeting with Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr, on Friday, to explore possible areas of funding, FSD top ranking officials led by Senior Green Finance Specialist Sarah Makena agreed to link the county with partners for funding of the development proposals.
Some of the targeted areas of development funding include: fruits processing and value addition; development of industrial parks; provision of green infrastructure and incentives to attract investors; Water harvesting and green energy development.
Makueni County emerged as a top achiever during the inaugural Gender Justice Change Makers Awards held on Thursday night at a Nairobi hotel, bringing home three prestigious honors.
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. was honored with the 2024 Gender Justice Award for Enabling Legal Environment, acknowledging his commitment to fostering policies that promote gender equity. The county’s Sector Working Group was recognized as the second runners-up, highlighting its collaborative efforts in advancing gender justice. Additionally, the County Director of Gender, Children and Social Services received an award for outstanding contributions to gender justice initiatives.
The event,organized by Equality Now, celebrated the transformative work of individuals and institutions in addressing sexual and gender-based violence while creating a platform to discuss persisting challenges in the fight for gender equality.
Receiving the awards on behalf of the county, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili lauded Makueni’s progress in policy development, including the implementation of the Social Protection Policy, Gender Policy, Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Policy, and Children Policy, among others.
Mulili underscored the county’s commitment to ensuring a fair and inclusive society for all, adding that the awards gala brought together stakeholders from across the country, reaffirming a shared dedication to eliminating gender-based violence and advancing justice for vulnerable groups.
Business owners in Makueni County can now pay for permits and licenses in installments, following the enactment of the 2024 Finance Act.
Finance Executive Damaris Kavoi announced the changes during a market outreach at Emali Bus Park on Wednesday, where she also revealed discounts for timely compliance. As part of the incentives, small and medium-sized enterprises will enjoy a 10% discount on their unified invoice bills, while large businesses will receive a 5% discount.
The outreach event also brought good news to tenants of Emali Bus Park and the modern market stalls. Their rent has been reduced, and have also been granted a 50% waiver on arrears accrued during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
These measures, effective from December 1, 2024, aim to ease financial strain on businesses and enhance revenue collection efficiency.
Kavoi, however, decried low compliance in property rates and unregistered plots, urging property owners to clear arrears and provide required data to improve service delivery.
The measures reflect Governor Mutula’s continued efforts to foster a conducive business environment while enhancing revenue mobilisation to fund critical services and development projects.
The European Union, in partnership with two entities, Trademark Africa and Rootooba, and Makueni County Government hosted a stakeholder meeting on Thursday to plan for the creation of an export supply hub for fruits and vegetables in Makueni County.
The proposed export hub in Makueni is part of a nationwide initiative to establish three hubs.
It is intended to serve as a central facility for processing, packaging and exporting fresh produce from neighboring counties, including Kitui, Machakos, Taita Taveta and Kajiado.
Speaking during the consultative forum, Makueni’s Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development CECM Joyce Mutua noted that the hub will help local farmers by improving access to larger markets, offering better prices and boosting their income through increased export opportunities.
Mutua says the initiative aims at streamlining the agricultural supply chain by ensuring that the produce meets international market standards while facilitating efficient distribution to global markets.
Trademark Africa Director for Standards Dr. Andrew Edewa praised Makueni County for its collaboration in establishing the hub, emphasizing that the facility will be a transformative asset for local farmers.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders including representatives from KEPHIS, TradeMark Africa, Farmer Producer Company, JKUAT, Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya, exporters and farmers to discuss challenges in current agricultural practices, ways to improve market compliance and explore collaboration opportunities.
The forum was also attended by Kajiado CECM for Trade and Investment, Leah Marias and Taita Taveta Chief officer for Trade, Nashon Nyali among other representatives.
The Tourism Directorate on Wednesday launched consultative meetings with church leaders in the county to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a pilgrimage center.
The meeting attended by representatives from various Christian denominations, including Africa Inland Church, Anglican Church of Kenya, African Brotherhood Church, Salvation Army and Catholic Church focused on creating a framework for the development of a dedicated space for worship and personal spiritual growth and was open to all denominations.
Leading the forum, the County Executive Committee Member for Trade, Marketing, Industry, Culture and Tourism Dr. Sonia Nzilani highlighted the importance of unity in faith emphasizing that once actualized, the center would serve as a touristic platform to bring Christians together for a shared purpose.
Attending the meeting, Bishop Joshua Mativo of the Africa Inland Church lauded the county government’s initiative appreciating the inclusion of the church in planning for an environment of worship and personal reflection.
Upon implementation, the pilgrimage center proposed at Nzaui Hill aims to boost local tourism and create economic opportunities for the community with improved infrastructure.
The meeting attended by Chief Officer Dr. Jossylyn Nzilani, Rev. Dominic Kasoo of ACK, Captain Patrick Mwangangi of Salvation Army and Reverend Canon Daniel Mutua of ABC marks the beginning of a masterplan series of forums that will help shape the development of the pilgrimage masterplan.
The County Government of Makueni, in collaboration with Flone Initiative has launched a comprehensive roadmap to establish safe, sustainable and inclusive public transport systems in the county.
The initiative follows a baseline survey conducted earlier this year, which identified significant challenges faced by vulnerable groups, including Persons With Disabilities and women, in accessing public transport.
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., alongside Flone Initiative Executive Director Naomi Mwaura, signed the agreement on Wednesday. Governor Mutula pledged to fast-track short-term interventions to promote equitable and accessible transport solutions across the county.
49 Village Administrators in Makueni County were on Tuesday given their letters of promotion at an event held at the Green Park, Wote.
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. urged the administrators to rededicate their efforts in serving the people of Makueni County. He hailed the administrators for effectively representing his administration on the ground as they are constantly in touch with the people at the grassroots.
Governor Mutula advised the administrators to constantly upgrade their professional qualifications for career advancement.
Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili asked the administrators to strive to address issues affecting residents. She said the County is working to re-engineer operations at the Sub County level for effective service delivery.
Devolution CECM Nicholas Nzioka assured the team of his total support and asked then to work closely with other county units like Sand Authority to restore sanity in public sector.
Makueni, once among the top ten counties with the highest maternal death rates, has made strides in maternal healthcare. Since 2022, no maternal deaths caused by postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) have been reported in its public hospitals.
This achievement is attributed to innovative healthcare practices and the adoption of Heat-Stable Carbetocin, a World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended drug proven to prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth.
The county has also embraced calibrated drapes, a specialized tool that helps measure blood loss during childbirth.
These clear drapes, placed on delivery beds, enable accurate monitoring, allowing medical personnel to respond swiftly to abnormal bleeding.
On Tuesday, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. flagged off 11,000 calibrated drapes for distribution to health facilities across the county, further bolstering this initiative.
The governor emphasized his commitment to ensuring that women in Makueni deliver safely and return home with healthy babies.
He hosted members of the UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, who visited the county to learn from its best practices in managing PPH.
The visiting delegation, mainly from Norway and Italy, is dedicated to mobilizing donor governments and strengthening collaborations to improve access to quality healthcare globally.
Makueni is among the first counties in Kenya to adopt a comprehensive approach to combating PPH, combining the use of Heat-Stable Carbetocin with calibrated drapes.
These efforts are part of the “Accelerating Measurable Progress and Leveraging Investments for Postpartum Hemorrhage Impact (AMPLI-PHHI)” program, a partnership between the county and Jhpiego. This initiative aims to drastically reduce maternal mortality and morbidity rates associated with PPH.
