Cabinet Secretary for Health Susan Nakhumicha earlier today arrived in Wote, Makueni, for a spot check on Universal Health Care roll out and Public Participation on Social Health Insurance regulations 2024. The CS is hosted by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr and Senator Daniel Maanzo.
In a bid to foster sustainable energy development, Makueni County has joined forces with Strathmore University and WRI in an energy training collaboration. Spearheaded by the Housing and Energy Directorate, the collaborative workshop aimed at bolstering energy-saving initiatives across various government departments, marking a significant leap towards sustainable energy development.
The workshop convened teams from health, energy, agriculture, and water departments for an in-depth exploration of energy management strategies. Spearheaded by Housing and Energy Chief Officer Eng. Naomi Nthambi, the training emphasized the pivotal role of energy conservation in the county.
Eng. Nthambi shed light on the Makueni County Energy Plan and ongoing pilot projects geared towards enhancing energy efficiency. Participants delved into crucial topics such as Energy Management Regulations and Appliance Energy Performance during interactive discussions.
Expanding its reach, the workshop included a specialized session for Technical Working Group and Facility Managers, who actively delved into practical implementation strategies for energy management county-wide.
Key takeaways from facility managers highlighted the importance of finalizing the Energy Planning Process, establishing Facility-Level Energy Management Teams, and fostering communication and collaboration among teams. The discussion also stressed the significance of implementing mechanisms for Monitoring, Control, and Reporting, alongside regular policy reviews to adapt to evolving energy management practices.
Covering practical aspects including Energy Management Systems and Lighting Systems, this collaborative effort underscores Makueni County’s steadfast commitment to forging a sustainable future through informed energy practices.
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr spend a significant portion of his Friday engaging with accomplished agribusiness farmers in Mavindini, an exceedingly arid ward within the county.
These farmers have adopted climate-smart agricultural technologies to achieve optimal productivity and profitability.
The Makueni County Government is committed to providing support to these farmers as well as other emerging ones, with the goal of transforming agriculture into a lucrative venture, particularly for younger generations.
The Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development is leading this initiative in collaboration with the Department of Water and Sanitation.
The scope of works includes excavation of the dam, fencing installation, cattle troughs and sanitation blocks construction, masonry tank building, piping works installation and draw-off point establishment.
The rehabilitation of the dam is being implemented through the National Agricultural & Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) and funded by the World Bank.
Upon completion, the 67,000M³ capacity dam will provide water for irrigated farming to almost 7,000 local residents.
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Thursday launched a 100-day Rapid Results Initiative aimed at enhancing own-source revenue for improved service delivery.
The County , through the Department of Finance, Planning, Budget and Revenue is targeting to raise Sh 1.24 billion by the financial year closing on June 30th, 2024 through rigorous sensitization efforts.
According to the governor, this exercise will include auto and unified billing where individual bills can be paid in one invoice to maximize revenue while reducing government enforcement stress on taxpayers.
“The unified billing provides an opportunity for the charges of two or more utility services to be cumulated in a single invoice…… All invoices will be issued digitally through SMS and payments can also be made using mobile phones,” said Mutula Jr.
Furthermore, Kilonzo Jr emphasized that the government has embraced a cashless payment regime as part of its effort to minimize corruption risks, instill customer confidence and enhance accountability.
Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili who also graced the event urged all business sector players to faithfully pay their revenues for better services.
In addition, Finance and Revenue Executive Damaris Kavoi announced that liquor licenses would now be registered online, making services accessible faster and cost-friendly for citizens.
During this initiative’s duration of 100 days, county officials plan on reaching out to citizens with new revenue payment service information ensuring strict adherence is maintained.
The business community present during the launch promised compliance as well as support towards achieving the ambitious targets set forth by the County Government.
The National Irrigation Authority in collaboration with the County Government of Makueni has unveiled a 100,000 cubic meters (equivalent to 100 million liters) water capacity earthdam in Kiuuku village, in Kitise/Kithuki Ward.
The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Vincent Musyoka, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Energy Committee and Mwala MP, flanked by John Kieti, the County Executive Committee Member for Water in Makueni and area MP Suzanne Kiamba on Wednesday.
The Ksh 19M project aims to address the persistent water scarcity in the ward by providing a reliable source for both domestic use and micro-irrigation. About 7,000 residents will benefit from this project.
Her Excellency Anita Mutula, the First Lady of Makueni and Chairperson of the Anita Mbinya Foundation, led a food distribution exercise today to 38 special schools and children’s homes across all six subcounties in Makueni.
Anita emphasized the importance of doing good and caring for our orphaned and vulnerable children.
“Giving is a gift, especially when done with love. It’s not about the quantity of what we give, but the amount of love we pour into our giving. I have a deep love for children, and our foundation will continue to seek out more partners to ensure the sustainability of such noble programs,” Anita said.
A total of 2,186 children were reached as 6,000 kilograms of maize flour and 2,400 liters of cooking oil were distributed.
Over 300 residents of Makueni will have their eyesight restored through surgery courtesy of the Rotary Club of Nairobi , Rotary Club of Machakos and Government of Makueni County .
A three-day screening and treatment camp for cataracts and other ophthalmic ailments was launched by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr and Rotary Club of Nairobi President Susan Murabana at the Makueni County Referral Hospital, Monday, where hundreds turned up for check up.
Governor Mutula said his administration will invest in ophthalmic equipment to combat preventable blindness and create HOPE for more residents.
Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili hosted a health department project team on Wednesday, partnering with Kenyatta University and consortium members (Alliance Bioversity & CIAT and FSPN-Africa) for the implementation of the “HealthyDiets4Africa” project.
This EU-funded initiative, aims to combat malnutrition in Africa by diversifying food systems, will be active in Makueni and Nairobi Counties.
Mulili praised the team’s dedication to improving complementary feeding practices, nutrition, and health outcomes in Makueni. She affirmed the county government’s commitment to providing essential support throughout this initiative.
Among the projects sparking the interest of the Kitui delegation are Makueni’s web-based inventory System for drugs and pharmaceuticals in 13 health facilities, the Ajiry Center, Makueni Tech and Innovation Hub, The Attachment and Internship Online Management System(IVAS), Land Management Information System among others.
They also learned about myCounty App, a one-stop shop Application for all government services powered through a partnership with Safaricom.
On matters youth, the visiting county was treated to an assortment of programs among them Ujuzi teketeke where youths are trained and offered equipment to start their businesses by the Department of Gender, Children, Youth, Sports, and Social Services.
