Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to footer

News

Makueni-USAID sign Partnership Agreement

Makueni on Thursday became the first out of the eight Prosper Counties to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to operationalize a US-Kenya trade agreement.

Prosper Counties comprises eight counties selected to participate in a U.S- Kenya trade agreement seeking to partner with counties and the private sector to advance Kenya’s journey to self-reliance by contributing to job creation, improving economic growth, and expanding tax revenues in Kenya’s secondary cities and rural areas.

The eight are Makueni, Kakamega, Nakuru, Mombasa, Kisumu, Isiolo, Kisii and Kiambu and were selected based on high economic potential, effective governance practices (Makueni), and commitment to create an enabling business environment.

According to Mark Meassick, USAID Mission Director in Kenya who signed on behalf of the agency, USAID will utilize its networks to support workforce development, policy formulation and select public investments in key sectors including agribusiness, tourism, manufacturing, technology, finance and health in the county.

Under the Prosper Counties initiative, unveiled by President Uhuru Kenyatta on 30th October 2019 under the US Prosper Africa Presidential Initiative, the US government aims to leverage its expertise and relationships to support county level private sector solutions by investing in Business-to-Business relationships.

Governor Kibwana who signed the MoU on behalf of Makueni county government reiterated his commitment towards implementation of this partnership.

He said his administration will move with speed to ensure a legislation in the county assembly is passed for sustainability and ensure availability of funds where co-funding of projects is required.

  • January 23, 2020 in News

Makueni Launches Campaign to Rescue Mango Farmers from Pests

Mango actors in the country have launched a rigorous campaign towards establishment of Fruit Fly Free Zones (FFFZ) in Makueni County.

The campaign, launched at Kwakathoka Wednesday, provides an opportunity for the various actors in the mango value chain to interact and kick off activities geared towards reduction of mango losses due to fruit fly infestation in Makueni County and in Kenya at large.

The campaign also aims at sensitizing and creating awareness on fruit fly control and to create pest free areas. The outcomes of this campaign is expected to stimulate mango export and increase incomes for mango farmers and other value chain actors.

The campaign is driven by the county government, USAID, Feed the Future, Rockefeller foundation, and the Kenyan national government through various agro agencies.

The partners to this campaign have unveiled a raft of measures which will ensure a successful campaign, which include:

Working with five Integrated Pest Management technology providers and two mango cooperatives to promote adoption of IPM best practices;

The campaign will also involve training of 10,000 farmers, training 100 agro dealers and setting up of a distribution system, establishment of 120 demonstration orchards as well as holding 80 field days across the county.

94 needy pupils secure county scholarships

At least 94 needy pupils from Makueni who sat their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in 2019 have secured full scholarships to their secondary schools of admission courtesy of the county government of Makueni.

Each of the 94 beneficiaries will receive Shs 70,000 per year for tuition, uniform and books while their families will cater for personal effects.

Governor Kivutha Kibwana who issued scholarship cheques to the beneficiaries on Monday at ATC-Kwakathoka termed the programme a lifeline for most vulnerable and bright children in the society.

“The Makueni County Scholarship support programme has proved to be a lifeline to many bright children who would have ended up in poorly resourced schools that cannot provide them quality education,” said Kibwana.

“Were it not for this programme, others would have ended up as casual laborers with a bleak future despite their stellar performance in national exams,” he further noted.

Kibwana said the county government is currently supporting 362 students in the scholarship programme for both continuing and the new students since its inception in 2014.

He said besides the 94 scholarships, his administration will spend Sh 18 million for bursaries to needy students in both secondary and tertiary institutions in the 2019/2020 Financial Year.

Building for the future

Governor Kivutha Kibwana on Tuesday opened a one day mentorship seminar on servant and visionary leadership for Makueni University Students Association leaders at Wote.

The seminar is organized by the County Government in Partnership with the Africa Servant Leadership Development Initiative (ASLEAD).

According to governor Kibwana, the seminar is meant to build young visionary leaders for the county and country, who will provide a revolutionary leadership through peer influence in few years to come.

He said his administration is working towards getting young people to provide strategic leadership at all levels of administration in the county. For starters, Kibwana ordered the Education department to ensure each of the county bursary committees has a slot for a MUSA representative.

“This is the beginning point for building future great leaders for this county. I feel greatly empowered to go any length in the service for humanity,” Said Jane Syombua the assistant MUSA Secretary General Kaiti chapter.

Syombua is a Bachelor of Science in Medicine and Surgery student at Egerton University.

  • January 7, 2020 in News

Makueni Basketball men finish second at KYISA

Makueni basketball men soared high as they finished second in the 6th edition of Kenya Youth Inter-County Sports Association games held in Busia between 14th and 21st December.

The under 23 boys put up an onerous fight against hosts Busia, under a sea of cheering fans, but fell 51-46 finishing second overall.

Makueni had earlier crashed Turkana 58-42 in a breath taking semi final at the Busia stadium to advance to the final.

Enroute to the finals, Makueni edged out Siaya 68-30 and Nakuru 44-37.

County Executive for Education, Sports and ICT Joshua Wambua is convinced Makueni has what it takes to become a sporting giant. He says the county will continue to invest in talent development With a view to promoting sports as a career for thousands of young people.

Makueni Basketball men through to KYISA Finals

Makueni basketball men are a game away from being crowned Kenya Youth Inter-county Sports Association games 6th edition champions.

The boys crashed their Turkana counterparts 58-42 in a breath taking semi final at the Busia stadium to advance to the final, where they will meet hosts Busia at 4pm Today.

Through to the top, Makueni edged out Siaya 68-30 and Nakuru 44-37.

Much as Busia enjoys home advantage and loud cheers, coach Frederick Makundi is confident Makueni will have the last laugh going by their vitality and prowess in the pitch.

Makueni sportsmen stamp authority at KYISA

Makueni continues to display its sporting prowess at the ongoing Kenya Inter-County Sports Association games in Busia.

So far, both men and women footballers have qualified for the knockouts as runners up behind Trans Nzoia (Men) and Kwale (Women).

On day three of the games, Wednesday, Makueni volleyball queens hammered their Nyandarua counterparts 3-0 sets thus securing a slot at the knock-out stages with a game in hand against hosts Busia.

In Men’s volleyball, Makueni will be on the pitch Thursday against Nyandarua having thrashed Kakamega 3-1 sets on Tuesday.

Makueni executive for Education, Sports and ICT Joshua Wambua is upbeat that the Makueni sportsmen, all under 23, are well prepared to go for silverware as the curtains draw on the 6th edition of the inter-county games on Saturday.

Powering Makueni

Makueni is set to benefit from an enticing renewable energy deal that will drive its industrial vision sustainably.

The deal involves setup of a LED lighting project in the county in a tripartite Public-Private-Partnership agreement bringing together the government (Makueni County), the private sector (SOLAFRIQUE, a limited company) and the academia (Strathmore University and Lukenya University).

The five-year deal was signed on Tuesday at Strathmore Business School by Governor Kivutha Kibwana, senator Sylvia Kasanga of Lukenya University, Solafrique Chief Executive Officer Lois Gicheru and Hildah Mugire, Vice Dean, Academic and Student Affairs-Strathmore University.

With support from the two universities and the county government, Solafrique will setup the LED lighting project in the county; Light of towns and streets within Makueni County with products from the plant; Design and installation of energy efficient solutions in all public institutions in Makueni County.

This includes but is not limited to installing LED bulbs in the institutions and installing off grid or on grid solar systems; Provision of Jobs for youth; and Provision of energy efficient solutions.

Lukenya University will provide site for the LED lighting project; offer its campus to be used for training purposes; Provide training site for energy-water-food nexus solutions; and assist Makueni County Government in the development of a skill based curriculum.

On its part, Strathmore University will assist in development of a county energy plan; Development of county policy and law on energy; Training of county managers on energy matters and technical and non-technical training to officers and training of ToTs.

The University will also offer technical guidance on establishment of a renewable energy centre for the county; Training of technical training institutions within the county on renewable energy courses; Research on renewable energy and efficient energy solutions in the county; and carry out a County Energy Audit.