Partnerships

MAKUENI DEPLOYS SMART METERS TO END NON-REVENUE WATER.

While Makueni faces higher water demand than the supply capacity, water service providers have struggled with the menace of unaccounted for water (Non-Revenue water).

Statistics from the three water supply companies: WOWASCO, KIBWASCO and MBOWASCO indicate that non-revenue water accounts for 30 percent of the total water produced and which never reach consumers.

This menace has continued to pile pressure on the county government’s purse as it invests more resources in water infrastructure development to meet the daily demand of 60,000,000 liters. Current water production stands at 30,000,000 according to Water Executive Committee Member John Kieti.

To quell the non-revenue water problem, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has instructed water companies in the county to invest in technology such as smart meters, bulk water meters, high-density polyethylene pipes and leakage detectors.

The roll out of the smart meters has kicked off with 31 water points done in collaboration with Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH) and Water Mission already installed. This has recorded a huge success and the water department plans to replicate this in all water dispensing points.

The smart meters have also reduced revenue leakages as customers use prepaid token cards or mobile money wallets to pay for water drawn. This means that all the water one draws is equivalent to the amount of token points swiped, and all the cash goes to a bank account.

To enhance the smart metering program, the county government has secured Sh 39M funding from USAID’s Sustainable, Transformational, and Accessible WASH Interventions (STAWI) project. The funding will support the three water service providers, each getting Sh 13M, to install the smart meters in all their water points across the county.

RUTO LAUNCHES GREENTECH HUB IN KONZA TECHNOPOLIS.

President William Ruto on Friday inaugurated the Timbuktoo GreenTech Hub in Konza Technopolis, Makueni County in an event attended by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., government officials, entrepreneurs, academia, policymakers and business leaders.

President Ruto said the government had launched a digital infrastructure project to construct a 100 km fibre optic super highway to connect 74,000 public institutions to the internet.

Phase two of the project will deliver internet services to 8.5 million homes and businesses.

Governor Kilonzo thanked the national government and partners for initiating the project in Konza. Terming it a dream come true, the Governor requested the Government to consider reducing taxes on green energy components.

The hub will encourage green and digital transitions in agriculture, ICT and energy sectors.

It is powered by Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Cloud Computing and it is intended to assist Kenya’s micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, which are the heart of the country’s economy.

The hub, an initiative under the UNDP Timbuktoo Project, also aims at transforming the country into a globally competitive, knowledge-based economy driven by innovation.

USAID PARTNERS WITH MAKUENI COUNTY TO BOOST REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Local Food Systems program, has joined hands with the County Government of Makueni to promote regenerative and conservation-based agricultural practices in the county.

The initiative, targeting 5,000 households, aims to enhance agricultural productivity, increase profitability, and uplift household incomes.

One of the program’s success stories is Georgina Musyoki, an early adopter who earned Ksh 350,000 from her 5-acre farm in 2023. Her achievements highlight the potential of regenerative agriculture to transform livelihoods in Makueni.

To celebrate the program’s success and its transformative impact, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Wednesday hosted visiting USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security, Mia Beers at Muvau ward. Beers is visiting from Washington DC.

The visit underscores the shared commitment to advancing sustainable farming practices for long-term food security and resilience.

USAID ENVIRONMENT AND FOOD SECURITY BOSS VISITS MAKUENI FOR A TOUR OF JOINT WATER PROJECTS

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. hosts USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Resilience, Environment and Food Security Mia Beers for a development tour of Makueni.

The envoy is touring water projects developed by USAID through STAWI in partnership with the Makueni County Government to appreciate their community impact.

The projects include Kaiti 2 water project set to provide water to residents of Sarova area near Wote for domestic use and micro- irrigation. Others are solarizarization of Mwaani borehole and construction of a 300 cubic meters treatment sump at Kamunyolo.

The projects are meant to increase access to clean potable water for Wote town and water for climate smart farming to enhance food security.

MAKUENI COUNTY PARTNERS WITH SCHOOLTRY TO ENHANCE DEVOLVED EDUCATION THROUGH ICT.

Makueni County has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Schooltry, a Swedish program founded in 2018, to enhance education through digital transformation. The partnership, involving the County’s ICT Department and Schooltry, aims to utilize ICT to improve service delivery in education and other sectors. Over the past two years, Makueni has achieved significant milestones in ICT and innovation including the Project Monitoring and Tracking System (PMTS), The County Integrated Health Management Information System ( CIHMIS), enhancement of the County Core Revenue System ( ZIZI), the Supplier Registration Portal, the Vocational Training Centers (VTC) Portal and other citizen engagement tools.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. highlighted the role of ICT in promoting transparency, saying, “We are a transparent government and that has been possible due to systems developed and deployed by our ICT Department.

The delegation expressed commitment to helping Makueni achieve the next level of digital transformation.

Schooltry’s team included Carlotta Falk, Global Head of Strategic Partnerships, George Jilani, Kenya Country Director, Ismail Eleburuike, Founder and Global CEO and Fredrick Wallmark, Global COO.

OVER 3000 BENEFIT FROM SPECIALIZED MEDICAL CAMP IN MAKUENI

More than 3000 residents received orthopedic,dental and cataract surgeries at Tawa Sub-County Hospital during a medical camp organized by the County Government of Makueni in collaboration with the Shrimad Rajchandra charitable organization.

The medical camp successfully addressed three complex orthopedic cases, performed 114 eye cataract surgeries, and conducted 70 dental procedures.

In addition to the surgeries, the camp provided vital health screenings for diabetes and high blood pressure, enhancing access to critical healthcare services for the community.

Speaking during the event, Dr. Stephen Ndolo, Chief Officer for Health Services, encouraged locals to take full advantage of the camp’s offerings, including screenings for cervical and breast cancer as well as other medical conditions.

Dr. Ndolo also urged residents to enroll in the Makueni Care health insurance program (SHA) to ease the financial burden of hospital bills, emphasizing the importance of preparedness in accessing affordable healthcare.

The camp reflects the county’s ongoing efforts to improve health services and promote preventative care among its residents.

MAKUENI EXPLORES GREEN FINANCE TO FUND MEGA DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

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, FLONE UNVEIL ROADMAP FOR INCLUSIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE COUNTY

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.

MAKUENI ACHIEVES MILESTONE IN MATERNAL HEALTH, RECORDS ZERO PPH DEATHS SINCE 2022

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.

ENI DONATES MEDICAL EQUIPMENT WORTH K.SH 40 MILLION TO BOOST HEALTHCARE IN MAKUENI

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Friday received medical equipment worth K.sh 40 Million from ENI Kenya, a leading biofuels value chain investor in the country.

The equipment, handed over by ENI Kenya Managing Director Enrico Tavolini, includes a centrifuge and a fridge to support blood unit preservation at the Referral Hospital, neonatal equipment for the Mother and Child Hospital in Wote, and nutritional supplements for pregnant women and babies, among other items.

Additionally, ENI has equipped the maternity wing at Kambi-Mawe Dispensary and is constructing an ablution block and a biodigester to enhance sanitation services at the facility.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Governor Mutula hailed the initiative, saying it would significantly improve healthcare services in the two facilities.

The partnership is expected to bolster healthcare delivery and align with Governor Mutula’s goal of providing quality and accessible medical services.