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NZIU VTC IN FUNDRAISER TO PURCHASE DRIVING SCHOOL VEHICLES

Nziu Vocational Training Centre on Saturday hosted a major fundraising drive to purchase driving school vehicles, drawing strong support from Makueni County leaders and the local community. The event highlighted the centre’s rapid growth and its position as the institution with the highest number of trainees among the county’s 61 vocational centres.

CECM for ICT, Education & Internship Japheth Mang’oka urged parents to enroll more students, saying technical and vocational training offers a pathway to economic empowerment.

The centre is among 15 institutions selected under the KCB Foundation Sponsorship Programme, Cohort 1, a recognition that has boosted its reputation as a hub for hands-on skills training. The vehicles will ease access for learners, aligning with Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s manifesto pledge to strengthen vocational training by investing in modern equipment

The event was attended by Chief Officer Irene Makau, County Attorney Stanley Nthiwa alongside area MCA Felix Mateso among others.

MAKUENI MOVES TO SAFER, SMARTER PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Public Works and Energy, in partnership with Flone Initiative, has embarked on drafting a Public Transport Policy aimed at creating a safe, professional and inclusive industry for all.

On Friday, county technical officers drawn from various departments converged in Wote for a consultative forum to shape safe, accessible and well-structured strategies that will inform the policy document.

Speaking during the forum, County Executive Committee Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy, Eng. Peter Nyamai noted that the policy will help formalize the public transport system, encourage investment and align land use patterns with transport strategies.

He further highlighted that the policy will also promote social equity by prioritizing safe and accessible services for marginalized and vulnerable groups.

The initiative is supported by the German organization Heinrich Böll Stiftung through Flone Initiative, which advocates for safer and more inclusive transport systems.

This partnership marks a major step toward modernizing public transport in Makueni, ensuring it not only supports economic growth but also serves every member of the community with dignity and safety.

MAKUENI FARMERS TO BENEFIT FROM SUBSIDIZED SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Farmers in Makueni County are set to benefit from 6 metric tonnes of sunflower seed under the Edible Oil Crops Promotion Project (EOCPP) subsidy programme.

In a capacity building forum held on Wednesday by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development (DALFCD) in collaboration with the Agriculture and Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), the Sub-County and Ward Agricultural Officers were sensitized on plans to scale up sunflower farming across the county.

Through the initiative, AFA has allocated 6 tonnes of Kenya Fedha sunflower seeds, sourced from the Kenya Seed Company ltd, to be distributed to farmers at a subsidized rate. Under the model, farmers will buy one kilogram of seed at Ksh. 385 and get an additional kilogram free.

The programme aims to boost edible oil crop value chains, increase farmer incomes and promote local production of cooking oil in line with the county’s agricultural transformation agenda.

WOTE MUNICIPALITY LEVERAGES KISUMU’S URBAN MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE FOR SMARTER GROWTH

A team from Wote Municipality, led by Chief Officer for Lands and Urban Planning, Jackson Daudi, and Municipality Manager, Evelyn Mutua, on Wednesday and Thursday embarked on a peer learning mission to Kisumu City with the aim of strengthening Wote’s urban management systems.

The delegation engaged Kisumu City leadership and technical teams on critical areas including modern methods of waste management and recycling, urban development control, revenue maximisation, environmental management, and modern sanitation systems. Kisumu’s innovative approaches in integrated waste handling, enforcement of urban planning regulations, and automation of revenue collection provided valuable insights that Wote seeks to replicate.

Wote intends to leverage these lessons to build a clean, orderly, and sustainable Municipality that offers high quality of life for residents while attracting investors through a well-regulated, environmentally friendly, and economically vibrant urban space.

GOVERNOR MUTULA INSPECTS MBOONI’S UPCOMING 150-BED HOSPITAL UNIT

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Thursday visited the New Mbooni Family Hospital which is under construction to assess work progress. The state-of-the-art 150-bed facility is set to transform healthcare delivery in the region.

Located in Mbooni Sub-County, the hospital will feature specialized units including maternity, pediatrics, newborn care, gynecology, casualty, laboratory, pharmacy, and a fully equipped theatre.

Governor Mutula assured residents that the hospital will be completed before the end of the year.

He said the project aligns with his broader vision to provide quality and accessible healthcare for all Makueni residents, with several other health facilities also underway across the county.

GOVERNOR MUTULA INSPECTS KATHEKA KAI WATER PAN REHABILITATION

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Wednesday toured Kanthuni Sub-ward, Makueni, to inspect the ongoing rehabilitation of the Katheka Kai water pan, a key project set to transform water access in the area.

The 30,000m³ pan, now 95% complete, is a partnership between the County Government of Makueni and the Kenya Red Cross

Once fully operational, it will serve an estimated 3,000 residents and over 1,000 livestock, offering much-needed relief to the community.

The rehabilitation works have included extensive earthworks such as site and bush clearing, excavation of the pan, formation of a silt trap and the opening of 3,500 square meters of access roads to ensure communities can easily fetch water.

This intervention is part of the Kenya’s Drought Mitigation Programme, aimed at enhancing access to reliable water sources while building climate resilience for communities often affected by dry spells.

The governor noted that the project is a major step toward sustainable water security in Makueni, ensuring households and farmers can thrive even in the face of climate change.

KWA MAKAU BOREHOLE BRINGS WATER RELIEF TO MAVINDINI

Over 1,600 households in Katithi Sub-Location, Mavindini Ward, will now access clean water following the commissioning of the Kwa Makau Borehole water project by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. on Wednesday.

The Ksh. 10.2 million project, funded by Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH) under the Charity Water Mission, will serve 15 villages with water for domestic and institutional use.

Key works of the project included upgrading the solar system, building a 50m³ storage tank, laying 12.5km of pipeline, constructing six kiosks and two ablution blocks, and installing six PVC tanks.

Governor Mutula, while commissioning the project, accompanied by area MCA Jonathan Kimongo, urged residents to safeguard the water infrastructure against vandalism.

Additionally, three primary schools have benefited through dedicated water connections.

GOVERNOR MUTULA RALLIES BEHIND SEKU-WOTE’S ACCREDITATION DREAM

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. has pledged unwavering support for the accreditation of South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) – Wote Campus as a fully-fledged university or college.

Speaking in his office when he met SEKU Vice Chancellor Prof. Douglas Shitanda and a team from the Commission for University Education (CUE), Governor Mutula emphasized on the strategic importance of achieving accreditation.

He described it as a major milestone in advancing research, innovation, and academic excellence in key areas such as agriculture, healthcare, and economic development.

The Commission for University Education, the government body responsible for licensing and overseeing higher education institutions, is in Wote to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the Wote campus to determine its readiness for accreditation.

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili also attended the meeting.

FAO PARTNERS WITH MAKUENI TO BOOST LIVESTOCK FEED PRODUCTION

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) intends to partner with Makueni County to roll out a five-year project aimed at transforming livestock feed production and creating opportunities for young people.

During a courtesy call to Deputy Governor H.E DG-Makueni Lucy Mulili on Tuesday, the FAO team introduced the initiative—CASHA (Creating Shared Value in the Livestock Sector with Young People in Kenya’s ASALs)—which will run in 15 counties, including Makueni.

The project is set to benefit over 2,000 youth across the County by promoting sustainable fodder production, agribusiness and commercialization of livestock feeds.

Mulili welcomed the initiative, highlighting the critical role livestock plays in the livelihoods of Makueni households.

She noted that the project will enhance farmer incomes, create jobs for youth and women, and contribute to food and nutrition security in the county.

The program also integrates climate-smart practices to build resilience and ensure environmental sustainability.

MAKUENI YOUTH TO HACK THE FUTURE AT CLIMATE INNOVATION EVENT

Makueni County youths are gearing up to take center stage in the upcoming “Hack-a-GreenFuture” hackathon — a three-day, youth-led innovation challenge set for October 24–26, 2025 at Konza Technopolis.

The event organized in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme aims at harnessing the power of youth-driven technology and innovation to tackle climate resilience issues within the county and beyond.

Victor Apollo, Head of Solution Mapping and Timbuktoo Focal Point at Konza Technopolis, empasised on the transformative role of technology in addressing local challenges.

He spoke in Wote when he met top county officials.

County Secretary, Dr. Justin Kyambi affirmed the county government’s full support for youth initiatives and highlighted the broader scope of collaboration, including areas such as climate resilience, healthcare systems integration and intellectual property rights for innovations.

County Executive Committee Members, for Education and ICT, Japheth Mang’oka and Gender, Sebastian Kyoni also attended the meeting.