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GOVERNOR MUTULA COMMISSIONS KAVUTHU COLD STORE, UNVEILS PLAN FOR WARD COOPERATIVES

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. has commissioned the Kavuthu Cold Store and Pack House in Mbitini Ward, a 10-metric-tonne facility aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and improving produce handling for local and export markets.

The project is expected to boost farmers’ incomes and support economic growth through increased agricultural trade.

During the event, the governor announced plans by the county government to champion the establishment of cooperative societies in every ward to address farmers’ challenges and strengthen agricultural productivity.

The governor, who is on a day-long development tour, was accompanied by Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili, Speaker Douglas Mbilu, CECMs, and MCAs.

He also met residents to discuss challenges affecting the community and possible solutions.

GOVERNOR MUTULA KILONZO JR. WEDNESDAY COMMISSIONED THE ILENGENI WATER DISTRIBUTION PROJECT

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. Wednesday commissioned the Ilengeni Water distribution Project at Kwa Thuku, Mbitini Ward , a transformative investment aimed at expanding access to clean and reliable water for the people.

Drawing water from the 25,000 cubic metre Ilengeni Dam, the project features a modern treatment plant, hybrid-powered pumping system, solar infrastructure, storage facilities, and an extensive distribution network.

The project will supply 160 cubic metres of clean water daily, serving Mbitini and Emali Mulala wards, and benefiting 15 villages through 9 community water points featuring 11 kilometer water pipe line and water storage facilities.

The project is a major step in the governors commitment to sustainable water access and improved livelihoods across Makueni County.

EQUIPPING AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION OFFICERS FOR GLOBAL MARKETS

Makueni’s thriving fruit sector continues to stand out as a key pillar for household income, job creation and economic empowerment.

With horticulture farming supporting thousands of families, efforts are now shifting towards strengthening farmers’ access to high-value international markets through improved standards and compliance.

To advance this agenda, the County Government, in partnership with TradeMark Africa with East Africa Market Development Associates as the market facilitator, on Tuesday launched a three-day intensive training for Agricultural Extension Officers on ways to enhance technical capacity in export compliance, traceability systems, pest management, food safety and quality assurance within the horticulture value chain.

Facilitated by experts from Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service(KEPHIS), HCD, certification bodies and International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), the training seeks to bridge critical gaps that have affected export performance and market confidence in recent years.

Opened on Tuesday by CECM Damaris Kavoi, the training is anchored in the 2025 partnership agreement between the County and TradeMark Africa, and reflects the broader commitment of Mutula Kilonzo Jr. to promote sustainable, market-driven agriculture and increase farmer earnings through competitive global trade.

ONGOING HUDUMA MASHINANI PROGRAM AT MUTYAMBUA, MBITINI WARD.

The exercise has brought critical services closer to the people, enabling residents to apply for and process documents such as national ID cards, voter’s cards, birth and death certificates, affidavits, police abstracts, HELB services, SHA registration, and various health services among others.

GOVERNOR MUTULA KILONZO JR. COMMISSIONS MBELETU PLAYGROUND DURING DEVELOPMENT TOUR IN MBITINI WARD

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. Wednesday commissioned Mbeletu Playground as he kicked off a day-long development tour in Mbitini ward.The project included leveling the playing field, protection works, and improved drainage systems to enhance the stadium for community use.

The Governor urged residents to fully utilize the facility, emphasizing that sports continue to open life-changing opportunities for many young Kenyans. He also pledged to install floodlights to support night-time activities and sporting events.

He is accompanied by Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili, Speaker Douglas Mbilu, County Executive Committee Members (CECMs), and several Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).

MAKUENI LEADS KENYA IN POST-PARTUM HEMORRHAGE RESPONSE

The Head of the Division for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Edward Serem, has commended Makueni County for emerging as a national leader in the implementation of post-partum hemorrhage Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EMONC) protocols.

Dr. Serem called on other counties to emulate Makueni’s approach, noting that the implementing partners declined to pilot the programme in another county, citing Makueni’s strong leadership and the conducive environment created for successful implementation of the project.

He further revealed that another development partner had also chosen to pilot a health project in Makueni for similar reasons, urging counties to remain open-minded and supportive towards development partners working within the health sector.

Dr. Serem spoke in Nairobi on Monday while addressing intra-partum members of the Communities of Practice, a Maternal Health Technical Working Group established by the Ministry of Health and key partners to facilitate substantive technical discussions on maternal and newborn health.

The meeting focused on reviewing the current maternal and newborn health status related to intra-partum care, dissemination of findings from the AMPLI-PPHI study, and briefing members on the EWENE Rapid Initiative.

The Communities of Practice serve as technical platforms for in-depth thematic engagement, review of programme data and emerging evidence, identification of implementation challenges, generation of evidence-based recommendations, and contribution to the broader Maternal Health Technical Working Group discourse.

During the meeting, Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. was also commended for supporting RMNCAH implementation and championing interventions aimed at combating post-partum hemorrhage.

Makueni County has become a national benchmark after recording zero maternal deaths resulting from post-partum hemorrhage in 2023, 2024, and since January 2026 to date.

MAKUENI ROLLS OUT KSH 2.5M ECDE BOOKS AS MUSIC FESTIVALS HEAT UP

Makueni County has distributed 4,752 Creative Arts books worth KSh 2.5 million to 1,188 ECDE centres to boost competency-based learning among early learners.

The rollout was launched at Kibwezi Primary School by Chief Officer for Education and Internship Irene Makau and officials from the Department of ICT, Education and Internship.

Makau said the materials will strengthen creativity, talent development and classroom participation under the Competency-Based Curriculum.

The county team also joined ongoing ward-level ECDE Music Festivals, where learners are competing in music, dance and verse.

The competitions run through Thursday, with top performers advancing to sub-county, county, regional and national levels

MAKUENI’S PEOPLE-CENTERED FLLoCA MODEL EARNS EACC PRAISE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

County officials involved in the implementation of the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) programme, funded among others by the World Bank, have undergone a compliance capacity-building training led by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in partnership with the National Treasury.

The EACC team commended Makueni for its open governance and people-centred development model, which gives residents control over projects through public oversight. According to Dr. Susan Kinyeki, a Deputy Director at EACC, the approach has earned the county a high compliance rating in the Annual Performance Assessment of FLLoCA-funded projects, where Makueni scored 98 percent in the 2023/2024 assessment.

Dr. Kinyeki noted that Makueni’s governance model has significantly sealed corruption loopholes by enhancing transparency, accountability and citizen participation, thereby ensuring residents get value for money from climate investments.

She added that the training seeks to strengthen institutional accountability and enhance public oversight within the County Climate Change Fund mechanism.

OAG COMMENDS MAKUENI’S FLLoCA INVESTMENTS FOR TRANSFORMING COMMUNITY LIVELIHOODS

Officials from the Office of the Auditor General have commended Makueni for the successful implementation of climate resilience investments under the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action Programme (FLLoCA), citing sustainability, transparency and community capacity building as key pillars driving the projects’ success.

The team which conducted a week-long Annual Progress Assessment praised the county’s approach in promoting community ownership and accountability, noting that the investments are already improving livelihoods and strengthening resilience against climate change in local communities.

At Yandia water project (Emali-Mulala Ward), the project chairperson highlighted the transformation brought about by the investment, saying residents now access clean water within less than one kilometer, compared to the long distances they previously covered. The initiative currently serves an average of 3,500 residents through six water kiosks and 49 household water connections, with plans underway to expand coverage and benefit more than 5,000 people.

The community also revealed plans to venture into water bottling as a way of generating additional income and ensuring the sustainability of the investment.

Reliable water supply has further enabled residents to embrace climate-smart agriculture, enhancing food security.

The team also visited Kiangini-Kikuu Community Water project, Wautu-Kyangati Sand Dam, Kwa Kakui and Kyanduu Integrated Water Project to assess the impact of the climate resilience investments being implemented across the county.

MAKUENI ADVANCES WITH MULTIPLE MICRONUTRIENT SUPPLEMENTATION AS STUDY REVEALS LOW IFAS ADHERENCE AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN

A recent study conducted by Department of Health Services in partnership with Vitamin Angels has revealed low adherence to Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (IFAS) among pregnant women despite high coverage during antenatal clinic visits.

The findings show that while 93.1 per cent of women attending prenatal care receive IFAS tablets, only 17 per cent complete the recommended dosage.

Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation remain a critical nutritional intervention aimed at preventing anaemia in pregnancy and reducing birth defects while supporting maternal and fetal health.

However, the study established that many pregnant women in Makueni fail to complete the dosage due to concerns over the alleged smell and unpleasant taste of the tablets among other characteristics.

The study further revealed growing acceptance of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), with 95.4 per cent of pregnant women expressing willingness to use the supplement.

The World Health Organization-recommended MMS contains 15 essential vitamins and minerals ( iron and folic included) specifically formulated to improve maternal nutrition, pregnancy outcomes, and infant health.

Makueni County, which this year became the first in the country to launch the supplementation programme, is now adopting a multi-sectoral approach to ensure successful implementation and adherence.

The county government has brought together several departments, including Agriculture, Health, Education, Gender, Finance, and Socio-Economic Planning, to strengthen nutrition interventions among mothers and adolescent girls.

The Department of Agriculture is supporting food systems and dietary diversity initiatives such as kitchen gardens and food preservation, while the Department of Health is working closely with the education sector to improve antenatal care awareness among school-going adolescents.

According to the findings, adolescents account for 11 per cent of antenatal clinic attendees, with studies indicating that 66 per cent of them record the lowest adherence to Iron and Folic Acid supplementation.

Vitamin Angel’s Africa Technical Director, Dr. Lucy Kanya, who spoke on Friday as she addressed healthcare workers and other stakeholders noted that full implementation of MMS programmes across Africa would significantly contribute to the achievement of suitable development goals on zero hunger, good health and well-being, and gender equality.

She noted that full implementation of MMS programmes across Africa would significantly contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals on zero hunger, good health and well-being, and gender equality.

Health Services CECM Joyce Mutua believes the transition to MMS could mark a major breakthrough in improving maternal and child health outcomes, especially in vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities.