News

MAKUENI AND TMA PROGRESS A NEW DIGITAL PLATFORM TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURE

The Government of Makueni County, through the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development (DAFLCD), together with Trademark Africa (TMA), held a meeting to advance the Kilimo Makueni Management Information System (MIS).

The platform is a new digital tool created to make agricultural services easier, faster, and more organized for farmers and officers.

The Kilimo Makueni MIS https://kilimo.makueni.go.ke brings farmer registration, extension services, agricultural programs, farm mapping and management dashboards into one simple and accessible system.

Its main aim is to improve how farmers get information, strengthen field work, and help the county make better decisions using accurate data.

Accompanied by Education and ICT CECM Japheth Mang’oka, Agriculture CECM Liz Muli explained that the platform will give farmers quick access to advice, updates, and county programs.

The CECM noted that extension officers will work more efficiently with digital reporting tools, while partners will use reliable, up-to-date data to strengthen coordination and align their support with county priorities.

With this improved information flow from the field to the Department, the county will also be able to rely on real-time insights to plan better, allocate resources wisely and monitor progress across the agricultural sector.

The meeting was attended by Chief Officers Dr. Victoria Kyallo, Japheth Kiminza, and TMA’s Rachael Wangeci.

MAKUENI SETS GROUND FOR STRATEGIC YOUTH PARTNERSHIP WITH PASGR RESEARCH ORGANIZATION

Makueni County has kicked off talks with the Partnership for African Social & Governance Research (PASGR) to strengthen capacity among young people and anchor youth programmes in evidence-based governance.

PASGR, a non-state organization operating in 26 African countries, builds youth resilience by aligning youth initiatives with evolving governance systems through policy formulation, impact measurement, and mentorship.

On Wednesday, County Executive Committee Member for Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services Eng. Sebastian Kyoni led a delegation of youth officers in a meeting with senior PASGR officials at their Nairobi offices to forge a working partnership.

The county seeks to collaborate with PASGR in developing a comprehensive youth policy, a youth empowerment strategy, and integrating gender perspectives into food systems, gender-based education, and agribusiness, marking a decisive step toward a more informed and empowered generation in Makueni.

CHRISTAN AID’S INTEGRITY AND ACTION EARN A NOD FROM MULILI.

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili on Wednesday commended Christian Aid for its continued partnership with Makueni County in advancing key development initiatives.

Mulili, who spoke during a partners’ dinner in Nairobi marking the launch of the organization’s East and Southern Africa multi-country cluster, recalled the swift support Christian Aid offered in 2023 to assist residents displaced by the El Niño-induced mudslides.

She emphasized the organization’s strong values of transparency, participation, and equity , qualities she said have earned Christian Aid a reputation as a trustworthy steward of the resources placed in its hands.

The organization’s new model aims to build a renewed foundation for global development, one that restores dignity and purpose, particularly in humanitarian interventions.

The dinner drew participation from the organization’s development partners, representatives of the national and county governments, clergy, and civil society groups.

NEW NGAAKAA HEALTH FACILITY SET TO OPEN ITS DOORS SOON.

Residents of Ngaakaa will soon benefit from a new state-of-the-art Level 3 health facility developed through a partnership between the County Government of Makueni and World Vision.

The county is finalizing the equipping process ahead of the facility’s official opening. Once operational, the facility will offer a modern maternity wing, a fully equipped laboratory, an administration block, procedure rooms, a pharmacy and a records office.

The development also includes installation of solar power and integration of the Kiboko–Twaandu water project to ensure reliable access to clean water.

The project forms part of governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr’s administration’s broader push to strengthen healthcare through strategic collaborations.

For instance, Sultan Hamud Sub-County Hospital is in the final stages of completing a new maternity wing delivered with support from the Safaricom Foundation, while discussions to have a new maternity block have been finalized for Kibwezi East Sub-County Hospital where another maternity wing is expected to significantly uplift the facility.

These investments signal a continued commitment by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. to expand quality healthcare access across Makueni County.

MAKUENI SHINES AT NATIONAL STATISTICS CONFERENCE WITH GRASSROOTS DATA MODEL

Makueni County once again captured national attention on Tuesday after demonstrating an innovative data collection & utilization model that informs participatory planning and budgeting from the sub-ward level through to wards, sub-counties, and the county headquarters.

The model impressed delegates attending the 2025 National Statistics Conference in Nairobi.

Chief Officer for Socio-Planning, Budget and Revenue, Mutua Boniface, highlighted how the county statistical system has strengthened the county’s ability to gather and manage accurate data.

He addressed delegates as a panelist, among them Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and permanent Secretary the State Department for Planning, Dr.Bonface Makhoha outlining how technology is transforming decision-making processes within counties.

Mutua emphasized the importance of integrating digital tools including automation and digitization in county processes.

Makueni has been recognized by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics as a model county in preparing annual County Stastical Abstracts (CSAs) as well as disaggregated data from the ward level upwards.

The two-day conference is themed “Leveraging Innovations in Data and Statistics to Promote a Just, Peaceful, Inclusive, and Prosperous Society for Africans.”

MAKUENI VOWS TO LIFT ULTRA-POOR AS KENYA LAUNCHES NATIONAL STRATEGY

Makueni County has reaffirmed its determination to eradicate extreme poverty, declaring that no resident will be left behind in the push toward Sustainable Development Goal 1.

Speaking at the official launch of Kenya’s National Ultra-Poor Graduation Strategy on Tuesday, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili highlighted the county’s poverty rate of 39.7 percent and positioned the new national framework as a perfect fit with Makueni’s long-standing focus on inclusive growth, social protection, and economic empowerment.

Representing Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., Mulili announced that the county is already piloting the graduation programme with significant budgetary allocations, including dedicated support for persons with disabilities from the poorest households.

She further pledged county co-financing for targeted interventions aimed at strengthening local social safety nets and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for the ultra-poor.

The event was also attended by PS state department for Social Protection and Senior Affairs Joseph Motari, Taita Taveta governor Andrew Mwandime and County Executive Committee Member for Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services, Eng. Sebastian Kyoni.

MAKUENI, TRADEMARK AFRICA RALLY MANGO OFFTAKERS FOR A FAIRER, STRONGER MARKET

The Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, in partnership with Trademark Africa, on Tuesday brought together mango offtakers for a strategic dialogue on building a more efficient and accountable market.

The forum sensitized agents on their role in shaping market behaviour, deepened their understanding of Horticultural Crop Directorate – HCD(AFA) and County Government mandates, and opened space to unpack challenges and fresh opportunities in the agency business.

While attending the forum, Agriculture Chief Officer Dr. Victoria Kyalo asked offtakers to uphold integrity and strengthen linkages that ensure farmers receive fair value for their produce.

During the forum, East Africa Market Development Associates CEO Eunice Ngina also highlighted the need for a win-win market model where both farmers and buyers grow through predictable standards, trust and better coordination.

The meeting now paves the way for an upcoming joint forum between farmers and offtakers to harmonize cost structures, curb post-harvest losses and uplift Makueni’s mango sector.

MAKUENI PURSUES PEACEFUL OUT-OF-COURT LAND RESOLUTIONS

Makueni County, through the Department of Lands, Urban Planning and Development, has kicked off plans to establish Alternative Justice System (AJS) structures to handle land disputes outside the courtroom.

In partnership with the European Union (EU) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under the Digital Land Governance Programme, the department has concluded a two-day sensitization workshop for key stakeholders in the land sector.

The training brought together Sub-county development planning committees, land surveyors, county coordinator, national land commission, county land registry and land adjudicators as well as representatives from municipalities to deepen their understanding of the role of AJS in resolving land conflicts and unlocking resource potentials.

Participants were taken through Kenya’s AJS policy framework, its application within the county, and the use of the Land Information Management System.

The main goal of the training is to establish and strengthen AJS structures that can help resolve boundary disputes, land and resource conflicts, succession matters, and other cases more efficiently and peacefully.

NEW HOPE FOR POOR HOUSEHOLDS AS MAKUENI ROLLS OUT ULTRA-POOR GRADUATION PROGRAM

Picture This!

By 2023, Catherine Kyalo and her husband, Kyalo Kaluma of Muumani in Kithungo/Kitundu Ward, were considered a peasant couple struggling to make ends meet.

In 2024, a national government program, the Kenya Social and Economic Inclusion Project (KSEIP), identified Catherine and other women, enrolling them in business development training and mentorship. Each member later received KES 30,000 to start an income-generating venture. Catherine chose irrigation farming, supported by a nearby spring whose water flows by gravity. She ventured into cabbage farming and made a profit of about KES 45,000.

Fast forward to 2025: Catherine is now one of the most successful irrigation farmers in the area. She is currently growing off-season green maize, which she hopes to sell before December 2025 for over KES 60,000.

The program, commonly referred to as the Ultra-Poor Graduation initiative, equips households in extreme poverty with the foundation they need to build lasting livelihoods. Through a package that includes business training, seed capital/cash transfers, and a strong Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) structure, the program enables participants to grow stable enterprises and achieve self-reliance.

So far, the program has reached 3,000 households in Mbooni and Kibwezi, graduating them from extreme poverty to stable income generation through village enterprises.

The County Government of Makueni, through the Department of Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services is now benchmarking on these successes as it prepares to roll out its own Ultra-Poor Graduation scheme.

The county initiative also includes Makueni County Empowerment Fund (MCEF), which provides financial support to already graduated groups and individuals to further enhance sustainable income generation and financial inclusion under Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s inclusive development agenda.

HOPE FOR PREEMIES AS MAKUENI HOSTS NATIONAL COMMEMORATION.

Makueni County on Monday hosted the National World Prematurity Day commemorations at the Mother and Child Hospital, drawing national attention to the urgent fight against newborn deaths.

The event was presided over by Tessie Mudavadi, spouse of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and head of the Ushirika Wema Foundation, alongside Makueni First Lady Anita Mutula.

During the ceremony, the Ushirika Wema Foundation donated six neonatal incubators and accompanying accessories to the counties of Makueni, Kitui, and Machakos, each receiving two under the Okoa Malaika Programme, which supports the care of preterm infants.

According to Tessie, the national government has expanded the Linda Jamii health cover in an effort to curb the rising number of premature births, now estimated at 13% of all deliveries in Kenya. The enhanced cover aims to improve access to skilled birth attendance and critical newborn care across the country.

In her address, First Lady Anita Mutula highlighted that Makueni’s neonatal mortality rate currently stands at 21 per 1,000 live births, a figure that underscores the need for stronger maternal and newborn interventions.She noted that the county recorded 1,411 preterm births over the past year, with 250 infants, heartbreakingly, not surviving their first month of life.

To reverse this trend, Makueni has intensified investments in neonatal care. In October, the county partnered with ENI Kenya to establish the region’s first neonatal intensive care unit at the Makueni County Referral Hospital, an initiative designed to give preterm and low-birth-weight infants a stronger chance at survival.

The county has also expanded its Kangaroo Mother Care programme, building on its success in which 512 out of 515 preterm infants survived through skin-to-skin care. Additional spaces have been created, more health workers trained, and community outreach enhanced to support families through pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery.

In recognition of her advocacy, Tessie Mudavadi named Anita Mutula the Okoa Malaika Champion for the South Eastern region.

The event also drew participation from the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Guo Hiyan, who underscored the broader social implications of prematurity and commended ongoing efforts to uplift vulnerable newborns through the Okoa Malaika initiative.