News

MAKUENI COUNTY PARTNERS WITH STRATHMORE UNIVERSITY TO CAPACITY BUILD MSMES

The Government of Makueni County envisions to transform the livelihoods of her citizens by increasing their household incomes. The Department of Trade, Marketing, Industry, Culture and Tourism through the Directorate of Trade, Marketing and Industry, has partnered with Kenya Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to support in the growth and scalability of businesses in Kibwezi West and East Sub counties.

Key reasons why Government of Makueni County through Directorate of Trade, Marketing and Industry is supporting MSMEs :

Micro Small and Medium Enterprises are key enablers of economic growth and development in Makueni county.
MSMEs represent a core pillar of the economy and play a significant role in innovation, wealth, and employment creation.
So there is need to create an entrepreneurship culture where traders are constantly reminded of good business practices in order to increase their sales and profitability.
The directorate has been supporting MSMEs to access to better markets through programmes such as exhibitions, development of ICT portal, Soko Makueni, formation of member associations, value addition, and development of infrastructure among others.

The MSMEs were trained on financial planning, marketing needs, financing needs, book keeping and on use of technology in addition to:

Empowering the MSMEs toward self-reliance
Provide market outlets, product development, training and market information to the producers.
Enable participants to understand simple book keeping methods in relation to their business size.
Ensure the participants understand the advantages of keeping track of business transactions.
To instill skill and confidence in managing business finances.
Sensitizing on the use of technology in business operations
Spotting a business opportunity
Market penetration.
It was agreed that a better enabling environment be provided for revitalizing the MSMEs to improve economic growth through addressing inefficiencies in the County licensing regime, formalizing unlicensed MSMEs, and strengthening institutional management capacities
It was agreed that advisory, training and consultancy activities to promote business, leadership, and governance capacities sessions be conducted in all sub-counties.

NZAUI NATURE TRAIL SHOWCASES MAKUENI’S SCENIC BEAUTY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

Makueni County’s scenic beauty and rich cultural heritage were on full display today during the inaugural 13-kilometer nature trail hike at Nzaui Hill.

The event organized by the tourism directorate and led by Dr. Sonia Nzilani, the CECM for Trade, Marketing, Industry, Culture, and Tourism attracted a diverse group of participants including tour operators, local farmers, hoteliers, and professional hikers.

Participants enjoyed breathtaking views from 1,833 meters above sea level Nzaui Peak and visited the legendary Mulata Ìvia rock, which features human footprints believed to mark the first landing place of the Kamba people.

The six-hour hike included thrilling fun games, health talks, entertainment, and comedy, culminating in a tree-planting ceremony in the forest.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Nzilani emphasized the importance of preserving Makueni’s natural attractions and announced plans to organize similar activities in other regions.

The event was also attended by Eng. Peter Mumo, CECM for Gender, Youth, and Sports, Dr. Faith Mwende of the _No Summit too high_ along with other stakeholders such as the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and media representatives.

NLC MOVES TO RESOLVE MAKUENI -TAVETA BOUNDARY ROW.

The National Land Commission (NLC) on Friday carried out a site inspection and public engagement forum at Mtito Andei town in Makueni County in a bid to resolve the Makueni -Taita Taveta boundary dispute.

NLC chairperson Mr. Gershom Otachi and a team of surveyors walked the residents of both counties through the exercise which involved identifying key areas of contention between the two parties.

The commission is expected to prepare and present a report of its findings and recommendations about the stalemate to the High Court of Kenya, which recently received and analysed materials and heard both written and oral submissions in the stalemate.

The bone of contention remains the town of Mtito Andei which Taita Taveta County claims to be part of her territory.

The residents of this town have on different occasions expressed their disdain towards these claims as they receive all their socio-economic and adminstrative services from Makueni County Government.

The team from NLC have upto end of July 2024 to present their recommendations to the court.

GOVERNOR KILONZO LAUNCHES PIONEERING HYDROPONIC FARMING PROJECT IN MAKUENI

In the spirit of revolutionizing agriculture in Makueni, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Thursday launched a state-of-the-art Hydroponic Farming Project. This innovative initiative, funded by the World Food Program (WFP) and managed by SelfHelp Africa, is set to transform the agricultural landscape by introducing a soil-free farming method that uses nutrient-rich water, directly benefiting young farmers in the region.

At the official launch, twenty farmers from the wards of Mtito Andei, Mavindini, Kitise/Kithuki, and Masongaleni received cutting-edge greenhouses, water tanks, and irrigation systems. These resources will enable them to cultivate crops in controlled environments, mitigating the risks posed by unpredictable weather and significantly enhancing food security.

The project also bolsters the Farmer’s Service Centre (FSC), a network comprising 57 beneficiaries from 16 wards across Makueni. The FSC serves as a vital link between farmers and suppliers, offering essential farming advice and support. During the event, the FSCs were equipped with mills, feed mixers, threshers, incubators, and solar water pumps provided by the WFP, further supporting grain, pulse, horticulture, beekeeping, and poultry farming ventures.

Governor Kilonzo urged the recipients to maximize the use of the new equipment to drive economic growth and expressed heartfelt gratitude to the WFP for their indispensable support.

This initiative highlights Makueni County’s commitment to adopting innovative and sustainable farming practices, ensuring resilience in the face of climate change and securing a brighter future for its agricultural community.

DEPUTY GOVERNOR LUCY MULILI LEADS COUNTY IN CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili led Makueni County’s centenary celebrations for 100 years of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Kenya on Wednesday, held in Makindu town.

The nationwide celebrations feature a torch relay across counties to raise awareness among youth about TVET opportunities and equip them with employable skills.

Mulili received the TVET torch on behalf of Makueni County. The torch had arrived from the Coast region.

Makueni boasts three TVET institutions—Wote Technical Institute, Kibwezi West, and David M. Wambuli TVCs.

Addressing the public, Mulili emphasized the vocational institutions as powerful engines that drive industrial growth, combat youth unemployment, and support Kenya’s ambitious national goals outlined in Vision 2030.

MAKUENI TO HOST NATIONAL KENYA SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE

Makueni has been selected to host a new Kenya School of Agriculture campus, which will offer training in agriculture-related courses, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.has announced.

Governor Mutula revealed that his administration has already allocated land for the construction of the school.

The governor has also secured a hot water treatment facility from the National Government to enhance the export market for mangoes in Makueni.

Governor Mutula made these announcements on Wednesday during a meeting with the staff of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperative Development.

Governor Mutula praised the dedication and commitment of the agriculture staff in providing essential extension services to farmers, which are crucial for sustained agriculture and food security in the county.

He urged the officers to go above and beyond their duties to make a significant impact on the farmers of Makueni.

The staff meeting was organized by Agriculture Executive Joyce Mutua and agriculture and Livestock Chief Officers Dr Victoria Kyallo and Japheth Kiminza.

The Governor was accompanied by Transport Executive Eng. Sebastian Kyoni and Devolution Executive Japheth Mang’oka.

GOVERNOR MUTULA WITNESSES SWEARING-IN OF KEY MEMBERS OF MAKUENI CLIMATE CHANGE STEERING COMMITTEE

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Wednesday presided over the swearing into office of four members of the Makueni County Climate Change Steering Committee. The committee is now fully constituted and ready to drive the climate change agenda.

The committee is responsible for policy direction in climate change actions as stipulated in the Makueni Climate Change Act, 2022.

Governor Mutula asked the committee to leverage on the county’s wide network of partnerships to secure funding for climate change resilience building investments so as to improve the quality of life for wananchi.

Pursuing Green Bonds to raise resources for climate resilient development is one of the tasks awaiting the committee. Makueni has been greenlighted by Financial Sector Deepening Kenya to pursue the Green Bond.

GOVERNOR MUTULA INAUGURATES AD-HOC COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHMENT OF KEE-MBOONI MUNICIPALITY

Makueni has set plans in motion for creation of a third municipality in an endeavour to further devolve resources and services closer to mwananchi.

On Wednesday, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to consider whether the proposed municipality area meets threshold as spelled out in the Urban Areas and Cities Act.

The proposed Kee-Mbooni Municipality area covers Kivani, Kikima, Kalawani, Tawa, Mbumbuni, Kalawa and kitundu crosscutting Kaiti and Mbooni sub-counties.

Governor Mutula was flanked by Executive Committee Member for Lands and Urban Planning Nicholas Nzioka and Chief Officer Jackson Daudi.

SENATE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE PRAISES MAKUENI’S REVENUE AUTOMATION AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT

The Senate County Public Accounts Committee has lauded Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr for the automation of all county revenue streams which has enabled the county to collect Kshs.1 Billion in own source revenue for the Financial Year 2023/2024.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna who chairs the committee termed the innovative financial solutions as key in achieving clean audits and value for money for Makueni residents.

The committee also commended the mechanisms put in place to handle pending bills including legal fees, and requested the governor to share the same with the Council of Governors for replication in other counties.

The Governor met with the Senate Committee on Tuesday morning to consider the Reports of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements of the County Executive of Makueni for Financial Years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. A bulk of the recommendations and queries by the Auditor General in the year under review have been implemented and resolved.