News

DG leads negotiations with Israeli global solar firm

Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau has said Makueni County has greater potential in solar energy that remains an attraction to investors in the green energy sector.

Mwau who met a top Israeli green energy investor the CEO of Gigawatts Global Mr Yosef Abramowitz in Nairobi on Thursday said that despite the potential, most households in Makueni County remained unlit with electricity cost too prohibitive for the locals.

Mwau said the county has opened doors to potential investors showing interest in solar harvesting in the area adding that the county’s 10 hours of sunshine a day could be turned into a blessing through solar harvesting initiatives.

“Our county has not benefitted majorly from the national government’s rural electrification plan.This could be the way out. It could help us get power and facilitate the lighting of the Makueni villages,”Mwau said.

Speaking during the meeting Mr Abramowitz said Gigawatts Global is interested in potential partnership in the energy related areas.

He said his organisation is a leader in green energy installations around the world and that the company has successfully ventured in Africa adding that any initiative in Makueni will be supported.

“We are open to any working relationship with Makueni county.We are impressed by the strong governance credentials shown by the county government.It shows it will be very easy for us to work with you,”Mr Abramowitz said.

Transport ECM Sebastian Kyoni who was also present said the county is ready to work with Gigawatts Global once they are ready to make a move.

“We have the capacity to host a major solar power investment.If Gigawatts makes a move we will partner with them,” he said.

Devolve Children Services: Kyathe

Youth, Gender, Culture, Sports and Social Services Chief Officer Jonah Kyathe on Friday urged the national government to devolve children services in order to make it easier to handle their cases effectively at the grassroots.

Kyathe said that counties have no budget to address children affairs adding that the county only compliments what the national government does because children services are not devolved.

“The budget to manage the affairs of our children is at the national level and as such it is difficult to effectively deal with arising cases at the grassroots effectively. Our children are here with us not in Nairobi and we therefore urge the national government to devolved children services,” Kyathe said.

Kyathe who spoke during a stakeholders’ training workshop on sensitization and formation of sub-county child protection committees in Wote observed that most of the children’s cases are not reported because their perpetrators are family members.

He further indicated that many people do not know the relevant authorities to report children cases and called for intense training to members in order to be equipped with relevant information on children cases.

“Most of the children cases go unreported because they are committed by close family members while others are never reported simply because our people do not know where to report such cases. We there need a lot of training on the same,” he added.

The training also oversaw formation of sub- county children protection committees across the county. The committees will over and above be responsible for detection, response and also address children abuse cases.

The executive committee member for Youth and Gender Dr. Godfrey Makau who also attended the workshop said that the county government was in the process of formulating a county child protection policy to guide the county on matters children.

He further called upon the national government and other key stakeholder to work together towards promoting the rights of children in order to avoid duplicate of roles when addressing the same issue.

“We are in the process of formulating a county child protection policy and we urge the national government to partner with us so that we avoid duplication of roles when we are addressing the same issues of our children,” the ECM said.

His sentiments were echoed by Makueni County Co-coordinator, Children services Celestine Nthiani who was doing a presentation on overview of child protection and the roles of the child protection committees.

“If we need to go far, we need to work together as institutions in order to protect our children who are our future,” Ms. Nthiani observed.

Other officials who graced the training workshop include Jane Makau, County director for gender and representatives from Faith Based Organisations and other non state actors.

Devolution Executive Japheth Musyoka Mang’oka – evaluates School affected by heavy rains

Devolution Executive Japheth Musyoka Mang’oka on Saturday visited Mba Primary School in Kako/Waia, Mbooni Sub-County to assess the basic physical structures in the school following Strong winds that blew off roofs of several classrooms on Friday.

Mang’oka observed that the area experienced torrential rainfall which was accompanied by powerful gusts of wind leading to destruction of a section of the school, with the ECD classrooms being the most affected.
He assured parents that infrastructural personnel will be send on Monday to ascertain levels of damage caused.

However, he revealed that the school will receive over 600 seedlings from the Environment Department which will be planted in the school compound to blunt the school buildings from chilling power of stiff winds.

6th Annual Devolution Conference

Governor Kivutha Kibwana and deputy Adelina Mwau join other governors and Food and Agricultural Organization officials in the launch of the “Counties That Matter” food programme, a partnership between counties and FAO.

This programme seeks to build sustainable food systems in counties as part of driving the food security aspect of the Big Four Agenda spearheaded by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The launch took place on Wednesday during the 6th Annual Devolution Conference staged at Kirinyaga University, Kirinyaga county.

Development Tour of Kibwezi East

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr on Friday embarked on his maiden development tour of Kibwezi-East for inspection and commissioning of several development projects.

The projects included: Inspection of the Tsavo East Game Park Electric Fence, commissioning of Mtito Andei Roads Grading, inspection of Mtito Andei hospital and launch of

The solar powered electric fence will put to an end the human-wildlife conflict eyesore which has made life a living hell!

DESTINATION MAKUENI GOES DIGITAL

‘Destination Makueni’ is an e-platform designed to make exploring the county simple, exciting, and stress-free.

Tourists and visitors are able to search for their favorite spots with ease—getting directions, distances, prices and extra details all in one place.

From hotels, tour operators, taxi services, cultural centers and scenic hills to game parks, the platform brings Makueni’s gems to your fingertips.

The platform has become one of the key highlights showcased at the ongoing MagicalKenya Tourism Expo 2025 in Nairobi, attracting wide attention.

While attending the expo, Trade and Tourism CECM Doc Sonia Nzilani urged visitors to explore the county’s unique beauty through the Destination Makueni platform.

With easy bookings and access to attractions, Destination Makueni is not only selling the county’s beauty but also boosting trade, creating jobs, and empowering local residents through tourism.

DESTINATION MAKUENI: A DIGITAL GATEWAY TO EXPLORE AND EMPOWER.

The Tourism Directorate is undertaking a four-day- sensitization forum for local hoteliers, business operators, vendors and transport service providers to enlighten them on how to onboard their products and services onto Destination Makueni.

Destination Makueni is an online platform developed as part of efforts to digitize tourism promotion and bridge the information gap for both visitors and local operators.

In recognizing the Makueni county’s vast tourism potential and the need for a unified online presence, the Directorate partnered with stakeholders to build a platform that supports local businesses, markets Makueni’s unique attractions and encourages sustainable economic growth through tourism.

The platform is designed to make it easy for nature enthusiasts and tourists to discover the county’s hidden gems, hospitality facilities, service providers and local vendors right from their phones or computers at a glance.

The sensitization forums, which kicked off in Mbooni on Monday and continued in Kilome on Tuesday, aim to cover all six sub-counties. Interested hoteliers and tourism service providers are getting the opportunity to onboard their products and services on the platform, complete with detailed pricing information.

This platform offers up-to-date information on hospitality facilities and tourism service providers, ensuring visitors plan their stay with ease.

By giving local hotels, lodges, tour guides and other tourism businesses a digital marketing space, Destination Makueni aims to boost their visibility, attract more guests and drive economic empowerment for communities that rely on tourism for their livelihoods.

www.destinationmakueni.com

Deputy Governor’s Development Tour in Kalamba

Makueni and Nandi Deputy Governors being shown around inside the Kalamba factory by the chief officer in charge of Agriculture Mary Muteti

Makueni County Deputy Governor Hon. Adelina Mwau today lead her Nandi County counterpart Hon. Dr. Yulita Cheruiyot on a development tour to the Kalamba fruit processing plant among other sectors of development in the County.

The team was impressed by the development projects initiated by the Makueni County government to it’s people. Dr. Yulita commented on Kivutha Kibwana’s leadership,saying that he has truly defined devolution by the many life changing projects already in use. By the end of this Mangoe season, Kalamba fruit processing plant is projected to process 2100 metric tonnes of raw mango from across the country, producing 4,000 drums of mango puree.

The plant will curb 40 percent of post-harvest fruit waste that farmers used to grapple with in the past. With value addition, curbed waste and stabilised prices, the value of the mango sector in Makueni is projected to increase immensely from the current KES 3 Billion. Later in the day the Nandi team, will also visit Kikima Dairy Plant before ending their development tour to Makueni. “It has been a pleasure hosting Her Excellency Dr.Yulita in our great county and I hope that she will take home some good lessons from us.” Adelina noted.

Nandi deputy governor Hon.Dr Yulita Cheruiyot sips a glass of Mango puree at Kalamba Fruit processing plant.Seated next is Makueni deputy governor

Deputy Governor Showcases Makueni’s Vibrant Products, Honorable Raila Odinga Joins Conference

The second day of the 8th Devolution Conference witnessed remarkable strides as delegates gathered to discuss the integration of technology and digital economy into devolved sectors for robust economic growth.

The event, which is taking place in Uasin-Gishu county saw Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili welcoming attendees at the Makueni county’s exhibition booth, showcasing a wide array of Makueni-made products.

The Makueni exhibition booth drew attention for its diverse offerings, ranging from delectable mango juice to intricate handcrafts.

Mulili expressed pride in the county’s accomplishments and its commitment to contributing to Kenya’s economic development through innovative products and ideas.

Notably, the conference was graced by the presence of opposition leader Rt. Honorable Raila Odinga, who addressed the attendees and highlighted the significance of devolution in advancing the country’s growth agenda.

Odinga’s presence underscored the bipartisan commitment to the success of devolution in Kenya.

The heart of the conference lay in the engaging panel discussions that explored the fusion of technology and devolved sectors.

With a focus on the digital economy, panelists delved into strategies for effectively integrating technology into various levels of governance.

The dialogue centered on leveraging technology to enhance service delivery, improve resource allocation, and foster economic development within the devolved regions.

In the afternoon forum, participants engaged in breakaway sessions that touched upon diverse sectors, each aiming to harness the potential of devolution for maximum impact.

DEPUTY GOVERNOR RECEIVES DELEGATION FROM NUTRITION INTERNATIONAL.

On Wednesday, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili welcomed a high-level delegation from Nutrition International, led by the organization’s Vice President of Program Operations, Dr. Paula Tanaglia.

The delegation was in Makueni to assess the progress of ongoing nutrition programs and more specific on Adolescent Health and Nutrition program that supports adolescent girls and boys in the county.

Nutrition International has partnered with Makueni County to implement a comprehensive health and nutrition program aimed at improving the health of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, newborns, children under five, and adolescents.

The Adolescent health and nutrition initiative involves a collaboration between the Ministry of Education, the Departments of Health Services, Teacher Service Commission and Gender by providing adolescents with Nutrition education and weekly iron and folic acid supplements (WIFS) to boost their feeding practices and avert anaemia and its symptoms among the girls.

The program is currently being implemented in 590 schools across the County.

Program coordinators reported significant improvements in adolescent health and nutrition, as well as enhanced academic performance among girls and a reduction in absenteeism in schools among others.

Mulili expressed her appreciation for the partnership and announced plans to increase budget allocations to expand the program further.

In addition to the nutrition initiative, Nutrition International has also partnered with the county to implement gender mainstreaming in adolescent health and nutrition, a program spearheaded by the deputy governor.

The initiative has been piloted in 20 schools across Kaiti, Makueni, Mbooni, and Kibwezi West sub-counties.

Dr. Paula Tanaglia, Nutrition International’s Vice President of Program Operations, expressed her delight at witnessing the positive impact the program has had on the children.