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South Eastern Kenya leaders meet for Economic Bloc Policy Formulation

Ukambani top leadership on Friday converged in Kitui town for a consultative forum to put final touches to the operationalization of the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB).

The forum also provided room for public participation by the Bloc’s stakeholders on a national policy for establishment of County Economic Blocs drafted by the Ministry of Devolution and ASAL.

The event was graced by Cabinet Secretary for devolution Eugene Wamalwa, governor Charity Ngilu, Machakos deputy governor Francis Maliti and Makueni County Secretary Paul Wasanga who represented governor Kivutha Kibwana.

According to SEKEB acting chair Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki, the regional economic bloc will have a three-tier administration structure that will steer it to success.

The three tiers will include:

SUMMIT

This will be the apex body which will offer leadership on policy and high level decisions.

The summit will comprise the three governors and senators, each county assembly speakers, majority and minority leaders, MPs, County Secretaries, representatives of the Business Community, Religious leaders, Civil society, Youth, Women, and PWDs.

COUNTY SEKEB FORUMS

 Each County is to establish a county forum for deliberating and engagement with the summit as appropriate.

The County Forum will consist of the Governor, senator, all county MPs, MCAs, CECs finance and Trade, representatives of Business, Professionals, Religious, Youth, PWDs, Women, Speaker, and the civil society.

THE SECRETARIAT

This will be the body mandated to carry out administrative duties, mobilization of resources execution of SEKEB Programs and projects as well as Communication. 

The Secretariat will report to the summit.

According to Ndambuki, the thematic areas to be pursued by SEKEB include but not limited to: Water resources development, Agriculture and food security, Technology and ICT development, Health Services, Trade and Entrepreneur Development, Manufacturing, Industrialization, Mining/Extractives, Financial Sector Development, Infrastructure development, Urban Planning, Youth and Women empowerment, Tourism and cultural development.

Governor Kivutha Kibwana will be the Secretariat’s legal advisor, while Timothy Ndambuki will head it.

SOLAR ENERGY IS REVOLUTIONIZING WATER ACCESS IN MAKUENI!

“Since 2023, we made a firm commitment that every new water project in Makueni will be powered by solar energy,”- Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.

“Our shift to solar has been transformative in that where diesel generators and grid electricity often failed, leaving water projects as phantoms, we’re now pumping water efficiently across distances of up to 20 km at minimal costs. Mwaani borehole solar project in Wote, installed in 2024, has reduced operational costs by nearly 30 percent,” says Governor Mutula.

PICTURED: Mwaani borehole solar system and Kaiti 2 sand dam solar power system.

SOCIAL PROTECTION POLICY

This Policy seeks to provide the administrative and institutional framework for the provision of Social Protection and inclusion to all persons in Makueni County. Article 43 of the Constitution guarantees all Kenyans economic, social, and cultural (ESC) rights, including rights to health, education, food, and decent livelihoods. It asserts the right “of every person…to social security” and binds the State to “provide appropriate social security to persons who are unable to support themselves and their dependants.” The County Government will endeavour to offer social protection in its totality i.e. social assistance; social security; Livelihood support and health insurance.

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Slovakia seeks Makueni partnership in Moringa production

A Slovakia based company is seeking to work with Makueni County farmers for large scale production of Moringa for the company’s European market.

This was disclosed by the Slovak ambassador to Kenya Frantisk Dlhopolce on Wednesday when he paid a courtesy call to governor Kivutha Kibwana at Wote, Makueni.

The choice of Makueni is informed by the growing production of Moringa where quality and volume would reliably be guaranteed for the company’s huge market, said the envoy who was accompanied by the embassy’s economic diplomat Benadik Kiss.

The two diplomats spend the day touring several Moringa farms across the county and interacting with farmers and county agriculture officials to assess the production potential.

The agriculture team will carry out a baseline survey of the county’s moringa production potential and share findings with the Slovak embassy.

The team is expected back in Makueni in two weeks for a final meeting before announcing a possible working formula.

As a show of goodwill, the visiting envoy donated computers to equip an ICT and Innovation centre at the upcoming Wote Green Public Park now in its completion stages.

  • October 17, 2019 in News

SIX VILLAGES IN KIU/KALANZONI WARD GET CLEAN WATER

Over 3,000 residents of Ngaamba area in Kiu/Kalanzoni Ward now have access to clean water at their doorsteps thanks to a working partnership between Government of Makueni County and Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH).

WHH partnered with the community to install solar power, 100,000-litre masonry tank, six smart-meter water kiosks, and an 11km distribution line for Kwa Mwina borehole, targeting six villages and three schools in the ward.

WHH has a Memorandum of Understanding with the County Government to support the last mile water connectivity by distributing water from boreholes done by the government, and other existing high-yield ones. This project is the 20th to be handed to the community under this partnership.

County Executive Committee Member for Water John Kieti, his Devolution counterpart Japheth Mang’oka, area MCA Justus Mwanzia and representatives of WHH led the handover of the project to the community at Kalembwani on Thursday.

Shina Foundation to the rescue of vulnerable groups

County first lady Nazi Kivutha, through her Shina Foundation, has reached out to vulnerable groups along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway with a donation of cash and other items as a cushion against covid-19 distress.

The donation targets 207 beneficiaries organized in nine groups, and who are former commercial sex workers, drug addicts/peddlers based in Mtito Andei, Kibwezi, Emali, Makindu, Sultan Hamud, Salama, Malili, Kambu and Machinery towns.

Each of the nine groups received Sh 20,000 cash as seed capital for income generating activities while each individual will receive 5 litres of hand washing soap and a hand washing jerrican.

Nazi also donated 3,605 masks where each household member of the 207 beneficiaries will receive a pack of five face masks.

“We chose groups along the highway because of their vulnerability. Shina Foundation and our partners, among them Centre for Health Solutions and AIDS Healthcare Foundation, felt many young people were at extremely high risk of Covid-19 infection owing to their care-free life associated with substances abuse and commercial sex work,” said Nazi when she presented the donation to the County Coronavirus Emergency Response Committee at the county administration offices Monday.

Governor Kivutha Kibwana who received the donation, lauded Shina foundation terming the outfit a major player in the county development especially in resource mobilization for family planning, health development and mentorship.

SH 171M CLIMATE RESILIENCE INVESTMENTS LINED UP IN 13 WARDS

13 Wards in Makueni are poised to benefit from climate resilience investment projects geared towards mitigating climate change risks and shocks in ecologically vulnerable areas.

The projects funded by World Bank through Financing Locally-led Climate Action Programme under National Treasury are expected to enhance the adaptive capacity of communities to climate change threats such as droughts and flash floods.

On Tuesday (30th April, 2024), a delegation of technical teams from the National Treasury Projects Implementation Unit and County Climate Change unit visited Ilima and Mukaa Wards for public participation fora on the environmental, social and economic suitability of suggested projects. 

In Ilima Ward, a sand dam at Kyangati across Wautu River will be constructed. 250 households will benefit from this project. Besides accessing water for domestic use, the households will be supported to grow 5,000 avocado trees to increase their incomes.

In Mukaa Ward, Kwa Kakui earth dam at Maiani is set for expansion and the water treated for community use. 

Leading the field visits were Environment and Climate Change Chief Officer Geoffrey Ngovi and Makueni FLLoCA Coordinator Jackline Kamusa.