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TANATHI TO ROLL OUT MAJOR WATER UPGRADE IN MAKUENI COUNTY

Tanathi Water Works Development Agency will soon roll out Phase 3 of the Wote Augmentation Project aimed at improving water supply in the County.

The project will feature the solarization of the Makueni Boys School and Kamunyolo Community Water Schemes, solar equipping of Mwaani Borehole No. 4, laying of a 13.5 kilometre pipeline and the supply of two motorbikes and bulk water meters to Wote Water & Sanitation Company (WOWASCO.)

Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr, on Wednesday, General Manager, Eng. Francis Siva said the new phase will also include drilling and equipping new boreholes at Makindu Town Community – Railways, St. Paul’s Kyaume Primary School, Makindu ABC Primary School and within the Mavivye and Kemuama communities.

The MD confirmed that the procurement process has been finalized and that construction works are expected to be completed within six months, with the launch of the Wote Water Project scheduled before mid-July.

The Governor, reiterated his administration’s strong commitment to supporting efforts to improve access to clean and reliable water for the people of Makueni. CECM, Water, Eng. John Kieti also attended the meeting.

Talking Development

Governor Kivutha Kibwana and his Deputy Adelina Mwau on Wednesday 7/2/2018 held a fruitful discussion with officials of Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and Bechtel International over the planned implementation of the Nairobi-Mombasa way.
Besides briefing the Governor on the stakeholders engagement plan, several issues affecting Makueni residents were discussed and an action plan drawn to ensure compliance with the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment report.
Key among these include:
  • Compensation for loss of land and Resettlement policy
  • Resources utilization and compensation
  • Economic opportunities and survival of the towns along the highway.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility plan
  • Employment opportunities for locals/Subcontracts.
  • Public Participation for all stakeholders.
The contractor, Bechtel Corporation, has agreed to do water pans, bore holes, Technical training of local labour as well as skill development for their suppliers. The express highway will avoid towns along its trajectory but all the towns will have linkways to the highway, ensuring quick movement of goods and services.
  • February 7, 2018 in News

TAKING AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION FROM POLICY TO THE FIELD

In the face of unpredictable climate patterns affecting Makueni County, KALRO Kiboko and the Cereal Growers Association CGA) brought regulators, scientists and academia together to witness how science can strengthen food security.

The Wednesday high-level stakeholder engagement focused on Trecepta, a biotechnology jointly developed by KALRO and Bayer Crop Science to protect maize from above-ground insect pests while controlling weeds.

The forum, dubbed “Stawisha Mazao: A Tale of Two Harvests,” followed a Science Meets Policy Roundtable and featured an immersive field visit to a smallholder farmer’s plot and the KALRO Kiboko Confined Field Trial site.

Participants compared the realities farmers face when access to technology is delayed against the proven benefits of science-led innovation. The visit concluded with an on-site dialogue bringing together farmers, researchers, policymakers, regulators, and the media.

Attending the forum, Agriculture CECM Liz Muli said modern agricultural technologies are critical in lowering production costs and building farmer resilience amid climate stress.

KALRO Biotechnology Research Institute Director Dr. Martin Mwirigi emphasized that Trecepta combines proven traits to offer comprehensive protection, helping farmers achieve better yields sustainably.

The engagement marked a deliberate shift from boardroom discussions to field-based evidence, strengthening fact-driven dialogue on agricultural biotechnology in Kenya.

Take advantage of ongoing rains, plant trees, DG Mulili urges.

Deputy Governor H.E Lucy Mulili has called on the locals to plant trees in huge numbers during this rainy season so as to increase forest cover.
Mulili who led the area community in planting over 4000 trees at Kenze forest, Kilome, on Wednesday termed deforestation as one of the main reasons the world is experiencing erratic climate and
catastrophic global warming effects.

Taita Taveta County Officials in Makueni to learn new tricks

A delegation from Taita Taveta county government on Tuesday started a two-day tour of Makueni County to study the climate change policy and the implementation of sand conservation and utilization.

The Taita Taveta Deputy Governor Majala Mlaghui who is the leader of the delegation said her team was visiting to study the milestones achieved by Makueni County in climate change, sand conservation and utilization policy enactment and implementation.

She is accompanied by various government officials and MCAs who are members of the departmental committee on water.

She said that Taita Taveta has since banned commercial sand harvesting and wishes to borrow from Makueni experience to implement the ban. Makueni banned sand harvesting in 2013.

Makueni deputy governor Adelina Mwau who received the team noted that there was need for the creation of an economic bloc that constitutes Taita Taveta, Makueni, Machakos, Kajiado and Kitui counties who would stand up and fight illegal sand harvesting jointly.

“Illegal sand harvesting has been a nightmare to us and that is the reason governor Prof Kivutha Kibwana and I decided to ban the activity in 2013.Although we have had challenges our strategy of coming up with sand regulations has curbed the menace,” Mwau said

Prof Kibwana who also met members of the delegation noted that the illegal business had attracted social problems in the community like drug abuse, prostitution among others before he decided to ban sand scooping.

The governor said that the move was driven by the motivation to protect the sources of water as many of the rivers had been depleted.

‘’We were pushed by the urge to save our rivers, the youth who were practicing the illegal sand business and more so moving towards sustainable sand harvesting, “said Prof Kibwana.

He said that counties must aspire to work together with the county assemblies for development progress.

  • July 24, 2018 in News

SWEET RETURNS: BEE KEEPING TRANSFORMS LIVELIHOODS IN LOWER MAKUENI

Bee keeping is fast emerging as a promising economic venture in the lower parts of Makueni, offering residents a sustainable source of income.

The Department of Agriculture has shown great commitment in promoting modern apiary practices to empower locals and boost honey production across the region.

On Tuesday, the department distributed 51 modern beehives to three community groups made up of more than 80 members, with each group receiving 17 hives.

Speaking during the exercise, group chairperson Peter Mwanzia Mumo expressed confidence that the new hives would significantly increase honey yields. He urged more residents, especially those with vast land, to embrace bee keeping as a profitable enterprise.

Agricultural extension officers have been actively training farmers on modern hive management, bee handling, and hygienic honey extraction methods.

The initiative seeks to increase productivity and enhance household incomes, in line with Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr‘s vision of an economically empowered Makueni.

Swearing in of Makueni County Governor-elect and the Deputy Governor-elect

This is to notify the public that pursuant to the Assumption of Office of Governor Act 2019, the inauguration and swearing in ceremony of the Makueni County Governor-elect H.E Mutula Kilonzo CBS and the Deputy Governor-elect H.E Lucy Mulili, will be held on Thursday 25th August 2022 from 10:00am at the Unoa Grounds, Wote Town. Guests and members of the public are requested to be seated by 9:30am.

SUPPORT DEVOLUTION, SAYS MAKUENI DEPUTY GOVERNOR LUCY MULILI

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili has urged continued support for devolution, saying that it remains key to empowering communities and strengthening service delivery.

Speaking during the launch of the book Community Led Development in Nairobi, Mulili said Makueni is among the top counties championing citizen engagement through public participation.

She noted that devolution is working and called for the health sector to remain fully decentralized and further expanded under county governments. According to Mulili, community-led development is a catalyst for effective devolution in Kenya.

“Public participation not only brings accountability to government but also promotes transparency and equity,” she said.

Mulili highlighted that Makueni has decentralized development to the ward level, with 70 percent of the county budget allocated through community-driven public participation processes.

She was accompanied by County Executive Committee Member for Devolution, Public Participation and Special Programmes Nicolas Nzioka and Chief Officer Daniel Mutuku Ndolo.

Support counties to join Open Government Partnership: Mwau

Makueni Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau has urged the national government to support counties to join open government partnership saying that their efforts will go a long way in enhancing openness and accountability across the country.

While addressing key stakeholders during the launch of the third Open Government Partnership National Action Plan led by Deputy President William Ruto on Monday at Serena, Mwau noted that concerted efforts will help the country to achieve the Big Four Agenda and Vision 2030.

“It will be a great idea for you to support County Governments to become members so that we can all join efforts to willingly enhance accountability and openness across the Country,” Mwau said.

In his keynote remarks, Ruto noted that involvement of citizens by government in audit of its programmes ensures stability of the nation as well as promote effective democracy.

He said: “When a government involves citizens, civil society in the audits of its practices and programmes, the society is more stable, the country more organized and the people happy because they know their nation is run in their best interests.”

He further lauded Makueni for institutionalizing open governance through involvement of its citizenry in its development programs.

Makueni, according to the DG has partnered with Hivos and Development Gateway to ensure open governance and signed a Memorandum of Understanding which established the terms and conditions under which open contracting can be implemented.

The third National Action Plan will be anchored on the following commitments:

  • Publish a central public register of company beneficial ownership information operating in the country;
  • Open contracting to improve transparency and reduce opportunities for corruption;
  • Open-Geo Spatial data for development by lowering the barrier and increase access to geospatial data;
  • Improve public participation for better and responsive service delivery;
  • Improve public sector performance through governance indices and
  • Build open government resiliency.