Epic moments from Eldoret as the Makueni County Choir, joined by Trade, Marketing, Industry, Culture and Tourism Chief Officer Dr. Josyllyn Nzilani graces the Kenya Music and Cultural Festival at Moi Girls Secondary School.
Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Soipan Tuya together with Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr on Friday led hundreds of residents in a tree growing exercise at Kiu Wetland in Makindu Ward.
The exercise precedes celebration of the National Tree Growing Day to be hosted in the site and graced by President William Ruto on Monday 13th. 100,000 tree seedlings will be planted at the wetland on the same day.
Makueni targets to grow 344 million trees by 2032, with 34 million grown each year. In the current October-November-December rain season, the county will grow 10 million trees.
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Friday received medical equipment worth K.sh 40 Million from ENI Kenya, a leading biofuels value chain investor in the country.
The equipment, handed over by ENI Kenya Managing Director Enrico Tavolini, includes a centrifuge and a fridge to support blood unit preservation at the Referral Hospital, neonatal equipment for the Mother and Child Hospital in Wote, and nutritional supplements for pregnant women and babies, among other items.
Additionally, ENI has equipped the maternity wing at Kambi-Mawe Dispensary and is constructing an ablution block and a biodigester to enhance sanitation services at the facility.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Governor Mutula hailed the initiative, saying it would significantly improve healthcare services in the two facilities.
The partnership is expected to bolster healthcare delivery and align with Governor Mutula’s goal of providing quality and accessible medical services.
In an effort to enhance workplace mental health, the Department of Health Services is implementing an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides rehabilitation services and mental health support aimed at boosting productivity and service delivery.
During the International Mental Health Day celebrations at the Mother and Child Hospital, Chief Officer in charge of Health Services Dr. Ndolo emphasized the importance of fostering a sustainable mentally healthy workforce.
Dr. Ndolo urged staff to be vigilant against burnout, cautioning that excessive work can lead to decreased performance. The event was attended by county staff and community member.
Governor Kivutha Kibwana and his deputy Adelina Mwau on Thursday flagged off 30MT of maize seed worth Kshs. 7.5M for distribution to 15,000 farmers across the county a head of the October-December short rains.
The consignment, which is support from Bayer East Africa, is part of the county government’s efforts working with its partners to enhance food security initiatives.
The initiatives target to support 47,382 farm families, 75 youth groups and 118 other groups with seeds, seedlings and equipment to improve food and nutrition security in the county. The target beneficiaries are spread across all the thirty wards in Makueni County in line with the county government’s philosophy of “O kila nyumba kalila.”
The overall goal of the initiatives, governor Kibwana said, is to cushion the farmer against the effects of covid-19 pandemic by ensuring availability of quality seed and seedlings for enhanced productivity and profitability at farm level. This is to be achieved through a collaborative effort between the government and stakeholders as follows:
1. Bayer E.A, supporting with 30,000 Kgs of maize seed (worth KShs 7.5M), targeting 15,000 (500 per ward) beneficiaries
2. Kenya Cereal Enhancement Programme – Climate Resilient Agricultural Livelihood (KCEP-CRAL), a government programme, targeting to reach out to 5,297 beneficiaries with an assortment of maize/beans and sorghum/green grams seeds as well as other farm inputs (ripping service, hermetic bags, tarpaulin, fertilizers). The programme will also support 20 staff with motorbikes to enhance their mobility when offering extension services.
3. Small-scale Irrigation and Value Addition Project (SIVAP) targeting 540 beneficiaries with beans, cow peas, green grams, dolichos lab, millets, and sorghum seeds for demonstrations and bulking in the project areas (Utangwa, Kyemwee Irrigation schemes and Muoni/Kikuu Catchment – Makindu, Nguu/Masumba, Emali/Mulala, Mbitini and Kasikeu wards).
4. The National Irrigation Board (NIB) is supporting the initiative with 7,000 avocado seedlings which will be distributed to Kilungu, Mbitini, Ukia, Mbooni, Kithungo/Kitundu, and Tulimani wards. (10 seedlings per farmer).
5. The Government of Makueni County (GMC) will support the initiative with 10,000 avocado seedlings and 1,500 macadamia seedlings under ward projects in Mukaa and Ilima wards. (10 seedlings per farmer).
6. The Agriculture and Food Authority’s Nuts & Oil Crops will support the initiative with 5,000 cashew nut seedlings which will be distributed to 500 beneficiaries across the county at 10 seedlings per farmer.
7. The Makueni Youth Agribusiness Empowerment Project (MYAEP) will support 60 youth groups as follows;
a. 10 groups with beehives, honey harvesting kits, honey extracting machines,
b. 10 groups with chicken,
c. 20 groups with pumps, drip irrigation kits, vegetable seeds and farm inputs (fertilizers and agrochemicals).
d. 20 groups for capacity building (skills development)
e. The project has also supported 8 staff with motorbikes to enhance their mobility when offering extension services.
Makueni County Government in collaboration with Strathmore University (SU) and the World Resource Institute (WRI) has successfully concluded a three-day workshop aimed at shaping the County Energy Plan. This partnership brings together governmental insight, academic expertise from Strathmore University, and the global perspective on sustainable development provided by WRI.
The workshop launched by County Secretary Dr. Justin Kyambi at Kusyombunguo Wote, emphasized the pivotal role of energy in daily life. Dr. Kyambi stressed the significance in powering homes, fueling industries, and propelling progress. He stated that there was a need for a comprehensive and forward-looking strategy that would meet the current County energy needs and lay a foundation for a resilient and sustainable future. He further urged stakeholders to promote the use of renewable energy sources to mitigate environmental degradation.
The workshop delved into critical topics including Bioenergy Findings and Interventions, Energy Access Findings, Electricity Modeling Scenarios, Clean Cooking Modeling, Energy Efficiency and Conservations Findings, and Cross-Cutting Issues with a focus on Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. The collaboration between the Energy Directorate, Strathmore University, and WRI promises a forward-thinking, comprehensive, and implementable energy plan for the sustainable development of Makueni County.
The three-day workshop agenda included project confirmations on the first day, validation sessions for the technical working group, departmental directors, and policy makers on the second day, and a final validation session with 30 community members from various wards on the third day.
The Department of ICT, Education & Internship today marked a powerful and inspiring moment as Makueni Tech & Innovation Hub in collaboration with CITAM Church through the Tuvuke Bridge program, engaged a vibrant group of young people on trending Technologies shaping our world today.
The session took a practical dive into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its growing influence across industries and everyday life. Together, we explored how AI is actively transforming sectors such as business, healthcare, education, and finance, while also unpacking real, relatable use cases that connect directly with the realities of young people today.
A key highlight was introducing accessible and impactful AI tools that the youth can begin using to learn, create, innovate, and even generate income. Equally important were our discussions around the ethical and responsible use of AI, emphasizing that as technology evolves, so must our values, accountability, and awareness.
At Makueni Innovation Hub, we remain committed to nurturing a generation that is not only digitally skilled, but also innovative, responsible, and ready to shape the future.
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The County Government of Makueni, led by CECM for Gender, Youth, Sports, Children and Social Services Eng. Sebastian Kyoni, has partnered with the Makueni County KU Students Association to empower youths in Kambu, Mtito Andei Ward.
The youths were trained on drug abuse prevention, mental health awareness, financial discipline, career guidance and mentorship, agribusiness and market linkages.
Eng. Kyoni urged young people to take advantage of county programmes including Tujiajiri, Ligi Mashinani, Ujuzi Teketeke and Ajira kwa Vijana, while actively participating in public forums to help shape youth-focused development priorities.
The initiative also saw the distribution of over 2,000 tree seedlings to promote environmental conservation, while girls received sanitary pads to support menstrual hygiene.
Kyoni was accompanied by Chief Officer Nicolis Mutua, area MCA Francis Mulwa, Thange Ward MCA Eric Katumo and other leaders.
