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1,500 PUPILS IN MAKUENI BENEFIT FROM DIGNITY PACKS.

Atleast 1,500 school going children from 15 schools in Makueni have been assured of uninterrupted learnig after receiving dignity packs during the Menstrual Hygiene Day on Tuesday.

The dignity packs targeting mostly teenage girls are meant to ensure no child misses school because of a biological condition. Those in marginalized areas, opharns, Children with chronically ill parents and children with a traumatic past will be given priority.

County First Lady Anita Mutula presided over the event at Kiongwani Primary School. The program is spearheaded by the Department of Health Services in conjuction with that of Gender, Children, Youth and Social Services.

FIRST LADY ANITA MUTULA FLAGS OFF SOCIAL PROTECTION SUPPORT FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS

County First Lady Makueni – Anita Mutula in partnership with the Department of Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services have flagged off social protection support for vulnerable groups in Makueni County.

The social support in form of wheelchairs, food items, blankets, mattresses and dignity packs for boys and girls is meant to cushion the elderly, people living with disabilities and opharned & vulnerable children against social and economic life shocks.

County Executive Committee Member for Gender Eng. Peter Mumo said the social protection program is geared towards ensuring a life of dignity and opportunity for all residents of Makueni. The department, he said, recognizes that social and economic vulnerabilities can prevent individuals and families from reaching their full potential.

Makueni has a population of 36,369 PWDs, 66,691 elderly persons, and over 65,000 OVC where only 23,716 are under cash transfer.

KWAKYAI VALUE ADDITION TECHNOLOGY STANDS OUT AT THE PRE-MADARAKA FOOD SECURITY EXHIBITION

May 28, 2024

Kwakyai Rural Sacco Limited from Kikumbulyu South is among the over 300 exhibitors showcasing their agricultural technologies at the ongoing Pre-Madaraka Food Security Exhibition at Kibabii University in Bungoma County.

Kwakyai was registered as a Sacco in 2002 with the aim of producing, aggregating, and marketing fruits and vegetables. 

However, they faced significant post-harvest losses due to market instability, prompting them to explore value addition. They decided to focus on drying tomatoes.

In 2017, 110 farmers signed a contract with Ketchup, a  Netherlands based company , to supply 10 tons of produce per week. The farmers received a grant of Ksh. 6 million from the Makueni County NARIGP to upgrade their pack house to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards, enabling compliance with export market standards.

This contract has provided the farmers with stable market prices and increased incomes. In 2023, they achieved gross sales of Ksh. 2.7 million from exported tomatoes.

As the Pre-Madaraka Food Security Exhibition continues, various agricultural stakeholders are advocating for a paradigm shift from traditional agriculture to agribusiness and commercialization. Today’s discussions focus on interventions to enhance agricultural production, productivity, and value addition.

MAKUENI COUNTY PARTNERS WITH KITISE RURAL DEVELOPMENT CBO FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE BUILDING.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior and his deputy Lucy Mulili on Monday hosted members of Kitise Rural Development, a community based organisation to review its activities in Makueni county.

Kitise Rural Development has been a catalyst for social change, with the aim of improving livelihoods of Makueni residents through provision of access to clean water and sanitation, healthcare services and youth empowerment.

The CBO engages in sustainable livelihood programs including pasture and milk value chain development producing processed yoghurt named Climate Fresh which is in the market.

The CBO has also been instrumental in undertaking capacity building of communities for effective public participation, community-led water harvesting technologies, and strengthening participatory planning & budgeting.

GOVERNOR MUTULA KILONZO JNR HOSTS PASTORS AND CHURCH ELDERS FROM NGWATA AND ÎIANI AIC DISTRICT CHURCH COUNCILS, MASONGALENI WARD WHO PAID HIM A COURTESY CALL ON MONDAY.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr hosts pastors and church elders from Ngwata and Îiani AIC District Church Councils, Masongaleni Ward who paid him a courtesy call on Monday.

They discussed role of the church in community development.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo recognized the importance of the church and pledged support for its community driven development initiatives.

MAKUENI COUNTY PARTICIPATES IN PRE-MADARAKA DAY FOOD SECURITY EXHIBITION 

May 27, 2024

Makueni County is participating in the Pre-Madaraka Day Food Security Exhibition, which began today, 27th May, and will continue until 31st May, 2024, in Bungoma County. This exhibition precedes this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations, themed “Agriculture and Food Security.”

The exhibition, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, aims to bring together key players in the sector to engage in in-depth discussions, analysis, and exhibitions of strategies and achievements in Kenya’s food security.

Agriculture PS Rono officially launched the exhibition. The theme for Day 1 is “Interventions to Enhance Access and Utilization of Agricultural Sector Inputs.”

#BETAKilimo

MAKUENI CELEBRATED FOR OUTSTANDING BUDGET TRANSPARENCY

May 24, 2024

Makueni County Government has been lauded for its budget transparency, securing the second position consecutively in the annual survey conducted by the International Budget Partnership Kenya for Financial Year 2022/23, with an impressive score of 80 per cent.

The survey assessed key budget documents such as County Budget and Review Paper, County Fiscal Strategy Paper, Citizens/Mwananchi Budgets, County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and the Annual Developent Plan. Makueni had the most comprehensive County Integrated Development Plan 2023-27.

Other documents assessed were Approved Programme Based Budgets, 

Quarterly Budget Implementation Reports and the Finance Act.

Finance and Budget Executive Damaris Kavoi on Friday received the award on behalf of the county government at Serena Hotel, Nairobi.

She emphasized the importance of transparency for effective planning, accountability, and citizen engagement. This recognition bolsters the county’s credibility with donors and partners. 

Kavoi was accompanied by Planning Chief Officer Mutua Boniface and staff from the department.

MAKUENI’S TRIUMPH OVER FISTULA

287 women and girls in Makueni are celebrating this year’s International Day to End Fistula with renewed energy and hope after successful corrective surgeries.

Mary Cosmus, who had endured this condition for 48 years, is one such woman. She was born with the condition and had endured a life of ridicule, neglect, and solitude, as no one wanted to associate with her.

The surgeries, conducted at the Mother and Child Hospital in Wote, are part of a joint campaign by the Makueni County Government and Jhpiego to end this preventable condition.

County First Lady Anita Mutula, who led Makueni residents in marking this day, reaffirmed her commitment to raise awareness about fistula and advocate for better reproductive, maternal, and child health to prevent incidences of fistula.

Acting County Executive Committee Member for Health Services Elizabeth Muli said 73 more cases are lined up for surgery while appreciating the tremendous support of partners towards this cause.

KATANGINI BOREHOLE PROJECT TO ENHANCE WATER ACCESS TO RESIDENTS

May 22, 2024

65 households from Katangini Location in Kalawa Ward will access water for household consumption and enhance agricultural production, once Katangani borehole project is completed.

The borehole with an estimated capacity of 25- cubic –meter of fresh water is a project of the county government through Small-scale Irrigation Value Addition Project (SIVAP) and will supply water for domestic use and irrigation.

On Wednesday, Agriculture Executive Joyce Mutua inspected the progress of the borehole drilling to ensure its timely completion.

Mutua said that, through SIVAP, a total of 10 boreholes are scheduled to be drilled. Among these, 5 boreholes were drilled in 2023. These boreholes include Nduumoni in Nzakika, Ithanzeni in Ukia, Kimuumo in Muvau Kikumini, Ngai Ndethya in Mtito Andei, and Twaandu in Makindu.

In the next two months, another five boreholes will be drilled. These include Galilee, Katangini location in Kalawa ward (ongoing) Linga in Kako waia, Kanyonga in Mavindini, Utangwa in Kithungo Kitundu ward and Kalaanzoni borehole in Kalaanzoni ward.

The boreholes will be equipped with solar-powered pumping system. to distribute water to farms, kiosks, and livestock watering points. Mutua also inspected ongoing construction works for the Kanini Kaseo micro-irrigation project.

Mutua was accompanied by the Agriculture Chief Officer Dr. Victoria Kyallo and County Director for Agriculture Mary Muteti.

CELEBRATING CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Trade, Marketing, Industry, Culture and Tourism Executive Committee Member Dr. Sonia Nzilani led the inaugural celebration of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development in Wote.

The celebrations highlights the richness of the world’s cultures and role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.

Dr. Nzilani noted that the UN-Sanctioned observance day was an enabler and economic driver adding that the event envisaged to give impetus to the institutionalization of culture of observance of international days in the county.

She as well stressed the need to increase budget allocations on cultural activities, noting that the promotion of the respect for diversity and intercultural dialogue is important for the county whose urban centers are increasingly becoming cosmopolitan.

The activity saw the winners of the 96th edition of the Kenya music festivals as well as the cultural festival winners of the plug Mtaani awarded with certificates.