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The Senate County Public Accounts Committee has lauded Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr for the automation of all county revenue streams which has enabled the county to collect Kshs.1 Billion in own source revenue for the Financial Year 2023/2024.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna who chairs the committee termed the innovative financial solutions as key in achieving clean audits and value for money for Makueni residents. 

The committee also commended the mechanisms put in place to handle pending bills including legal fees, and requested the governor to share the same with the Council of Governors for replication in other counties. 

The Governor met with the Senate Committee on Tuesday morning to consider the Reports of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements of the County Executive of Makueni for Financial Years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. A bulk of the recommendations and queries by the Auditor General in the year under review have been implemented and resolved.

August 16, 2024

The Senate’s National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity, and Regional Integration Committee has praised Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. for his compliance with legal requirements in human resource management and his commitment to promoting equal employment opportunities in the county.

Governor Kilonzo Jr. reported that the county’s workforce consists of 61% female and 39% male employees, with 27% of the workforce under 35 years of age. This distribution demonstrates the county’s dedication to fostering diversity, inclusivity, and empowering the youth.

Hon. Mohammed Chute Said, the committee chair, praised the inclusion of young people into the county’s workforce as a key step toward securing the county’s future and fulfilling government employment legal mandates.

The committee also commended the County Government for its efforts to empower the youth through initiatives such as agri-preneurship, providing equal opportunities in online procurement, and offering vocational training programs.

Governor Kilonzo Jr. presented this information during his meeting with the Senate Committee on Friday. He was accompanied by the County Secretary Dr. Justin Kyambi, CECM Finance Damaris Kavoi, and County Public Service Board Chairperson Dr. Nicodemus Muteti.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr appeared before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee on Friday afternoon to respond to the Auditor-General’s report for the 2023/24 financial year.

The meeting was held to ensure all concerns raised in the report are addressed and public funds are properly accounted for.

Governor Mutula assured the committee that his administration is committed to clearing pending bills amounting to Ksh. 151 million. He also revealed that Makueni has made impressive progress in raising its own revenue — growing from Ksh. 849 million to over a billion shillings.

Officers from the Auditor-General’s office, who were present, noted that the county has shown improved financial discipline.

The governor further shared his administration’s focus on putting more resources into value chain development — a move he believes will boost social and economic empowerment for local residents.

The Senate committee led by Vice Chair and Taita Taveta Senator Johnes Mwaruma, praised Makueni as a success story of devolution.

Senators Okog’o Omogeni (Nyamira) and Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi) echoed the praise, applauding Governor Mutula for development initiatives that bring real change to people’s lives.

Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo highlighted Makueni’s model of public participation in budgeting, saying it promotes community ownership of projects. Senators also got a look at Makueni’s online project monitoring system, which allows residents to track government projects in real-time.

Further, governor Mutula urged the Senate committee to anchor the Council of Governors in law, emphasizing that formalizing its status would enhance its effectiveness as a key devolution liaison body; sentiments that were supported by Senator Omogeni.

The session was also attended by Tharaka Nithi Senator Mwenda Gataya Mo’Fire and Makueni’s counterpart Daniel Maanzo with CECMs Damaris Kavoi (Finance), Joyce Mutua (Agriculture), Eng. John Kieti (Water), and MCAs Jonathan Kimongo (Mavindini) and Cosmas Mutunga (Emali/Mulala).

On Thursday, the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc Summit held an Extraordinary meeting attended by commissioners from the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA) on consultation of the fourth basis of revenue sharing.

During the meeting, the three governors Mutula Kilonzo Jr (Makueni), Julius Malombe (Kitui), and Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos) urged that county allocations be adjusted upwards. This will enable the devolved units ably address the myriad of challenges affecting wananchi.

“…The CRA must acknowledge that funds must follow functions, and that the revenue sharing formula must take into consideration the additional risks and pressure on the healthcare that the Bloc faces owing to accidents occurring along the transnational Nairobi-Mombasa Highway…”, read a press statement in part.

The governors resolved to lobby Members of the National Assembly and Senators from the SEKEB Bloc to for a unity of purpose to defend Devolution and champion the SEKEB position when the CRA revenue sharing formula is tabled in Parliament.

On Thursday, the three Ukambani Governors Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, Wavinya Ndeti and Julius Malombe held the 3rd summit meeting in Makueni where a number of strategies were drawn to improve quality of life for residents of the region.

Key highlights of the meeting include:

1. The three governors received SEKEB’s Economic Blueprint and Investment Plan from a consultant . The Bloc will initiate implementation of the First Phase of the Investment Plan within the next three years.

2. They called on the national government to address the massive pollution of River Athi, which poses a serious threat to the health of the Nation, particularly for the residents of the three SEKEB Counties. They urged for measures to force polluters to bear the responsibility by being compelled to pay reparations for the damages caused to our communities.

3. The three governors agreed to set up an abattoir in one of the counties with an area for value addition on hides, skins and other products through leather processing and other value additions. A joint Feeds’ Processing Zone will also be considered alongside agribusiness funding through the respective ministries of Trade.

4. To enhance the ease of doing business within the Bloc, the three county governments shall find a formula to harmonize and standardize county tariffs and licences.

5. The three counties have resolved to each invest in specialized health services in our main hospitals. Kitui will establish a Renal Centre, while Cancer and Trauma Centres will be built in Machakos and Makueni Counties, respectively. The Trauma Centre will help alleviate the suffering of the road accident victims along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.

6. To this effect, the Bloc is in the process of finalizing the development of its 10-year Vision Strategy which will guide in leveraging on economies of scale and concerted efforts to achieve sustainable development for the people.