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REHABILITATION OF KWA KAKUI EARTH DAM TRANSFORMS LIVELIHOODS IN MUKAA WARD

Residents of Mukaa Ward in Kilome Sub-county are witnessing a remarkable transformation following the rehabilitation and expansion of Kwa Kakui Earth Dam under the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program.

The once silted and unreliable water source has been desilted and expanded by 8,000 cubic meters, with the spillway reinforced through stone pitching to enhance its durability. A solar-powered water treatment system, comprising a flocculation unit, sedimentation tanks, filtration, and chlorination, has been installed to ensure safe water for household use.

One of the key beneficiaries is Maiani Girls Secondary School, where students now enjoy reliable access to clean water for sanitation, drinking, and learningโ€”significantly improving school hygiene and academic performance.

This project stands as a shining example of how Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr leadership is steering Makueni County toward climate resilience through smart, community-driven water investments

Regenerative Agriculture for improved food security

With the adverse effects of climate change, especially in Ukambani, many farmers are glaring at looming food insecurity.
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However, this is not the case for 180 farmers drawn from various wards in Makueni County, who have adopted Regenerative Agriculture (RA), through , ‘ Strengthening Regenerative Agriculture in Kenya’, an ongoing program that is being spearheaded by the County Government of Makueni through the department of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock Fisheries and Cooperative Development in partnership withย  Alliance for Green Revolution Africaย  (AGRA) and Cereal Growers Association ( CGA).
Regenerative Agriculture is a system of farming principles and practices that seeks to rehabilitate and enhance the entire ecosystem of the farm by placing a heavy premium on soil health with attention also paid to water management, fertilizer use, and more.
The 180 farmers who are also the Village Based Advisors( VBA)have been capacity built through training, peer to peer activities and farm demonstrations on RA principles.
Some of the principles include conservation tillage, minimum soil disturbance, rotation and crop covers, and diversity.
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The VBAs are in turn cascading the RA knowledge to other farmers at the village levels, with an aim of enhancing food security at household levels.
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The program is targeting to reach out to 30, 000 farmers directly through the VBA extension model.

REFORMED GUM CUTTER LEADS FIGHT AGAINST OUTDATED PRACTICE IN KIBWEZI.

For two decades, Leah Kitheka, now 63, carried out the painful traditional practice of gum cutting on children in her Sub Location of Mbui Nzau. With roughly 150 children subjected to the harmful procedure under her hands, Leah once believed she was offering help. Today, she is on a mission to right the wrong.

Driven by awareness and remorse, Leah now moves from home to home, urging mothers to seek medical care for teething issues instead of resorting to unsafe traditional methods.

Leah is among several reformed gum cutters empowered by the Makueni County Government to become champions of child health and protect future generations from the trauma she once inflicted.

On Thursday, Makueni Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili led a powerful forum at Kibwezi Sub-County Hospital, bringing together over 500 young women including pregnant mothers, community health promoters, and former gum cutters for a sensitization session aimed at ending gum cutting for good.

Mulili also announced plans to introduce a county policy that will outlaw the brutal practice ,often carried out using sharp objects like nails, razor blades, and bicycle spokes, and promote safer healthcare interventions for infants.

To support the reformed cutters in their new journey, Mulili presented them with 100 one-week-old chicks and poultry feed for two months ,a small but meaningful step toward helping them build alternative livelihoods and continue being voices of transformation in their villages.

READY TO RUMBLE

Makueni County is set and ready for the Kenya Youth Inter-County Sports Association (KYISA) Games after a successful verification exercise.

With all athletes cleared and in top form, the team now shifts focus to the big stageโ€”determined, disciplined, and hungry to defend their title. Weka mawe! ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ”ฅ

READY TO DRINK KALAMBA JUICE LAUNCHED

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Sunday officially launched the ready-to-drink Kalamba fruit juice during the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Matiliku, Makueni Sub-County.

Governor Kilonzo announced that the County will continue to sell mango puree locally and for export, while the remaining produce will be processed into ready-to-drink juice.

Agriculture County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Joyce Mutua disclosed that the Kalamba production line has been linked to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) stamp duty system, and the final product has received full certification from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).

She said the County has implemented a quality assurance program to ensure consistent product quality. Additionally, a distribution point for the juice has been established at Green Park, Wote, with plans to stock it in supermarkets and various points of sale soon.

Mutua further noted that the County has identified value-chain champions in every Ward to support mango farmers by facilitating the off-take of their produce at designated aggregation centres.

To regulate the mango trade, all mango buyers in Makueni will now be required to obtain a movement permit, in addition to paying cess, to ensure fair distribution of trade across all areas.

RAW TALENT ON DISPLAY AT MKJ SUPA CUP

The MKJ Supa Cup Sub-county finals concluded on Sunday with amazing raw talents in football, volleybal and basketball on display.

The tournament, Makueni’s biggest sporting competition, now moves to the final stageโ€“the County Finals, slated for 29th-30th March, 2025 in Wote.

Over Kshs 2M in cash prizes are up for grabs at the finals.

RASTAFARIAN YOUTH LEADER CHAMPIONS CLIMATE ACTION IN TULIMANI.

๐…๐ซ๐ž๐๐ซ๐ข๐œ๐ค ๐Š๐š๐ฏ๐š๐ ๐š๐ฅ๐š, popularly known as ๐— ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜€, the youth representative in the Ngoano Sand Dam Project Management Committee (PMC) at Nthaani Village, Tulimani Ward.

His election by the community was unanimous, a clear vote of confidence in the role of young people in driving local development and climate action. As the youth representative, Muras has pledged to champion the successful implementation of the Ngoano Sand Dam Project and rally fellow youth to embrace climate-smart farming, leveraging the reliable water supply that the project will provide to build resilient livelihoods.

The KSh 10 million project, funded by the Government of Makueni County through the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Programme, is expected to transform livelihoods by providing year-round water for domestic use and irrigation, while supporting climate-smart agriculture through the establishment of coffee, macadamia, and Juncao fodder demonstration farms.

Construction is set to commence this week, marking the beginning of another community-led investment in climate resilience and sustainable development.

๐Œ๐จ๐ซ๐ž ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ: Community site handover and the location where the Ngoano Sand Dam will be constructed.