News
We Require Ksh. 1 Billion to Recover From Floods Havoc: Kibwana
Governor Kivutha Kibwana and senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr on Monday led a consultative meeting with Makueni leaders to strategise on how to handle emergency response following deadly floods in the county.
Addressing the forum Prof Kibwana said that the county will require Sh 1 billion to support full recovery from the devastating effects of the havoc that has caused 17 deaths and massive displacement of persons.
According to a report by the county government on the effect of the disaster, 26 dams have been breached, houses collapsed and crops destroyed.
The report further indicates that Sh 205 million is required to repair all the water projects damaged by the floods while Sh 282 million is required to repair damaged roads under the county jurisdiction.
“We estimate the cost of complete repairs and restoration of people’s livelihoods will be over Sh 2 billion,”Prof Kibwana said.
Adding that Sh 500 million is required immediately to facilitate immediate repair works in order to restore normalcy.
The government Prof Kibwana said will be forced to review its 2018-2019 budget in order to focus on addressing the damages and losses caused by the rains.
He said: “We will have to inevitably review and where possible suspend some of the development projects earlier included in our 2018-2019 budget so as to enable us facilitate a recovery plan.”
Prof Kibwana said that the decision to divert the budget plan is painful but one that is a necessary sacrifice.
The governor and the Senator together with members of parliament, members of the county assembly and the county executives agreed to form a committee to coordinate emergency response and avert further loss of lives, property and human suffering out of the raging floods.
The committee was formed on Monday in a meeting of all elected leaders within the county and other stakeholders to draw a roadmap for a united response to the flooding catastrophe.
The committee will among other tasks define priority areas for response, define flood zones along rivers and evacuate where possible, mobilization of the general public to contribute to support the emergency responses as well as lobby other partners to support response initiatives.
The committee comprises of the Governor, County Secretary, CECs (Lands, Finance, Roads, Health, Devolution and Water), Office of the senator, KeRRA, Red Cross, Office of County Commissioner, Security, Clerk of County Assembly, NDMA, All MPs or their representatives and office of the County Representative.
The governor said the county government has already developed a disaster communication structure and protocol which includes a toll free line manned by Kenya Red Cross, short code (40014) for two way messaging as well as establishment of a disaster command center.
Mr Mutula asked local leaders to unite in order to jointly tackle the flood crisis adding that mobilization of relief support from all quarters was necessary.
“We must work together on this one so that we mobilise as much resources as possible for us to succeed,” he said.
The Senator urged the local county assembly to allow passage of an emergency fund in order to make government response to special programs much easier.
“This emergency funds we are talking about must be passed now.MCAs have been resistant but I think it is important and must be considered,” he said.
We need concerted efforts to address menstrual hygiene management – Nazi
Makueni County First Lady Nazi Kivutha has applauded the national government for recently releasing the sanitary towels consignments to the counties.
Nazi observed that other several organisations were addressing the various aspects of menstrual hygiene management but urged that there was need for concerted efforts in a bid to empower the girl child for holistic development.
She said: “Allow me to congratulate the national government through the ministry of Public Services, Youth and Gender Affairs for recently releasing sanitary towels consignment to the counties. With countless organisations joining us we need concerted efforts to address this issue as a whole.”
She however noted that significant barriers persist and continue to be major challenges to women and girls during their menstruation especially from low income households.
Nazi also observed that in most rural areas across the country, girls miss schools for up to 5 days every month and that 65% of them cannot afford sanitary towels.
“Significant barriers continue to be major challenges facing women and girls during their menstruation. Most of them come from low income households and cannot afford sanitary towels,” she said.
Nazi spoke on Monday during the Menstrual Hygiene Day celebrations in Kisumu, a national platform that brought together non-profits, government agencies, the private sector, the media and individuals to promote menstrual hygiene management.
She further stated that young girls engage in sexual activities which results to increased adolescent pregnancies and early marriages as most of them turn to transactional sex in a bid to acquire the sanitary towels.
In Makueni county, similar celebrations were held at Kiambani day and Boarding primary school where officials from the county government, the national government and non-state actors distributed sanitary towels to school going girls.
We have invested over Sh 250 million on bursaries and scholarships since 2013: Mwau
Makueni County government has spent over Sh 250 million on bursaries and scholarships to support at least 36,000 bright students from poor families to pursue education.
Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau said the government is in its final stage of establishing an Education Fund to put more resources on education as it acknowledges it is an investment for the future of the county.
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. To increase Makueni share in supporting transition and retention in schools, the County is in its final stages of developing the long awaited “County Education Fund,” the Deputy Governor said.
But the DG revealed that lack of innovation and invention is the true challenge of education in this country and urged teachers to make learning effective and interactive in order to achieve 100% transition.
Mwau further noted that county government is in the forefront in the adoption of the new system by partnering with YASA, an organisation that deals with youth to mentor girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
“We have made strides with the adoption of a new curriculum focused rightly so on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Partnering with the ministry and YASA, our county has purposed to mentor at least nine schools for one year and improve Girls in STEM,” she said.
She was speaking when she closed the seventh edition of the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association-Makueni Chapter at the Nyali Sun African Hotel in Mombasa.
KESSHA Makueni Chapter Chairman Julius Mutwii who was the host and also leader of a team handling the County Education Fund details termed it as a noble idea that will keep hope alive for the children. He also assured the government of their unwavering support to fully realise the initiative.
He said: “This is a very noble idea whose time has come because more of our students from needy backgrounds will have opportunities to pursue their academic dreams. We therefore as principals in Makueni fully support it.”
She was accompanied by the County Water Executive Bob Kisyula, Education and Trade executive members Joshua Wambua and Eng Sebastian Kyoni respectively.
We are ready to launch Thwake – CS Chelugui
Cabinet Secretary for Water and Sanitation Simon Chelugui now says the government is ready for the ground breaking for construction of Thwake dam.
During a consultative leaders” meeting on implementation of Thwake dam project held at Ole Sereni hotel, Nairobi, Tuesday, Chelugui said, “We have established working relations among all the stakeholders and are ready for ground breaking any time from now.”
The Cabinet Secretary said all the pending issues standing in the way of the project’s launch are being cleared to pave way for commencement of construction works.
One of the thorny challenges is compensation of a section of Project Affected Persons, which Chelugui says will be cleared in the next three weeks.
The meeting was attended by leaders from Makueni, Kitui, Machakos, representatives of those affected by the project, top leardership of the Water and Sanitation ministry as well as the contractor and and engineering consultants.
Governor Kibwana said leaders from the three counties have resolved to sensitise locals to fully accept and own the project and also to take advantage of the available job opportunities, including subcontracts.
According to the project engineer Sao Alima, Sh 11 Billion will be spend on subcontracts, which he said will benefit locals.
Makueni and Kitui will also benefit from Sh 30 million for schools improvement and Sh 50 million for community health facilities as part of the contractor’s Corporate Social Responsibility around the project area.
Water infrastructure vandals put on notice
Water Committees to be Dissolved: Kisyula
Water Committees to be Dissolved
Water committees in Makueni County will be dissolved and new ones reconstituted to ensure efficiency in the management of the critical water sector in the county Water Executive Committee Member Robert Kisyula has said.
Mr Kisyula said that his department was keen to oversee an efficient water sector adding that supply of water to Makueni County residents is top priority issue in the county government.
“We are going to dissolve all the water committees in Makueni and reconstitute new ones. We have a very high target set in the water sector which we must meet,” the ECM said.
He was speaking in Mombasa where county officials met Secondary school head teachers during this year’s Kessha Conference for Makueni Chapter held at the Travellers Beach Resort.
Mr Kisyula urged secondary schools heads to partner with the county government to achieve the water agenda.
The ECM said that institutions should harvest rain water from roofs to make sure that all public and private institutions have sufficient potable water.
“If every school in Makueni had tanks to harvest the water that runs during rainy seasons, the shortage of water in schools and nearby communities would be a thing of the past,” the ECM said.
Rain water harvesting according to Mr Kisyula is one of the game changers in making another Makueni possible where every household has sufficient potable water for domestic use in order to stop the “ fetching water ideology” in the county.
“Since we were kids, we were taught that water is fetched. We wait for the rain to pour down for a whole night then the following morning we follow it to the rivers when it is already contaminated,” he explained.
He further added that every household in the county is capable of becoming food secure and economically empowered by adopting the “1 acre rule” initiative.
Makueni County has since the wake of devolution done several dams and sand dams as well as drilled boreholes and collaborated with various development partners through the Billion Dollar Business Alliance to ensure that all households have access to clean water.
He further challenged the heads to set good examples in the villages by installing at least two 100M3 water tanks in their homesteads, adding that it will ensure availability of potable water supply for domestic use for a whole year.
Kessha Makueni Chapter chairman Julius Mutwii who was the host said teachers are appreciating the support given by the county government including sponsorship of various teachers projects including scholarships to students.
“We are very happy with progress being made by our county. Infact the whole country is talking about Makueni.And they are doing so positively, ” said Mr Mutwii.
Other top government officials who graced the KESSHA conference included the deputy governor Adelina Mwau, county secretary Paul Wasanga, CEC, Roads, transport and energy, Engineer Sebastian Kyoni and CEC for Education and ICT, Dr. Naomi Makau.
Water chiller for the new juice line at MFPP
Supply, Delivery, Installation, Testing & Commissioning of a water chiller for the new juice line at Makueni Fruit Processing Plant (MFPP)
Tender Number: GMC/A/T/07/2018/2019
The Government of Makueni County invites interested and eligible bidders for the above tender. Interested firms may download the bid documents below.
This bid is open to both local and international bidders.
The duly completed bids should be enclosed in plain sealed envelopes clearly marked with Tender Number and Tender Name and deposited in the tender box situated at the Makueni County Treasury headquarters offices (MAP) and be addressed to:
COUNTY SECRETARY
GOVERNMENT OF MAKUENI COUNTY
P.O. BOX 78-90300
MAKUENI Kenya
All tenders should be received on or before Wednesday 7th November,2018 (10.00AM)
Bids will be opened immediately thereafter in the presence of bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at Makueni County Treasury headquarters offices (MAP)
The successful bidder will be selected in accordance with evaluation criteria and terms and conditions set out in the bidding documents.
For any additional information, please contact the County Secretary on email:
county.secretary@makueni.go.ke.