A total of 1,740 youth in Makueni County are set to benefit from Wazo, a youth empowerment program spearheaded by the National Government to tackle unemployment and nurture innovation among young people.
The Wazo initiative takes a comprehensive approach to sustainable development by equipping youth with entrepreneurial skills, supporting the growth of startups, and addressing key barriers such as high failure rates of youth-led businesses and lack of knowledge on patenting and intellectual property rights.
Speaking in Makueni on Wednesday, Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs,Creative Economy, and Sports, Salim Mvurya, urged the youth to seize the opportunity to shape their future through innovation and enterprise.
He further added that each beneficiary will undergo a six-month intensive training and will receive a monthly stipend of K.sh 6,000 to support them during the period.
Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili echoed the sentiments, highlighting the county’s ongoing youth empowerment efforts including the Ujuzi Teketeke skills development program and sports initiatives.
More than 15,000 farmers in Makueni County have received certified maize and bean seeds from the county government under the 2024/2025 budget.
The distribution, concluded on Friday, targeted six wards;Wote-Nziu, Tulimani, Mbooni, Mukaa, Mbitini, and Kee, where residents had prioritized grain value chain development during public participation forums.
Speaking at the Wote-Nziu ward forum, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili urged farmers to prepare their land early and embrace dry planting in readiness for the October–December rains, which the forecast predicts will be below normal and poorly distributed. She stressed that early preparation will be key in maximizing harvests despite the expected erratic weather.
Area MCA Felix Mateso emphasized that best practices will ensure farmers reap maximum yields and strengthen food security in the county.
Agriculture CECM Elizabeth Muli also encouraged farmers to adhere to good agricultural practices as guided by extension officers, noting that quality seeds alone are not enough without proper farming methods.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture, is designed to boost food production by providing quality inputs suited to different agro-ecological zones and farmer preferences.
Kisaulu borehole in Lumu sub-location, Muani, Kasikeu ward, Kilome Sub-county which the County has developed a centralised reticulation system will be serving over 1,500 people, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has announced.
This phase 4 of the project will have enough water supplied to Kandolo area, and Lumu dispensary.
The locals will have water sold to them at sh. 3/20L Jerican which the residents proposed during the commissioning.
Over 1,500 students from grades 6 to 8 in Kibwezi, Makueni, Kaiti, and Mbooni sub-counties will benefit from the Mainstreaming Gender in Adolescent Health and Nutrition Project by Nutrition International. Launched by Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili at Watuka Primary School, the project aims to improve adolescent health and nutrition.
Mulili emphasized the project’s focus on providing accurate information on sexual and reproductive health to adolescents. The project covers nutrition, drug abuse, and gender-based violence, aiming for positive behavioral change.
Isaack Wachira, Makueni’s county coordinator for Nutrition International, highlighted the project’s efforts to support pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers with nutrition education and supplementation.
The event was also attended by Assistant County Commissioner for Kako Division Jackline Leah, nominated members of the county assembly Hon. Elizabeth Mutindi Kiio, Hon. Sarah Mbilo, Hon. Josephine Muasa, Majority Whip Hon. Joyce Kamene, Director of Gender Jane Makau, and Director of Youth Affairs Boniface Muting’a.
At least 120 youth from across the county have graduated from a 3-week free advanced ICT training program under “Tusomeei Computer Nduani” initiative fully funded by the County Government of Makueni.
The training was geared at equipping the young people with computational thinking and problem solving skills in order for them to succeed in the ever changing digital world.
They were competitively selected, 4 from each of the 30 wards and intensively trained on Web Design, Computer Hardware and Software, Graphics Design and computer Networks, with each trainee choosing an area of interest.
Konza Technopolis Development Authority CEO Eng John Tanui who addressed the graduands at Wote Technical Training Institute grounds on Friday said that the training was so timely with the Konza city taking shaping that it will provide a myriad of opportunities for the skilled young people.
“Konza Technopolis will be a sustainable, world-class technology hub and a major economic driver for Kenya, with a vibrant mix of businesses, workers, residents, and urban amenities. The skills you have acquired through this program are tools that prepare you to be among the key experts working at Konza as part of the journey to transform Kenya and Africa using ICT,” Tanui said.
Makueni Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau who presided over the ceremony urged the graduands to take advantage of the skills they had acquired and exploit them to become resourceful and create job opportunities for other people in the society.
“What we require from you our graduands is focus and exploitation of the opportunities in ICT that will enable you earn income and create jobs. Not just using it in social media-WhatsApp, twitter and Facebook,” stated Mwau.
The over 120 youth who graduated from free advanced ICT training initiative.
Testimonies by some of the graduands tell of a people who have been empowered with technical skills and ready to face the world despite the increasing cases of unemployment among the young people.
Through the department of Education, Youth, Sports and ICT, the county government has trained other 4000 young people on basic ICT knowledge and has also established 15 Community Information Centres across the county where the citizenry are trained on basic ICT programs as well as access government services online.
The County Government of Makueni has installed a water treatment plant at the Kathonzweni Milk Processing Plant, marking a significant step towards its operationalization.
The new treatment facility will supply clean water necessary for processing value-added products such as pasteurized milk, mala, and yoghurt.
Once operational, the plant will help curb milk spoilage for local farmers and increase their income.
On Monday, Agriculture Executive Joyce Mutua and Livestock Chief Officer, Japheth Kiminza visited the plant for pre-testing of the water treatment system to ensure it meets the required quality standards.
In an effort to enhance communication and trading activities in Makueni and Kibwezi West sub counties,Deputy Governor H.E Lucy Mulili on Friday launched construction of the the 31.5 kilometers Kwa Mutula road,a critical road linking Mbitini,Emali all through to Kasikeu wards.
In her speech to the residents at Kwa Mutula Market,Mulili stated that upon completion in three months time,the road is expected to open up Makueni-Kibwezi West’s food basket to the rest of the county.
To urbanize the region even further, the Deputy Governor reiterated Governor Mutula administration ‘s commitment to elevate Emali-Sultan Municipality status.
She reported that roads are an enabler of development and a driver of the economy by providing linkages between farmers and markets.
Deputy Governor was flanked by Speaker Douglas Mbilu, ECMs Sebastian Kyoni(Roads and transport),Daniel Musila(Health), chief officers Stephen Ndolo(health),Eng.James Muli(roads) Mcas, Cosmus Mutunga (Emali-Mulala) Benard Mutua(Mbitini) among other leaders.
The Open University of Kenya (OUK) marked yet another milestone, as it held it’s second graduation ceremony, proudly awarding certificates to over 200 graduates across various fields to the country’s rapidly evolving professional landscape.
The cohort completed programmes spanning Business and Economics, Education, Entrepreneurship, Economics and Statistics, Technology Education, Data Science, Cybersecurity, and Digital Forensics, fields central to Kenya’s emerging knowledge economy.
During the ceremony, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba underscored the government’s continued focus on strengthening OUK as a centre of excellence in digital learning, and inclusive education for learners across the country.
Chancellor Dr. James Mwangi highlighted the university’s online learning model as a transformative avenue for Kenyans seeking to advance their skills while balancing work, family, or distance barriers.
Guest speaker Lucy Mulili celebrated the graduating class as a new force in technology-driven growth, research, and innovation.
Her call for increased enrollment from Kitui, Makueni, and Machakos counties was reinforced by Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi, who encouraged more learners from the region to seize the opportunities provided by OUK’s digital platform.
The Office of the Governor plays a significant role in ensuring efficient and effective service delivery towards realization of county strategic goals. This charter is a critical instrument to improve our client’s and stakeholders’ awareness on the services offered and our commitment to open governance. The purpose of this Charter is to affirm our commitment to ensure that the government of Makueni County provides reliable, high standard and satisfactory services to our clients and stakeholders. It specifies standards for service delivery, rights and responsibilities of both parties and how clients can access the department services. In addition, this Charter is expected to empower Makueni citizenry to be able to be able to make demands on our officers at the various levels of service delivery.
